The next day, Lilian woke up earlier than usual, determined to take Matt to school herself instead of relying on Moses. She had decided that today was a good day to handle things on her own. After a quick breakfast, she made sure Matt’s lunch was packed, tucking his sandwich and juice into his lunchbox carefully. When the time came, she grabbed the box and stepped outside, the cool morning air brushing against her skin.She walked to the car, setting the lunchbox on the back seat before closing the door with a soft click. Just as she was about to get into the driver’s seat, she heard the sound of footsteps approaching behind her. She turned to see Matt, his schoolbag slung over one shoulder, walking toward her.“Mom!” Matt called, his face lighting up as he came closer.Lilian smiled and opened the back door for him. “Get in the car, sweetheart,” she said, her voice warm but steady.Matt climbed into the back seat, his little hands gripping his lunchbox. Lilian gently closed the door
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
Lilian walked into the private room, her heels clicking softly against the polished marble floor. The air carried a subtle hum of conversation as several CEOs were already present, chatting amongst themselves in low voices. Heads turned briefly when she entered, though most of them quickly returned to their discussions, only sparing her a glance.“CEO Lilian, you’re here!” the host exclaimed warmly, his voice breaking through the quiet hum of the room. His welcoming smile was broad as he stepped forward to greet her.Lilian nodded politely, her expression composed yet approachable. “Yes, I am,” she replied, her voice steady and professional. Her gaze swept the room subtly, taking in her surroundings. It wasn’t overly crowded—just enough people to make the gathering feel important but not overwhelming.The host gestured toward a seat in a more secluded section of the room. “Please, let me show you where you can sit.”Lilian followed his lead, her movements measured and graceful, reflec
Moses walked into the living room with a deep frown etched across his face. He sank onto the couch, the weight of his thoughts dragging him down. Franklin, seated beside him, turned to look at him with concern. “Are you okay, brother?” he asked, his voice low but steady.Moses turned his head slowly to meet Franklin’s gaze. “I got an email from Lily,” he began, his tone laced with confusion and frustration. “She said we’ve made a mistake—that she’s actually our younger sister.”Franklin’s brow furrowed in response, but before he could say anything, Noah let out a loud chuckle from across the room. “What kind of nonsense is that?” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. “She must be dreaming. Someone needs to wake her up.”Franklin nodded in agreement, a scowl spreading across his face. “Ridiculous. She’s just being stupid,” he added dismissively.Moses didn’t respond immediately. His silence filled the room like a heavy fog, thick and suffocating. He leaned back against the couch, his
Lily stormed into the house, her expression a storm cloud of frustration and anger. She slammed the door shut behind her with a little more force than necessary, causing her mother to glance up from the table where she was sorting through some documents.“You’re back already?” her mother asked, a mix of surprise and curiosity on her face. “Was Marcus not at the company?”Without replying immediately, Lily tossed her bag onto the couch and sat down heavily, crossing her arms. Her face remained tight with irritation.“The gateman didn’t let me in,” she said sharply, her voice carrying the sting of humiliation.Her mother straightened, clearly startled. “What? Why not? Did he give you a reason?”Lily huffed in frustration, the memory of the encounter replaying vividly in her mind. “He said Marcus wasn’t in the office,” she explained, her tone dripping with annoyance. “I told him I’d wait inside, but he refused. Can you believe that? He wouldn’t even let me near the gate!”Her mother’s ex
Lilian walked into the company the next day, her heels clicking against the polished floor with an air of authority. The receptionist immediately stood up when she saw her, her professionalism sharp and unmistakable.“Good morning, ma’am,” the receptionist said politely, a warm smile on her face.Lilian acknowledged her with a small nod. “Hello, good morning to you too,” she replied, her tone calm yet direct. Without breaking stride, she headed straight for the elevator.Inside the elevator, Lilian pressed the button for her floor and leaned slightly against the wall. It had been a whirlwind few days, and she was determined to tackle everything head-on. As the elevator arrived with a soft chime, she straightened her posture and stepped out, ready to start her day.What greeted her, however, made her pause. A young woman sat at the desk outside her office, engrossed in her phone. Lilian’s brows furrowed slightly. This was unexpected.The woman, oblivious to Lilian’s presence, continued
