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THE COST OF THE UNSPOKEN
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2025-02-25 21:58:24Lily was sitting in a cold marble floor room, her arms were tightly wrapped around him. He was burnt in his mind reminding her of the hatred of a past which he tried hard to forget.
Liam's father her father. Blood. Screams I thought it was just a bad dream. But it was not. The silence was suffocating. she looked at Liam. He was standing from the window from the floor to the roof, staring at her back, on the city's horizon. His reflection on the glass looked cool and away as usual. Lily shivered. He did not say a word since showing him the photo. Not a single word. The air between them felt thick with stress delicate to tolerate too much to tolerate too much heavy breakdown. "Liam," Lily whispered, her voice was barely audible. He did not turn. "I didn't kill him," he said again, this time more strongly. "I did not hurt your father. I swear." Gradually, Liam changed. His silver-gray eyes were unmatched, his face was carved with stone. "Do you expect me to believe that after everything?" Lily inflated. "Believe me or not, this is the truth." He stopped further, slow and deliberately, just inch from him. "Truth?" Liam bluffed, his voice fell for a dangerous whisper. "Your whole life is a lie. You show in my gala, pretend to be your sister. You become my so called fiancé due to a scam. And now, a picture connects you with my father's death. is convenient." "Stop," Lily whispered, taken back one step back. But Liam did not stop. "Tell me, Lily. Is this your plan? To get close to me? To waste what I have made?" He had tears in his eyes. "No! I will never do-" "Will you not?" His gaze became bored with her. "You should think that I am a fool." "I'm telling the truth!" Liam grabbed her wrist, not difficult, but enough firm to make his breath bottleneck. "Then prove it," he murmured, his voice ice-cold. Lily looked up at him, her heart racing. "How?" she whispered. He released her hand as if he burnt it and stepped back. "marry me." The words were hung in the air like a thunder. Lily saw her, her mouth opened a little. "What?" "you heard me." Liam's expression was unmatched. "Marry me. For the real time. There is no scam. There is no escape. A binding contract." Lily stumbled back. "You can't be serious-" "Oh, I am very serious," Liam said, close step. "You want to prove your innocence? Then marry me. Be the right wife under my watch. My rules." Lily nodded her head. "Why would you do-" "Because if you are lying, I would know. And when I do, I will destroy you." Lily's heart came to her chest. "And if I am telling the truth?" she whispered. Liam's jaw stopped. For a moment, a flicker of something crossed his face - trouble? Regret? "If you are telling the truth," he said softly, "then you will keep me alive." The room became silent. Lily looked at Liam - this cold, ruthless man whose vitality and pain were built on the walls of pain. The man who believed that he had destroyed everything, which he cared for. But behind her facade of apathy, Lily could see it. Fear. Fear of truth Fear of past. And somehow, she knew this marriage was not just about Liam's revenge. This was about the answer. Answer: Both of them need. "I have no choice, do I?" Lily whispered, her chin rose. Liam's lips smiled, calm, dangerous and victorious. "No," he said. "You don't." Suddenly, the door exploded. In Adrian, holding a smooth bullet in his hand. His face was yellow. "You need to see this," he said, looking at Liam directly. Liam took the tablet, her eyes scan the screen. His jaw was tightened. "What is this?" Lily asked, dipping her spine. Lily gasped. On the tablet’s display was a live security feed. Standing at the front gates of Liam’s mansion flanked by two unfamiliar men in black suits was someone Lily hadn’t seen in years. Someone she thought was dead. Her mother. "Lily," Liam said, his voice cold but confused, "care to explain why your mother presumed dead for ten years is demanding to see you?" The ground seemed to shift beneath Lily’s feet. Her world tilted. “No... this can’t be…” But there she was. Her mother. Alive. And with her return, the secrets Lily had buried were clawing their way back to the surface. The past wasn’t done with her. And neither was Liam.
