《Agreement Behind Her Marriage》


 PROLOGUE

    [This chapter may disturb some readers. A trigger warning is advised.]


    LILY¡¯S heart was beating frantically. She was driven by her stepbrother Keh to a hotel-based bachelor party for a friend. Even though she was aware of the man¡¯s ulterior motivations, she feltpelled to go with him out of concern for her safety.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill your precious Manang Puring if you disobey me,¡± she remembers Keh¡¯s ghostly, demonic smile before he took her to that ce.


    ¡°Hello, boys!¡± he said right after they opened the door of one suite.


    They discovered four men inside the room.


    ¡°Wow, Ken!¡± One of his friends whistled. ¡°You really brought Lily with you?¡± At the moment, she was uncertain why his eyes had a reddish hue. She recognized him as Keh¡¯s best friend, the man who often visited their home. She noticed he would often cast ufortable nces in her direction. She also overheard her brothermenting, ¡°She¡¯s stupid! Even our father hated the woman. If you want to fuck her, go ahead. She might be of use to you.¡±


    ¡°Get inside!¡± came the sternmand from Keh. When she hesitated, he pushed her.


    ¡°P-please¡­ I want to go home¡­¡± Tears rolled down her cheeks as anxiety consumed her. She was filled with fear, fully aware that Keh¡¯s intentions toward her were always sinister. There were five men in the room, and she could see no one else.


    One of his friends stroked her cheek and whispered, ¡°Shhh.¡±


    He reassured her, saying, ¡°We won¡¯t do anything harmful to you, Lily¡­ We just want to see you happy. You¡¯ll enjoy this,¡± in an attempt to ease her anxiety. Her veins filled with revulsion as his finger brushed her cheek.


    She noticed one of his friends handing Keh a wad of cash. With an authoritative tone, he demanded, ¡°Take off your clothes and start dancing!¡±


    Lily clutched her garments tightly. ¡°No¡­ I-I want to go home.¡±


    Turning toward the door, she found one of her stepbrother¡¯s friends blocking her path. ¡°Please¡­ let me leave¡­¡±


    ¡°Tsk! Is this fun for you, Ken? You said she¡¯s fun?¡± said one of the men. With a grin, Keh took a seat on a couch.


    ¡°Are you enjoying yourself?¡± one of the men chuckled. ¡°This is the reason why I like her. I can¡¯t wait to fuck her cowardly brains out. C¡¯mon, Lily¡­ show us what¡¯s behind your clothes.¡±


    ¡°No!¡± she yelled. Her sobs multiplied.


    One of them, who is already frowning, said, ¡°Let her go!¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refund the money if you remove her from here!¡± Keh dered, his eyes narrowing as he advanced toward her. He pped her forcefully. ¡°What we asked you to do is simple! Why can¡¯t you justply?¡±


    Her hair became disheveled, and her body felt on the brink of breaking. ¡°I¡¯ll tell Dad what you¡¯ve done¡­¡±


    Keh let out a disdainfulugh. ¡°Seriously? When did your dad ever show you affection? He loves me more than he loves you, Lily. You¡¯re foolish and worthless! No one cares about you except for me!¡±


    ¡°Go, Lily. Feel free to get out. We will count to ten. Sorry if we catch you outside,¡± The man blocking the door tilted. She could see the excitement in his eyes.


    That prompted her to leave the room and sprint down the hallway. She had to leave these beasts behind.


    ¡°Run, Lily, run!¡±


    She burst into tears.


    ¡°Ten¡­ Nine¡­ Eight¡­¡±


    She would definitely suffer if they caught her. She was certain that she was in danger, especially in light of the fact that Keh¡¯spanions were obviously not in their right minds. Perhaps they were under the influence of drugs.


    She attempted to open each door one at a time despite her damp cheeks. At this point, that was her only chance for survival. Miraculously, one of them was slightly ajar. She entered without hesitation, but when she saw two nude people on the bed, she felt practically sick to her stomach.


    ¡°Fuck! Who are you?¡± asked the man with a broad body.


    She was about to open the door so she could leave once more when she realized that there were wolves outside the room waiting to devour her.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ Sir, you didn¡¯t tell me that you requested a threes0me,¡± the woman said flirtatiously, grabbing a cigarette off the nightstand.


    ¡°Shut the fuck up! Damn it!¡± He clenched his teeth. Standing up, the man headed in her direction while wearing a menacing attitude. Her eyes widened in fear, especially when he approached her naked. His hard and tall masculinity was clear in her eyes. She understood that since she was the one who had unexpectedly entered the room, she had no reason to be terrified of him.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll call the police!¡± he threatened.


    Lily was going through a lot of emotions when her vision wentpletely ck, and she passed out. She stumbled andnded in his arms.

 The Wedding

    Four yearster¡­


    Lily¡¯s whole body is shaking as the two assistants are helping her dress.


    It was her wedding day to someone she had never seen before. She ought to have met Drew Walton by now. However, her soon-to-be husband left the country on the day they were supposed to have a meeting with her family to discuss the marriage, giving her the impression that he wasn¡¯t interested in their arrangement.


    Master Walton, his grandfather, likes her.


    It infuriated her father that evening. He stated, mming a cane into her back, which had been giving her pain for weeks, ¡°It was all your fault! Maybe Drew doesn¡¯t want to marry you because you¡¯re ugly!¡±


    Her stepmother sneered, and Keh continued to stare at her like a shadowy demon. That unsettling smile on his face was a constant reminder of the main cause of her life¡¯s tragedy. She aspired to find strength, but how could she?


    Her brother¡¯s misguided instructions had led to relentless bullying at college, ultimately preventing her frompleting her degree.


    ¡°Lily, you know I care about you. If Daddy rejects you, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m still here to help you,¡± Keh said, his fingers gently caressing her cheeks. To her, he seemed like a lunatic psychopath. She couldn¡¯t fathom his true intentions, which made him all the more cunning. He whispered terrifying things into her ear, manipting her naive mind. He relished watching her tremble in fear.


    A wedding nner handled every aspect of organizing this event. She and Drew might be her strangest customers because they didn¡¯t touch or inquire about any details. The Walton family provided everything and entirely funded this wedding. She had oncee across Drew¡¯s photo online, and he had a frosty demeanor, much like her father. If that man were to abuse her, what would she do?


    The moment the door opened, and her father entered, it brought Lily back to the present. She immediately wiped away the tears that had welled up in her eyes.


    ¡°Drew has arrived. It¡¯s good that he is still interested in your marriage,¡± her father¡¯s expression conveyed his seriousness. ¡°Remember that you were helpful in some way! Do your duty as my daughter!¡±


    ¡°Honey, don¡¯t be like that to Lily. His grandfather had already signed the agreement. He will support the expansion of our manufacturing business,¡± said her stepmother, smiling meaningfully. She often gives her disgust. Whenever she had the chance, she would hurt Lily.


    Lily bit her lip. Before the door opened, there was a knock. The wedding coordinator appeared in their sight.


    ¡°Mr. Martin, we will start in fifteen minutes,¡± she announced.


    Her father turned to face her. ¡°If you do something horrible today, you¡¯ll be forced to live on the streets. I¡¯m done with you!¡± he threatened.


    Although she wanted to cry, Lily nodded. She had been adored by the man when she was younger, which was why she continued to stay by his side. Mr. Martin¡¯s emotions shifted away from her when Keh and his mother showed up.


    His new wife gave off the impression that Lily owed the Martin Family her life in exchange for staying with them, and that she should be grateful she still had a ce to live. She kept that in mind, living each day.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    She stepped out of the room to go to the wedding hall where the ceremony would take ce.


    ¡°Lily!¡± yelled Manang Puring, the only person who had shown her love, as she arrived at her side in tears. Since her mother¡¯s passing, the woman had taken care of her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this! I will take you to the province if necessary!¡±


    She embraced the older woman, who was in her sixties. She was old, and it was unfair that she should be a burden to Manang Puring. Thest option she had on her list of things to aplish was to leave this ce and follow her.


    ¡°No! I¡¯m fine,¡± she said.


    ¡°I know you, Lily. This thing isn¡¯t right! People talk about Drew Walton. Your life with him wouldn¡¯t be good either! He¡¯s a womanizer!¡± said thedy.


    ¡°Manang Puring, please choose your words carefully. Someone might overhear,¡± she said anxiously, ncing around. The Waltons are influential people, and negativements about them could lead to consequences.


    She passed thedy and kept walking.


    ¡°Lily!¡± Manang Puring cried out once more, but she didn¡¯t follow her because her decision was already made.¡±


    Goodbye, Manang Puring.


    Her anxiety surged as she approached the gathering hall. What if her husband subjected her to the same physical abuse she had endured from her father?


    Lily recalled Mr. Martin¡¯s words, ¡°You will marry the Walton so that you can be of use to me!¡±


    When she came to a halt before the white curtain, her leg trembled. Soft music filled the air. The curtain parted shortly after. She yearned to escape or find a hiding ce when she realized that everyone inside was fixated on her as the main character of the event.


    At the far end of the red carpet, she spotted the man in a white three-piece suit. Her heart raced more than once. He was clearly gazing at her with a darkened expression.


    Lily, you can do this! Do something useful! In your home, your life is not good either!


    That gave her courage, and Lily approached the groom, even though her legs trembled like gto. She lowered her gaze to ward off fear and discouragement, continuing to steal nces at him as she moved closer.


    He loomed over her by more than a foot, and she just reached his chest. With wavy brown hair, a broad chest, wide shoulders, and powerful arms, there was no hint of a smile on his lips as he extended his hand to her.


    Her nervousness doubled. She couldn¡¯t help but imagine that his arms could easily crush her, and the thought of him striking her sent shivers down her spine.


    I should be thankful that he was here, right?


    What right does she have toin to Drew Walton? She should be grateful for his slight interest in the gathering.


    ¡°Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today¡­¡±


    As the preacher conducted the ceremony before them, Lily and Drew remained silent. Lily couldn¡¯t help but steal nces in her groom¡¯s direction. Drew¡¯s undeniable good looks were the subject of gossip, with rumors of his involvement with various women and his reputation for not taking rtionships seriously.


    Her heart thumped even louder when Drew turned to look at her, his gaze sharpening. She tightly shut her eyes.


    ¡°Will you, Drew Walton, promise to cherish Lilian Rose Martin as yourwful wedded wife, to protect her, and to be there for her through sickness and disappointment?¡± asked the pastor.


    There was a moment before the man answered, ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Will you, Lilian Rose Martin, cherish Drew Walton as yourwful wedded husband, protecting him, and tending to his needs through illness and disappointment?¡±


    Who was she to say no to that? The man epted her marriage proposal so she should be thankful! ¡°I-I-I will,¡± she stuttered.


    Drew¡¯s face soured because it was as if she was forced to say yes. But her anxiety prevented her from speaking.


    ¡°Drew Walton, do you love Lilian Rose Martin willingly andpletely, withholding nothing? Will you protect her, and give her your deepest consideration of her feelings, desires, and needs?¡±


    Love? It¡¯s obviously out of the question, but Drew responded, ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°Lilian Rose Martin, will you strive to keep your love flexible and adapt to changing circumstances in the marriage? And will you be Drew Walton¡¯s counselor, helpmate, sweetheart & lover, and best friend, from this day forward?¡±


    ¡°I-I will¡­¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Do you, Drew Walton, take Lilian Rose Martin to be yourwfully wedded wife, to share your life openly, standing by her side in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, in hardship and in ease, to cherish and love forevermore?¡±


    Drew let out a sigh, as if he were bored with the questions. ¡°I do.¡±


    The pastor then posed the same question to Lily. There was no turning back now. ¡°I-I do¡­¡±


    A little whileter, they exchanged rings. In Lily¡¯s opinion, the rings were beautiful. But she had to keep reminding herself that, no matter how lovely they were, their marriage would always feel unreal.


    ¡°I now pronounce you as husband and wife,¡± said the pastor, smiling. ¡°You may now kiss the bride!¡±


    Drew gently lifted her face to get a better look at her, his arm wrapping around her waist. It felt as though time hade to a standstill as he leaned in for the kiss. Drew¡¯s eyes were striking, and his lips drew closer to hers.


    Tension still coursed through her body, which is why, before she could even catch her breath, she lost consciousness.


    ***


    ¡°WHAT the fuck?!¡± Drew eximed angrily as his wife passed out in his arms.


    He picked up the woman, who was as light as paper before they could attract any attention. The ceremony is thankfully over.


    His best friend Finn came over. He sat in the front-row seat and witnessed everything that had urred. ¡°What happened to her?¡±


    ¡°She passed out,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll take her to the room first. Please call a doctor. Kori, please entertain the guests. I have no idea what happened.¡± His face darkened.


    Kori, another of his best friends, struggled to stifle herughter, which only further irritated him. Kori was a beautiful married woman and his first love. However, he had already moved on. It had been five years since hest confessed his feelings to her, and she had rejected him.


    Finn followed him outside. He no longer cared if the guests were confused as they made their way out of the hall. Perhaps they believed the couple was heading straight to their honeymoon.


    Lilian Rose? Her name was pretty, but her body was¡­


    Her name, as per his grandfather, is Lily. Drew¡¯s expression changed. The old man clearly intended to reprimand him for bringing a woman who was vastly different from the women he usually dated. He¡¯s a troublemaker, and the old man obviously didn¡¯t appreciate that!


    Master Waltonpelled him into this marriage. Otherwise, he¡¯d hand the entire Walton Group to someone else! Drew wrestled with the situation in his office. His life was deeply entwined with it. He absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow it to fall into the hands of his uncles, who were like wolves waiting for him and his grandfather to pass away.


    ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen her before¡­ I just can¡¯t recall where,¡± he murmured while studying Lily¡¯s face.


    ¡°You already saw her? Maybe during your engagement?¡± Finn replied.


    ¡°No¡­¡±


    Upon reaching the couple¡¯s suite, he gentlyid Lily on the bed and then gazed at her once more, this time with her eyes closed. Finn made a phone call for assistance. His wife appeared pale and very thin. Even her entire face was almost as small as his palm. She most likely had a petite frame, perhaps even extra-small. Herplexion was fair and white. Was she pretty? Well, she was¡­ simple, cute! Quite different from his usual type!


    Despite being twenty-four years old, it seemed as if he had married a young woman who looked more like sixteen. He was eight years older than her.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her?!¡± he furiously eximed, thinking she had passed out shortly after announcing their marriage.


    ¡°Calm down!¡± said Finn who was done with his call. ¡°A doctor wille.¡±


    He shook his head and eximed, ¡°Tsk! I shouldn¡¯t have consented to this marriage! Would you be d if the woman you just kissed passed out?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s toote for that! You already said, I do!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s far from the women I¡¯ve dated! I want big boobs, a sexy, or a woman with a curvy body! This woman is petite, innocent¡­ Damn it!¡± he continuouslyined.


    ¡°The women you fuck, you mean?¡± Finn corrected. ¡°Drew, she¡¯s a wife, not some random bitch! She¡¯s not a whore!¡±


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± A small voice emanated from the bed, causing both of them to turn toward her. His wife was now sobbing, clutching a pillow as she sat on the bed.


    Sympathy welled up in him as he gazed at her tear-stained cheeks.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± He pped his forehead. He and Finn had uttered a lot that she shouldn¡¯t have heard.

 Frightened

    Her husband doesn¡¯t like her. That¡¯s what Lily thought as she heard the voices talking. She opened her eyes, and it was clear to her ears how her husband criticized her. He desired a woman with a model-like physique as opposed to someone who was thin and frail like her.


    After all, who would want someone like her who can¡¯t even help her family? A woman of no use? Would she be curious still? Even her own father and his wife, Keh, and the maids dislike her.


    ¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she said, sobbing.


    Her husband and his friend turned to her at the same time.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Drew gently touched the tip of his nose bridge between his eyebrows. Lily was startled, and it seemed like she could already feel the man going to attack her.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Bro, you¡¯re just making it worse,¡± said his friend. The man tried to approach her, but she simply became more frightened and retreated to the corner of the bed. Her body trembled. She had several images of men who wanted to harm her seriously. They are making ominousughter.


    Would Drew Walton do the same to her as Keh did?


    ¡°Please¡­¡± she pleaded to the two men. The man who was her husband¡¯s friend stopped approaching her.


    ¡°Uhm¡­ We promise not to harm you. I¡¯m Finn. I¡¯m the best man and Drew¡¯s best friend.¡±


    Her actions annoyed Drew, and then he asked, ¡°What¡¯s her problem?¡±


    Someone knocked outside their suite. ¡°That¡¯s definitely the doctor I asked for.¡±


    She calmed down once the other man left, but Drew remains perplexed. He examined her with a dark expression and knotted brows. Finn reappears in her vision, this time with a woman carrying a stethoscope, a medicine box, and other items. This is most likely the doctor they phoned to check on her.


    ¡°Please check my wife! She passed out after the ceremony,¡± Drew stated grumpily.


    Lily didn¡¯t know how to feel about that. In the Martin household, even if she cannot stand because of bruising or cigarette burns, her family will not call a doctor as she¡¯s nothing.


    The woman took her blood rate and asked what she felt at the moment.


