“What’s going on?” Lilian asked as she stepped beside Moses, her eyes darting between him and Emily.“The receptionist isn’t here,” Moses replied in his usual calm tone, his expression unreadable. He turned to Emily. “Emily mentioned you told her not to come in today. Is that true?”“Oh,” Lilian said, her face lighting up in sudden recollection. “She called me early this morning. Her mother fell sick, so I gave her the day off.” She paused, realizing she might have overlooked something. “I forgot to tell you.”Emily’s lips curled into a slight smirk, sensing an opportunity. Crossing her arms, she tilted her head and asked pointedly, “Why didn’t you get permission from the CEO before giving her time off?”Lilian turned to Emily, meeting her gaze directly, her tone measured but laced with authority. “And exactly how is that your concern? Is this part of your job description?”Emily’s smirk faltered, but she quickly composed herself. Her tone turned sharp as she spoke again. “It seems Se
The next day, Lilian didn’t go to the office. She had woken up with a headache, and Moses insisted she stay home and rest. “You can go tomorrow,” he had said firmly.Lilian spent most of the morning lying in bed, staring at the ceiling. The boredom was unbearable. She rolled over with a sigh, scrolling mindlessly on her phone until—Beep.A notification popped up. It was a text message from an unknown number. Curious, Lilian opened it.“Hello Lilian, I got your contact from Moses. I forgot to ask you the other day. It’s Arthur.”Lilian raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. She sat up slightly, rereading the message. After a moment, she started typing back.“Hi Arthur. How are you doing?”She read her message twice before hitting send, unsure of what to expect. Tossing her phone onto the bed, she leaned back, thinking it would take a while for him to respond. But almost immediately, her phone beeped again.She picked it up and opened the new message.“I’m fine, thank you. Are you fr
“Do you want to go to an amusement park?” Arthur asked with a hopeful smile, clearly reluctant for their time together to end so soon. “That sounds good,” Lilian replied, glancing at her watch. “But I need to pick up Matt from school first.” She didn’t shy away from mentioning her son; she was certain that either her father or Moses would have told Arthur about him by now. “That’s not a problem at all,” Arthur said, his smile widening. “We can pick him up together and head to the park. What do you think?” Lilian hesitated briefly, then nodded. “Sure. He’d love that.” A smile touched her lips at the thought of Matt’s excitement. She knew her son had been wanting to explore the amusement park, but her busy schedule had kept her from taking him. This felt like the perfect opportunity. Arthur’s face lit up. “Great! Let’s go, then.” They stood, and Arthur stepped ahead to hold the door open for her. Lilian smiled politely, appreciating the gesture. Once, such chivalry might have m
They were happy as they walked toward their car, laughing lightly, their voices blending with the distant chatter of families enjoying the amusement park. Lilian’s steps were purposeful, her hand brushing against Arthur’s as they moved. But then, without warning, she stopped in her tracks.Arthur turned to her, confused. “Lilian? What is it?”Her face had gone pale, her lips parting slightly as if to speak, but no words came. Arthur followed her gaze, his brows knitting together when he spotted what had made her freeze.Standing just a few feet away was Marcus.Lilian’s breath hitched as Marcus’s gaze swept over her, then flicked to Arthur, and finally settled on Matt. He frowned, his expression darkening with every passing second.Panic gripped Lilian. Without thinking, she bent down and scooped Matt into her arms. She held him tightly, her heart pounding as fear clawed its way through her chest. What if Marcus saw it? What if he noticed the resemblance?Marcus’s eyes lingered on the
The ride home was quiet. Lilian sat in the back seat with Matt, while Arthur drove in silence. No one said a word, but it wasn’t uncomfortable—it was just a reflective kind of quiet. When they finally reached the house, Arthur parked the car by the gate since he’d be heading to his own home after dropping them off.“Thank you so much for today. We had a great time,” Lilian said as she unbuckled her seatbelt, her tone warm and sincere.Arthur smiled, a soft expression crossing his face. “No, thank you. I had a great time with you two as well. It’s been a long time since I felt this relaxed.”Lilian smiled back, her heart light. “Well, we’ll be on our way now. Thanks again, Arthur.”“Wait,” Arthur said, stopping her just as she reached for the door handle.She turned to him, curious. “Yes?”“Can I ask you something?” he said, hesitating slightly.“Of course,” Lilian replied, her voice steady.Arthur seemed to deliberate for a moment before finally asking, “Are you a twin? Why does that
The next morning, Lilian arrived at the company earlier than usual. She had skipped work the previous day, and there was plenty to catch up on. As she walked into the building, the receptionist noticed her immediately and stood up with a bright smile.“Good morning, Miss Lilian. How was your night?” the receptionist asked politely.Lilian returned her smile, her tone warm. “It was okay. And how’s your mom? Is she feeling better now?”The receptionist’s eyes softened with gratitude. “Yes, she’s recovering well, thanks to you. I really appreciate your help.”Lilian waved it off with a small smile. “It was nothing, just a little assistance,” she said modestly. “You were here yesterday, right?”“Yes, Miss,” the receptionist replied. She had been surprised not to see Lilian the day before, as she had wanted to thank her in person.“Oh, alright,” Lilian said with a nod, and then she made her way to the elevator.Once she reached her office, Lilian set to work immediately. Stacks of files wa