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Lily's breath got stuck in her neck. Her mother live. Standing at Liam's gates, he thought that he had ended years ago. "No ..." he whispered, stumbled back. Her legs hit the side of the couch, forcing her to sit. Liam removed the tablet, her silver eyes never leave her face. "You look surprised. you didn't expect a family reunion?" Lily pressed a trembling hand on her mouth. It cannot be real. Her mother had gone for ten years after that night disappeared without any trace. That night when everything went different. When blood stained their hands and life was shattered. "Lily," Liam's voice put her back. "I want answers. Now." He nodded his head, unable to make words. How can she explain that she does not understand herself? "Bring her in," Liam ordered Lily to Adrian without another look. "No!" Lily shot her feet. "wait-" But it was too late. Adrian had already left. Lily turned to Liam, her chest was growing nervous. "You can't just-" "I can and I will," Liam cut her off
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Lily’s fingers tightened around the pen, her pulse pounding in her ears. The contract lay before her, its crisp white pages a symbol of her entrapment. She could feel Liam’s eyes on her, unyielding, expectant. The room felt small, the walls closing in as if the very air around her thickened with every passing second."Sign it." His voice was calm, composed..too composed. The command was almost too much to bear, as if he was used to hearing people obey him without question.Lily hesitated. Her grip was unstable. Her mind ran, searching for an escape, but there was none to be found. The contract before her felt like a death sentence, each word engraved on paper a chain tightening around her. Her mother’s tired hands, surrounded by endless evenings of washing dishes and preparing meals, shone in her mind. It was more than her pride. It was her family, their future, everything they had worked so hard to maintain. Her mother’s sacrifices were etched in her heart.But what was she really sa
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The sound of Lily’s shoes clicking against the marble floor echoed in the vast, empty hallway of Liam’s mansion. The grand staircase spiraled upwards in front of her, a towering testament to wealth and power. She couldn’t stop her hands from shaking as she clutched her suitcase tighter, the weight of the world on her shoulders. She had never imagined herself walking into a place like this, let alone living in it.The mansion was overwhelming in its opulence every inch of it a symbol of Liam’s success, his dominance. The floor was polished to perfection, reflecting the elegant chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Everything was untouched, as if it existed in a world of its own. And now, she was part of it. But only as a ghost, a shadow in the grand scheme of Liam’s life. A pawn in his game.She had barely stepped inside when a woman, dressed in a perfectly pressed uniform, approached her. Her eyes scanned Lily with a look that seemed to say, "You don't belong here.""You’re Miss Car
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The mansion’s dining room was massive, lit by an array of crystal chandeliers that cast a soft, opulent glow on the long, polished dining table. The room exuded luxury, but Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that it was a shiny cage. The grandness of the space made her feel small, like she didn’t belong.She stood in the doorway, her heart racing, her fingers nervously adjusting the collar of her dress. Liam had already seated himself at the head of the table, his presence commanding the entire room. His dark suit contrasted sharply against the white linens and gleaming silverware, making him look like the dark king of this castle, ruling over everything with a cold, calculating gaze.Lily hesitated, unsure whether to enter. It felt as though she was about to walk into the lion’s den. But she had no choice. She had made her decision, and now she had to face the consequences.Liam’s eyes narrowed up at her as she stepped inside. For a moment, his gaze was impassive, but there was somethin
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Lily stood by the grand window of Liam’s penthouse, staring out at the sprawling city below. The city lights shimmered in the distance like a sea of stars, their glow illuminating the streets, but to her, the view felt distant unreal. She could see the skyline stretching far into the horizon, a cold, detached beauty, yet it was nothing compared to the turmoil brewing in her mind. Each light, each reflection seemed like a mirror, staring back at her in judgment. Lily hugged herself tightly, trying to fend off the icy cold creeping into her bones. The air-conditioning in the penthouse was set to a comfortable chill, but it wasn’t the temperature making her shiver it was the weight of it all. The reality of her situation pressed down on her chest like an anchor, pulling her deeper into the pit of despair she couldn’t escape. The fake engagement, the cameras that followed her every move, the constant reminders that she was nothing more than a pawn in Liam Montgomery’s well-planned game
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Lily stood by the grand window of Liam’s penthouse, staring at the city lights stretching far into the horizon. The skyline was breathtaking, but her mind was a whirl of conflicting emotions. She had been thrust into this world so suddenly, everything felt like it was moving too fast for her to keep up. The walls of the penthouse were almost suffocating. It wasn’t the space that trapped her; it was the situation she now found herself in. Every passing second reminded her of her own helplessness, of the contract she’d signed with Liam Montgomery an arrangement she couldn’t escape.Her gaze fell to the floor, the weight of the day's events pressing on her chest. Liam’s cold indifference felt like a constant weight. His demand that she fit into the perfect image of his fiancée had only added to her growing sense of isolation. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to find some comfort in the solitude of the moment, but it eluded her.The sound of footsteps behind her jolted her bac