    ¡°Mr. Walton, her blood pressure was elevated due to her anxiety, probably because of the wedding. You¡¯ve also heard that she hasn¡¯t eaten properly since this morning.¡±


    ¡°So annoying¡­¡±


    She sobbed uncontrobly and then whispered, ¡°Thank you!¡±


    After advising that she needed to eat and take care of herself, the doctor left the room.


    Drew sat on the couch and then looked deeply at her. Lily averted her gaze, wiping away her tears. However, nervousness still pulses through her veins. That was the first time she had ever met Drew, who she didn¡¯t know. He seemed ready to shoot fire at her at any moment. She sensed he was not content with her.


    Finn came back with a woman. ¡°I called her because we obviously needed help.¡±


    ¡°This is insane!¡± Drewined to the two people who had juste in. Standing up, he continued, shaking his head, ¡°I really shouldn¡¯t have consented to this marriage! Look at me, and then look at her, Lauren. She¡¯s too small for me! She didn¡¯t even have any flesh on her body, and she had been sobbing for quite some time! She¡¯s so delicate! I had the impression she was terrified of me!¡±


    Her tears started to flow again. Because of her shorings, she became even more discouraged.


    ¡°You brat! You should be thankful that someone even married you! You¡¯re being disrespectful! If you¡¯re looking for big boobs, you can add them to your body!¡± eximed Lauren angrily.


    Drew winced at what he had just heard.


    ¡°It¡¯s wrong to criticize any woman! May I remind you that she¡¯s your wife?¡±


    ¡°I told you, love. Both of them needed help,¡± Finn remarked, as if he was running out of patience.


    ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± Her husband stormed out.¡±


    Her eyes grew wider. It¡¯s her fault! Drew must not go away! What if he immediately ended things with her? She became even more tense.


    ¡°I will follow Drew. You take care of her first,¡± Finn instructed the woman.


    Lauren approached her. Her worry and defenses were partially reduced because she thought the woman was considerate. But Lily did not fully trust the woman.


    ¡°My name is Lauren, my husband is Finn, and Drew is my friend.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Lily.¡±


    ¡°Please forgive that jerk because he, too, is unustomed to rtionships. He struggles to trust women. But don¡¯t worry, Drew is a good guy.¡±


    She held back tears despite her fear that Drew might not return. She has to trust Lauren¡¯s words, right?


    ¡°I have to follow him. We should not have left the event hall.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Drew. Even though he behaved like that, he had a sense of responsibility. Although that jackass unquestionably treated you poorly, he certainly wouldn¡¯t have consented to this wedding if he didn¡¯t like you. He will soon realize that you¡¯re his wife and that he shouldn¡¯t act rudely towards you.¡±


    Perhaps Lauren said it to make her feel better. She had previously heard that Drew enjoys hot and attractivedies, hasrge breasts, and possesses a fantastic shape. There was no mention of her physical appearance in any of these.


    ¡°Thank you! But I have to go back to the event hall,¡± she said as she calmed down. ¡°It doesn¡¯t give a good impression that we aren¡¯t there.¡±


    ¡°You will definitely get attention if youe back there. Wait a minute! I¡¯ll get you a new dress. We can exin that you changed your clothes.¡± The woman exited the room before she could answer.


    Lily, this is a simple thing to do. Why can¡¯t you do it? Before Drew decides to end that marriage, she needs to find him.


    Lauren carried a white dress when she returned. Because the sleeves are big and loose, it is unlikely that the guests will notice her almost bony shoulders. She thanked Lauren despite feeling ufortable wearing the outfit because it was too much.


    Lily asked for Lauren¡¯s help because she needed to zip her dress.


    ¡°Oh, my God! You have-¡± Lauren gasped in terror as she stared at her exposed back. Her lips parted as she took her time, zipping Lily¡¯s new dress all the way up.


    Her cheeks were red as she looked away.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡±


    She forced a smile and hoped Lauren would forget what she saw. ¡°We have to go back.¡±


    They returned to the event hall. She attracted attention as well because they couldn¡¯t see Drew.


    ¡°Where is that arse? Have Finn and Drew ever been here?¡± Lauren spoke to the other woman, who appeared to be quite busy.


    ¡°No. Ist spoke to Drew when he instructed me to look after guests. That was after the ceremony a while ago.¡±


    Lily took a seat at the couple¡¯s table. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from eating the food in the absence of her husband. She was also starving and in need of energy. When a member of the hotel staff approached her, she was halfway through the entr¨¦e.


    ¡°Ms. Lily, Mr. Martin is requesting your presence in the garden. Please go this way.¡±


    Given that her father dislikes waiting, she instinctively followed Mr. Martin¡¯s instructions. She braced herself for the man¡¯s ruthlessness, went out, and headed her way to the garden. Immediately, she saw the man gritting his teeth. Her stepmother, who had her lips slightly turned up, was beside him.


    ¡°You, wench!¡± Mr. Martin pped Lily. Her body was so frail that she fell into the bushes. ¡°Where is Drew? I had warned you I¡¯d disown you if you didn¡¯t perform well today.¡±


    ¡°Honey, maybe Drew won¡¯t just walk out on the marriage. It hadn¡¯t even been twenty-four hours. Don¡¯t tell me he doesn¡¯t want Lily anymore.¡± Her stepmother sneered. She obviously aggravated Mr. Martin¡¯s rage.


    Her father¡¯s knuckle hit her head. ¡°If Drew ever brings you back home, remember that I won¡¯t ept you.¡± Before leaving her, he gave her another p. ¡°Stupid!¡±


    Lily was sobbing uncontrobly as she sat on the bench. Despite how easy her task was, she failed to do it! She has been sobbing for some time now.


    If only she weren¡¯t so anxious¡­


    If only she hadn¡¯t been terrified¡­


    If only she were attractive, sexy, or beautiful! Perhaps her husband hadn¡¯t abandoned her.


    She jerked when someone touched her hair. When she recognized Keh, a peculiar disgust crawled through her skin.


    ¡°P-please go away¡­¡± Lily whispered. She scantily scanned her surroundings. She had to get back to the event hall before he could do anything unimaginable to her because it was already bing dark there.


    Keh looked at her intently.


    ¡°You are adorable in this dress¡­ You know that I¡¯ll stay with you, Lily. You cannot escape me, no matter where you are. Even if Drew Walton hides you at the bottom of the world, you won¡¯t be able to escape.¡±


    She retreated from him. Keh tightened his fist and rapidly squinted his eyes. Here they are again! Is he intending to hurt her?


    ¡°Leave. Her. Alone!¡±


    They both turned to face the person who spoke. She spotted Drew looking at them with narrowed eyes.


    Innocently grinning, Keh raised his hands as though giving up. ¡°Come on, man. I¡¯m only wishing my sister luck.¡±


    Drew gave her a nce. He might have noticed the anxiety in her eyes.


    ¡°To me, that is not what it looks like! Lily,e here.¡±


    She rushed over to Drew. He took her by the waist and gave Keh a threatening re before walking away. Compared to Keh or her father, who frequently hurt her, his touch on her waist was gentle. Is she really that foolish to believe her husband? Maybe. But she would be even more dumb if she stayed with her stepbrother.


    ¡°The gathering ended early, so I¡¯m taking you to the suite. Finn and I had a drink in this hotel¡¯s bar, and when I returned, you went to the garden,¡± her husband stated coldly.


    As they made their way to the suite, Drew had a gloomy expression. He seemed to want to say something, but he couldn¡¯t. Lily remained silent when they returned to their room.


    When they entered the room, Drew punched the wall, letting her know he was unhappy. Lily gets chills from the fire in his gaze. Hugging herself, she moved to the corner room that was the most distant from him.


    ¡°Tell me. You were not harmed by that bastard and his four friends! I¡¯ve been trying to recall where I saw you. It¡¯s at Hotel 5! You went inside my suite and passed out. When I was carrying you out, Keh imed you were his sister, but I didn¡¯t believe those fvckers. I knew something horrible had happened. So, I called the police to ensure he was telling the truth.¡±


    She was in awe. Now she realizes she and Drew had met previously. Her tears flowed. Because of that day, she cannotplete her degree.


    ¡°Lily, tell me¡­¡± Drew approached her. This time, his voice was less agitated as he asked, ¡°Did they do something to you?¡±


    She could not respond. What happens if his disdain for her grows? The resurfacing of her painful memories brought her tears on rather than fear.


    ¡°There won¡¯t be any issues between us. Anyone may be in your position as my wife. I only like toprehend your source of fear. Did your brother¡­ rape you?¡±


    She gave her response a lot of thought. She sobbed gently and nodded.


    Drew clenched his fist and let out a dragon-like snort of fire. ¡°With those scumbags?¡±


    ¡°No, but they molested me.¡± She wailed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± she cried.


    He continued to calm her down by saying, ¡°I saw you earlier. I went to the garden after you and witnessed your father beating you. Then, before I could approach you, I saw Keh. I have a feeling he was nning something awful for you because I noticed his face. What kind of family did you have?¡±


    Lily didn¡¯t know how to answer him. She has nothing topare to her family because she has never experienced having one aside from the Martins, if she can call it a family. She already assumed Drew would leave her too, because the wife he gets is worthless.

 Wife

    Drew sat in the corner of the bed while Lily cried.


    ¡°I understand if you abandon me after tonight,¡± she murmured.


    The thought angered him. He knew he was among the most awful individuals in the world, but he never imagined that anyone could be worse than him. Her past upset him. Along with that is an understanding of why Lily reacted like this. As her husband, he has the right to feel that way, right?


    ¡°Lily, you know that I already agreed to this, right? I said I do, and I¡¯m not insane enough to change my mind simply because things aren¡¯t going well for you.¡± He epted Lily. There is a reason why his grandfather chose her.


    When Drew saw Mr. Martin beat his wife using a cane earlier, he wanted to go forward and punch his face. He intended to do the same thing he did to Lily. It was as though his chest was on fire after learning what Keh and his friends had done to his wife. He wants to repay them for what they did to her by challenging them to a fight. He liked to cause trouble. Everyone is aware of that! Furthermore, what they did to Lily was uneptable.


    ¡°B-but I¡¯m not clean. You also don¡¯t want me as your wife.¡±


    ¡°Lily, do you think there is nothing wrong with me? You saw me four years ago. I had a prostitute with me.¡± Now that he thought about it, it embarrassed him. How many women did he fuck? ¡°And I¡¯m sorry for earlier; I¡¯m aware of my arrogance.¡±


    On the other hand, it wasn¡¯t Lily¡¯s fault that she walked through the dark alley where Keh was waiting. Drew caressed Lily¡¯s head, which flinched her. He sighed. He required a lot of tolerance for her now that he knew what had happened to her in the past. Finn is right. As a married man, he is now in charge of her.


    In sickness and in health¡­


    ¡°Lily, you know that I am now your husband, right? I won¡¯tpel you to do anything you don¡¯t want to. I just-¡± shrugging his shoulders and continued, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡­ You must rest for now. If you want some privacy, I cane out here.¡±


    She grasped the hem of his clothing from behind as he stood up to leave the room.


    ¡°P-please stay.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if leaving his wife here was a wise decision, but it would seem awful if anyone he knew saw him outside.


    ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the couch. You can take a shower.¡±


    What he said made her afraid again. Lily clutched her chest. Drew exhaled hard air. Although he was really irritated, what could he do? Both of them are confused. He had never met someone quite like Lily.


    ¡°Lily, I am your husband and not some fucker rapist. Now, get your things and wash up,¡± as though he were instructing a young child.


    She followed, avoiding his gaze. She headed towards the cab to get the things her family had prepared for her.


    His rage returned as soon as she left his line of sight. Keh and Mr. Martin must bear the consequences of their actions. They misled the Walton Family, neglecting to look after Lily.


    Even if he didn¡¯t yet have a sensible n for himself and his wife, he needed to speak with her and find out what she really desired. In marriage, the wife has a say, but does she want to be his wife? If she lives with him, he must make the woman aware that she must live as his wife. And like the Waltons, she shouldn¡¯t be weak like she was right now.


    ***


    ¡°Wee to your new home,¡± Drew said to Lily.


    Lily looked around. As soon as she walked into his house, she noticed gym equipment sprawled over the living area. If she hadn¡¯t noticed therge stairs leading up to the next floor and the kitchen not too far away, it would have been as if she had entered a gym rather than a home.


    ¡°Oh, shoot! Sorry.¡± Drew scratched his head. ¡°I¡¯ve been working out here. I will just transfer those, but let¡¯s find a ce to store them in.¡±


    Despite having few appliances, her husband¡¯s home is tidy. However, this house is unappealing to someone like her who studied interior design. It was huge and dark there. The lighting is not very strong. The tall windows¡¯ drapes are also covered in dark hues. There is arge swimming pool on the side, and it is clean, indicating that he uses it frequently.


    ¡°Just let me know if you want to change something,¡± he muttered.


    She doesn¡¯t have the guts to make any changes to this house. What if he bes furious and gives her back to her family?


    Drew frowned because she didn¡¯t respond.


    They made their way up to the second floor. She was greeted by a foyer leading to the third-floor stairs. There are four spacious rooms. Drew unlocked the first door. ¡°Your room is in the front; this is mine.¡±


    He opened the room he had mentioned. There was nothing else but a single bed inside it. Drew gave his temples a massage.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I haven¡¯t taken care of this house yet because I¡¯ve been too busy at work. I¡¯ll hire an interior designer to fix it. You can tell me how you want your room to be decorated.¡± Immediately, he took out his phone.


    Lily held his arm to stop him. ¡°Can I just fix it?¡±


    She can do the work just as well as anyone else, so she doesn¡¯t want to give it. Because the designer would charge them for the tiny room at twice the cost of the furniture, she didn¡¯t want Drew to spend too much on her. Perhaps that would be the reason for him to return her to the Martins, thinking that marriage is expensive.


    ¡°I know how to design. I was taking an interior design course¡­ before.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by before?¡±


    She swallowed. Would he be disappointed with her if she told him that she hadn¡¯tpleted school? ¡°I-I took a design course in college. All I need is the pieces of furniture.¡±


    ¡°You took interior designing? That¡¯s cool! I am free today. Let¡¯s go visit the shop. Simply select the things you desire, and I¡¯ll make sure they bring them today, even if it means staying up till midnight.


    It surprised Lily. The quickest way to purchase furniture takes three days, right? She then realized that he was the owner of several huge shopping malls throughout the country.


    ¡°Before anything else, can we talk downstairs?¡± he asked.


    With a flutter in her chest, Lily nodded. She followed Drew into the kitchen. He asked her to sit on a chair. Various things entered her mind while waiting for what he had to say.


    Has Drew had a change of heart? Or maybe he will warn her not to dream of bing a Walton because she doesn¡¯t deserve it? Her body shivered once again as she continued to think negatively. After a few hours with her husband, her life started to get a little better. He watched over her all night long, keeping his distance, making her feel safe.


    She was in the middle of contemting when he interrupted, ¡°Someone has been shopping for me, so this fridge is full. Do you want juice or coffee?¡±


    A voice entered her mind.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Anything more than water is luxury, Lily. You have to pay the price if you ask for more¡­


    ¡°J-just water,¡± she replied with her fingers shaking.


    ¡°Lily?¡± Drew approached her. She looked up and saw his expression was serious. Her husband¡¯s expression changed as she began to cry, making him unhappy. ¡°This is your new home. You are not a visitor, but my wife! So, anything you see in the fridge, or touch, or eat in this home-is yours! Now, do you want coffee or juice?¡±


    Her lips parted. She wasn¡¯t prepared for what he said. As though about to lose patience once more, Drew exhaled and then closed his eyes tight. ¡°I told you, for God knows how many times, I am not a monster. Actually, I¡¯m insulted that you think of me as one.¡±


    Lily was aware that he had a lot of patience for telling her that.


    ¡°I want juice,¡± she said. She didn¡¯t want him to be angry with her.


    ¡°Good.¡± He poured fresh orange juice into two sses and then ced one in front of her. The man sat by her side.


    ¡°Alright, first, if you want to live in this house, it means you will see me as your husband and not some fuckwit, asshole, jerk bastard. In return, you will live here as a wife¡­ My. Wife. Do you understand?¡±


    A wife¡­ She still hasn¡¯t gotten over the fact that the life she has now is different.


    ¡°Talk, Lily. Because if you are not ready for this and you will continue to be afraid of me, we will ignore this discussion.¡±


    ¡°I will live here,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Good. I¡¯ll now describe how I spend each day. We must know the whereabouts of others. Every morning at seven, I leave this home. Depending on whether I have a dinner meeting, I stay in the office until six o¡¯clock. If I¡¯m ever runningte, I¡¯ll make sure to call you. How about you?¡± He gulped his juice as though the exnation had worn him out.


    ¡°I¡¯m just staying home.¡±


    He frowned. ¡°You don¡¯t have a job? Or perhaps you¡¯re still a student?¡±


    Drew scowled again as Lily¡¯s eyes welled up with tears.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to answer.¡± It seemed he predicted her situation. ¡°You previously mentioned that you were enrolled in a designing course; do you mean you didn¡¯tplete it?¡±


    Lily gave a nod. She could not look at Drew. She is terrified of her circumstances. After all, it is pretty distant from the situation of her husband. He had been living like a prince. After all, he is Drew Walton.


    Drew finished all his juice while Lily still didn¡¯t touch her ss. He blew out a heavy sigh.


