Lilian stepped into the office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. As she did, she cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the tense air. Her eyes immediately landed on Emily, who stood too close to her brother’s desk, acting as though she was busy with something important. When Emily saw Lilian walk in, she stiffened, her face paling. She quickly stepped back, trying to act casual, but it was obvious she was caught off guard. Before Lilian had entered, Emily had assumed that Lilian must have taken the day off. That’s why she had taken the opportunity to come into the office herself, pretending to deliver some documents. Her true intentions, however, were less than professional. Emily had been hoping to get closer to Moses, perhaps to gain his attention, or more. But now, with Lilian standing in the doorway, all of that was quickly falling apart. Lilian’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, noticing Moses asleep at his desk, looking slightly disheveled. She couldn’t
Lilian stepped into the office, her heels clicking on the polished floor. As she did, she cleared her throat, the sound cutting through the tense air. Her eyes immediately landed on Emily, who stood too close to her brother’s desk, acting as though she was busy with something important. When Emily saw Lilian walk in, she stiffened, her face paling. She quickly stepped back, trying to act casual, but it was obvious she was caught off guard.Before Lilian had entered, Emily had assumed that Lilian must have taken the day off. That’s why she had taken the opportunity to come into the office herself, pretending to deliver some documents. Her true intentions, however, were less than professional. Emily had been hoping to get closer to Moses, perhaps to gain his attention, or more. But now, with Lilian standing in the doorway, all of that was quickly falling apart.Lilian’s eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, noticing Moses asleep at his desk, looking slightly disheveled. She couldn’t h
“What the hell?” Mrs. Thompson exclaimed, her eyes glued to the screen.Aria was caught off guard. She had just come back from dropping her cousin off at school and was entering the house when she heard her mother’s exclamation.“What’s wrong?” Aria asked, her voice filled with confusion.“She’s back!” Mrs. Thompson said, her frown deepening as she pointed at the TV.Aria blinked in confusion. “Who?” she asked, still trying to make sense of the situation.“Lilian,” Mrs. Thompson replied, her voice laced with distaste, her finger still pointing at the screen.Aria followed her mother’s gaze to the TV. On the screen, Lilian was standing behind Moses during an interview. Aria’s eyes immediately landed on Moses, her breath catching in her throat.‘He looks so handsome,’ she muttered to herself, a dreamy expression forming on her face.“Did you say something?” Mrs. Thompson asked, her tone sharp as she turned to look at her daughter. She had caught the murmur but wasn’t sure what Aria had
The office phone rang, slicing through the quiet of Lilian’s workday. She glanced at the screen, slightly annoyed by the interruption. Without hesitation, she picked up the receiver.“Hello?” she answered, her voice steady but laced with curiosity.“Miss Lilian, there’s a delivery for you—flowers and a gown,” the receptionist said, her tone a little shy, as if unsure how to break the news.Lilian’s brow furrowed at the mention of a delivery. She hadn’t ordered anything, and she wasn’t expecting a gift from anyone. The idea felt foreign, almost out of place.“Oh?” she replied, her voice tinged with suspicion. She raised an eyebrow. “I’ll be downstairs in a moment,” she added, before hanging up and standing from her desk.As Lilian stood up, her heart began to beat a little faster. It wasn’t fear—more a sense of confusion. The unexpected nature of the delivery threw her off. Who could be sending her flowers and a gown? It seemed unlike her to have such surprises.She walked out of her o
Back at the CompanyMarcus sat in his office, dressed in his finest suit, checking his wristwatch for the umpteenth time. The moment had finally come. He had carefully planned this. It had been years since he last saw Lilian—since they were married, in fact—but today, he hoped to make a gesture that might bring them back together. He had chosen a beautiful dress and a bouquet of flowers, hoping they would remind Lilian of the good times they once shared.Marcus reached for the small bottle of perfume on his desk. It was a gift from Lilian, given to him when they were still together. He hadn’t paid much attention to it at the time, but now, as he spritzed it onto his wrist, he realized how pleasant it smelled. He had never truly appreciated it before. The fragrance seemed to envelop him with a sense of nostalgia.He took one last look in the mirror, checking his appearance. His hair, freshly trimmed by his stylist yesterday, was perfectly styled. He had tried to look his best for this
Marcus’ assistant walked in the moment Marcus called for him.“Sir, you called for me?” His assistant asked respectfully.“Give the gift to her,” Marcus said, running a hand through his hair, his expression serious but a hint of uncertainty in his eyes.“What?” His assistant was stunned. He knew the gift was meant for Lilian, not Lily. He was shocked by Marcus’ change of mind.“Didn’t you hear me?” Lily said, her voice dripping with a mixture of smug satisfaction and playful confidence. “I asked you earlier when I saw you at the receptionist’s desk if the gift was for you, and you told me no. So, it’s clearly meant for me now, right?”Her words stung, but Marcus’ assistant kept his thoughts to himself. But it’s really not for you, he thought inwardly, though he dared not challenge his superior’s decision.“Alright, I will bring the gift then,” the assistant said, bowing slightly before turning to leave. “Please excuse me, Miss Lily.”Lily watched him walk out of the office with a sati