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The gala was a dazzling spectacle of wealth and influence, filled with laughter that didn’t quite reach the eyes and smiles laced with hidden agendas. Crystal chandeliers bathed the ballroom in golden light, and the scent of expensive champagne lingered in the air. The soft hum of a string quartet wove through the space, setting an ambiance of refined elegance.Lily walked beside Liam, her hand lightly resting on his arm, her posture poised. She could feel the weight of every gaze in the room watching, whispering, judging. They were curious, dissecting her presence at Liam Montgomery’s side, trying to determine if she was merely another passing intrigue or something more permanent.She forced herself to smile, knowing full well that any sign of discomfort would be seen as weakness.Liam, on the other hand, looked effortlessly composed. The way he carried himself ..broad shoulders, crisp tuxedo, and an air of quiet authority made it clear he was untouchable in this world. His grip on
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Lily sensed the change in the room before she even saw him. A tension so sharp it made the air feel thick, suffocating. She turned just as Damien Carlisle stepped inside, his presence effortlessly commanding attention. He moved with the kind of ease that came from knowing he could control any room he walked into.His tailored black suit fit him with casual perfection, his sharp features carrying a smirk that didn’t quite reach his eyes. There was something unsettling about him, an air of danger cloaked beneath his charm. He wasn’t just another guest at this gala he was someone who disrupted the natural order, someone who knew how to make people uncomfortable.His eyes landed on her first. A slow, assessing gaze that sent a strange, uneasy feeling crawling up her spine. Then, just as deliberately, he shifted his attention to Liam.“Well,” Damien said, his voice smooth but laced with something unspoken. “Didn’t think I’d be getting such a personal introduction to your fiancée.”Lily sti
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The air inside the safehouse was thick with tension, every breath a reminder that trust had become a scarce currency. Lily sat silently on the edge of the bed, her fingers knotted tightly in her lap as Liam paced in front of the shuttered window. He had barely said a word since Charles was taken into custody, his face a stoic mask hiding the storm she knew raged within.She could still hear Charles’s voice echoing in her mind. “I wasn’t the only one.” Those words haunted her, burrowed deep into her bones like a chill she couldn’t shake. If Charles had accomplices, then they were still in danger and possibly being watched.Liam finally stopped pacing and turned to face her. His eyes, usually cold and calculating, were laced with something else now a quiet fury that simmered just beneath the surface.“I have to go back,” he said.Lily frowned. “Back to the mansion?”He nodded. “There are files. Information Charles had access to. If anyone else is involved, there will be traces.”She sto
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The air was still, suffocating in its silence. Lily stood at the edge of the rooftop terrace of Cartwright Industries, the city lights casting a glow on her profile. She had hoped the fresh air would clear her thoughts, but instead, it amplified the noise within. The image from the anonymous envelope burned behind her eyelids. The note, the threat, the eerie precision of whoever was watching her it all pointed to one thing: this was personal.Liam joined her moments later, the weight of their discoveries evident in the set of his jaw. "Security's tightening protocols. No one enters that floor again without clearance. Adam's checking surveillance, but whoever this is… they're smart. They left no trace."Lily turned to face him. "They want me afraid. They want me to question every shadow, every voice."Liam reached for her hand. "But you won't break. Not now. Not when you're closer to the truth than ever.""That's what scares me," she whispered. "The closer I get, the more dangerous thi
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Lily stared at her reflection in the floor-length mirror of the master bedroom, adjusting the soft silk collar of her navy suit. Today would be her first official day as interim CEO. A title hard-won not inherited, not handed down, but earned through sweat, tears, and a fire she never knew burned inside her.But there was no satisfaction in her chest. Only a strange mix of adrenaline and dread. The anonymous message from the day before haunted her. Whoever had sent it wasn’t bluffing. They knew something. Something deeper than just her father’s sins.Liam entered, already dressed in a tailored black suit. His tie hung loose around his neck, and his eyes locked on hers in the mirror.“You ready?” he asked gently.She nodded. “As I’ll ever be.”“You look like a CEO.”She gave him a faint smile. “I don’t feel like one.”He stepped behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders, his voice low and steady. “You are one. You earned this. And no shadow threat is going to change that.”But e
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The rain returned that night not in violent storms, but in soft drizzles that tapped against the windows of the penthouse like forgotten whispers. Lily stood in front of the tall glass wall, staring out into the city that never really slept. The flashing lights of traffic below reminded her that life had continued, even while hers had been turned upside down.Cartwright was behind bars. The news had exploded across social media, television, and finance networks. Lily’s name was on every tongue from coffee shop gossip to boardroom speculation. Some hailed her as a hero, the woman who dared to expose a titan. Others questioned her motives, casting her as a spoiled heiress fighting for revenge.But none of them knew the truth.They didn’t know what it felt like to carry that name, to bear the shame of a family built on lies. They didn’t know the weight of betrayal from a father she once admired.And they didn’t know how deeply that pain still lingered.Liam entered quietly behind her, fr
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The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the estate, casting golden streaks across the marble floors. But for Lily, there was no warmth in its glow. Sleep had eluded her once again. Her thoughts spun like a carousel Sandra’s veiled threats, Cartwright’s shadowy games, and Uncle Daniel’s betrayal.She stood by the window in the library, arms wrapped around herself, her silk robe billowing lightly with the breeze. Everything had changed so fast. Just weeks ago, she was preparing to become Liam Carlyle’s bride. Now, she was preparing for war.A soft knock at the door interrupted her thoughts.“Come in,” she said without turning.Liam entered, looking composed as always, though the shadows under his eyes betrayed his sleepless night too.“She took the bait,” he said, his voice low. “Our team tracked Sandra to a warehouse on the east side. She's not runningshe's organizing something.”Lily finally turned to him. “She’s bold. Or desperate.”“Both,” Liam replied. “But desperation
