Hilary believed that if Marcus and Lilian were on good terms, what happened today would never happen.He was also there when Marcus started treating Lilian badly, but he is the boss so there is nothing he can do about it.Lily walked towards Marcus office ignoring his assistant, but Hilary immediately moved and stood in front of the door.“I’m really sorry Miss, but Bøss is not in a good mood” Hilary said with an apologetic tone.Lily frowned, she did not believe that. She instead believed that maybe Marcus and a woman is inside the office that was why he ordered his assistant not to allow her in.“Do you know who I am?” Lily asked with a cold expression.Hilary nodded his head. “Yes yes” He answered.“Move away now. I don’t have time for all this” Lily said.Hilary sighed. “I really want to but -“The office door was suddenly opened, Marcus was standing there looking at them.“Marcus” Lily called like she has been wronged.“What is it?” Marcus leaned against the doorframe, his jaw te
It was 8pm on dot, Lilian started packing her things and arranged the desk before leaving. When she was done , she carried her bag and the car key, it was with her and she left her office.She got to the reception desk. The receptionist smiled when she saw her, “You are ready to go ?” She was surprised because everyone was working overtime.Lilian nodded. “Yes,” she said with a smile on her face. “Alright then, Miss Stephan, once I’m done I will drop the files on your desk before tomorrow” The receptionist said with a smile on her face.“Alright, thank you” Lilian said “Good night,” the receptionist said.“Good night” Lilian waved at her before she walked out of the company.Lilian drove home, the weight of the day pressing down on her like a thick blanket. Her mind drifted as she navigated the familiar streets, the hum of the engine barely registering.She felt the fatigue settling into her bones, each traffic light an unwelcome pause that made her wish she could close her eyes jus
Lilian started working on the files on her desk immediately she walked into her office. She wondered why Moses was not here yet but she did not really think too much of it.KnockSomeone knocked on the door, Lilian raised her head and looked at the door.“Come in” Lilian said in a bit loud tone.The door was pushed open and an employee walked in to the office.“Hello Miss Lilian” Jane said as she walked into the office, she was the one who was gossiping with the receptionist downstairs before.“Hello.” Lilian said as she put down her pen.“These are the files from the personnel department” She said.“You can drop it” “Can you really handle it? Because it is the CEO who works on these files” Jane asked like she was actually concerned but she was just mocking her.Lilian's eyebrow arched in disbelief. Is she really questioning me? “You can drop it” she replied, her voice steady but edged with irritation, signaling that she wouldn't tolerate any more condescension.Jane shivered when
Lilian finished eating and she stood up, she looked at the girls and saw the girl that came to deliver some files to her. Lilian raised an eyebrow when she saw her. No wonder she questioned her.She knew they want her to hear them that is why they came to sit down close to her. And they had no idea the relationship between she and Moses. Only few people knows and those are just the shareholders . Lilian walked out of the employees restaurant. She walked back to her office. She left the office early so she can pick up Matt from school this time instead of Moses.Lilian pulled into the school parking lot, her heart fluttering with anticipation. She watched as Matt's teacher hurried inside, the familiar routine bringing a smile to her face. ‘I can't wait to see his happy face’, she thought, feeling a wave of warmth wash over her as she imagined their afternoon together.Lilian got down from the car. Matt teacher, miss jasmine was shocked to see her instead of her brother. “Hello Matt
Moses drove them out of the house, they finally got a restaurant.Lilian got down from the car, Matt also got down to immediately, he followed Lilian into the restaurant while Moses was trying to look for a good place to park the car.The waiter immediately approached them when they walked into the restaurant.“Hello Miss, welcome to our restaurant, do you want to eat here or get a room instead?” He asked with a polite smile on his face.“Well…. “ Lilian said, she does not know what to do whether to eat at the lobby or a private room.“Who is this? Lilian!?” She heard someone called her name. Lilian turned her head and looked towards the voice, she was a bit shocked when she saw Aria, Marcus younger sister, Lily was standing beside her. Lilian's breath caught in her throat as she turned to see Aria. She quickly masked her surprise with a composed smile, knowing it was only a matter of time before their paths crossed again.Lilian turned away from Aria, refusing to let the provocatio