Lilian swiftly finished typing the last few sentences of her report and double-checked the numbers in her spreadsheet. Satisfied, she saved her work and closed her laptop. With a sigh of relief, she leaned back in her chair, stretching out her arms to release the tension from a long day of staring at the screen.It was already past 5 PM, and she knew her brother Moses had gone to pick up their younger cousin, Matt, from school. That meant she didn’t have to worry about running any errands today. She could head home straight from work, and she was looking forward to a quiet evening to herself—maybe a nice takeout dinner and a movie.Grabbing her bag and slinging it over her shoulder, Lilian took one last look around her desk, making sure everything was in order. She flipped off her desk lamp and made her way to the door, her heels clicking softly on the polished floor.She pressed the elevator button and waited, glancing around the nearly empty office floor. Most of her coworkers had a
Marcus and his friend Nick decided to collaborate on a project. They went to a nearby restaurant to grab some coffee and finalize the document they had been working on. It was a busy afternoon, and the café was filled with people chatting, sipping their drinks, and typing away on laptops. The smell of freshly brewed coffee lingered in the air, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.Sitting across from each other at a small round table, they both took a moment to enjoy their drinks. The clinking of cups and the hum of conversation around them created a comfortable background noise. Nick took a sip of his coffee and then glanced up at Marcus with a curious expression.“When are you getting married to Lily?” Nick asked suddenly, raising an eyebrow. It was a question that seemed to come out of nowhere, catching Marcus off guard.Marcus frowned slightly. The idea of marrying Lily had been floating around for a while, but something about it didn’t feel right. He couldn’t quite put his fin
Matt blinked innocently at the question, his expression earnest. “We only met Grandma Clara, and she took us to the shopping mall. She bought me some toys before we went to the restaurant,” he said, carefully leaving out everything else that had happened.Lilian glanced at her Eldest brother, her lips lifting into a faint smile. “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about me.” She tried to sound convincing, but deep down, she understood why they were concerned. They cared about her—it was as simple as that—and that thought melted her heart.“Why wouldn’t we worry about you?” Noah said, his voice tinged with both affection and exasperation. “You’re our only sister.”Lilian let out a soft laugh and nodded. “Yes, yes, I know,” she replied, brushing off their concern as gently as she could.Moses, the quieter of the two older brothers, gave her a small smile. “Just be careful,” he said, his tone firm but caring.Lilian met his gaze and nodded again. “I will, I promise. It’s just that Aunty C
Lily felt awkward. She had wanted to see a pained, vulnerable expression on Lilian’s face—something to prove her presence still affected her—but Lilian’s features remained cold and indifferent, as though she were looking at nothing more than a passing stranger. That wasn’t the reaction Lily had hoped for, and it gnawed at her.“We’re leaving,” Clara said, her voice firm and crisp. She turned to Marcus with a look that brokered no argument. Without waiting for a response, she grabbed Matt’s small hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s go,” she added, nodding toward Lilian.Lilian nodded silently, her expression neutral, and rose to her feet. Without a glance back, she followed Clara out of the restaurant. Her movements were slow, deliberate—steady in a way that seemed to irritate Lily even more.Left behind, Lily turned to Marcus with wide eyes, playing up her confusion and innocence. “It seems Aunty Clara still doesn’t like me,” she said softly, her tone carefully layered with
They started eating in silence. Clara seemed more focused on Matt than ever before, her attention unwavering as she carefully observed him. Lilian couldn’t help but feel a warm sense of happiness at how well Clara treated her son. The tenderness in Clara’s actions brought comfort to Lilian’s heart.Clara kept putting food into Matt’s bowl, making sure he had enough to eat. Then, suddenly, Marcus picked up a piece of fish and placed it in Matt’s bowl as well.The table fell silent. Everyone froze.Lilian blinked, caught off guard by the unexpected gesture. It felt strange, an odd shift in the air that unsettled her. Across the table, Lily’s face darkened, her expression turning sour as she frowned deeply.Matt, noticing the fish in his bowl, frowned too. For a moment, he stared at it as though unsure of what to do. Then, without a word, he picked it up and placed it into his mouth, chewing silently.Marcus smiled faintly when he saw Matt eat the fish, the small success lighting up his
