84Lilian's POVAfter Lucas's department, I was disconcerted and wondered if Lucas might be lying to me so that I got into trouble with Damien. But, at the same time, this explained why Damien has never shown the desire to have a child and why he avoided me the time he knew that I was fertile. 'Ughhhhh!' I groaned frustrated. I was so confused. I decided to confront him once at home; the time was so long. Finally, in the evening, I was home to wait for Damien to return; he was still at the hospital. In fact, he didn't even want me to work at the hospital now. I just went today to check something and then don't return again. He said that I wasn't ready yet.As I sat on the couch, waiting for Damien's return, my mind raced with conflicting thoughts and emotions. I couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at me from within. Lucas's revelation had stirred up a whirlwind of doubt and suspicion, clouding my judgment and leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed.Hours passed, the
85Lilian's POVI then looked into his eyes, searching for reassurance. "Will you break up with Grace officially?" I asked, my voice quivering with hope. "To prove your goodwill to me?"Lucas nodded, his expression earnest. "I promise," he said, his voice unwavering. "I'll do it tomorrow."A wave of relief washed over me, accompanied by a surge of gratitude towards Lucas. "Thank you," I whispered, my voice choked with emotion.He squeezed my hand gently, a reassuring smile playing on his lips. "And we'll return together to the pack," he added, his eyes sparkling with determination.I felt a glimmer of hope flicker within me, a beacon of light in the darkness of my doubts. "And I'll be honored to be the new father of your triplets," he said, his voice filled with sincerity.Warmth bloomed in my chest upon hearing those words. The truth was, Lucas was already their true father, though he did not know. In that moment I wanted to tell him the truth, but just then, a sudden interruption s
86Lilian's POVThe next day, I was driven by Damien to work. The atmosphere in the car was tense, with an underlying current of unspoken tension. Damien's jaw was clenched, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel tightly. I could sense his disapproval hanging heavy in the air.As we arrived at the gymnasium, I couldn't help but notice once again how small it was, and how urgently the renovation work at the hospital needed to progress. Damien pulled up to the curb, and I stepped out of the car, bracing myself for whatever lay ahead.Grace's face lit up with surprise and joy as she caught sight of me. "Lilian!" she exclaimed, hurrying over to greet me with a warm hug. "I'm so glad to see you back!"I returned her embrace, a fake smile tugging at the corners of my lips. "It's good to be back," I replied, my voice filled with sincerity. "I've missed my work."Just then, Lisa appeared, her expression brightening as she spotted me. "Lilian!" she called out, striding over to joi
87Lilian's POVLucas's eyes widened in shock at my ultimatum. "Lilian, you can't be serious," he protested, desperation creeping into his voice. "You know how much I care about you."I took a step closer, my expression steely. "Actions speak louder than words, Lucas," I reminded him, my voice firm. "If you truly care about me, you'll do what's right."He stared at me for a long moment, the weight of my words sinking in. Finally, he nodded, a sense of resignation in his eyes. "Okay, I'll do it," he promised, his voice barely above a whisper. "I'll end things with her, just let me prepare her psychologically for the breakup and after that, I'm going to put an end to this relationship."I felt a surge of relief wash over me, but it was quickly replaced by a nagging sense of doubt. Could I trust him to follow through on his promise this time? Or was I setting myself up for more disappointment?Lucas must have sensed my hesitation because he reached out, his hand brushing against mine in
88Lilian's POVMy heart raced as I watched the scene unfold before her. Lucas and Grace stood frozen, their expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief. Lisa Hackerman, the hospital's head nurse, was being arrested for the fire that had engulfed our hospital months ago."Lisa, what... what's going on?" Grace stammered, her voice trembling with fear."I... I don't know," Lisa replied, her eyes wide with panic. "I didn't do anything!"But the officers were relentless, their grip firm as they led Lisa away in handcuffs. The rest of the staff and patients looked on in stunned silence, murmurs of disbelief rippling through the crowd."What the hell is happening?" Lucas exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.I could feel the tension in the air, thick and suffocating. My mind raced with questions, but there were no answers to be found. How could Lisa be responsible for the fire? And what did it mean for the hospital and everyone who worked here?As the officers disappeared with Lisa
89Lilian's POV Grace approached me cautiously, her steps hesitant, as if she was unsure whether to speak. I could see the conflict in her eyes as she looked at me, her lips pressed into a thin line."Deep down, I always knew something wasn’t right with Lisa," Grace finally admitted, her voice low and strained. She crossed her arms tightly over her chest, almost as if she was shielding herself from the weight of her own words. "Her arrest only confirms what I’ve felt for a long time."Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. My breath caught in my throat, and I felt a surge of frustration bubbling up inside me. How could she say that? How could she be so quick to assume the worst? I clenched my fists at my sides, trying to keep my voice steady as I replied."Grace, I can’t believe that," I said, shaking my head. "As long as Lisa hasn’t been judged and convicted, I’ll believe in her innocence." My voice was firm, but my heart was pounding, and I could feel a cold sweat forming on my