    ¡°Do you want to continue your school?¡± he asked.


    Lily¡¯s lips parted. Drew had been taking her by surprise with ns that were far from her thoughts. Her fist tightened. But what about the bullies at school? What had happened four years ago still bothered her.


    ¡°She¡¯s a wh0re.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping with the m@gic five.¡±


    ¡°Hey, slut! What does a g@ngbang feel like?¡±


    ¡°I heard she¡¯s pregnant.¡±


    She could still hear those voices. Theughs. The whispers. They ced the word S-L-U-T in big, bold, and ck letters on her locker!


    Lily flinched when Drew held her hand. He stared at her carefully.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer my question. Why didn¡¯t you finish your college?¡±


    She wanted to lie, but in her experience, every time she does, she gets pped. ¡°Because Keh and his friends got mad at me the night you saved me. They were pissed. One of them spread rumors about me in school.¡±


    ¡°Those fucking pricks!¡± Drew gritted his teeth. ¡°Let¡¯s forget about them, okay? I will find you a sensible school.¡±


    ¡°But I have nothing to pay,¡± she protested.


    ¡°You¡¯re now being cute!¡± he simplymented, deadpanned. How much is the school tuition? Even if Drew were to serve her ten courses at once, he could definitely pay for it.


    ¡°Do you know how to cook?¡± Drew asked as a long silence passed between them.


    ¡°Yes.¡± If there was something she¡¯s good at, that¡¯s household chores. If not, her stepmother will definitely beat her.


    ¡°Three times a week someone cleans this ce. So, cleaning this house won¡¯t be a problem for us. Is there anything else you need to rify?¡±


    Lily swallowed hard and hesitated. Something was bothering her.


    ¡°H-how about your needs as a man?¡± she asked. Her question isn¡¯t a surprise after hearing him acknowledge he uses a prostitute.


    At that point, Drew appeared to have been cut by his own tongue, looking at Lily as if she had three heads.


    ¡°Lily, I¡¯m not sure. I am expecting you to cooperate. That is part of your wife¡¯s duties.  I could simply hire women, but doing so would make me feel¡­ bad.¡± His eyes pondered hers.

 Money

    ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not sure about this marriage either. You and I both have reasons for getting married,¡± said Drew. He felt unsure about the rtionship he had started. What he was going to do with Lily was something he had been considering sincest night.


    He was certain that he and Lily would not get along. Her personality is very dissimr to his everyday life. He¡¯s crazy! He lived for parties, sex, and women. Does being married mean he will also lose that?


    ¡°We won¡¯t be happy if I change myself just because I¡¯m married, Lily. If we¡¯re not happy, this rtionship will end in an annulment. I may have missed the life I used to have, and I¡¯m not sure if you can live with it.¡± He didn¡¯t want to tell his wife that the tolerance he was showing her even now was excessive.


    He saw concern in her eyes. She lowered her head.


    ¡°Talk, Lily.¡± Drew frowned. He was about to run out of saliva with all the phrases he had spoken, but his wife was saying nothing. She is too quiet. He enjoys silence on typical days, but not this time. He unexpectedly questioned whether the woman made noise while having sex.


    He shook his head having those thoughts. Fvcker, you fvcking know she doesn¡¯t like sex!


    ¡°How about we make a deal?¡± asked Lily. Her eyes are slightly teary.


    Drew inquired inquisitively, ¡°What kind of deal?¡±


    ¡°I see your point. We don¡¯t know each other. I would rmend that we get to know one another for a year. If, after that time, I remain the same, and if we¡¯re not happy, we can part ways amicably as friends.¡±


    Lily¡¯s suggestion astounded Drew. He also understood that she was right. Indeed, he had considered it before learning Lily had a monstrous family. But now he was wondering if his wife could be independent after a year.


    The concept irritated him. What would his friends say? Or his family? That he could only be married for a year and had already had his marriage annulled? Based on his reputation, they would without a doubt believe he is to me for the separation! They might have implied that he had an affair with some woman or something simr.


    Drew retorted, ¡°But in a year, we have to be sure that we make an effort before making a decision. ¡°We¡¯ll be friends for a year. Every Sunday, we should go on a date. We should talk in the morning and at dinner. You will also apany me to the gym.¡±


    ¡°To the gym?¡± It surprised Lily.


    Drew looked at her little hand, arm, and body. She was too pale, too slender, and physically fragile. A strong wind could have swept away the woman.


    ¡°I will be your trainer. I will also watch over your food, and I will not take no for an answer, Lily. You¡¯ll need that if we part ways.¡±


    Lily bit her lip. But she lowered her head and nodded.


    He stood up from his seat. ¡°Now, let¡¯s go!¡±


    ¡°W-where are we going?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re going on our first date because it¡¯s Sunday.¡±


    ***


    Why did Lily tell Drew that if nothing changed between them after a year, they could separate?


    She has several goals in mind. She will first be able toplete her schooling next year. Perhaps she might already have a job. Furthermore, what he told her was eptable. Given that they have different lifestyles, her husband won¡¯t be satisfied with the rtionship if he quits his prior life because he married her. She wanted to set a time for herself above all else.


    She will exert every effort to avoid considering ending her rtionship with Drew after a year. If they break up, she fears she¡¯ll return to the Martin Family, so she doesn¡¯t want that to happen. In order to attain that in a year, she will try everything possible to make him happy and content.


    ***


    Lily¡¯s cheeks flushed as she walked over and anchored her arms around Drew. It was their first date; he imed. While assisting them inside the home appliances store, the female staff members are conscious of his presence. They were definitely drawn to her husband. She couldn¡¯t deny how attractive he was! And his scent¡­ a warm breeze is how it feels. His jaw and broad shoulders extended all the way to his sculpted trunk-


    ¡°I want this. What do you think?¡± Drew asked her while examining an elegant couch.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s too dark,¡± shemented absentmindedly because ncing up at his face distracted her.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Drew lowered his gaze on her.


    She murmured in panic. ¡°N-no! I mean, you can buy anything you want!¡± Her cheeks began to flush.


    ¡°But if you¡¯re the one buying the couch, what do you want to put in our home?¡± he questioned.


    In our home¡­


    She desires the dream. Not far away, she spotted a light gray L-shaped couch. ¡°That one goes well in the corner of our living room perfectly.¡±


    Drew guided her to approach the said item. He examined it and then turned to the woman who was following them. ¡°You heard my wife. Please include this couch.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Lily perplexed. It reced the dark brown couch he had preferred. They browse the entire store to choose things for her bedroom. He took her to a restaurant afterward.


    ¡°I hope you enjoyed our small date,¡± Drew muttered.


    Lily smiled naturally. Her fear of Drew decreased a little because the man was simple for her to get along with. But to say that she ought to be joyful is excessive. Keh said that everything she receives is luxury. He won¡¯t let her be happy and that¡¯s what she¡¯s afraid of.


    ¡°I asked my assistant to look for the perfect school for you. She will give me an answer this week.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she responded.


    ¡°Oh, by the way,¡± Drew pulled out a gold card from his wallet and handed it to Lily. ¡°You may go shopping or make any purchases you like with the money I provide you on this card each month.¡±


    Her eyes blinked while holding that square gold thing. Shopping? Buy anything?


    ¡°Yes, why don¡¯t we purchase a phone for youter? You¡¯ll use that card to make the payment,¡± Drew exined.


    ¡°C-cell phone?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you must have a cell phone. How else will I be able to reach you if I need to speak with you?¡±


    He has a point. When their orders came, she started focusing on the enticing meal. Drew smiled broadly. The waiter handed her the chicken alfredo pasta and some of the restaurant¡¯s specialties. Her throat was almost dry from drooling.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat!¡± Drew stated.


    She took a bite. It tasted great! On that table, she enjoyed every bite of food she consumed.


    ¡°I never thought you could eat well; why don¡¯t you seem to gain weight?¡± Drew asked as he sipped his water.


    It embarrassed Lily because she didn¡¯t realize she had consumed two tes of food. She had never eaten those before, and they were so delectable. Nevertheless, she realized what she did was excessive and almost lost track of her situation. It reminded her of a scene from the past.


    Eat shit, b*tch! Kehughs.


    Lily set the fork down and turned her gaze away from Drew. Why is her stepbrother unwilling to leave her system?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± she stated. She undoubtedly enjoyed her meals. She suddenly felt scared once more.


    ¡°Lily?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll pay dearly for the food,¡± she said nervously.


    ¡°Who said I would pay?¡±


    Her eyes grew wider. Does he intend to ditch her and let her pay for the food? Keh did that to her once. The incident made her father so furious that he had to pick her up at the police station.  Her eyes began to tear up for that reason. Why does her history still hurt her so much?


    Drew moved closer. ¡°What? Tell me what¡¯s on your mind.¡±


    Lily questioned, ¡°Who will pay for the food?¡±


    Suddenly, images of doing the dishes, running away from the restaurant, or going to jail entered her mind.


    But when Drew startedughing, she was taken aback. They were practically stealing the customers¡¯ attention with how loud they were. She should have been terrified, but her husband¡¯sugh was odd and not at all like Keh¡¯s and his friends¡¯ughter. Drew seemed to be finding it amusing by the way he chuckled.


    ¡°Oh, Lily, why are you so damn cute?¡± He wiped the tears fromughing. When she had previously stated that she couldn¡¯t afford her tuition, he thought it was the funniest thing he had ever heard. He never considered that paying a low price for this restaurant would be funnier.


    Lily once more blinked her eyes, but Drewughed once more. She desires to be enraged with him. It was an emotion she hadn¡¯t felt in years since she was too weak to be angry. Why is he making fun of her? Maybe she was too na?ve? Is there a joke she¡¯s not aware of for people like him? Drew noticed her anxiousness.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ Your money-rted questions make you both funny and cute! It seems like you were unprepared when it came to money. Before we ate, didn¡¯t I give you a credit card?¡±


    ¡°Oh!¡± She picked up that thing that was just resting beside her.


    ¡°I won¡¯t pay because you will be the one to pay for our meal from now on.¡±


    She didn¡¯t, however, intend to spend her husband¡¯s money. What if he believes she is pricey? ¡°I-I? Will I pay for all of this?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± he replied as he tucked the card inside her hand. ¡°Because you are strong, Lily!¡± he muttered while narrowing his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re a Walton, Lily. And we, Walton, don¡¯tck money. Swipe and pay like a queen! Do it like Mrs. Drew Walton!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t speak. No one! No one ever treated her this way!


    Because she was a peasant, no one ever advised her to behave like a queen.


    Nobody ever suggested she pay for someone else¡¯s meal because she was short on cash. She had never, ever had money in her life because her family hadplete control over everything.


    Most importantly, she had only been married to Drew for over twenty-four hours.


    Lily reached for a tissue and wiped away her tears. They pay more attention to other customers. They thought Drew had caused her to cry.


    ¡°Do we have a problem here, sir?¡± asked the man who approached them.


    Lily raised her head. When she realized who the man was, her eyes grew wide. She appeared to recoil as a shiver spread through her body.


    He was equally astonished to find her there, but he couldn¡¯t help but smile a strange grin. His name is Victor, and this man is one of Keh¡¯s friends.

 Troublemaker

    Victor¡¯s re caught Lily off guard, and she immediately considered how she could leave the establishment. She seemed unable to breathe, and her hand holding her golden card began to tremble.


    Drew looked at the person, then his eyes narrowed when he caught him smirking. ¡°Was there a problem?¡±


    ¡°No, sir!¡± Victor responded after adjusting his posture. ¡°I am the owner of this restaurant. I¡¯m merely checking in on customers to see whether they¡¯re okay.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have a problem. She was just overwhelmed,¡± replied Drew.


    ¡°Good to hear, sir.¡±


    ¡°Get the bill. We will pay.¡±


    ¡°Okay! I hope you enjoyed the food.¡± Victor was about to leave when Drew caught his attention again.


    ¡°And please bring this your way.¡± Drew handed him a soiled tissue that she had used to wipe her tears. ¡°Throw it away.  I don¡¯t like dirt scattered around us.¡±


    Lily swallowed hard after hearing Drew¡¯smand. Did he notice something?


    ¡°Hang on, sir! I¡¯ll immediately ask my server to clear your table.¡±


    ¡°No.¡± Drew shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m asking you nicely. You are the only one who isn¡¯t busy.¡± He looked around and sure enough, every server was upied with something.


    Victor clenched his fist slightly but forced a smile. ¡°Indeed, sir.¡±


    Dissatisfied, he picked up the soiled tissue and took it somewhere.


    When Victor vanished from Lily¡¯s line of sight, the emotions she had subsided. How did Drew manage tomand him? After some while, a female server came back to them carrying the receipt. Before Drew invited her out, she paid the bill with no problems.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am and sir! I hope you enjoy the meal!¡± remarked the woman manning the restaurant¡¯s entryway.


    Drew, who apparently merely intended to make trouble, muttered, ¡°Please tell your boss that we are noting back. It¡¯s tasteless! Your food is too cheap for my taste.¡±


    Lily was terrified, believing Victor might follow her. Although they remained silent, Drew continued to offer to hold her arm. She likes it as if he were prepared to defend her. They went to his car, ending their night. He confronted her there.


    ¡°Lily,¡± her husband murmured. She then turned to face Drew, who was sitting in the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Have you ever, at least once in your life, caused trouble?¡±


    She shook her head. No! She cannot! If she did, she would only get ps or a beating from a family like the Martins. She was too terrified of her father to cause trouble.


    ¡°I¡¯m asking because you married the worst troublemaker on this,¡± he paused before borating, ¡°but a troublemaker is not the same as the monster from your darkest nightmare. Considering how disruptive I am, the monster may view me as Lucifer or his greatest demon. Do you understand?¡±


    No, she didn¡¯t understand anything, so she shook her head in response.


    ¡°To make it simple, I am the troublemaker, Keh is the monster¡­ I will be the King demon in their eyes!¡± he exined, squinting his eyes.


    Why can¡¯t she do that? If only she had Drew¡¯s strength, she would have exacted revenge on Keh a long time ago.


    ¡°I want to be the King Demon too,¡± she whispered. She wanted to be the one to cause trouble with Keh. Her tears continued to flow, thinking about the nightmare she had with her stepbrother.


    Don¡¯t be too arrogant, Lily. Who are you kidding?


    ¡°So, don¡¯t be scared. Take a confident stance and stare them in the eyes if they see you.¡±


    Although her stepbrother no longer lived with her, she has been thinking of him since yesterday. Lily wanted to break free from Keh, but she couldn¡¯t because the overwhelming fear she had for him was crawling through her body. That is something she wants to let go of!


    Drew smiled meaningfully. ¡°You have nothing to fear, Lily. You will only repay the bad things they did to you. Being weak differs from being kind.¡±


    ***


    Just a few hourster, a truck arrived to bring the appliances they had purchased to their home. They worked together to organize Lily¡¯s room. Drew was mostly the one who carried the stuff inside her room. It took them until midnight.


    ¡°Hmmm.¡± Drew held his chin up and peered around the bedroom, saying, ¡°You are good, Lily. Everything was nice andfortable in the eyes.¡±


    Her cheeks flushed. She¡¯s not used to gettingpliments. In the past, she frequently received praise from her teachers. She had to be intelligent, otherwise, she was useless.


    ¡°Could you fix the whole house just in case?¡± asked Drew, thinking carefully.


    ¡°T-this home?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Why not? You could decorate this home.¡±


    ¡°But you might not like it¡­¡± she replied worriedly.


    ¡°Nah! The living room below is stocked with gym equipment, as you noticed. Also, it¡¯s your house too, so how you fix this ce depends on you.¡±


    She had a small sense of joy. Drew gave her a job. It implies that she isn¡¯t worthless in his view. ¡°I could use your card to pay, right?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± he answered, chuckling. ¡°If you need help, I¡¯ll have someonee. Let¡¯s get some rest. I have to get up early because I have unfinished work at the office. I¡¯ll ask a friend toe here.¡±


    ¡°A friend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You met Lauren, right? I don¡¯t understand why she keeps bugging me and asking if she maye, even though I¡¯ve already assured her that we¡¯re alright.¡±


    Lily remembered Lauren, the woman who discovered her secret. ¡°T-thank you!¡±


    Drew left the room to give her space. Lily took a nce around the bedroom. It wasrger than her room at the Martin residence by three times. This is her new home. Hers!


    Since she first met Drew, he has been forcing her to encounter andprehend the impossibilities. However, she was hesitant topletely ept her new life. What if she refuses to stop this? What if Drew decided to stop this?


    ***


    When morning came, Lily came downstairs to find Drew running on the treadmill. It was six o¡¯clock in the morning. Sweat drips from his neck and runs down his lean body. She swallowed while looking at her husband.


    He took care of himself, which Lily found admirable.


    Drew stopped slowly when he noticed her.


    ¡°Oh! You¡¯re already awake.¡± He came closer, making her feel even more embarrassed.


    Did she mention he was half-naked?


    ¡°Change your clothes. Your training starts today,¡± Drew stated.


    ¡°Huh? But I don¡¯t have any clothes.¡± She no longer has any extra clothing and the outfits she had worn since yesterday were prepared for her by Master Walton, Drew¡¯s grandfather. To prevent conflict with Drew, her father asked her not to bring any of the clothing she usually wore at the Martin residence.


