Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I am coming, Dash." 

Lily snaps herself in the mirror after wearing her earrings. She's simply wearing a beige coat that pairs with her beige pencil skirt. Her hair was tied in half while a piece of hair was hanging in front of her face. Her beauty is indeed distractive and addictive. One look and a man can easily fall for her. 

"Hurry up, loser." Lily rolled her eyes before hanging up. 

"Where are you going?" her mother asked as she opened the door of her room. How can she ever have a good day if she always sees her mother? Sometimes, Lily thinks that marrying that man named Aemon is definitely the better way to avoid her mother. 

"I'm going to meet my friend," she simply answered, not looking at her. 

"Who's your friend?" it almost made her chuckle. 

"Dash, who else?" she replied sarcastically. 

"You can't spend much time with him, Lily. Aemon is on his way here. Your engagement will be tonight," she rolled her eyes again and again. Why is she acting like a caring mother now? She's so sick of this. 

"I'll go home early," she said and left her mother there without even glancing at her a bit. It's suffocating to be in the same room with someone who's blinding herself from the truth. 

The dinner was only last night and tonight their engagement will happen that quick. Aemon's grandmother doesn't want to waste any time and it's making Lily confused a bit with the rush. It looks like Aemon must be married to her as soon as possible for some weird reason. But then, that night was unforgettable for Lily. She didn't even have a good sleep last night after the dinner because of what happened. The ice breath coming through his lips makes Lily tempted. How can she not be swayed by him? Only a fool won't be to a man like him. She shut her eyes while driving and tried so hard to forget about Aemon. Because of what he did last night, she couldn't get him out of her mind. She's fvcking losing her mind. 

"The loser is finally here," Dash smirked as she got out of her car in front of his café. 

"Dash," Dash immediately opened his arms for her, ready to hug her. "I missed you so d*mn much, jerk."

Back then, Lily was hostile. Why? Because she's an ill-natured girl and until now. She hates interacting with people. All those times, she had her own world but then, Lily was excellent in all of her classes. She's been on top all those years while Dash was on the second. If Dash didn't bother her all the time, they wouldn't end up as friends now. Lily spent her student days with only one friend and that is Dash Harper. 

"Of course, I would be mad if you didn't. I left for a year," both of them chuckled as they went inside the café. 

"How's the life of an attorney?" Lily asked. They pursued different careers. Lily is an Architect but not thriving so hard for it. She only chose to be one for her father. But then, after he died, she lost her passion. She hasn't even drawn since that day. 

"Exhausting," he said and chuckled. "I heard what happened." 

The smiles on their faces faded slowly. She knows what he was talking about. It's the recent death of her father. 

"I'm sorry if I didn't go home. I was handling a case that time that I wasn't able to come h—"

"Hey, don't worry about it. It's fine, I understand." 

"So, what's up?" Dash asked. He probably doesn't know that she's getting married. 

"I'm living a torn life," she said and smirked sorrowfully. To be honest, she's not fine. and she will never be fine with all of this chaos in her life. "I'm getting married!" Lily exclaimed to avoid the drama between them. 

"What the fvck?" Dash cursed out loud in a bombshell. He was astounded by what Lily just announced out of the blue. At the end, he laughed so hard as if Lily was a joke to him. 

"Why are you laughing, jerk?" Lily asked irritatingly.

"How can you get married? You don't even have a boyfriend," he said and laughed in her face again. If Dash isn't her friend she would be offended already. 

"I'm d*mn serious, Dash!" She even hit his arm in annoyance. 

"I won't buy that, Lily Dav—"

"Lily Cooper," her lips parted as soon as she heard that voice behind her. Dash was looking at her back with his confused eyes. Now, her heart started to race all of a sudden. 

He can't be here.

She said in her mind. 

"Excuse me, but do we know you?" Dash asked, looking naive. 

"I'm Lily's fiancé," he introduced in his sturdy voice. She bit her lower lip when she confirmed that it was him. Lily was startled when his bare hand went on her waist all of a sudden. 

"What are you doing here?" she uttered, giving Aemon her sharp eyes. 

"Why are you here flirting when you should be preparing for our engagement?" he asked in jealousy before giving a cold stare to Dash who doesn't know anything. 

"Lily, are you fvcking serious?" Dash asked and finally realized that Lily was stating the truth earlier before this man arrived and meddled. 