At lunch break, Aria and Marcus drove to the school. Earlier that day, while they were in his office, Aria had mentioned offhandedly that Lilian’s son attended the same school as their nephew, Jack.This detail had instantly piqued Marcus’s interest, and he insisted on accompanying her to the school. Although Aria found his sudden curiosity a little strange, she decided not to question it.When they arrived, Marcus stepped out of the car first. His tall frame and confident stride immediately drew attention from a few parents waiting nearby, but he paid no mind.Aria followed behind, looking up at him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism. “Jack’s class should be the same as Matt’s,” she said casually, though she wondered why Marcus seemed so eager to see a child he had no connection to—or so she thought.“Alright, lead the way,” Marcus replied, his tone calm.Though his expression remained stoic, he couldn’t ignore the odd flutter of nerves in his chest. He was usually composed and u
“What’s your name?” Matt asked, his curious eyes glancing up at Marcus.Marcus hesitated. He didn’t want Lilian to know he had approached her son. If she found out, she might cut off any chance of him seeing Matt again. Thinking quickly, he kept his expression neutral and lied. “Harrison,” he said smoothly.Matt nodded, seemingly satisfied for the moment. “Oh.”Marcus leaned back in his chair, watching the boy. “Do you think you’ll tell your mom about meeting me today?” he asked with a friendly smile, testing the waters.Matt tilted his head to the side, pretending to think hard about the question. “Should I?”Marcus shook his head with a faint chuckle. “No. Let’s keep this as our little secret,” he said, lowering his voice playfully.Matt muttered an “Oh,” his small hands fidgeting with the edge of the table. After a moment of silence, he looked directly at Marcus. “But why did you lie about your name?” he asked suddenly, catching Marcus off guard.Marcus raised an eyebrow in surpris
Lilian walked into the house that evening, surprised to see her father with an elderly man. They were deep in conversation, as if they had been friends for years. “Dad,” Lilian greeted him. Gabriel looked up and smiled. “You’re back. How was work?” he asked. “It was fine, Dad,” she replied, turning her attention to the elderly man. “Good evening, sir,” she greeted him politely. “How are you doing?” the man asked, his face lighting up with a warm smile. “I’m doing very well, sir. What about you?” Lilian responded, offering him a smile of her own. “I’m doing fine. You look so beautiful,” the old man said, nodding his head approvingly. Lilian blushed at the compliment. “Thank you, sir.” “This is Marcus’ grandfather,” Gabriel introduced. Lilian froze in surprise. She had never met Marcus’ grandfather before. This was her first time meeting him. “Oh! Hello, sir!” she greeted him warmly, now understanding who he was. “We never met when you and Marcus were still together,” the old
The next day, Linda was arrested and charged with attempted murder and kidnapping. Additionally, her history of bullying had led to a young woman’s suicide, further worsening her case. The weight of her crimes was undeniable, and with the overwhelming evidence against her, there was no room for denial.As soon as the police took her into custody, news of her arrest spread quickly. Social media was flooded with posts about the woman who had orchestrated kidnappings, attempted murders, and had driven someone to their death through sheer cruelty.In the cold, gray confines of the prison, Linda sat on a hard bench, her arms crossed tightly over her chest. The prison cell smelled of rust and sweat, and the metal bars that caged her in seemed to close in more with each passing second.Then, the sound of approaching footsteps made her stiffen. She looked up, and her expression immediately twisted into one of pure hatred.The man she had once deceived—manipulated into risking his life for her
Marcus sat at his desk, fingers moving swiftly across his laptop keyboard as he reviewed the latest security reports. His office was quiet except for the rhythmic tapping of his fingers. The sunlight streaming through the window cast a soft glow on the room, highlighting the expensive furnishings and the neatly organized stacks of paperwork on his desk.A sudden knock at the door interrupted his focus.“Come in,” he called out without looking up.The door swung open, and when he finally looked up, he was surprised to see Lilian standing there with Matt by her side.His brows lifted slightly, but his expression quickly softened. He hadn’t expected to see them today.Matt, beaming with excitement, didn’t wait for an invitation. He stepped forward, walking straight toward Marcus’s desk.“Good morning!” the boy greeted enthusiastically.Marcus stood from his chair, his gaze shifting between Lilian and Matt. His lips curled into a rare, genuine smile. “Good morning, Matt. How are you?”“I’