    Drew realized she was right. ¡°Oh, I see! I will tell Lauren to take you to Kori¡¯s shop. Make sure to get some active wear because you¡¯ll start your workout tomorrow.¡±


    She looked at his body. She couldn¡¯t seem to take her gaze away from her husband.


    ¡°Would you instead prepare our meal?¡± he asked, wiping his sweat with a towel.


    ¡°S-sure! You can continue to work out. I will prepare breakfast.¡±


    He smiled before returning to running. In the kitchen, Lily started looking for ingredients. She found fruits, eggs, and sausages inside his fridge.


    She kept ncing at her husband because there were no dividers separating the living room from the kitchen. It wasn¡¯t the first time she harbored admiration for men. She once experienced love, but that was too long ago-when Keh hadn¡¯t destroyed her character.


    Drew is unreal. He is twice as big as she is. Even though she wants to stop it, her attraction to him is strong.


    Lily, stop! That¡¯s right!


    In their story, Drew is a prince, and she is a frog.


    ***


    Drew told his assistant as he entered his office, ¡°Go get the contract of the Italian Club in our West Mall.¡±


    ¡°Right away, boss!¡± Sarah, his assistant, responded. She only had to follow him; she didn¡¯t need to inquire.


    In just 15 minutes, he already held Victor Panganiban¡¯s contract, the owner of the Italian Club where he and Lily had dinner the day before. He tapped his name into theptop¡¯s search bar immediately. Drew was not dissatisfied when a number of images from various social media sites showed up on his screen.


    As he had anticipated, he had a photo with Keh Martin and four other men. Drew considered them to be his intended targets. What they had done to Lily was unknown to him.


    She said they molested her. In what way?


    Are you sure you wanted to know?


    He first nced over the contract before turning to Sarah. ¡°What are your impressions of this restaurant?¡±


    ¡°The Italian Club¡¯s business is expanding since they are profitable. Their food is excellent! They have three locations throughout the Walton Group, and, as far as I know, they will take part in the bidding for the mall branch that we will open in the North.¡±


    ¡°Are they following the mall policy or the kitchen rules?¡±


    The woman answered, ¡°There are no problems so far, boss.¡±


    ¡°Oh, really?¡± Drew scoffed. He will offer them one if there isn¡¯t a problem in that restaurant. Even if Victor owned ten restaurants, it is evident that he only rented a space inside Walton¡¯s Mall.


    How dare he use Lily¡¯s mall?


    ¡°Moreover, boss. Last weekend, Vivian came here. She asked when you would be visiting the Bar Vivi. She also expressed disbelief that it was your wedding day.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give her a callter,¡± he responded simply. He frequently hired Vivian as a talent at Club Erotica, but that happened a very long time ago. Drew epted her offer to invest in the bar she built, Bar Vivi. Why not? Partying and se**x are his two great passions.


    He respects people like Vivian for having that desire because it allows her to refrain from pr0stitution. Even though she kept attempting to se*duce him, they were now just business partners.


    He took Vivian out of his mind. His first focus right now is Victor Panganiban.

 Weak

    Lauren arrived at Drew¡¯s residence with her four-year-old kid a few minutes after he left for his office. Lily was the one who weed his friend.


    ¡°Hi!¡± said Lauren.


    Lily was a little surprised when Lauren gave her a kiss on her cheeks before introducing the adorable young child. ¡°He is Felix, my son. Baby, kiss your Aunt Lily.¡±


    The boy pouted his lips and moved closer to her. Again, Lily has never gone through anything like this. Even though she had only known Lauren for 48 hours, she felt a sense of familiarity and friendship towards her.


    ¡°We are here to pick you up. By the way, how are you?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Come in!¡± responded Lily. Because she had never had a visitor before in her entire life, she was a little puzzled. She has no friends. How would she keep Lauren entertained as a host of this home? How could she be sure Lauren wouldn¡¯t feel ufortable with her?


    Lily, she visited you here to make sure you were fine.


    ¡°Tsk! Are you sure you¡¯re okay here?¡± Lauren questioned as she winced and looked at the gym equipment that nearly filled the entire room. ¡°That jerk!¡± she eximed, referring to her husband, ¡°didn¡¯t even bother to fix the ce before marrying you!¡±


    Lily offered the kitchen area instead.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. D-do you want coffee or juice?¡± Lily asked. Being that it was her first day in the house, she was still a little uneasy. No matter how many times Drew said that she already lived there and that it was hers, her body continued to reject it.


    ¡°Juice, please.¡±


    She smiled when she saw her son begin to y in the gym.


    ¡°Baby, behave, okay?¡± said Lauren.


    ¡°Yes, mommy!¡±


    For her two visitors, she poured beverages while saying, ¡°Sorry about the stuff. The next time youe, I¡¯ll make sure this house is in order.¡±


    Lauren smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if we bothered you; I don¡¯t want to appear gossipy or meddling in your married life. I just want to make sure you and Drew are okay because things didn¡¯t go well at your wedding, and you suddenly disappeared from the gathering.¡±


    Lauren must have been concerned about her, she concluded. ¡°I should be the one to apologize. I really appreciate that you took the time to check on us, but there is no need to be concerned as Drew treated me well all day yesterday. We went out and bought some things for my bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Your bedroom?¡± It surprised Lauren.


    ¡°Ah¡­¡± Lily scratched the crook of her neck. Lauren must have been confused as to why she was mentioning a room other than Drew¡¯s. ¡°He gave me time to¡­ you know¡­¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great to hear! You won¡¯t like him unless you get to know him. Drew is arrogant and conceited, but he¡¯s a nice guy; just be patient with him.¡±


    She could not bring up that Drew was the one who was quite patient with her. It embarrassed her.


    ¡°You said before that he doesn¡¯t trust women,¡± asked Lily. Does Drew believe in her?


    Again, Lauren frowned. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have said that. It¡¯s not that he doesn¡¯t trust women; it¡¯s just that hisst girlfriend cheated on him, and she used Drew of assaulting her sexually to get money.¡±


    Lily¡¯s eyes grew wide. When she heard the word ¡°sexual assault,¡± she felt a little uneasy.


    ¡°It happened four years ago. There¡¯s no need to worry because nobody believed Drew would do it. He used the money to quiet his ex-girlfriend in order to spare the Walton Family any embarrassment. The thing is, it¡¯s obvious that¡¯s what she¡¯s aiming for. As a result, usations about your husband getting a woman pregnant, experiencing sexual harassment at work, and so on, weremon. Because Drew had a bad reputation and was therefore an easy target, they were all aiming for him.¡±


    Lily felt a little sorry for her husband. Was that the main reason he preferred to rent a woman rather than be in a rtionship?


    ***


    At half-past five in the morning, Lily went downstairs, wearing jogging pants and a cotton shirt that she and Lauren purchased the other day. However, she didn¡¯t expect Drew to be ahead of her.


    When he saw what she was wearing, he groaned. Perhaps it¡¯s because she seems sluggish and skinnier while wearing her attire. Lauren emphasized repeatedly that she should get a ssy workout outfit from Kori¡¯s store. But Lily felt self-conscious about her appearance and thought those expensive clothes wouldn¡¯t tter her frail frame. Furthermore, she didn¡¯t want to reveal to Drew the horrific scar on her back.


    Grabbing her attention, he muttered, ¡°I will be strict with our training, and I want you to follow my rules, Lily.¡±


    Even though they hadn¡¯t begun, it made Lily nervous.


    ¡°Get ready! We will run outside.¡±


    She nodded. They left their home and began their running workout. Later, just as they had dashed a few meters away, she already appeared to be running out of breath.


    ¡°Faster!¡± Drew shouted.


    Even if her knees were about to give out, shepelled herself to follow. Her legs began to feel numb after a short time. She was sweating and on the verge of losing all the air in her chest. After they finished the tour and returned to the house, Drew organized extra activities for her.


    Her body wanted to give up, but she couldn¡¯tin.


    ¡°I am doing this for your sake, Lily,¡± she recalled him stating. Who was she to say no if he did this for her benefit? She didn¡¯t want to appear inconsequential to her husband.


    Drew offered to prepare their breakfast. When it was over, she was handed arge te filled with various foods. Because he tired her out, and the food appeared tasty, she finished the meal.


    ***


    A day between them became a week, and eventually a whole month. Watching her health is no joke. She wanted to give up numerous times because of how challenging Drew¡¯s demands were. She was, however, more inspired when she realized that Drew had more patience to show her that level of care. He expected nothing in return; all he wanted was for Lily to be healthy.


    Until she became ustomed to their morning ritual.


    ¡°You may now get ready for school because your ss starts in a month,¡± Drew stated with a smile.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Lily¡¯s cheeks were red as she responded. The living space is the only part of their home that she hasn¡¯t finished fixing in a month. She had only managed to paint one section of the wall. At first, she was worried, but Drew didn¡¯t scold her about it.


    ¡°By the way, I¡¯m on a business trip to Italy next week,¡± informed Drew.


    The spoon came to an abrupt halt in front of Lily¡¯s mouth.


    ¡°Do you want me to buy you something?¡± he added.


    ¡°Nothing. I just want you to be safe,¡± she replied simply, before taking a bite of her food.


    And thene back soon, so I won¡¯t miss you too much¡­


    Her cheeks grew hot as his lips parted, not expecting her response.


    ¡°Is there a problem?¡± inquired Lily.


    Drew grinned after shaking his head. ¡°You are different, Lily.¡±


    Different in a good or bad way?


    Even though she hadpletely conquered her nervousness and terror for her husband, she had still not yet be ustomed to his attention.


    ¡°If I have the opportunity, I would like to take you with me, but your passport and visa are not ready. Please continue your workout training; I¡¯ve only been gone for about a week. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call a friend toe here and watch over you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I will also be busy fixing this living room,¡± she replied. She had painted the wall nearly halfway through-they were colorful lilies.


    Drew smiled as the direction of his gaze went there. ¡°Surprise me more, Lily.¡±


    Her cheeks once again flushed. She was not going to fail Drew. Their talk was cut short when Drew¡¯s phone, which was sitting next to him, rang.


    ¡°Sarah?¡± said Drew. ¡°Huh? Okay, I¡¯ll check¡­¡± Her husband went to the kitchen wall-mounted television and switched it on.


    On their television, breaking news showed that a restaurant on a mall corner was on fire. The Waltons owned that mall, which made Lily gasp.


    The female television news anchor announced that ¡°Something exploded inside the building and is currently on fire at the Italian Club restaurant branch in the south. The cause and origin of the ident are still being investigated.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    Before he pressed the end button, she overheard Drew say, ¡°Call awyer and let him be the one to speak with the owner of the Italian Club.¡±


    ¡°Is everything okay?¡± Lily asked Drew.


    ¡°Everything is great! You don¡¯t have to worry,¡± he replied. There¡¯s something wrong with his behavior because instead of appearing frightened, Drew¡¯s mood seems to be more enthusiastic. Isn¡¯t his mall on fire?


    When Victor appeared on television for an interview, Lily¡¯s eyes grew wide. ¡°While we remain thankful that no staff members got hurt and were present in the restaurant, we will conduct investigations into what transpired.¡±


    ¡°H-he¡¯s the owner of the restaurant that¡¯s on fire?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Drew took a drink of coffee. Lily turned her attention to Drew and then to the television. She summoned the guts to ask him, despite her anxiety. ¡°You¡­ are you the one w-who did that?¡±


    Her husband looked at her deeply and then simply answered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    Lily felt uneasy about it. What if Drew got caught? What if he went to jail? What if Victor learned about it and came back for them? What if-


    Drew asked, adopting a serious tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±


    ¡°Should I be happy?¡±


    Drew kept quiet. The thing he did was obviously not funny. Soon, his expression became nasty.


    ¡°You¡¯re weak,¡± he whispered.


    ¡°What?¡± she eximed. What she heard made her feel like her chest wanted to explode. Who is he to dere her weak? He does not know what she went through!


    ¡°I said you¡¯re weak, Lily! I told you I¡¯m a troublemaker! If this was only the beginning and you¡¯re acting in that way, how about next time?¡±


    Lily¡¯s fist clenched. She approached Drew and then punched him in the chest. She was stunned but also believed there was no going back. ¡°I¡¯m not weak!¡±


    He annoyed, eximed, ¡°Tsk! You are! I didn¡¯t even feel your punch!¡±


    ¡°I said I¡¯m not weak!¡± she cried, yelling, along with the punches she threw at him.


    ¡°Harder!¡± he growled.


    She repeatedly struck him hard, causing numbness in her bones. ¡°I hate you!¡±


    Lily sobbed, and then her punches slowed down because what he told her made sense. She was pitiful! She¡¯s pathetic and weak! She cried as if her strength had run out.


    Drew tenderly cradled her to his chest before brushing her hair. The pain she experienced subsided slowly. She felt safe inside his arms. Every stroke of his fingers through her hair gave her a sense of security.


    ¡°Shhh¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°This should be my battle, but I¡¯m too pathetic to fight. I¡¯m afraid you might go to jail because of me, and I don¡¯t want that to happen. What if the investigation shows that you were involved in what happened?¡± Lily remembered that the people around her, helping her, often got hurt.


    ¡°I won¡¯t, Lily. And I didn¡¯t just do it to cause trouble; I did it because¡­¡±


    She looked up and met his eyes. Her chest pounded because she was so close to him. She had something to say, or perhaps she was rendered wordless by her husband¡¯s gaze, prating her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± he mumbled before lowering his face to capture her lips.

 Ugly Scars

    Drew¡¯s feelings were always warmed whenever Lily depended on him. After a month, his wife started to gain a little weight, which pleased him, even though he knew she had almost given up on the rigorous training he had arranged for her.


    His finger trailed the crown of Lily¡¯s ear, shaping his wife¡¯s neck. Something motivated him to intensify their kiss.


    It was a month already, and he was at his limit. He gave Lily¡¯s waist a light squeeze and then carried her like that. His cock¡¯s head could already feel her heat when her legs snaked around his body. Their lips never parted as he drew her closer.


    Drew took her to the lonely long couch in the living room. She spread her legs effortlessly over his shaft to feel her pussy, which was only separated by his shorts and concealed by her thin yoga pants. As he guided Lily¡¯s hips to sway against his hardness, he nourished his own lips on the sweetness of her kiss.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± Growling, his lips parted to catch a slow breath. She deliriously stared at him with her half-closed eyes. Drew shifted her hips over his top as their eyes locked. The friction they made was amazing. Lily was fucking amazing. Just thinking about how wet she was at the exact moment made his cock throb more.


    Lily inclined her head to meet his lips once again. She responded to every movement of his mouth.


    When they parted, his index finger trailed down the side of her neck to the top of her chest. Their breathing is slow. There was something about Lily that piqued his interest. He desires to possess the woman. It¡¯s just that, considering her background, he was afraid. He lifted her blouse till a ne-like shape was formed around Lily¡¯s neck.


    But he was astonished to see a hideous mark on her nipple that was clearly the result of a cigarette burn. It gave Drew awe. He would not have noticed if it didn¡¯t look different from Lily¡¯s other breast.


    His wife had another burn below her chest and on her ribs as if they were lined up. Noticing his reaction, Lily covered herself with her arms as she felt a little ashamed, while Drew had mixed feelings as he watched his wife¡¯s nakedness. The women he fucked had attractive bodies. Their skin was smooth and delicate. As a client, he paid for their beauty, and they must be stunning to fuck.


    But Lily¡¯s body¡­ tells a story. It¡¯s not boring!


    ¡°I-it¡¯s ugly, I know!¡± said Lily, looking away.


    ¡°No¡­ Let me see¡­¡± Drew mumbled as he moved his wife¡¯s arm away from her body. That nipple was begging to be sucked, and so he shoved into his mouth. A moan escaped Lily¡¯s mouth, then gripped his hair.


    Devouring her chest, he could hear her groaning and gasping for air.


    ¡°Tell me what¡¯s the story behind this,¡± he whispered, nibbling at the unsightly scar on her nipple.


    Her lips quivered as she recalled the incident. ¡°It was Victor who did that. He likes fire, and because Keh enjoys hearing me weep, he allowed Victor to hurt me. After Victor burned me, Keh shoved his mouth into my chest as if it would relieve the burning pain. Blood and sweat bathed me from the cigarette burn wound.¡±


    Tears flowed down her cheeks.


    Sobbing, she continued, ¡°I cried, screamed, begged¡­ Keh prefers that. That¡¯s why I stopped shouting and moving like a lifeless body. All of them wereughing, and they thought I was having fun!¡±


    Drew¡¯s jaw hardened upon hearing this. Those motherfuckers!


    He thought sabotaging Victor¡¯s restaurant was insufficient inparison to Lily¡¯s suffering. He rolled her nipple over his thumb, and like a baby, he sucked her chest once more.


    Even though he knew it would be impossible, he said, ¡°Shhh¡­ I will kiss them until you forget.¡±


    ***


    Lily¡¯s body trembled, remembering her past. Drew gently nibbled on her nipple, as if kissing a sinful fruit.


    She experienced a wildly inconsistent sensationing from her chest. The pleasure danced from there all the way down to her soles. It brings a unique tickle to her femininity. She moaned as a result of experiencing his tongue encircling her burnt nipple¡¯s sensitive area.