Lilian arrived home later than usual, the weight of her day evident in her slightly tired expression. She had stayed back at the office, determined to finish the stack of files that had been sitting on her desk for too long.As she stepped into the living room, the soft glow of the lights made the space feel warm and welcoming. Noah looked up from where he was sitting, immediately smiling when he saw her. “You’re back,” he said, his tone cheerful at first, though his smile soon faded into a concerned frown. “How was work? And why are you so late?”He was the only one in the living room, and the absence of the usual chatter made the house feel quieter than normal.Lilian offered him a tired but genuine smile. “It’s been a while since I was at the office, so I took the opportunity to finish up some pending work,” she explained, setting her bag down on the nearest chair.Noah nodded in understanding. “Where’s everyone?” she asked, glancing around as if expecting someone to suddenly appea
Lilian walked into the company lobby, her heels echoing on the polished tiles. She carried herself with the calm confidence of someone who knew the space inside and out. The familiar environment of her workplace brought a small sense of comfort, yet something was off. Her eyes immediately landed on the receptionist’s desk.Where Linda, the usual friendly face, should have been, sat a stranger. A young woman, neatly dressed in a crisp blouse, was typing away on the computer. Her sharp focus broke the moment she spotted Lilian approaching.The receptionist quickly stood up, smoothing her skirt nervously. “Good morning, ma’am. Do you have an appointment?” she asked, her tone professional but polite.The question threw Lilian off. She raised an eyebrow, her expression morphing into confusion. “Uh… no,” she replied distractedly, her gaze fixed on the woman as if trying to place her.The receptionist gave her a tight, apologetic smile. “Oh, I see. I’m sorry, but you’ll need to make an appoi
Lilian hadn’t gone to the company in days. She stayed home, consumed by emotions she couldn’t quite understand or control. The smallest things made her anxious. Every time Matt left her sight, her heart would start to race, and her mind would conjure the worst scenarios. She tried to hide it, but her panic was always evident.Her brothers, Noah, Franklin, and Moses, stayed close, trying to comfort her whenever they could. But it was clear to everyone in the house that Lilian’s silence weighed heavily on them. Gabriel, her father, was especially worried. He had seen Lilian strong and confident in the past, so this sudden vulnerability scared him. He felt powerless watching his daughter struggle, and he didn’t know how to help her.That morning, Gabriel and his sons gathered in the living room. The air was heavy with unspoken concerns. The usually lively house was eerily quiet, the only sounds coming from the occasional creak of a chair or the ticking of the clock on the wall. No one sa
Marcus clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles whitening under the pressure.“That means you’re a father!” Benson, one of his closest friends, exclaimed, his face lighting up with a wide grin. His tone was filled with excitement, almost as if it were his own discovery.Marcus’ lips twitched into a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. The weight of Benson’s words settled heavily on his chest. The realization was overwhelming, and his emotions were all over the place. Was he happy? Nervous? Angry? He couldn’t tell.His mother’s face flashed in his mind. She would be thrilled to hear this—ecstatic, even. For years, she had begged him to settle down and give her grandchildren. And now, the dream she’d been holding onto for so long was real. But his excitement was dampened by a darker thought: Lilian’s family.He already knew how they felt about him. Every interaction with Moses or any of Lilian’s brothers had been marked by tension. Their disdain for him was obvious. They
Moses walked into the company building with an urgency that made the receptionist sit up straight. She blinked in surprise—she hadn’t seen him here in ages. Ever since Moses had stopped coming to the office regularly, his appearances had become rare, almost nonexistent. To see him now, walking in with such a determined expression, left her momentarily speechless.Quickly regaining her composure, she stood up from her desk. “Good afternoon, sir,” she greeted, her tone cautious yet polite.But Moses didn’t respond. He brushed past her as if he hadn’t even heard her voice. His intense expression and hurried steps suggested something serious was going on. The receptionist watched, puzzled, as he headed straight for the elevators and stepped inside.“What could’ve happened?” she murmured, watching the elevator doors close. He looked so worried. But whatever it was, it clearly wasn’t her business, so she sat back down and returned to her tasks.Upstairs, the elevator dinged softly as Moses