Chapter 21:Lilian POV"Ooh," I began, caught off guard by his sudden display of affection, "what are you doing?"With a mischievous grin, he replied, "Just giving you a big bear hug!"I couldn't help but chuckle as he lifted me off the ground, my laughter escaping uncontrollably of my mouth. "Stop it!" I managed to say between giggles. "You can't just sweep me off my feet like this."Ignoring my plea, he held me tightly against him. "Come on, don't be mad, it's all in good fun."But as reality returned, I reminded myself to stay angry with him, not to laugh. My laughter turned into frustration. "No, seriously, put me down!" I demanded.He shook his head, a stubborn glint in his eyes. "Not until you forgive me."His defiance only fueled my annoyance. I let out a scream of exasperation, hoping he would finally comply. "Fine, if that's what it takes!"Reluctantly, he released his grip, and I found myself back on solid ground. As the world spun briefly, dizziness taking over, I took a mo
Chapter 22I couldn't help but wonder what game Lucas was playing. His sudden closeness and words of admiration had left me intrigued, yet wary. I had always been drawn to his mysterious aura, but this encounter felt different.I hesitantly made my way outside, my senses still on high alert. Lucas had a way of making me feel both mesmerized and unsure of myself, and it was a combination that both fascinated and frightened me.As I crossed a room, a soft breeze rustled the curtains, leaving a chill in the air. I shivered, unable to shake off the lingering presence of Lucas. The way he had studied me, as if trying to unravel the depths of my soul, sent shivers down my spine.Arriving at Selena's place, I knocked repeatedly, but received no answer. Frustration creeping in, I even called out her name, but there was still no response. I turned and saw Selena's neighbor , a woman , I noticed her friendly smile and decided to strike up a conversation. "Hey there, how's your day going?" I as
Chapter 23Lilian POV:I stood frozen for a moment, the exhaustion and unease intertwining within me. The fact that he was sitting uninvited in my room only heightened my apprehension."What do you mean we need to talk?" I asked cautiously, trying to mask my vulnerability. "It's late, and I've had a long day. Can't this wait?"Lucas let out a low chuckle, He met my gaze with an intensity that sent a shiver down my spine . "No, it can't wait," he replied, his voice laced with a mix of determination and secrecy. "There are things you need to know, things that can't be ignored any longer. We need to address things now."I crossed my arms, feeling a mixture of anger and frustration. "Address what exactly? And how did you even get into my room?" He took a deep breath, his eyes searching for the right words. "I found your spare keys, tucked away in that drawer by the entrance. I never intended to invade your privacy, believe me." I stared at him, stunned by his confession. "So you just
Chapter 24:Lucas POV:I woke up the next morning, the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. My hand instinctively reached out to find Lilian beside me, but my fingers met only empty sheets. Confusion clouded my thoughts as I sat up, scanning the room for any sign of her presence. "Lilian?" I called out, my voice filled with concern.There was no response, and a knot of worry formed in my chest. I quickly got out of bed, my footsteps echoing through the empty room as I searched for her. "Lilian, where are you?" I called out again, my voice tinged with a mix of frustration and anxiety. I dressed quickly and went out .As I made my way through the palace, I could feel the eyes of my men on me, their questioning gazes mirroring my own confusion. "Find her. Search every corner of this palace," I commanded, my voice firm but tinged with urgency.Just as I was about to lose hope, Lilian's maid, Marisol, approached me with a look of concern etched on her face. She handed me a le
Chapter 25:Lilian POV:As I entered the human world, my heart raced with anticipation. I made my way to Damien's sister's house where my children and he were staying. Thoughts of a thousand and one questions ran through my mind, and I couldn't help but feel anxious and fearful about our reunion. The day was just about to break, and I knocked on the door, hoping for a glimmer of forgiveness.With a beating heart, I heard footsteps approaching the door. The sound of keys jingling and the lock turning made my breath catch in my throat. The door opened, revealing Damien's sister, Sophia. Her eyes widened in shock as she laid eyes on me."Is it really you?" she whispered, her voice trembling.I nodded, unable to find the words to speak. Before I knew it, Sophia launched herself forward, wrapping her arms around my neck in a tight embrace."Oh my goodness! You're alive! We thought we lost you forever," she exclaimed, tears streaming down her face.Unable to contain her excitement, Sophia q
The next day, while I slept peacefully, Damien, my fiancé, gently shook me awake in our cozy room. I groggily rubbed my eyes and glanced at him, confused. "Lilian, wake up. There's a policeman here to see you." He said .My eyes widened in shock and anger. How dare he let someone into our private space without even asking me first? I furrowed my brows and sat up in bed, glaring at Damien."What?! Damien, how could you? You should've at least consulted me before inviting a stranger into our room!" I snapped.Damien's face softened, and he held his hands up in a pleading gesture."Lilian, I'm sorry. I couldn't do anything. The police needed to be informed about your return. I couldn't keep it a secret." He defended himself.My anger slowly ebbed away as I saw the worry and regret etched on Damien's face. I let out a deep sigh, feeling a mix of frustration and understanding."Fine, I forgive you, but next time, please remember to ask me first." I said.With a relieved smile, Damien nod
Chapter 27Lilian POV It was a strangely weird and fairly old man and he started speaking but I couldn't hear him through the pane, He introduced himself but I didn't heard and he welcomed me to the district. However, his words were muffled by the window. So I rolled down the windows and came face to face with him .He had deep-set, piercing blue eyes that seemed to hold a wealth of untold stories. His face was weathered and lined with wrinkles, hinting at a lifetime filled with experiences. A thick, well-groomed white mustache adorned his upper lip, adding an air of wisdom and maturity to his countenance. Despite his age, there was a youthful spark in his eyes, revealing a curious and lively spirit within."What did you say? I couldn't hear you," I replied, a bit confused.He repeated his introduction, this time a bit louder. "I said, I'm Mr. Watson, and I wanted to welcome you to the district!"Meanwhile, my children continued to bicker in the backseat. Frustrated, I turned to the
28Saturday arrived, and I found myself busily preparing a sumptuous meal for our guest.As I set the table and rushed around the house, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and nerves.We have a special dinner with our neighbor Logan Parker, and I wanted to make it perfect. I couldn't help but feel a twinge of nervousness. I hoped to have enough time to dress up before our neighbor arrived, but before I knew it, the doorbell rang."Oh no! I'm not ready yet," I whispered to myself, feeling a wave of panic wash over me. Taking a deep breath, I hurried towards the front door, hoping it was just a delivery or something.As I opened the door, my heart skipped a beat. To my surprise, standing in front of me was Lucas. Memories of the time we spent together, and the warning I gave him before leaving, flooded my mind. I had told him not to follow me, to stay away from me."Lucas? What are you doing here?" I managed to muster, my voice filled with shock and disbelief.Lucas smiled b
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