    Against his cock, she rocked her hips. She could sensitively feel heat from his body. Why does Drew¡¯s kiss make her feel odd? It was quite different from Keh¡¯s punishment. Her husband kissed her as though offering her a jar of sweetness and seemed to be pointing her in the direction of paradise.


    Drew persuaded her to kneel on the sofa where he could reach her torso. His kiss went down her ribcage, where the other dried wound from Victor¡¯s cigarette burns was ced. Lily moaned slowly while maintaining a strong grip on the sofa¡¯s backrest. Drew swiftly took off both her top and bra.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to be ashamed, Lily. It¡¯s ugly because of the story behind it,¡± Drew mumbled before he put his lips on hers. ¡°I¡¯ll cover that ugliness with my sweet kisses¡­¡±


    Drew muttered before his heated lips approached her nipple, ¡°I¡¯ll kiss you here.¡± She gasped for air, shivering.


    When his tongue deliciously yed with her dry wound, his finger began to roll below her chest, where the next mark was. ¡°Then, here¡­¡±


    Drew¡¯s lips moved down to his next target while looking warmly into Lily¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to cover them with my kisses¡­¡± he said, giving her pleasure. If he keeps doing this, she¡¯ll quickly forget about the nightmare she experienced that night. ¡°Were there any more?¡±


    Lily nodded as she teared up at the sensation. God! She may go into ecstasy with her husband¡¯s lips.


    ¡°There is more¡­¡± she murmured.


    ¡°Can you show me?¡±


    Lily clenched her fist. Given that they are husband and wife and share a home, Drew will one day see it. There wille a time when he needs to be aware of all her secrets.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lily moved away from Drew¡¯s embrace. She blushed as she stood in front of him. She could clearly see how hard and erect his cock was, concealing under his shorts. It was stiff and waiting for her. She continued to swallow as she turned around and revealed her truth. To disy the hideous mark Keh had given her, she divided her long hair and showed it to Drew.


    When her husband didn¡¯t respond, she became anxious. She noticed Drew¡¯s strange reaction when she turned to face him once more. Was he terrified or furious? Or perhaps both¡­


    ***


    Drew clenched his fist.


    ¡°I¡¯ll kill him¡­¡± he said weakly.


    Along with various types of wounded scars, Lily¡¯s back bore the words ¡°You R MINE.¡± He wasn¡¯t required to believe that they came from Keh. The man did it, he was certain, because he¡¯s a monster! The deep wounds made by the knife revealed that its letters were engraved on Lily¡¯s flesh. Her back was nearly covered with the word ¡°mine,¡± indicating that Keh was her owner.


    What the fvck did she go through?!


    He now understood why Lily feared him. With those around her, the woman did not have a pleasant life. It¡¯s overwhelming! This is far too much for him!


    Standing up, Drew slung a robe over her back. Then from that position, he gave Lily a hug.


    He thought the story between the siblings was simple, but he was shivering, saying, ¡°I swear to my fucking God, I¡¯ll kill that bastard, Keh!¡±


    Lily must have struggled to reveal that mark to him, but in his perspective right now, she is the strongest.


    ¡°It¡¯ste, and I still have to go to the office,¡± he said, knowing he could not get Lily¡¯s back out of his mind.


    ***


    Walton Group. As they would be discussing legal issues, Drew asked Lily¡¯s father toe over with awyer.


    Two attorneys, together with Mr. Martin, entered Drew¡¯s office while he was working.


    ¡°Do we have a problem, son?¡± inquired Lily¡¯s father.


    Son, my ass!


    He signaled hiswyer to exin to Mr. Martin what he wanted while his fingers flew over the keyboard. While the man was there, he was also dealing with Victor¡¯s problems.


    If Mr. Martin continued to be close to Lily, especially as his father-inw, he would not feel at ease. As Lily¡¯s father, there is a good chance that he will eventually use him as a son-inw. He also couldn¡¯t stand the fact that Mr. Martin used Lily as leverage in his marriage.


    ¡°Mr. Martin, this is the contract we prepared for you. You¡¯ll receive three hundred million as Lily¡¯s father, in addition to properties in various parts of the country,¡± thewyer exined.


    The man¡¯s eyes sparkled with excitement. ¡°Wow! Thank you so much, Drew. You and my daughter appear to get along nicely. Be at ease! I¡¯ll be here for you and Lily whenever you need me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not done yet, Mr. Martin,¡± provoked thewyer. ¡°In exchange for those gifts that Mr. Walton prepared, we need you to sign this paper.¡±


    The document was ced on the table by Drew¡¯s attorney so that Mr. Martin could read the legible text clearly.


    Termination of Parental Rights.


    He reacted immediately after reading it.


    ¡°What is the meaning of this, Drew?!¡± Mr. Martin jumped up and cast a dagger look in Drew¡¯s way.


    Drew subsequently stopped typing. ¡°That is what it is, Mr. Martin. Lily no longer desires you as her father.¡±


    ¡°No! You brat! I won¡¯t sign this! What are you talking about? When did that shameless woman turn her back on me? We are talking about my daughter here! Bring Lily to me so we can solve this immediately!¡±


    ¡°Mind your words, or else, you won¡¯t get even one cent!¡± Drew yelled fiercely.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Mr. Martin was frightened and retreated a little. Drew stood up to approach him.


    ¡°M-Mr. Walton, we need to clear up this matter and review thew before cancelling Lily as the daughter of Mr. Martin,¡± the other attorney retorted tensely. Even though Drew has a poor reputation, he is still the Walton Group¡¯s grandson. He was fifty times more powerful and wealthy than Mr. Martin.


    ¡°Mr. Martin, think about this carefully. You should consider it seriously. Keep in mind what Mr. Walton is offering you is not a small amount,¡± stated Drew¡¯swyer.


    Lily¡¯s father left angrily, followed by his scaredwyer. He had already anticipated his actions. Did he expect to get more money from him in the future? Nothing! Drew only wanted Mr. Martin to avoid his wife at all costs.


    ¡°What about the issue with Victor Panganiban?¡± Drew asked hiswyer, who remained in the room.


    ¡°It¡¯s true, boss, that they have insurance. Investigations, however, reveal that they were secretly using a gas tank within the kitchen, which is what actually caused the explosion. Victor Panganiban didn¡¯t know about it, but some of his crew noticed the gas tank. He is therefore unlikely to receive any insurance money. Adding to the damage he had topensate to the Walton Group, he must have been in serious trouble. Currently, he is searching for the head chef, who allegedly left the country.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Let me know how he will handle that.¡± Drew sneered.


    Hiswyer said goodbye to him afterward. Drew desired to engage Victor in y. He had never experienced such extreme vengeance against someone. He never considered taking revenge on his ex-girlfriend or anyone else, even back then. Those were too dull for his life.


    But Lily¡­ She resembles a rare wildflower that can only be discovered in a dense, gloomy forest. She has spines in his eyes!


    He may have felt challenged by her circumstances, but he wanted to shield her from harm.


    She may havee into his life by chance, but he was already a part of her story.

 Paint

    When Drew returned home, he found Lily working on the living room wall.


    ¡°Hi!¡± Drew kissed Lily¡¯s nape and wrapped his arms around her waist. He stood in that position, staring at the colorful wall. To help Lily adjust to their rtionship and their way of life, he wanted her to grow ustomed to him.


    ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± Lily asked, leaning slightly in his direction.


    He smiled. The artwork features colorful lilies. ¡°I like it! It¡¯s you; it¡¯s lilies, blooming flowers.¡±


    He acknowledged it was unusual for him to see other colors in his home. He had only seen dark hues there. Surprisingly, he likes the vibrant world Lily has built for him. Nobody would ever think her previous existence was depressing.


    ¡°If only we could paint everything. Maybe everything is lovely,¡± shemented.


    Was she talking about her scars?


    ¡°I intended to move to a bigger house for the two of us and look for a vi close to my grandpa¡¯s home. But I found myself wanting to stare at this wall nonstop. I¡¯m waiting for itspletion.¡±


    He wants to give Lily everything. She deserves his castle. This one is a bachelor pad he purchased years ago when he had no intention of getting married.


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t want a bigger home, Drew. I don¡¯t desire a home asrge as the Martins¡¯.¡±


    Drew kissed her temple. ¡°Even if we will be having a bigger home, you won¡¯t be treated that way.¡±


    ¡°Still¡­¡±


    Drew understood. He likes a small space where he can easily find Lily. Everything she creates in this home is priceless.


    ¡°Is there something you want to put colors on, but you cannot?¡± he inquired.


    Lily did not respond to him.


    ¡°I want to see your scars.¡±


    Lily gave him a skeptical nce. ¡°But¡­¡±


    ¡°Please?¡± he asked softly. ¡°We were cut off by the time this morning. I was about to inspect your scars earlier when we stopped,¡± he exined. Even if the underlying cause is that hecked the confidence to keep staring at it, the apparent scar, which revealed her history, broke his heart. He needed time, but he was finally ready.


    ¡°It¡¯s hideous,¡± Lily reasoned. Her cheeks reddened.


    He gave her a light kiss on her lips. ¡°I¡¯ll be the one to judge whether your scar is truly disgusting or ugly.¡±


    ¡°O-okay¡­¡± Lily lifted her blouse, facing the colorful wall. Even though she kept her bra on, Drew could still read the words and trace the marks.


    To keep himself from getting upset, he inhaled deeply. ¡°Do you have washable, hypoallergenic paint?¡±


    ¡°I¡­ I have¡­ in those little bottles.¡± Lily pointed out the tray having small jars of paint.


    Drew approached it and picked up the entire thing.


    ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± asked Lily, confused.


    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise. Stay still¡­¡±


    Drew moved closer to his wife and removed the hook of her bra to clear and free up her back. When he touched her skin, he could feel her body quivering. To calm her down, Drew nted a gentle kiss on her shoulder, and said, ¡°Remember that it¡¯s me. Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡±


    She nodded repeatedly, closing her eyes firmly.


    Drew applied the paint to Lily¡¯s back with the small paintbrush. He is not the best artist ever, and thest time he had experience with painting, he was still a high school student. Nevertheless, he was still knowledgeable about art. Bing a tattoo artist was his dream once, but it is unlikely that it would be fulfilled because he was meant to take over the role of the Walton Group¡¯s heir.


    He began copying what Lily painted on one part of the wall andpleted it in thirty minutes.


    ¡°It¡¯s finished. Do you want to see it?¡±


    Lily nodded.


    He pulled out his phone and snapped a photo of his artwork. He showed it to his wife afterward. Upon seeing what he had done, she gasped.


    ¡°You copied that part?¡± She could still not believe he was able to copy one portion of the painted wall.


    ¡°Yeah. Your body, your rules, Lily. You must always keep that in mind.¡±


    ***


    Your body, your rules.


    That must have prompted Lily to put her lips against Drew, repaying him with a kiss. No one has ever warmed her heart except for Drew Walton.


    Keh and his friends took her wings off, but Drew lifted her up and restored the emotion she didn¡¯t know she still possessed.


    Soon, the kiss intensified, and then she felt his hand squeeze her chest, making her body jerk.


    ¡°Haaah¡­¡± They breathed together as their lips parted.


    ¡°You are driving me crazy,¡± Drew murmured while caressing her cheek. ¡°Do you think you are ready?¡±


    Lily nodded, unbuttoning Drew¡¯s polo shirt in response while unable to look him in the eyes. That served as his cue to lead her to the long gray couch.


    ¡°You must tell me if it hurt or if I was too hard on you, alright? I¡¯d try to be gentle though.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    When his hot mouth touched one of her breasts, it startled Lily. His thumb squeezed and rolled over her other nipple. She could already feel his need as she pressed her body against his thigh, feeling the hardness inside his tight pants.


    The memories of her horrible marks were painful and gloomy, but her husband¡¯s kisses could wash them away. Nothing came to her mind. A delicious sensation consumed her whole consciousness.


    ¡°Hmmmh¡­¡±


    Drew stooped down while removing her underwear and pants. He gave her a warm kiss on her navel while squeezing both of her breasts. As he took off all their clothing, he moved back slightly while maintaining a steady focus on her. Her heartbeat was the only sound she could hear as he removed every piece of clothing, leaving them on the floor. Lily gazed at his hard cock, which confirmed his desire for her. He soon joined her on the sofa.


    Drew¡¯s lips touched the delicate area of her thigh, kissing her up towards her exposed gem. It was hot, cing burning desires through her entire body.


    ¡°P-please¡­¡± she mumbled, not understanding what it was for.


    Drew turned to face Lily. Giving her another feather lightweight kiss, he asked, ¡°Do you want me to stop?¡±


    ¡°N-no¡­¡± That¡¯s not what I meant¡­ What does she want? She wasn¡¯t sure either.


    He smiled before his thumb lightly slid into her entrance. A peculiar wave formed in her belly and spread to every corner of her nerves, causing her body to tremble.


    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± A moan escaped Lily¡¯s mouth. Her slit was soon caressed by a wet tongue, followed by a clit-sucking motion.


    ¡°You are sweet, babe,¡± Drew uttered. ¡°Do not hesitate to show me or tell me what you want.¡±


    With her eyes partially shut, slightly teary, Lily clutched the sofa. She let forth a string of lovely moans as he filled himself bypping her pussy.


    When she got to the point where she could no longer control her own body, Drew continued to tease her. She¡¯s following that sweetest sensation ying through her skin. Lily danced her hips, following the rhythm of his tongue and mouth.


    ¡°Easy, babe¡­¡± Drew whispered.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± she moaned with her eyes glistening with tears. She wanted something! She wanted her husband right now!


    ¡°I will let you do what you want.¡± After saying that, the two of them flipped around on therge couch. Its gray leather was now stained with wet paint from Lily¡¯s back, but they did not care. She was now positioned over him, while his back was resting against the sofa.


    ¡°Do what you want, babe. You are in control of this situation,¡± said Drew, caressing Lily¡¯s cheek.


    Somethingpelled her to touch his hardness, still intoxicated by the delirious desire he possessed. His cock was swollen, hard, and ready. It concerned her and secretly asked if he would fit inside her.


    ¡°Do you want to suck it?¡±


    Slut, suck my cock like a dirty little wh*re! Or else, I¡¯ll cut your tongue. She kept shaking her head violently as Keh¡¯s voice continued to overwhelm her senses. As she realized there were things she couldn¡¯t do for Drew, she started crying.


    Drew gently stroked her hair, noticing her escting terror.


    ¡°Shhh¡­ Fight whatever nightmare is troubling you right now, babe. This is me; I am your husband. Do as you please.¡±


    She simply said, promising, ¡°I¡¯ll suck it when I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°No rush.¡± With a loving gaze, he touched her cheek.


    Lily responded with a kiss. Once more, she opened herself to her husband and took down all the barriers she had.


    Taking a deep breath, bracing herself for whaty ahead, she positioned herself at the tip of his hardness. She pressed herself over to him, stirring up the pool of need once more.


    One inch, she could already feel the gate of heaven¡­


    Her heart was about to burst after two inches.


    Three inches and so on¡­ they both closed their eyes and moaned as they progressed.


    ¡°Good job, babe!¡± Drew whispered. He took his lips against hers and cupped them warmly. Her lower body seemed restless, and it moved uncontrobly.


    Damn! It felt good, she wanted to say. Could it be because she was the one in charge? Drew gave her the control.


    Drew growled, ¡°Fuuuck, Lily! So fucking good! Move your hips more!¡±


    She sensed that he restrained himself from taking the lead, allowing herplete control.


    Pushing her weight on his chest while clinging to his neck, she pumped her hips faster. She experienced a stinging feeling each time his hardness came close to her vulnerable, swollen clit. Because she couldn¡¯t seem to control the pleasure that was eroding her sanity, her body simply bent. Fire and electric currents yed tricks on her body, and she could not stop it.


    It was good¡­ It felt like heaven, and not a nightmare at all!


    ¡°I¡¯m- Something is building inside me, Drew¡­ Ahhh!¡± He squeezed her hips after it. He guided her body through a wave of sensation. Soon, the paddle of climax began to emerge from her body.


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡± That was his cue to grit his teeth and drive her hips over him in a deeper and faster way. It took them a while before they both stopped moving. At the same moment, as they ran out of energy, their panting slowed down and became heavy. Their gazes locked before they pressed their lips again as if it were all a wonderful dream.


    Drew began to softly and tenderly nibble her lower lips, simting a slow and intimate make-out. Because they tasted so nice, Lily had no idea how long he had been ying with her lips. Following that, she felt his lips on her head before he guided her to lie properly, facing down the leather cover.


    ¡°You did well, babe.¡± He caressed her back lightly. Each time heid a gentle kiss on a different part of her back, she jolted. Soon, she realized he appeared to be kissing her scar¡¯s visible lines.


    When Lily looked back at Drew, he was staring deeply at her, feeling the sound of their breathing. His mouth covered her lips, and then she felt his hardness poking into the delicate entrance of her womanhood.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ yes, babe! Do you feel it?¡±


    She wants it. She yearns for the poisoning sensation she just perceived.


    It was over! Drew captured her fragile heart.