“It is obvious that she doesn't like you but you still care so much about her” Aria said, feeling her heart break at Lily's kindness.Lily smiled and shook her head. “It does not matter if she likes me or not. What matters is we should be good no matter what” Lily said gently.…Lilian looked at the table to see if what she ordered was enough.The waiter was standing not far away looking at her wondering if she wanted to pack the rest home, cause he did not believe that she would eat all the food on the table. Lilian raised her head and looked at the waiter. She beckoned for him to come, the waiter immediately walked towards her. He thought she wanted to ask for the rest to be packed away.“How much is the bill?” Lilian asked the waiter.The waiter looked at his iPad. “It is $55,000” He said, he looked at her and shook his head. She ordered so much food in one sitting? “Okay go and give it to her” Lilian said with a satisfied laugh and stood up.The waiter was confused when he saw h
“Yes miss” the waiter said again.Lily finally understood what Lilian did. No wonder Lilian accepted her words easily. Lily looked at the table, the wines were all open and she could not ask for the food or wine to be returned that she is not interested in buying anymore. Her reputation will be at risk besides the restaurant will not accept that either.Aria's heels clicked sharply against the polished floor as she approached Lily. The ambient hum of conversation from the nearby tables felt distant, as if they were in their own world now. Lily stood motionless, her gaze fixed on the half-eaten plates, the heavy scent of wine lingering in the air around her. Aria's footsteps slowed, sensing something wasn't quite right.“What is wrong?” Aria asked Lily.Lily's gaze drifted to the table, where the waiter packed up the untouched plates. The food was still steaming, a stark contrast to the stillness in her chest. She swallowed, trying to push down the knot that had formed in her throat.
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’s eyes darkened ever so slightly as she listened to Raymond’s casual inquiry. In that moment, her carefully composed mask of ease cracked—a subtle frown playing at the corners of her mouth. Raymond, ever observant, immediately noticed the shift. Flashing a warm, reassuring smile, he said, “It’s fine if you don’t want to talk about it. I was just curious—that’s all.” His tone was gentle, meant to soothe, yet Lilian’s silence spoke volumes. There was a guardedness in her that hinted at burdens unspoken and a life lived in constant responsibility.For a while, the space between them stretched into a silence that felt both heavy and awkward. The hum of conversation from neighboring tables and the soft clinking of silverware filled the void, but nothing could dispel the tension that had suddenly descended on their small corner of the restaurant. Just then, the waitress reappeared with their orders. Her careful, measured steps and polite smile seemed to momentarily lift the oppress
Lilian twisted the doorknob and pushed the door open, surprised to find a very young man sitting inside. He looked up at her, his posture relaxed but curious.“Uhm… I think there’s been a mix-up somewhere,” Lilian said, pulling out her phone to text her father. She had been certain that she was in the wrong room, and now she needed to double-check the details.The man raised an eyebrow at her comment. “You can come in,” he said, his voice polite but a little too calm for her liking.Lilian frowned. He was a stranger, and she had no reason to trust him, despite his friendly tone. She looked at him warily, still holding her phone in her hand.She waited for a moment, tapping her fingers on the screen as she sent the message to her father.“The room number is wrong, Dad. Are you sure this is it?”She stared at the phone, expecting a quick response, but there was a slight delay. The minutes felt long, and Lilian became more impatient by the second.It wasn’t long before her father’s messa
Marcus had also found out about the news circulating on the internet. His personal assistant was the first to tell him.“Tell them to take the news down,” Marcus instructed, his tone serious.“Oh, alright, sir,” his assistant responded. His fingers moved quickly across his phone screen, but moments later he blinked, looking confused. “I think the news has already been removed,” he said, his expression mixed with surprise and disbelief.Marcus raised an eyebrow. “It must be Moses,” he murmured to himself, letting out a heavy sigh. “She has so many people who care about her, people willing to protect her at any cost.” He felt a wave of relief wash over him as he thought of how surrounded Lilian was with people who cared for her deeply, her family especially. Though he couldn’t be the one protecting her, it comforted him to know that there were others looking out for her.As his mind lingered on Lilian, the shrill sound of his phone ringing cut through his thoughts.Ringggg.Marcus glanc
The news of Lilian and Marcus sitting together in a café spread like wildfire across the internet. She had no idea, though—she rarely checked her social media.Her brothers, however, found out first. Noah, to be precise.He walked into the living room, his face clouded with irritation. The sharp set of his jaw and the furrow in his brows were enough to tell everyone present that something had happened. He turned his head toward Lilian and spoke in a clipped tone.“Did you meet Marcus at a café?”He settled onto the couch, his voice carrying a weight that immediately put Lilian on edge.She frowned slightly, trying to recall. “Marcus?” she repeated. Then, as if a switch had flipped in her mind, she remembered. “Oh… yes. Matt and I went to buy coffee, and he happened to walk in too.” She tilted her head, a sense of unease creeping into her tone. “What’s wrong? How do you know about this?”Noah’s expression darkened as he leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “A reporter took