Clara, Lilian, and Matt left the shopping mall promptly after Clara paid for their purchases. Lilian had offered to pay, but Clara shut her down immediately with a dismissive wave of her hand.“Not today, Lilian. This one’s on me,” Clara said firmly, a small but satisfied smile on her face.“Alright, fine,” Lilian relented, shaking her head slightly. “Thank you, though.”Clara simply smiled, her attention quickly shifting to Matt, who was already preoccupied with staring out the window of the car, waiting for it to move.Once they were all settled inside, Clara glanced back at her grandson through the rearview mirror. “Are you hungry, sweetheart?”Matt, still fiddling with his seatbelt, immediately perked up at the question. He looked up, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes, Grandma! I’m really, really hungry,” he said earnestly.Clara chuckled lightly as she started the car. “Well, let’s fix that, then. We’ll get something good to eat.”The drive was quiet and comfortable. Lilian s
When Lilian arrived at where the commotion, her brow furrowed at the sight before her. Her son, Matt, stood stiffly near a brightly lit toy display, his little fists clenched at his sides. Beside him stood another boy, roughly the same age, though his posture was far less composed—one hand on his hip, the other gripping a toy car. Facing them both was a woman Lilian didn’t recognize. The tension in the air was palpable, and all three wore expressions that hinted at a brewing argument.“What’s going on here?” Lilian asked, addressing the store attendant nearby, her voice edged with concern.Before the attendant could respond, Matt turned sharply at the sound of her voice. Relief washed over his small face, and he immediately ran to her side. “Mom!” he said, his voice a mixture of urgency and relief.The woman scoffed, folding her arms tightly across her chest. Her expensive-looking jacket crinkled as she shifted, her glare unwavering. “Oh, you’re his mother?” she said, her tone sharp a
“Yes, that is Moses,” Lilian said softly, her tone tinged with both surprise and reflection.Clara, seated in the driver’s seat with her hands loosely gripping the steering wheel, raised an eyebrow. “Oh,” she muttered, as though trying to process this bit of information. Then, shaking off her curiosity, she smiled warmly and said, “Well, get into the car so we can go.”Her voice was cheerful, coaxing Lilian into movement.Lilian nodded and turned to Matt, holding out her hand to guide him. “You first, buddy.” Matt clambered into the backseat, his little legs barely reaching the car floor. Lilian slid in next to him, securing his seatbelt before settling into her own spot.Clara waited until Lilian had closed the door before starting the car. The engine hummed softly as she backed out of the driveway and onto the main road. The three sat quietly for a moment, each lost in their thoughts, until Clara glanced at Lilian through the rearview mirror.“The mall’s our first stop,” she announc
The next morning, Lilian emerged from her room and walked into the living room. The house was already alive with small movements. Moses was seated at the far end of the couch, engrossed in his laptop, the light from the screen reflecting on his focused face. Meanwhile, Noah was sprawled comfortably on the other couch, casually munching on a bag of snacks.“Good morning, brothers,” Lilian greeted cheerfully, her voice light as she walked into the room.Moses looked up, the corner of his mouth lifting into a smile. “You’re finally awake? How was your night?”“It was okay,” Lilian said with a nod, taking a seat near Noah. “What about yours?”Moses leaned back slightly in his chair, stretching his arms before answering. “I woke up feeling a lot better today,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips.Lilian smiled back. “That’s good to hear.” She looked over at his laptop. “You’re not heading to the company yet?”Moses let out a small sigh, shutting the laptop for a moment. “I will, but
Finally, they were done.Clara and Lilian stepped out of the restaurant, ready to call it a night.“Do you want me to drop you off?” Clara asked as they walked toward the parking lot.Lilian shook her head, offering a smile. “No, we came with a car.”Clara nodded, smiling back. “Oh, that’s true.”She would’ve said yes if she hadn’t driven her own car there.They walked toward Lilian’s car, and Clara waited until Lilian pulled out of the parking space and drove away. She watched the taillights fade into the distance before walking over to her own car.Lilian and Matt finally arrived home. Lilian opened the front door, and they stepped inside to find Moses and Noah sitting on the living room couch.A smile tugged at Lilian’s lips when she saw them.“Welcome back,” Moses said, raising an eyebrow playfully.Lilian chuckled under her breath. “Brother,” she muttered warmly as she closed the door behind her.Matt broke into a run toward Moses. “Uncle!” he shouted, throwing his little arms ar
Lilian smiled when she heard Clara’s voice. She nodded slightly, acknowledging the unspoken truth—technically, it made sense. Clara and Mrs. Thompson were practically the same age.“Oh,” Matt murmured when his mother confirmed it. His expression shifted, brightening into an innocent, radiant smile. “Grandma,” he said, his voice cheerful as he looked up at Clara.Clara froze for a moment, her lips parting slightly in surprise before breaking into a warm smile. The word lingered in the air, filling her chest with a strange, comforting joy. She could feel her heart soften at the little boy’s words.As she looked at Matt—his round cheeks, curious eyes, and bright expression—Clara couldn’t help but wonder how her sister would react. Her sister, who hadn’t even heard the word “Grandma” from her own grandson yet. Oh, what a story this would make, Clara thought with a sly smile tugging at her lips.Clara seated herself across from Lilian and Matt, her smile lingering as she took in the sight