 Fault

    ¡°Boss Drew, Mr. Victor Panganiban, the owner of the Italian Club wants to meet you,¡± said Sarah, Drew¡¯s assistant, from the inte.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    He had suppressed Victor these past few days, and he was certain that the man was struggling to survive after causing significant damage to the Walton Group. Because of the fire¡¯s extensive damage, he vited the leasing agreement, particrly those that dealt with the establishment¡¯s safety. Even if Victor sells his other two restaurants, it won¡¯t be enough to pay off his debt to him. In a memo, he informed his team that Victor¡¯s case was his. Everyone was perplexed, and Victor learned of the situation.


    ¡°Let him in.¡±


    He ced the document that he was reviewing on one side. After a while, the door opened.


    ¡°Pleasee in,¡± he heard Sarah say. She led his visitor inside his office before leaving to allow them a bit of privacy.


    ¡°Mr. Walton¡­¡± When Victor came into his line of vision, he immediately stopped, and his eyes grew wide. ¡°Y-you-¡±


    ¡°What is it, Mr. Panganiban?¡± Drew asked, with no emotion.


    ¡°I saw you with Lily at the restaurant! You are Mr. Walton?¡±


    He leaned back in his swivel chair and asked, ¡°Yes, but that has nothing to do with your contract with the Walton Group. What do you need from me?¡±


    It was evident that Victor had lost hope as he gulped and shamelessly responded, ¡°I need your permission to continue operating my restaurant business in the two malls owned by the Walton Group so that I can pay the damages I have topensate yourpany for.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Panganiban, if you were in my position, would I permit you to continue operating your business when you vited the mall¡¯s safety standards? You were using a gas range that started the fire, and Walton Group would be the one to address the issue if someone was around at the time of the ident.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize there was a gas range inside the restaurant, but it won¡¯t happen again!¡± Victor pleaded.


    ¡°That is not a concern of mine.¡±


    Victor¡¯s jaw hardened. ¡°Is this because of Lily?¡±


    Drew sneered. He wanted to be upset at that point. ¡°Don¡¯t casually mention my wife¡¯s name!¡±


    ¡°Wife? Lily married you?¡± Victor remarked with narrowed eyes. ¡°Then she is to me. That b*tch!¡±


    Drew stood up and approached the fvcker. ¡°Watch your tongue! You might have forgotten that the woman you referred to as a ¡°b*tch¡± is my wife! She is Walton! He called his assistant while his eyes were throwing daggers. ¡°Sarah!¡±


    His assistant went inside. ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°Tell mywyer that we are terminating Mr. Panganiban¡¯s leasing agreement with us. See you in court, Mr. Panganiban!¡±


    Victor¡¯s eyes grew wide. He took hold of him, grabbing his suit. ¡°No! You can¡¯t do this, Mr. Walton! It¡¯s not my fault! It was Lily! You can¡¯t trust her words; she¡¯s a slut who slept with men and even fvcked with her stepbrother.¡±


    Drew punched Victor in the cheek out of a rage. The man copsed on the ground. He attempted to rush at him after bing enraged. However, he kicked him in the chest, sending him back to the ground. Victor held his chest and scowled.


    Sarah gasped as she stood in the doorway, witnessing the fight. ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°Fvck you and your wife!¡± Victor screamed violently.


    Drew¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°This is my warning. Don¡¯t use up my patience.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Panganiban, you better leave the office!¡± ordered Sarah. Two guards approached Victor to take him out. Angrily getting to his feet, the man went outside.


    Drew, attempting to calm himself down, stated, ¡°You heard nothing, Sarah. The same goes for everyone outside. You know what will happen if they spread rumors about my wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Boss. I personally will discipline our staff,¡± she replied.


    Drew returned to his broad table. His rage persisted even after that. Where did Victor get his audacity to me his problems on Lily?


    After being together for more than a month, his connection with his wife was getting better. They had a wonderful time togetherst night. The sex he had that evening was the best he had ever had. Maybe it¡¯s because a thin invisible tie connected them. They did it as husband and wife and not just because they were obligated to do it.


    Just thinking about it makes his cock hard. ¡°Oh, Lily. What am I going to do with you?¡±


    ***


    At their customary hangout spot, Keith¡¯s house, one of their friends, Victor asked Keh toe to learn more about his circumstances.


    Victor yelled at Keh, confronting him, ¡°You didn¡¯t tell us she was married!¡±


    Keh inhaled a cigarette puff. ¡°Does it matter? Lily will always belong to me. Drew Walton doesn¡¯t matter a crap to me. She¡¯lle back at some point. When she returns, you can give her a lesson.¡±


    Still unable to ept it, Victor shook his head. ¡°No, bro! I strongly suspect that he had something to do with the restaurant explosion and the subsequent escape of my head chef from the South branch. Lily does this!¡±


    Keh got up from the sofa with no emotion. ¡°If that¡¯s what you believe, why don¡¯t you confront Lily?¡±


    ¡°Are you allowing me to do that?¡±


    Keh let out a shoulder shrug. ¡°As long as Lily is aware of her position.¡±


    ¡°That b*tch!¡±


    Keh walked out of the hangout spot and entered his car. It had been a month since he hadst seen Lily, and he had been missing her presence, and her cries, which were like music to his ears. Lily was his, as his friends were aware. She may be their ything, but she belongs to him.


    From the glove box of his car, he pulled out a photograph of her.


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault, Lily. Everything is your fault. And never forget that you are mine.¡±


    As he approached Lily¡¯s new house, his eyes grew narrower. The gate was high and tall, and he couldn¡¯t see anything as he parked his car outside Drew¡¯s house. He didn¡¯t know what was going on inside. One day he¡¯d be able to get in, and whether or not Lily wanted it, he would drag her out of there.


    ***


    The day came when Drew had to leave for another country. He left a strong and tall man who would be with Lily at home.


    Drew introduced him as Orion and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have anyone else I can trust with you besides him. He was my bodyguard in the past.¡±


    With the person Drew had just introduced, Lily was not yet at ease. He would be the only person staying in that house with her. She was, of course, terrified and anxious. His figure isrger than Drew¡¯s. He has a squared-off jawline and a strong, intimidating aura, making her feel ufortable.


    ¡°Uhm¡­¡± Lily tightened her fist. Even though she fears Orion, perhaps Drew won¡¯t just leave her in his care if hecks trust in him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid of him, Lily; I trust him, and I¡¯d rather you be with him than leave you here alone. He can also assist you with what you¡¯re working on at this home.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± A few sets of home appliances that she ordered online will arrive. She intended Drew¡¯s homing to be a surprise. If the man could help her, that would be fine, she thought.


    She received a forehead kiss from Drew. ¡°I must be on this business trip. I¡¯ll take you with me next time.¡±


    Lily experienced some guilt. Has she grown to be a hassle for Drew? She doesn¡¯t want to appear overly dependent just because she fears being alone. Her husband does not need to postpone his trip overseas because of her.


    Though she wasn¡¯t sure, she muttered, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me. I¡¯d make sure to trust him.¡±


    She considered those who lived in her former house as her family, yet they could still push her on the edge. How could she put her faith in others?


    ¡°You know what to do, Orion. Call me if you find something unusual.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Drew!¡±


    Drew guided her toward the waiting vehicle while holding her waist. He patted Lily¡¯s head like a child. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to squeeze my schedule, so expect me back shortly.¡±


    Despite the presence of the bodyguard, he had appointed and his driver, he reached for her lips.


    ¡°I¡¯m going¡­¡± Drew announced before turning away and getting into his car. For a few moments, Lily stood there watching his car drive away.


    After he left, her feelings began to warm. Drew would travel frequently on business trips, and she should prepare for this situation.


    Before she went inside, she didn¡¯t know there was a ck car parked nearby, and it saw everything between her and Drew.


    It also left after Orion closed the gate.

 Messed

    Lily could hear Victor¡¯s heavy steps following her up the stairs. Something seemed to be dragging her feet as she ran until she closed the door to her room. Even though she knew it was also pointless, she locked it. She was at a loss for what to do. For Orion to be lying on the floor, Victor must have done something to him.


    Opening the sliding door on the balcony for an escape was a considered n, but unless she intended to die, she ought not to have jumped out. The ground-level ceiling in Drew¡¯s home was taller than usual, which made the upper floors even higher.


    Loud and forceful knocks from the door startled her. ¡°Lily! Did you instruct your husband to exact revenge against my restaurant? This is all your fault! You little fucking whore!¡±


    ¡®No!¡¯


    A little whileter, the sturdy wood of her bedroom door began to creak.


    ¡°Lily!¡± Victor yelled from outside, his anger evident in his tone. He attempted to smash down her door, convincing her that she needed to find a way out of this situation.


    ¡®Where did I put my phone?¡¯


    She located it in one of her drawers and dialed Drew¡¯s number. However, the connection couldn¡¯t reach him, and she didn¡¯t even hear a single ring. Lily¡¯s tears started to flow, especially when the door began to m.


    A powerful kick from the outside caused her door to swing open, startling her and making her drop her phone. Lily made her way over to the bed, then crawled into the corner, hugging herself tightly. Victor appeared in her view with squinting eyes.


    ¡°You haven¡¯t learned anything, Lily. Didn¡¯t Keh already tell you it¡¯s impossible to resist me?¡± he remarked with a gloomy expression.


    She cried out, ¡°Get away from me! I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about!¡±


    Victor approached her. He easily pulled her foot closer, causing her scream to fill Drew¡¯s residence.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡±


    By then, she wasn¡¯t expecting to find Orion behind Victor. Her eyes widened. Victor¡¯s head received a strong iron blow from her bodyguard. The man copsed on top of her, causing her body to quiver even more.


    That¡¯s when Lily¡¯s sobs broke out. She pushed the man¡¯s body before crawling back to the edge of the bed.


    ¡°Lily!¡± They heard Drew¡¯s voiceing from outside the room.


    Just then, she saw her husband¡¯srge bulk appear at the open door. Drew¡¯s eyes found Victor lying on the bed with blood dripping from his head. On the headboard, Lily was holding herself as tears streamed down her face.


    She got off the bed and went over to hug Drew. Her husband gave her a firm embrace.


    ¡®You are safe now, Lily,¡¯ she told herself. However, she still could not control her emotions.


    ¡°Damn it! What happened here?¡± asked Drew, tenderly hugging her body.


    Orion began exining. ¡°Vivian came here earlier, so I brought her outside the gate. I spotted the odd car parked outside, even though Vivian¡¯s car had already departed, so I grew suspicious. After a couple of days staying here, I was already familiar with the neighbors¡¯ vehicles.¡±


    ¡°Vivian came here?¡± Disgust appeared on Drew¡¯s face.


    ¡°To prevent any issues, I dismissed the helpers we had recruited to help us bring in the things we were still waiting for. I also called the appliance store and canceled today¡¯s delivery. I was expecting someone to sneak in because there were people here that we weren¡¯t familiar with. I felt something was off and didn¡¯t think this moron hade in.¡±


    ¡°Maybe he followed Vivian while we were at the gym area. He added medicine to the beverage that Ms. Lily had prepared¡­ I feigned sipping the drink so I could see what would transpire. When he followed Lily, I went to the extension room to retrieve a weight. After realizing that the bastard had opened the door, I hurried to save Ms. Lily. But I still want to apologize because I miscalcted. This should not have happened.¡±


    Drew¡¯s expression darkened as he listened to everything. Lily¡¯s tears had soaked through his polo shirt, and her body continued to tremble without showing any signs of abating.


    ¡°Take that one jerk upstairs; you know what to do,¡± Drew ordered Orion.


    ¡°W-what are you going to do?¡± Lily asked. At all costs, she didn¡¯t want to see Victor any longer.


    ¡°He messed with me, Lily. I have no ns to just let go of what he did¡­ Come¡­¡± Drew guided her to his room, urging her to sit on his wide bed while her body continued to tremble. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure that fool gets an education, and pushing my boundaries by aggravating me was a serious mistake.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared for you, Drew. What if something happens to you? Does he have any harmful intentions for Victor?¡±


    His appearance was still gloomy, yet he was making an effort to set aside his bad mood for the sake of his wife.


    ¡°What if you¡¯re the one who got hurt, Lily? I did my best to discipline him in a way that wouldn¡¯t harm anyone. It appears that I didn¡¯t do enough. I¡¯ll make sure that one goes to jail, but before we use him of breaking into our home, he needs to understand that what he did to you was a grave mistake.¡±


    ¡°Boss, I sent that jerk upstairs,¡± Orion announced from the door.


    ¡°Light a cigarette,¡± her husband ordered.


    It was obvious that he was determined about his ns for Victor, rendering her silent. Drew left for a while. When he returned, he brought a ss of water, which helped calm her down.


    ¡°Come¡­¡± Drew said.


    Despite Lily¡¯s fear, she followed Drew to the third floor of their house. He opened one of the guest rooms and found Orion smoking beside the window. Victor was seated on a chair without his upper clothing on. He opened his eyes just a little, still dizzy from Orion¡¯s blow. Drew¡¯s shoes appeared in the man¡¯s field of vision before he could see the dark form of her husband.


    Suddenly, he flinched and attempted to struggle, realizing that his wrists were tied behind his back.


    ¡°Drew Walton!¡± yelled Victor, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be here! I heard you¡¯ll be back the next day!¡±


    ¡°Well, I might just be your nightmare, then.¡±


    ¡°Let me go! What are your ns for me? I will report you to the police!¡±


    Drew sneered. ¡°Surveince cameras cover various areas of this property, so you would be the one in trouble. You not only broke into my home without my permission but also spiked the drink and destroyed Lily¡¯s room. It¡¯s funny how you took revenge on my wife when it was your fault in the first ce.¡±


    Fear showed in Victor¡¯s face. ¡°Let me go! I-I wasn¡¯t in my right mind¡­ It was Lily!¡± He looked at her. ¡°She¡¯s to me! She¡¯s manipting your mind to get revenge on me!¡±


    But Lily flinched the moment Drew delivered a hard blow to his face to put an end to his nonsense.


    ***


    Drew¡¯s chest still heaved with anger, his patience with Keh¡¯s group wearing dangerously thin. Earlier, he had heard Lily¡¯s scream just as he stepped out of his car. The desperation in her cry had sent a shiver of horror down his spine.


    Victor endured another powerful blow from Drew as he said, ¡°You keep ming my wife for the nonsense you did.¡±


    ¡°Tsk! She¡¯s a slut! We yed with her.¡± He obviously sought to further enrage Drew by saying, ¡°You acted all high and mighty, while we had already taken advantage of your wife. Aren¡¯t you ashamed?¡±


    Drew punched him again before yelling, ¡°Orion!¡±


    ¡°Boss?¡±


    ¡°The cigarette.¡±


    The man handed him a lit cigarette stick that he had just puffed on. Panic spread across Victor¡¯s face as he realized he was in serious trouble.


    ¡°W-what are nning to do?¡± he asked.


    Drew found himself engulfed in darkness and struggled to think clearly. ¡°It¡¯s not me¡­ You should realize that messing with me is never a smart n.¡±


    Drew turned to face Lily and gave her the lit cigar. Uncertain of what to do, her eyes widened.


    ¡°You have to fight, Lily. I¡¯m handing him over to you. Do to him what he did to you! Do not fear; he won¡¯t harm you any longer,¡± he said, like the demon king he had once alluded to. Lily¡¯s body trembled. He could see the rage in her eyes directed at Victor, and she epted the challenge.


    ¡°Tsk! Do it, Lily! Do it and let¡¯s see what will happen next!¡±


    Drew did not like the threat in Victor¡¯s voice at all. He was offering Lily the opportunity to exact revenge on herself, and she had to ovee her fear.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s either me or Lily; you¡¯ll still get what you deserve.¡±


    As his wife¡¯s body trembled with conflicted feelings, he signaled Orion. Understanding what he meant, the bodyguard took the used shirt Victor had been wearing and shoved it into his mouth.


    ¡°Hmmm! Hmmm!¡± Victor¡¯s eyes almost popped out as he struggled to get out of Orion¡¯s tight grip.


    Drew told Lily, ¡°Just let me know if you can¡¯t do it.¡± He wouldn¡¯t pressure her, but it would make him feel better if she disyed some bravery by presenting Victor with one of her unpleasant memories that he had inflicted.


    Lily had already approached Victor. Clenching her hand, his wife pressed the red-burning end of the cigarette against Victor¡¯s chest, the same body part where he had marked her. Lily¡¯s eyes welled up with tears, but she gritted her teeth and suppressed her fright.


    ¡°Hmmm! Hmmm!¡± The man¡¯s thin, vulnerable skin began to blister and bleed as he ufortably struggled to remain seated. Orion held him tightly, his expression emotionless.


    Did Lily experience the same thing while Victor was torturing his wife? That notion made Drew desire to hit the jerk. Just then, Lily dropped the cigarette while sobbing. Victor was restrained from screaming and attempting to scream as he appeared to have lost consciousness.


    She was being held in Drew¡¯s arms as he whispered, ¡°Shhhh¡­ It¡¯s okay.¡± He felt terrible about how she was. ¡°Orion, call the police.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? Lily could get into trouble.¡±


    ¡°No. I will exin if they ask why we resorted to such measures. I will ensure that the guy goes to jail for what he did today.¡± That will also send a clear message to his friends that messing with him is not a wise choice. They should not even consider it.


    ¡°Okay.¡± Orion shrugged before taking his phone out of his pocket.


    He carried Lily and thenid her down on their bedroom floor. The incident had clearly drained her-mind, body, and soul.