"I am," Lily answered problematically. "Let's talk next time. We have to go," she said in a hurry and pulled Aemon on his sleeves out of the café. 

"Who the hell is that guy?" Aemon asked in his furious voice. They both look like a couple who's arguing. 

"It's none of your business, Aemon. Why the hell are you here, huh?!" Lily couldn't help to raise her voice to him for suddenly meddling in her business. 

"We're getting married, of course I fvcking care!" 

"Care?! Do you even know that man? He's my d*mn only friend, Aemon! You're acting like a jealous fiancé." 

That made Aemon froze for a moment and lost all his words in his mind. Jealous? Is he really jealous? The truth is, when Lily's mother told him that Lily is meeting a guy Aemon didn't hesitate to pick her up immediately. Imagining Lily with a guy boils his blood. 

"Let's go home," Aemon said and calmed himself down. 

"Don't tell me you really are?" Lily asked after seeing it all over his face. She chuckled when Aemon didn't answer. 

"Enough, let's just go there and prepare." He went inside his car slamming the door really hard. Lily chuckled and couldn't help to play a naughty smile on her lips. 

"He's jealous," she uttered before going in as well. 

Both of them prepared themselves for the engagement. After Aemon picked her up, he didn't talk to her anymore. He's acting cold and she feels like she's responsible for it. Is he guilt tripping her? 

"Don't try to run away, Lily." Her mother whispered as soon as they went out and interacted with many people that Lily hates the most. She was wearing a fake smile on her lips, pretending to be glad to meet all these unknown people. 

"I won't create trouble now," she replied. 

"You look beautiful," the man stated. 

"Thank you," she simply said. 

"May I excuse my fiancé? We have to be on stage," he felt his hand placed on her waist as if nothing happened earlier between them. They are not yet married but they are already arguing. 

"Sure, Mr. Cooper." 

"You're not running away, huh?" The jealous man earlier whispered. All their eyes are on them, watching every step they make together. 

"That's scheduled for our wedding," Lily replied. 

"You will be tied to me," he uttered and gave people a smile. "Let's make a deal." 

"Deal?" 

"I would like to introduce to all of you, Mr. and Mrs. Cooper!" As Aemon's grandmother announced it to everyone, all of them clapped their hands and both of them walked on the stage. 

"I can help you investigate your father's death," Aemon offered while their eyes were in the crowd. 

"Are you scared that I will run away from you?" 

"Yeah, that's how scared I am to lose you." That stunned Lily. His words were really filled with sincerity. 

"Deal…I'll marry you and then you help me to find out the truth behind my father's death." 

"Deal," Aemon agreed and smiled at everyone even more. 

Little did he know, he was playing the game that will play him as well—the two of them. Who would be the first one to touch the fire? 

"Don't you dare to break yo—fvck!" 

"LILY!" 

Everything happened too fast. Lily didn't hesitate a bit after seeing a small red dot on Aemon's chest and used herself to shield Aemon. The crowd yelled everywhere when gunshots started to fill the whole place. 

"Why the hell did you do that, d*mmit!" 

It was already late. Lily was already shot. 

"J-Jerk, I'm already shot!" 

She coughed blood and felt the pain all over her body. So this is how it feels? She smiled bitterly and remembered hier father. All the shots all over his body, how did he manage every pain of the bullet from his body? 

"Protect her," Aemon commanded. 

Lily's eyes were starting to blur. But it was clear enough to see what's happening around her. She knows she's losing her consciousness at that moment. But then, it was also the moment she saw real monsters…the true colors of these people that surrounded her. 

Her uncle, killing a lot of people with a gun in his hand. Aemon's grandmother holding a knife covered with blood looked like a bad witch that she couldn't remember how wide her smile was the first she met her. That's not enough...what shocked her the most was her fiancé, shooting people with his one hand holding a gun looking ferocious. 

"W-Who is he?" she whispered. 

Now, tons of questions run in her head. What the hell are they? 

"Lily, stay with me!" Aemon yelled as soon as he came back for her.

"Y-you fvcking k-killed," she said toughly, enduring the pain and trying not to lose her consciousness. 

Aemon smirked for a while. 

"I'm not a killer though," he said before carrying her. 

"W-What are you?" she asked. 

"I'm a Mafia boss, Lily...you're marrying a Mafia boss." 

Fvck, I'll be tied to a Mafia boss.