All Chapters of WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Then Vandaulf leaned back in his chair, looking at her with blank eyes. "From now on," he said carelessly, taking a sip of his coffee, "you'll be going with me to every social event."Lily blinked, surprised. "What?"He set his cup down. "I'm making sure people see you as my wife. Only my wife." His lips twisted slightly. "Call it damage control."Lily's heart pounded. He wasn't asking her. He was telling her.And the worst of it?She couldn't refuse.Helena sighed long and deep, watching the tableau with a mournful stillness. "Perhaps this is a good thing," she murmured. "A new start."Lily held onto her fork rigidly, blanching her knuckles as she forced herself to contain herself. She was on the verge of emotions, and it was not easy to remain composed. A fresh beginning? That was what they were presenting? A gilded cage and suffocating expectations?Vandaulf beside her drank more of his coffee, never a care about how her entire world had been altered under his fingertips. His words

The car rolled to a stop in front of the Carlston estate, casting long shadows under the dim glow of the outdoor lights due to its towering presence. Thick silence inside the vehicle was unforgiving.Neither Lily nor Vandaulf moved for a moment because both refused to be the first to break the unspoken tension that had been simmering between them all night.With a show of dispassionate indifference, he removed his seatbelt and disembarked; slamming the door shut with an impressive bang that resounded through the dead of night.Lily inhaled through her nose, and kept her actions calm while she walked behind, the heels clicking on the cobblestones.He didn't wait for her.He never did.With his long strides, he was already halfway to the grand front entrance before she caught up with him, but something in the way he stood was different tonight—tense, controlled, angry.Lily pushed the odd burn in her chest down.Why does he care?The front doors swung open before they reached them, the s

Then, in a single smooth motion, he leaned forward—And picked her up.Lily gasped as her feet were left suspended in the air, Vandaulf's grip tight as he swept her over his shoulder like she was weightless."VANDAULF—""Enough Lily," Vandaulf's growled, striding up the stairs with her.Lily-Ina beat at his back with her fists. "Put me down, you—!" A sharp slap echoed against her thigh.Her breath was stuck in her throat.Lily was stiff.Lily's face burned, a combination of anger and embarrassment for what Vandaulf's doing."You're unbearable Vandaulf," she hissed.Vandaulf's hold did not weaken. "And you Lily," he snarled, "are a goddamn headache."They arrived at her room.With measured strength, he kicked the door open and slammed her onto the bed.Lily sprang up, fury burning in her eyes. "Who the devil do you think you are—"Vandaulf leaned forward, his arms around her."Your husband," he breathed.Lily took a hard breath.For what seemed an eternity of suffocation, they just gla

The sun came up over the Carlston estate, but its rays did nothing to melt the frost in the air.Lily woke up as Lily.Ina had burned out during the middle of the night, leaving only fatigue behind.A ringing knock on her door jolted her into sitting up."Ma'am," the maid's voice was low but persistent. "Madam Helena and Mr. Vandaulf await in the dining room. Breakfast time."Lily breathed slowly, centering herself. Play the role.Stepping out of her bedroom, she was not Ina, no longer angry. She was the demure, reserved Lily—dominated, refined, submissive.Valeria twirled down the steps like a top, the thick silk floating in her wake. She fought for breath for a moment when she entered the dining room. Vandaulf stood there.Waiting for her. His wide shoulders rested indolently against the doorframe, arms crossed, but his face was anything but calm.His eyes found her at once, scanning, seeking.Lily kept her even stride."Good morning," she said, voice light, neutral.Vandaulf's lip

The quiet was oppressive. Nigh on unbearable.The face staring back at her wasn't Lily anymore.It was Ina.Her stronger, bolder, deadlier version.She let her breath out slowly, leaning on the cold marble sink with her elbows. Her eyes. Ina's eyes, smoldered with revolt."What in tarnation was that?" Ina growled, staring at herself in anger.Lily's gentle voice, tinged with doubt, ran through her mind. "I don't know Ina.""Liar," Ina growled. "You felt it. You let him in."Lily winced within. "No. That wasn't."It was real," Ina interjected. "You enjoyed it."Lily's hands shook. "That's not true.""Oh, sweetheart," Ina sighed. "Your heart still pounds. Your skin still stings where he touched you. Don't lie to me."Lily swallowed hard. She wanted to lie, to push the sensation down as she always did.But Ina was correct.Vandaulf had touched her beneath her skin.And that was not safe.Ina leaned forward, her eyes on their reflected faces, her voice a low whisper. "You let him win."Li