    He attempted to console her, saying, ¡°Everything¡¯s fine, babe. How are you feeling right now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what might have happened if Orion hadn¡¯te to my aid at the right moment. Victor was furious with me, and I dread to think what he could have done.¡±


    She was right. He had been contemting what he might have had to do with Victor¡¯s body. If he had arrivedte¡­Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°What¡¯s important now is that you¡¯re safe.¡±

 Little Bubble

    Along with the vige security,w enforcement officials visited their home. Orion provided a detailed ount of the events, having witnessed everything unfold.


    Someone wrapped a nket around Lily¡¯s body as she sat on the paint-stained couch, while everyone else remained upied. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at Victor, currently restrained by security.


    Hence, she could feel his sharp gaze on her. Why did he me her?


    ¡°What I don¡¯t understand is how he got into this vige. Doesn¡¯t this ce have strict security and a reputation for safety?¡± Orion questioned.


    He obviously intimidated some of them. At least, for Lily, she was not the only one. Drew¡¯s bodyguard seemed fearless and physically strong. In the few days they spent together, she never witnessed him smiling.


    ¡°We apologize, Mr. Walton. Your wife called us to give the all-clear for those arriving today, and our gate security had been informed that your property expected delivery of appliances.¡±


    Drew¡¯s gaze fell on Lily, leaving her feeling uneasy. She couldn¡¯t help but me herself; she had been toocent.


    One of the officials inquired, ¡°Do you know Mr. Panganiban?¡±


    ¡°Yes. His restaurant was leasing space in the Walton Group. If you recall the recent mall fire that destroyed a restaurant, he¡¯s the owner. We were ensuring they provided the required clearance certificate, but the city mayor seemed to be blocking it.


    ¡°Moreover, due to the substantial penalty charges hispany had to face, we had to terminate leases for his two other restaurants in different branches. Mr. Panganiban didn¡¯t take it well, and that¡¯s likely why he targeted my wife while I was on a business trip abroad.¡±


    Victor clenched his fist but remained silent. Drew had foreseen this situation. Victor wouldn¡¯t discuss Lily¡¯s actions, as doing so would only strengthen Panganiban¡¯s case. These officials would be aware of Victor¡¯s past misconduct toward Lily, further implicating himself.


    ¡°We¡¯d like to hear your wife¡¯s ount,¡± the investigator suggested.


    Drew denied it right away. ¡°She was terrified! Orion will be the one to provide you with the details. If our presence was indeed required, we¡¯ll show up there tomorrow, and I¡¯ll send mywyer to file awsuit against Victor Panganiban.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t do this, Drew Walton!¡± Victor hissed.


    ¡°Oh, yes, I can!¡±


    ¡°They tortured me!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    The investigators frowned.


    Drew argued in a sarcastic tone, ¡°Harming him will appear as retaliation for what he did; should we be pleased that he trespassed and frightened my wife?¡±


    His response seemed to satisfy the officials and security,pelling them to leave his home with Victor restrained and Orion representing them.


    Drew sat next to Lily on the sofa and pulled her close to his body. She seemed drained of energy as she pressed closer to his chest.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± he asked.


    She cocked her head to look up at him and said, ¡°I felt awful and satisfied at the same time.¡± Her thoughts were so jumbled that it felt like she was losing her mind.


    She couldn¡¯t discern if she was pleased. Her chest felt like it was about to burst into mes, yet there was some kind of anger building up inside her. She thought she hadn¡¯t done enough for Victor, but she also felt sorry.


    Lily started to exin, ¡°Earlier, I considered burning not just that area of Victor¡¯s body, but every inch of him, because he is one of those who destroyed me. I know Keh is the worst, but I can¡¯t deny Victor isn¡¯t as bad as him.¡±


    For the first time since his arrival, Drew grabbed her cheek and kissed her on the lips. As their kiss grew more passionate, someone rang the doorbell at the gate.


    With aint, Drew backed away a little and said, ¡°I¡¯ll check.¡± He got to his feet to peer at the camera positioned at the gate. ¡°It¡¯s Finn and Lauren¡­¡±


    His expression soured, clearly annoyed by the interruption. His best friend had called earlier to inquire about their whereabouts.


    ¡°They¡¯re just concerned about us,¡± Lilymented, giving him a slight smile.


    Drew would have preferred to rest, but there was nothing he could do but let the couple in. Lily understood because he hade from abroad. After a while, she saw Lauren enter.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Lauren asked.


    Lily nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry if we¡¯ve bothered you bying.¡±


    Drew remarked as he followed Lauren inside, ¡°I appreciate that you two are aware you can be a bit of a disturbance.¡±


    ¡°You, brat! We¡¯re worried about Lily!¡±


    Her husband¡¯s eyes rolled, and the couple¡¯s concern seemed to caress her chest. She didn¡¯t know Lauren and Finn well. They often inquired about her well-being, as if she were already part of their friendship, even though she had first met them when she married Drew. Lauren would visit frequently, bringing prepared meals, knowing she spent her time at home while awaiting the start of her sses. Even now, something had happened to them, and the couple rushed over right away.


    ¡°Thank you so much! I-I¡¯m fine,¡± Lily muttered, a small tear escaping her eye.


    Finn directed Drew toward the pool area. Lauren¡¯s husband probably realized that she hadn¡¯t fully warmed up to his presence. Before heading outside with his best friend, she saw Drew grabbing a bottle of rum and two Glencairn sses.


    As the two men walked away, Lauren asked Lily, ¡°When does your school start?¡±


    ¡°Next week.¡± She simply hoped that none of Keh¡¯s friends would bother her.


    ¡°How about your rtionship with Drew? I hope things are going well.¡±


    ¡°W-we¡¯re fine,¡± Lily replied with a simple smile. She suddenly thought of inquiring about Kori with Lauren. ¡°Did Kori and Drew have a romantic rtionship in the past?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± Lauren denied it immediately. ¡°They¡¯ve just been friends since they were young children. Finn was part of their friendship too. So, Kori has always considered Drew as her brother because she has always been in love with my best friend Brett, who is now her husband.


    ¡°If you¡¯ve ever seen how close they are, you have nothing to be jealous of. They¡¯ve only been friends for a very long time. The truth is, I too have been jealous of Kori.¡±


    Lauren didn¡¯t provide the exact information she was looking for. Nheless, she did gain some insight. Kori may not have had romantic feelings for her husband, but Drew might have. Vivian wouldn¡¯t use that as a means of intimidation if she didn¡¯t know something.


    ¡°But has Drew loved Kori from the beginning?¡±


    Lauren paused, taking a moment to consider her response, perhaps hesitant to discuss others and potentially escte any tensions in her marriage with Drew. She stated, ¡°You are his wife now, Lily. You have the power to create happiness in your marriage with Drew. He maye to love you one day.¡±


    The words carried a profound meaning for Lily. All she knew for certain was that she didn¡¯t want to let go of Drew. Therefore, she resolved to take Lauren¡¯s advice and make every effort to ensure Drew¡¯s happiness in their marriage.


    ***


    In the pool area, Drew poured wine into a ss before handing it to Finn.


    ¡°Why are you here?¡± Drew asked. He had been alone with his wife when his friends arrived, which annoyed him a little.


    ¡°I know you. I just wanted to see how you¡¯re doing. When we spoke on the phone earlier, it was hard for me to understand the whole story, and I was concerned you might do something regrettable regarding that man.¡±


    His face contorted. ¡°What could I have done? I¡¯m not a criminal.¡±


    Finn shrugged. ¡°I never implied that you would go that far. You¡¯re just preupied with your step-brother-inw, that¡¯s all.¡±


    Drew acknowledged it but chose not to respond.


    ¡°I¡¯m worried that when this is over, it will be Lilian who gets hurt. She¡¯s been through too much already.¡±


    Drew thought for a moment. ¡°That¡¯s impossible. We both agreed to a one-year arrangement. I¡¯m taking these steps so that, in the event we decide to separate, I won¡¯t feel guilty for failing to fulfill my duties as her husband.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of! Why don¡¯t youmit to her for real so that everything you¡¯ve been fighting for won¡¯t be in vain?¡± Finn, his best friend, was aware of all his decisions and goals, including his intentions regarding Keh¡¯s group.


    ¡°Come on, bro. It¡¯s a challenge Lily and I had to face, based on the agreement we made.¡±


    Drew downed all his rum at once. He had consented to Lily¡¯s suggestion, as he realized he couldn¡¯t bear the idea of being her husband indefinitely. He had never intended to protect anyone; it wasn¡¯t in his nature.


    After all, he was usually the one who started trouble. Reflecting on Victor, it was likely his fault too. That man wouldn¡¯t have caused trouble in their house if Drew hadn¡¯t made a move on his restaurants.


    That made him ufortable because he knew they would part ways in a few months.


    Ah, whatever!


    It was Lily¡¯s decision. In any case, he didn¡¯t want to control his wife. Her family had pressured her to marry him, and keeping Lily against her will would make him feel guilty for her.


    Lauren exited the main house and walked over to the poolside. ¡°I¡¯ve said my goodbyes to Lily, and now Finn and I are going to leave so you can rest.¡±


    The woman pulled a key from her small bag and handed it to him. ¡°Take Lily to our rest house for a rxing getaway. She confirmed to me that she would attend sses next week.¡± Before he could say anything, Lauren followed it by asking, ¡°By the way, what happened to your couch?¡±


    Drew thought about the paint-stained couch and grinned to himself. The couch stands out, especially since only one part of its leather has been stained with paint, creating the impression that paint has identally spilled on it. His friends know how particr he is about his personal belongings, and that couch might already be considered wed.


    ¡°It will be covered in paint soon. I¡¯m the one doing it.¡±


    ¡°Are you now drawn to colorful things?¡± teased Finn.


    ¡°It¡¯s not boring.¡±


    The next to speak was Lauren. ¡°I like the painted wall. It just got finished. With her talent, Lily is amazing. I¡¯ll use her services for our home if she doesn¡¯t finish her course. The gym¡¯s equipment inside has also disappeared.¡±


    Drew had been contemting the changes that had urred in his home. After the terrible incident they had, he had nearly forgotten about those weights.


    ¡°You two, go home,¡± he said as he made his way to the gate, gesturing for his friends to leave.


    The couple followed him until they were outside the gate. When Lauren and Finn left, he checked with security before calling Orion. As he didn¡¯t want any further distractions, he told the bodyguard to rx in his apartment.


    After he spoke with Orion, the next person he called was Sarah, his assistant.


    ¡°Tell Vivian I¡¯ll visit her tomorrow.¡± He was not pleased that the woman hade to his house to assess Lily.


    ¡°Noted, Boss.¡±


    At this moment, he desired to be alone in his little world with his wife.

 Your Way

    When Drew walked into the house, he saw Lily, her eyes closed, breathing normally. He carried her gently and then went up to the next floor. Due to the broken door in her room, he contemted allowing his wife to sleep in his room.


    Lily opened her eyes once he ced her safely on the bed.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± Lily said before realizing it wasn¡¯t her room. ¡°Why did you bring me here?¡±


    He responded, ¡°You may continue sleeping here; I will go to the guest room upstairs. There are marks of blood on your sheet, and the door cracked.¡±


    Lily stopped him, grabbing his wrist.


    ¡°Can you stay with me?¡± she asked. Drew thought that his wife might still be terrified of what had happened.


    Of course, he was hearing her saying that made him happy. To give him space, Lily shifted to one side of the bed. While lying beside her, he pulled her closer into his embrace.


    He murmured in her ear, ¡°We haven¡¯t had dinner yet.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, but if you want to eat, I¡¯ll cook downstairs.¡±


    ¡°All right. I¡¯m not in the mood to eat either.¡±


    Silence passed over them. After missing Lily for days, Drew stroked her hair while feeling her petite body and inhaling her scent. Who would have imagined he would get acquainted with her body one day? At the first of their marriage, he didn¡¯t like her physique because she was petite and not typically the kind of woman he could picture having in his bed. Lily remained slender, yet embracing her felt morefortable.


    If his wife hadn¡¯t spoken, he would have believed she was already asleep. ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I didn¡¯t finish fixing up the house before you arrived.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡­ Lauren likes the painted walls downstairs,¡± Drewmented.


    ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I love it! I told her I¡¯d paint the couch, too,¡± he teased.


    ¡°Do you want me to paint that too?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°Nope. I will do it through your body,¡± Drew replied without trying to hide his true feelings. As he was contemting it, the heat began to develop inside his pants, causing him to grasp her waist. ¡°Could you allow me?¡±


    To better analyze Lily¡¯s expression, he moved back a bit. He observed her gaze, which, in turn, delved profoundly into him in the subdued lighting. Unable to resist, he gently touched her tender cheek.


    ¡°I love the idea,¡± Lily responded in a dreamy tone.


    Drew could not resist drawing his face nearer to hers, kissing her lips. The idea of channeling his artistic expression while intimately engaging with Lily was arousing and enticing. He didn¡¯t shy away from acknowledging his penchant for a risqu¨¦ lifestyle, relishing in the pleasures of sex, women, and parties. However, he considered these pursuits somewhat mundane when contrasted with his intense yearning for his wife. Contemting the possibilities of exploring her body at that very moment left him with a peculiar sense of exhration.


    Shifting slightly backward, Lily kept her gaze fixed on his eyes, seemingly expressing a multitude of emotions. However, instead of delving into their silentmunication, she suggested, ¡°How about taking a break? I¡¯ll get dinner readyter.¡±


    Because of what she said, he resisted the urge to lunge at her. His cock was already tense, but what could he do if she was having too much pain right now, assuming that the event of the day had fatigued her? After ensuring Lily was asleep, Drew went to the shower to cool himself down.


    ***


    Lily woke up early. Something unusual engulfed her emotions while she was in Drew¡¯s arms. It was her first time sleeping next to him, and she hadn¡¯t anticipated the hard object pressing against her belly.


    She swallowed, aware of his arousal since the previous night. She would have made love if she hadn¡¯t thought her husband was exhausted from his long trip. Lily wanted her rtionship with Drew tost.


    When she was about to invite her husband and Finn to dinnerst night, she overheard Drew telling his friend that he had no ns to prolong what they had agreed upon.


    Lily had a mixture of fear and a slight sense of sadness. Drew is now protecting her, but what would happen if they annulled the marriage? She had no choice except to gain the man¡¯s affection in order to keep him from leaving.


    She lifted the thick nket that was covering their bodies. His trousers couldn¡¯t conceal how hard he was. Getting all the courage, Lily lowered herself like a sneaky little cat. After her unpleasant experience with Keh, she hadn¡¯t attempted to take the initiative on that subject. But this is Drew, the man she admires and shares desires-the man she wants to be with.


    She¡¯s safe, right?


    The mere thought of being able to express herself to Drew made her body heat up. After taking down his pants, she gasped as his manhood sprung right into her face. Gulping her drool, she took his hardness in her warm palm and then mustered up all her courage before taking him into her mouth.


    When her tongue made initial contact with his veiny and hard cock, she felt uneasy and almost threw up.


    Lily, this Drew, she kept telling herself.


    Her most profound need had toe out once she closed her eyes and rxed against her husband¡¯s body.


    After a few movements, Drew¡¯s hips moved uneasily. Then she heard his heavy breathing. ¡°Ahhhh¡­¡±


    When Drew raised the nket, he found her seriously doing her job. ¡°Oh my God, that¡¯s awesome!¡±


    While meeting his gaze, her tongue caressed his delicate nerves. His soft palm caressed her cheeks before grasping a handful of her hair. He deliriously inhaled, closing his eyes.


    Lily soon lost her disdain for sucking Drew¡¯s length and became utterly absorbed in his every reaction. His responses implied a connection to her body. A strange desire started to course through her as he thrust into her mouth.


    ¡°That was fucking hot! Just like that, babe,¡±mented Drew.


    He clutched her hair tightly while his knees tensed uncontrobly. His butt tautened as he pushed his hips into her throat, almost making her choke. Lily gasped for air with her eyes slightly teary.


    ¡°Fuuuuuck!¡± Before sitting down to cover her lips and punish her for what she had done, Drew hissed. She was still recovering from the daze when she felt his palm slide into her pink pajamas.


    A moan escaped Lily¡¯s lips as she felt his long fingers caressing the opening of her womanhood.


    ¡°Damn! You are so ready,¡± Drew murmured.


    He traced every spot of her bundles, and she couldn¡¯t stop herself from producing additional cum. Lily bit her bottom lip to restrain her moan. She felt his finger begin to prate her jewel, making her hands firmly grip Drew¡¯s shoulders.


    His lips trailed over her nape and left a mark there, saying, ¡°I love how wet you are right now, babe, so incredibly wet.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh¡­¡± Lily closed her eyes, feeling his breath, lips, and fingers blissfully leave a taste in her senses.


    ¡°You are soft, Lily. Hmmm¡­¡± He pinched the pea of her womanhood, making her go even crazier. Her hipspulsively followed the motion. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to give back the pleasure. I want to either lick or suck this pussy.¡±


    ¡®Oh, please, stop¡­¡¯


    She wanted Drew to stop his dirty talk. His words flowed through her femininity and smeared those delicious thoughts all over her body.


    When Lily realized she had reached her breaking point and gathered everything inside her stomach, she cried out. Her legs trembled and tightly clung to Drew¡¯s body.