90Lilian's POVThe next day, Damien left early for work, his usual confidence masking the tension that still lingered between us. I felt a knot of frustration tighten in my chest as I watched him go, his words from the night before still echoing in my mind. I couldn't shake the doubt he’d planted, but I also couldn't let go of my belief in Lisa's innocence. I needed to talk to someone who might understand, or at least help me see things more clearly. I decided to visit Lucas. I had to know what he thought about Lisa’s arrest. Maybe he could offer a perspective that would ease my troubled mind. As I walked to his apartment, my heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and determination. I wasn't sure what I was hoping to hear, but I knew I needed to talk to him.When I reached Lucas’s door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering just inches from the wood. Finally, I knocked, the sound echoing through the hallway. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and there he was, looking a l
91I stood there, staring at Lucas, feeling the frustration and anger boiling inside me. The tension between us was thick, and I struggled to keep my voice calm as I asked, "So, you’re still with her?"Lucas nodded, avoiding my gaze, and that small movement made my blood boil. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. "Yeah... for now. I need to figure things out, Lilian. Everything’s so messed up right now."I clenched my fists so tight that my nails dug into my palms, trying to control the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. "Lucas, this isn’t just about you figuring things out. Grace deserves to know the truth, and so does Lisa. You can’t keep stringing everyone along like this."“I know,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes met mine briefly, filled with guilt and weariness, before he looked away again. "I know," he whispered again, almost like he was ashamed to admit it. "But I’m stuck, Lilian. I don’t know how to make this right."I could feel the frustration a
98Lilian My heart sank at his words, but I forced myself to stay calm, though every part of me wanted to lash out. “Why?” I asked, my voice almost breaking. “Why would you do that, Lucas?”He gave me a look of exaggerated disbelief. “What? A guy like me can’t settle down?”“You and I both know this isn’t about settling down,” I said bitterly, trying to keep the anger from spilling over. “You’re playing a game, as always.”Lucas shrugged, completely unbothered by my accusation. “Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. What does it matter? Grace is head over heels for me, and I thought, why not? Might as well have a little fun.”“Fun?” I repeated, my voice rising despite my best efforts to keep it steady. “You’re talking about someone’s life, Lucas! Grace actually believes this is real!”“And whose fault is that?” he shot back, his smirk fading just slightly. “She chose to believe what she wanted. I never promised her a fairy tale.”“You proposed to her!” I spat, unable to contain my frustration a
97Lilian I stood there, frozen for a moment after Grace left, her excitement lingering in the air while I was trapped in a whirlpool of my own thoughts. Damien hadn’t said a word since she left, but I could feel the storm brewing inside him. His shoulders were tense, and he kept running a hand through his hair, something he only did when he was stressed beyond measure.I cleared my throat, trying to ease the tension in the room. "Damien, what’s going on?" I asked softly, stepping closer to him. "You’re clearly not fine."He stopped pacing, his eyes meeting mine, and I could see the frustration brewing behind them. "Lilian, we need to talk," he said, his voice low but sharp. My stomach clenched. I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear what was coming next."What’s wrong?" I pressed, hoping to keep the conversation calm.He took a deep breath, rubbing his temples like he was trying to gather the right words. "It’s about the money."I blinked, confused. "The money? What about it?""You’ve been
96Lilian A few days later, I sat on the sofa, half-watching a TV show that I wasn’t really invested in. My mind kept drifting back to Lisa’s situation and the overwhelming feeling of helplessness that had gripped me since my conversation with Rebecca. The tension in the house was palpable, but I was trying to distract myself, anything to escape the weight of reality for a little while.Suddenly, I heard a loud knock at the door, followed by the unmistakable sound of someone letting themselves in. Before I could even process what was happening, Grace came barreling into the living room like a whirlwind."Lilian!" she shouted, her voice brimming with excitement as she practically leapt at me. I barely had time to react before she was hugging me tightly, her energy infectious. “Grace, what—?” I started, trying to get a word in as she pulled back and thrust her hand in front of my face. I blinked, trying to focus on what she was showing me.Her eyes were practically glowing with joy as