Marcus shrugged and turned to Moses, pulling out his phone. With a swipe, he brought up a picture of Linda and held it out for him to see.Moses squinted at the image, his brow furrowing. Something about her seemed familiar, but he couldn’t quite place it.“She…” he muttered, trying to recall. He knew this woman—he was sure of it. But from where?“She used to work for your company,” Marcus supplied, his tone flat. “She got fired, and after that, she developed a deep hatred for Lilian. She believed Lilian was the reason she lost her job.”Moses clenched his fists. “Damn it.” His jaw tightened as guilt weighed down on him. He should have been keeping an eye on Linda, should have monitored her actions. If he had, maybe Lilian wouldn’t have been dragged into this mess.Marcus exhaled sharply before turning back to the captive man. He crossed his arms and studied him carefully. “Sooo… are you ready?” he asked, his tone casual but laced with authority.The man slowly lifted his head, his ex
Marcus pulled out his phone as he strode into the dimly lit warehouse. His fingers moved swiftly across the screen as he dialed Moses’ number.The call connected after two rings.“Who else did you tell about me taking those men to the warehouse?” Marcus asked, his voice calm but firm.Moses hesitated for a second before answering, “Noah.”Marcus frowned slightly. “Is he a hacker?”“No, he’s not. Why? What’s wrong?” Moses’ voice carried a hint of concern. “Did they escape?”“No, they didn’t.” Marcus’ eyes darkened as he recalled the email Hilary had received. “But my assistant just got an email… and it contains every detail we need.”There was silence on the other end for a moment before Moses spoke again. “Where are you right now?”“I’m on my way to the warehouse,” Marcus replied as he continued walking.“Okay, I’m coming now,” Moses said. Marcus could hear the rustling of movement, as if he was already getting up.“Alright.” Marcus ended the call.The cold, musty air of the warehouse
Lilian woke up to the sound of the door creaking open. A soft shuffle of footsteps followed, and she turned her head in the direction of the noise. The doctor and a nurse walked in, their expressions neutral but observant as they approached.She sat up slowly, rubbing her temples as confusion settled in. Something felt… off. Her eyes widened when she looked down and realized she was lying on the hospital bed.How?She clearly remembered sitting on the chair by Marcus’ bedside. She had rested her head against the mattress for a bit, but she was certain she had never moved. Had someone placed her on the bed while she was asleep? But who?Her gaze flickered toward Marcus, who was still sitting in the chair beside her, watching her with a calm expression.The doctor and nurse also seemed surprised to find her in bed instead of the chair. The doctor hesitated for a moment before finally speaking.“Good morning, sir,” he greeted Marcus respectfully.Marcus gave a curt nod, acknowledging him
Lilian’s gaze dropped to Marcus’s arm, her brows furrowing at the sight of the fresh wounds. His knuckles were red and raw, and there was a thin trickle of blood trailing down his hand.“Are you okay?” she asked softly, concern evident in her tone.Marcus looked at her, his expression unreadable. After a brief silence, he gave a slow nod. “Yes, I’m fine,” he murmured. His voice was rough, as if the weight of his emotions had drained him completely.He took a step forward, intending to close the space between them.Then—A sharp, unmistakable crunch echoed through the room.Marcus winced, his entire body stiffening. His foot had landed directly on the shattered glass strewn across the floor from his earlier outburst. A sharp pain shot up his leg, but he barely reacted.Lilian’s eyes widened. “Marcus—”He groaned, feeling the sting deepen as he shifted his weight.Lilian instinctively moved toward him, her hands reaching out to steady him. But before she could get close, he raised a han
Hilary walked into the office, his heart pounding, his hands clammy. The weight of the situation pressed down on him like a storm cloud. Security had immediately stepped in, and within moments, they were escorting her away. The woman who had deceived them for so many years—Lily—was finally being removed from their lives.Marcus stood motionless, his jaw clenched so tightly it ached. His fists curled at his sides, his entire body rigid with suppressed rage. His mind reeled, struggling to process the truth that had just shattered everything he had ever believed.He had been deceived. Lied to. For years.His whole life had been shaped by a single moment—a memory that had led him down the wrong path, making him believe in something that wasn’t real. And because of that false belief, he had lost the most important person in his life.His wife.The reason he had been so overprotective of Lily all these years wasn’t just because he cared for her—it was because, as a child, he had nearly drow
Marcus returned to the office, his mind still racing from the events of the past few days. The moment he stepped inside, Hilary walked in as well, his usual composed expression in place. He held a tablet in his hand, ready for orders.“Sir.”Marcus barely spared him a glance before speaking. “Investigate the other guy—the one who refused to talk at first. I want to know everything about him and the woman he’s trying to protect.” His voice was sharp, his patience running thin.Hilary immediately nodded, his fingers already moving to jot down the details. “Understood, boss. I’ll get started on it right away.” He turned toward the door, preparing to leave.“Wait,” Marcus said, stopping him in his tracks.Hilary turned back, standing at attention. “Yes, sir?”Marcus hesitated for a brief moment, his fingers twitching slightly as he recalled something that had been gnawing at him. “I saw a scar on Lilian when she was taking care of me in the hospital… and I remember seeing the same scar on