Isabella, Mrs Thompson sat at a dimly lit restaurant with a group of friends, the warm ambiance buzzing with cheerful conversation and laughter. The soft clinking of glasses and the low hum of background music filled the space, creating a cozy and elegant atmosphere.She had been trying to enjoy the evening, but something felt off. There was a lingering unease in the pit of her stomach, though she couldn’t quite place why.Then, out of nowhere, one of her friends turned to her with an inquisitive expression.“You adore Lily so much. So why did you cancel the wedding?” The friend leaned in slightly, her voice laced with curiosity. “Did she do something?”The question hit Isabella like a cold gust of wind.For a moment, she sat frozen, her fingers tightening slightly around the stem of her wine glass. She had anticipated this question at some point, but not tonight. Not here.The truth was, Lily hadn’t done anything wrong. The decision to cancel the wedding had been hers alone, and the
Lily stared at her phone, gripping it so tightly that her knuckles turned white. A deep frown settled on her face, frustration and disbelief swirling in her chest.“How did he know she was the one?” she muttered under her breath, her voice barely audible.Across the room, Sarah, her mother, caught the words and looked up sharply from the magazine she had been flipping through. Her sharp gaze landed on Lily, immediately sensing that something was wrong.“What did you just say?” Sarah asked, tilting her head slightly. “Who are you talking about?”Lily’s heart pounded. She hadn’t meant to say anything aloud. Quickly composing herself, she sat up straighter, trying to force a nonchalant expression onto her face.“No one,” she said, feigning disinterest. “I didn’t say anything.”Sarah wasn’t convinced. She gave Lily a long, assessing look, her piercing gaze trying to uncover whatever was hiding beneath her daughter’s mask. Lily fought the urge to fidget under the scrutiny, keeping her eyes
Marcus said nothing.His grandfather observed him carefully before speaking again. “Your mother told me the other day that it’s Lily you love. Is that true?”Marcus met his grandfather’s gaze but did not answer the question directly. “I will find a way to solve the problems,” he said, his voice steady but distant. Then, without another word, he stood up, bowed his head slightly as a sign of respect, and walked out of the house.Grandpa Thompson didn’t stop him. Instead, he turned to Isabella, his eyes weary. “You can leave too,” he said, his tone quiet yet firm.Isabella hesitated for a moment, watching as her father closed his eyes. She could tell he was exhausted—not just physically, but emotionally. Whenever he closed his eyes like that, it meant he didn’t want to be disturbed.She let out a small sigh and stood up, leaving the room without another word.Marcus drove aimlessly for what felt like hours, his thoughts a whirlwind of emotions he wasn’t ready to face. His hands gripped
“This will be the last warning.”Marcus frowned as he read the message on his phone, his fingers gripping the device tightly.A sense of foreboding settled in his chest as he tapped on the image attached to the message. The moment the photo loaded, his expression darkened. His jaw clenched. He immediately understood the warning.Shaking his head, he scrolled down, reading through the harsh comments under the news article. The story was about Lilian, and the comment section was flooded with insults, gossip, and outright lies. People were tearing her apart, dragging her reputation through the mud.Marcus exhaled sharply.He already had a strong suspicion about who was behind this.Lily.But he had no idea just how far she was willing to go.His fingers hovered over the screen before he forwarded the message to Lily. He didn’t add any words—just a single question mark.Barely a second later, his phone rang.He glanced at the screen. Lily.Marcus answered, pressing the phone to his ear.“
Noah raised an eyebrow, clearly puzzled by the situation unfolding before him.Moses, unfazed, shrugged his shoulders. He glanced at the email address once again, but there was nothing. The address was null—completely untraceable. Frustrated, Moses looked up at Franklin, his expression turning more serious. “Can you find the person’s email address? If we could find a way to become friends with them, maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. We could use that to our advantage,” Moses suggested, his voice calm but with an edge of determination.Franklin shook his head, the frustration evident in his own voice. “No, it’s impossible. The person used a one-time email address. It’s designed to disappear once it’s been used. No way to track it,” he explained, his tone apologetic but firm.Moses furrowed his brow at the news. “But how did they know we’d need this information?” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else. “Who is this person? Why are they so involved in all this?” His mind was racing wit