95Lilian As I pulled into my driveway, I was surprised to see Damien’s car parked outside. It took me a moment to remember that today was Wednesday, his usual day to come home early. I entered the house and found Damien in the living room, lounging on the sofa with a book. He looked up as I walked in, his eyes narrowing slightly with concern. “Hey, Lilian,” he said, setting the book aside. “You’re home early. Everything alright?”I hesitated, trying to concoct a believable excuse. “Oh, um, I wasn’t feeling well, so I decided to come back early,” I said, forcing a weak smile.Damien’s expression softened, but there was a note of reproach in his voice. “I told you not to push yourself too hard. You should really take it easy. If you’re not feeling well, it’s better to rest up for a few days.”“I’m fine,” I insisted, though I knew it was a lie. “I didn’t think it was that serious.”“No, Lilian,” Damien said firmly, rising from the sofa and walking over to me. “You need to stay home a
94Lilian Once I was in my car, I pulled out my phone and quickly searched for the best private detective agency in town. After a few rings, a calm, professional voice answered.“Good afternoon, Zenith Investigations. How can we assist you today?”“Hi, this is Dr. Lilian Grey,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need to hire a private detective to investigate someone. It’s urgent.”“Certainly, Dr. Grey,” the receptionist replied smoothly. “May I ask for some details? Who is the subject of the investigation, and what exactly are you looking for?”I hesitated, the weight of the situation pressing down on me. “Her name is Grace Walters. I suspect she might be involved in something... illegal. I need someone to dig into her background, her recent activities, everything.”“Understood,” the receptionist said. “We’ll assign one of our best detectives to your case. When would you be available for a meeting to discuss this further?”“Right now,” I said, not wanting to waste any more t
93My jaw tightened as I struggled to keep my composure. “That’s great to hear, Grace.”Lucas looked at me with a mixture of surprise and unease. “Lilian, I didn’t expect to see you here.”“Apparently,” I said, my tone sharper than I intended, “neither did I.”Grace’s smile faltered slightly, but she quickly recovered. “Well, Logan and I have been working through things. He’s taking responsibility now, and I really believe we have a future together.”I fought to keep my eyes from rolling. “I’m glad you think so.”Lucas shifted uncomfortably, his gaze darting between Grace and me. “Lilian, I—”“Don’t,” I interrupted, my voice cold. “I don’t want to hear it.”Grace’s eyes widened, her enthusiasm dimming as she sensed the tension. “Is everything okay, Lilian?”“No,” I said, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “Everything is not okay.”Grace looked between us, her confusion evident. “What’s wrong?”I took a deep breath, trying to control my emotions. “Lisa Hackerman is in jail, and yo
92**Lilian’s POV**I sat in my car, the engine humming softly, and stared at the police station. The building loomed in front of me, a cold reminder of the mess everything had become. I took a deep breath and forced myself to get out of the car. I needed to see Lisa, to understand what was happening from her perspective. With a determined stride, I walked to the entrance and was met by a stern-faced officer.“I’m here to see Lisa Hackerman,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady despite the knot of anxiety in my chest.The officer raised an eyebrow, his gaze scrutinizing. “You’re allowed five minutes. Follow me.”My heart pounded as he led me through the maze of corridors. I tried to ignore the gnawing worry that threatened to overwhelm me. Finally, he stopped in front of a cell and unlocked the door. As it swung open, Lisa looked up, her face lighting up with a mixture of surprise and hope.“Lilian!” she exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly. She rushed to the bars, her eyes wide
91I stood there, staring at Lucas, feeling the frustration and anger boiling inside me. The tension between us was thick, and I struggled to keep my voice calm as I asked, "So, you’re still with her?"Lucas nodded, avoiding my gaze, and that small movement made my blood boil. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. "Yeah... for now. I need to figure things out, Lilian. Everything’s so messed up right now."I clenched my fists so tight that my nails dug into my palms, trying to control the storm of emotions threatening to overwhelm me. "Lucas, this isn’t just about you figuring things out. Grace deserves to know the truth, and so does Lisa. You can’t keep stringing everyone along like this."“I know,” he said, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes met mine briefly, filled with guilt and weariness, before he looked away again. "I know," he whispered again, almost like he was ashamed to admit it. "But I’m stuck, Lilian. I don’t know how to make this right."I could feel the frustration a
90Lilian's POVThe next day, Damien left early for work, his usual confidence masking the tension that still lingered between us. I felt a knot of frustration tighten in my chest as I watched him go, his words from the night before still echoing in my mind. I couldn't shake the doubt he’d planted, but I also couldn't let go of my belief in Lisa's innocence. I needed to talk to someone who might understand, or at least help me see things more clearly. I decided to visit Lucas. I had to know what he thought about Lisa’s arrest. Maybe he could offer a perspective that would ease my troubled mind. As I walked to his apartment, my heart pounded with a mix of anxiety and determination. I wasn't sure what I was hoping to hear, but I knew I needed to talk to him.When I reached Lucas’s door, I hesitated for a moment, my hand hovering just inches from the wood. Finally, I knocked, the sound echoing through the hallway. A few seconds later, the door creaked open, and there he was, looking a l