    ¡°Yeah, babe. Give me your orgasm,¡± he whispered in her ear.


    Just then, Lily felt that she had reached the end. She gasped for air and admitted, ¡°Drew, it felt so good.¡±


    Drew¡¯s eyes darkened. He pulled her near, then let her top on; he quickly removed her pink trousers. He threw it outside the bed.


    Drew asked a significant question, ¡°Before we proceed with anything else, can I inquire about whether we¡¯re following your approach or mine?¡±


    ¡°What is the difference?¡± She was going to have sex with him. And for her, neither way makes a difference. But perhaps she might have underestimated things.


    ¡°If you choose my way, you¡¯ll feel the demon¡¯s kiss in heaven, babe-rough!¡±


    Lily had already vowed to take all the necessary measures to ensure Drew wouldn¡¯t let her go. With a determination in her tone, she responded, ¡°Your way.¡±


    ¡°Hold the headrest for me,¡± Drew instructed before getting off the bed to free himself from any clothing.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Lily crawled, not understanding what he meant.


    ¡°Just like that, and show me your butt.¡±


    With her back to him, she swallowed. Just like this?


    Her cheeks turned red when she realized she had only put on a top to conceal her chest, leaving her entire back exposed to his intense, prating gaze. He could easily observe her buttocks and catch a faint glimpse of her glossy pink slit.


    It was scandalous, but she chose this way and had no intention of backing out. She sensed Drew climbing up onto the bed, then caressed her twin round butt.


    ¡°God, Lily¡­¡±


    Just then, his lips left a sensitive kiss on her neck that made her moan. He gripped her breasts while rubbing them with both hands as they slid onto her top. As if it had its own senses, his hardness rubbed against her pussy and coated himself with the honey she had just released. All the pleasure made her grip the headrest even tighter.


    ¡°Drew!¡± Just then, without giving her a warning, she gasped after he plunged his cock in.


    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± His entire hardness filled her, and it only took a few moments for him to move.


    ¡°Fuck, Lily¡­ it¡¯s good to be inside you,¡± he murmured, leaving kisses on her neck. As he steadily thrust deeper, he tightened his hold on her chest. God! She had never experienced this before.


    She became utterly unresponsive to everything else as her head filled with each of his movements, the way he plunged into her body, and the sound of his balls mming on her butt.


    ¡°God! Drew!¡± she screamed. He left a strange taste whenever her delicate flesh squeezed him tight, significantly when he sped up his rhythm.


    ¡°Do you hate me now? Do you hate this?¡± he asked with concern in his voice.


    ¡°No¡­ I want more.¡± Lily tilted her head toward Drew, her eyes watering from the sensation.


    While he was on her back, his appearance became more menacing, and he thrust more quickly. The movement intensified as he took a tight hold of both of her hips.


    Lily clung to the bed as though doing so would give her strength. When she felt Drew¡¯s lips on the back of her neck, her body jolted in anticipation of his going deeper.


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­Drew!¡± His ¡®way¡¯ was so damn good! Loving it is an understatement; he went above and beyond her expectations.


    She momentarily felt his body shudder when he groaned and ground his teeth. He pulled her shoulders, allowing her to lean her back against his chest and pressing herself deeper into him.


    ¡°Lily!¡±


    They both experienced an uncontroble orgasm, sharing a kiss before she joined Drew in the paradise they had created. She could hear him grunt as he released his seeds inside her.


    He began to move more slowly, slowing down even the movement of his swollen lips after their prolonged and passionate kiss. With no intention of parting with her, he embraced her body.


    ¡°You are my ecstasy, Lily,¡± he whispered.


    Her eyelids became heavy as she smiled. More than a month ago, she had no idea this would be the safest ce she had ever been.


    ***


    Drew hadn¡¯t nned on going to his office. Still, the necessity to provide a report on a business meeting abroadpelled him to do so. He wanted to spend the entire day making love to Lily, but Sarah called him that morning, reminding him that his grandfather would wait for him.


    After his meeting, Sarah entered his private office.


    ¡°Boss, I found out that Mrs. Cordova works for our partner¡¯spany. She¡¯s a previous talent of MC Agency.¡±


    ¡°Mrs. Cordova?¡± he asked with a questioning look.


    The assistant scratched her cheek, setting her phone on Drew¡¯s desk. A stunning woman¡¯s face shed on the screen. He scowled and made an effort to recall where he had seen her.


    ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Jericho Cordova¡¯s wife. She was with Vivian in the same agency.¡± After mentioning the woman, he realized she was one of the prostitutes he had rented in the past.


    ¡°You mean she¡¯s married to one of Keh Martin¡¯s friends, Jericho Cordova?¡±


    ¡°Yes, boss!¡±


    Drew rested his back against the wide swivel chair, uncertain whether Sarah had delivered positive news. Weeks ago, he requested Sarah to investigate Keh and his friends to identify his enemies. He didn¡¯t suspect any connection to him among them until he discovered this woman.


    ¡°Is he aware of his wife¡¯s former job?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Just like any ordinary person, he knew his wife was a model. But he didn¡¯t know that she was a high-end prostitute.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Drew thought carefully. It looks like his next opponent will be Jericho Cordova.

 B*tch Friend

    ¡®It means both of them have a secret,¡¯ Drew thought.


    A fucker who molested Lily, his wife, and ady who had previously sold her body to him. The only distinction between them was that Lily was helpless, while Jericho¡¯s wife was deliriously pleased with him. His chest tightened each time he had the thoughts.


    ¡°Our investigation shows they have been married for five years but have no children. Jericho is worried about it because he wants to safeguard his marriage to Jenny,¡± Sarah exined, naming the woman.


    ¡®Ah, yeah. She¡¯s Jenny¡­¡¯


    ¡°Either Jenny does not want to be pregnant, or Jericho Cordova has a hormonal issue. We are aware that Jenny was raised in a typical family, which encouraged her to be a prostitute despite being a model. She likes beautiful things, but Jericho can¡¯t give every expensive thing because he only depends on his earnings from the family business. Jericho¡¯s family owns apany, but they still follow Jericho¡¯s family¡¯s instructions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Lily recalls the day they first met at the hotel four years ago was a stag party. It was probably Jericho¡¯s when he first met Lily. He gets angry every time he thinks back to that day. They ruined Lily.


    ¡°How about Vivian?¡± he asked.


    ¡°She keeps asking me to give her a time slot for your visit to her bar.¡±


    ¡°Tell her I¡¯m going to the bar today.¡± After that, he stood up from his seat. He wanted to go home because it was already six in the evening. He had to assess her business¡¯ status to end Vivian¡¯s nagging. In the elevator, he contemted ways to impart a lesson to Jericho.


    While in the elevator, he pondered ways to teach Jericho a lesson.


    ¡°Boss,¡± greeted his driver, Mark. He opened the door for him before getting into the driver¡¯s seat. ¡°Where do we go next?¡±


    The driver knew Drew came from abroad and typically opted to rest in his home whenever this situation arose, but not on that night.


    ¡°Take me to Bar Vivi.¡±


    Drew¡¯s driver gave him a questioning look, but he refrained frommenting. Perhaps Mark already knew how ustomed Drew was to Lily. Regardless, Mark fulfilled his request.


    The manager at Vivian¡¯s pub weed Drew immediately and tried to lead him to a private room, but Drew resisted. Given that Lily was his wife, he mainly wanted to put a barrier between himself and Vivian.


    Refusing, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll stay in themon area.¡±


    It¡¯s not crowded because it¡¯s still early. As a result, the music ying in the bar wasn¡¯t as loud.


    A short whileter, he noticed Vivian¡¯s body approaching in his direction. Her skin is smooth, and her figure is curvy. If there wasn¡¯t music, he could hear her heels as her hips swayed to her left and right. She was clearly the woman he had previously enjoyed in his bed. But right now, she¡¯s tasteless in his eyes.


    ¡°Drew! Why are you here in amon area?¡± The woman smiled and immediately sat beside him. She even managed to kiss his cheek, making his face turn sour.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for you toe here. Do you like the ce?¡± continued the woman.


    It signaled him to look around. His business with Vivian went smoothly. The venue was ssy and would appeal to partygoers who enjoy loud music, dim rooms, and attractive staff. However, whether or not he likes it is unimportant to him. All he cares about is that he is making money at this establishment.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± he simply replied.


    He felt her hand brush over his leg. Vivian was always like this. He is also not stupid for not understanding what the woman wants to convey. She tried to seduce him, but Drew promptly removed her hand.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Let¡¯s proceed to my office; it¡¯s more pleasant and private,¡± she said, flicking her eyshes, anticipating his agreement, which only intensified his repulsion.


    Without hesitation, Drew listed one of his objectives. ¡°Vivian, why did you visit my home yesterday?¡±


    A chilly wind seemed to creep on Vivian¡¯s back at Drew¡¯s question. None of his ex-women would ever intrude into his personal space. Perhaps being business partners gave her the courage, knowing she was holding onto something for him. They coborate on business, but with or without their partnership, it was nothing on his part. He cooperated with her because he believed the woman harbored at least some personal aspirations. Still, in reality, he had nothing to lose.


    Vivian backed up a bit from Drew. ¡°I want to see you. It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve been together, and I miss you¡­¡±


    He replied with a hint of disdain in his voice, ¡°So you went to my ce on purpose, knowing I wasn¡¯t there, but my wife was?¡±


    ¡°I-I was just curious,¡± she said, avoiding his gaze. She wanted to appear pitiful, as it usually appealed to men, but Drew found it even more annoying.


    ¡°About what?¡±


    ¡°About your wife¡­¡±


    He sneered. ¡°And why are you interested in my wife? Are we lovers? Are you my girlfriend? My mistress? Or perhaps my cunt stalker?¡±


    Vivian swallowed. ¡°Please¡­ Don¡¯t be angry. I know I made a mistake. I didn¡¯t know what I was thinking yesterday. I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Drew did not attempt to press the matter of her visiting his house. Vivian¡¯s admission of her actions made him wary of appearing to exaggerate things. However, he still issued a warning to the woman.


    ¡°This is myst warning, Vivian. You have no right to interfere with my private life.¡± He didn¡¯t even consider the woman a friend, but he kept that to himself.


    She clenched her fist beneath the table and dug her fingernail into her own palm. They attracted the attention of some customers and staff members because they were in the bar¡¯s ordinary area and their surroundings weren¡¯t particrly noisy.


    ***


    Vivian had a nasty attitude. She had recently seen Drew¡¯s wife and assumed she differed from his usual women. Having known Drew for years, she learned about his desire for a sexy and slim partner, someone he could bring along without drawing attention. Why did he decide to marry someone like that?


    She served him for several years and made Drew happy. She had hoped and fantasized that she might catch his eye one day. Who doesn¡¯t want to be Mrs. Drew Walton?


    What she saw yesterday was a haggard wife. And somehow, that gave her confidence that Drew didn¡¯t like his wife. So, what made him so upset with her now?


    She reasoned out it was possible that Drew still didn¡¯t like his wife and was merely enraged by her for trying to snoop into his personal life.


    Vivian wasn¡¯t aware they attracted much notice. In an effort to soothe him and lessen his rage, she tried to move closer and caress his arm. It worked every time. But Jenny, one of her friends and a former rival in capturing Drew Walton¡¯s interest, approached them before she could get close.


    ¡°Boss Drew?¡± she said with a surprised look.


    They turned to the woman at the same time. The lovely smile of her friend appeared.


    ¡°Wow! What a surprise! I came here to see how Vivian was doing. I never thought about seeing you here. Are you two-¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re not,¡± Drew immediately refused and then smiled at Jenny, ¡°Like you, I came here with the same intention, to see the ce as Vivian¡¯s business partner.¡±


    ¡°I see. Mind if I join you?¡±


    ¡®I mind, b*tch!¡¯


    ¡°Sure!¡± Drew pointed the extra chair to her opposite side but near him.


    It annoyed Vivian. How long had she been waiting for Drew, and then, after finally getting his time, she had to share his attention with Jenny? She grasped the winess before her to avoid digging her fingernail into her palm.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t your husband looking for you?¡± Vivian inquired to let Drew know that Jenny was a married woman.


    In her amusement, the woman frowned. ¡°I came here to have fun.¡±


    ¡°So, is that the reason why you haven¡¯t been at the club for a couple of years? Are you married now?¡± Drew asked.


    Drew is talking about the club where she and Jenny used to be on-call talent-an escort. The way the conversation progressed and the fact that Drew seemed to be more interested in Jenny irritated Vivian.


    ¡°She¡¯s having a nice married life now,¡± Vivian smirked.


    Acting pitifully, Jenny said, ¡°Come on, Vivian. You know what I¡¯m going through right now.¡±


    Drew enquired, ¡°What are you dealing with? Maybe I can help.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s boring. My inws are oppressive and very strict. I would choose the times I had with you if I could go back in time¡­¡± Jenny continued while beaming. ¡°It¡¯s good that I found you here.¡±


    The woman shed her eyshes at Drew, which infuriated Vivian. She felt like yelling at her or shoving her out of her bar.


    ¡°Boss Drew is also married,¡± shemented.


    It shocked Jenny. ¡°Really? Then you understand the sense that the marriage iscking something.¡±


    ¡°What do you think is missing? Maybe I could give¡­¡±


    ¡°Perhaps you are the missing piece, Boss Drew. If I could go back in time, I would prefer the times when we used to y. Why don¡¯t we carry on with what we had?¡±


    Vivian was furious. Drew¡¯s apparent interest in Jenny¡¯s seduction rms her. On the contrary, that gave her the answer that Drew didn¡¯t like his in wife.


    Drew stood up and dered, ¡°Well, I¡¯m going.¡±


    ¡°Can Ie along? I just took a taxi to get here,¡± Jenny humbly asked.


    ¡°Oh? Then take a taxi back home.¡± Drew took out a bill and handed it to Jenny. ¡°I¡¯m willing to cover the cost of your cab ride. See you again. Bye!¡±


    Jenny almost fell from her seat because she was expecting Drew to apany her after all the teasing and her trying to seduce him.


    ¡®Hmp! Good for you!¡¯

 Playground

    Drew was thinking about his intentions while sitting in the rear of his car. The way he approaches Jenny could either help or hurt him. He was concerned about upsetting Lily, his wife, and uncertain about her potential reaction. Ideally, he hoped to sustain a harmonious rtionship with her throughout their one-year agreement.


    During his trip, he thought of calling Finn to ask for advice.


    ¡°Hello!¡± his friend answered on the other line.


    ¡°Are you busy?¡± he asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m still at work; do you have another problem?¡±


    ¡°I just needed some advice. I encountered Jenny, one of the women I had hired before, and met her tonight.¡±


    When Finn remained silent, Drew was aware of his thoughts. Because his friend knew him, he couldn¡¯t hold it against him if he had any doubts.


    Drew nced at Mark. Mark seemed to be pretending not to hear anything as Drew exined, ¡°We crossed paths because she¡¯s a friend of Vivian, one of my business partners. I didn¡¯t meet her for sex.¡± The skepticism from a best friend irked him.


    ¡°Vivian?¡±


    ¡°That ¡®performer,¡¯ who I frequently hired at the club. She¡¯s a business partner now.¡±


    ¡°Okay, hold on. When you say business, it means purely business without taking the clothes off and sucking each other¡¯s skin, right?¡±


    He was a little pissed. Why does he not believe him? He dered, ¡°Finn, I¡¯m married,¡± emphasizing his current marital status.


    ¡°Then why did you meet with Vivian? No, not just Vivian, there¡¯s still Jenny?¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you listening? I said we are business partners. Okay, before you make me upset, listen up. I wanted to use Jenny to exact revenge on Keh¡¯s friend, but I wasn¡¯t sure how Lily would react. I nned to destroy Jenny¡¯s marriage, but I didn¡¯t want Lily to have a bad opinion of me.¡±


    ¡°So, you meant to indicate that you were going to seduce Jenny until she ended her own marriage?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡±


    ¡°Do you think Lily could manage it? Must I remind you that your house experienced an unfortunate incident during your absence, and someone nearly molested Lily? And this all happened just yesterday. Bro, she¡¯s having too much right now. Just act upon your n to exact payback on those who harmed her. But what do you receive in return? Don¡¯t you two intend to part ways one day?¡±


    Drew was unsure of what he would gain from his schemes. He is only aware of his desire to exact revenge on Lily because she is his wife. Furthermore, four years ago, when Lily¡¯s troubled past with Keh and his friends started, their lives unexpectedly crossed. Still, he did nothing because she was a stranger at that time.


    ¡°Because I can now assist Lily as her husband, I feel it is the least I can do. If we ever part ways, I won¡¯t be frightened to let her go because I already have destroyed those who could harm her.¡±


    ¡°But what if you fell in love with Lily? What if you were the one who hurt her instead of those other people?¡±


    When Finn asked this question, Drew swallowed with a heavy heart. ¡°Nope. She¡¯s the one who suggested our one-yearmitment, and I¡¯m certain she has ns for the future that don¡¯t involve me.¡±


    ***


    Drew found Lily carrying boxes on their home¡¯s third floor. He smiled as he leaned against the side door. Lily turned to him when she heard a rustling.


    ¡°Hi! I-I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯m using this room temporarily. I required a room for the ongoing remodeling, and I can¡¯t locate the spare space for the items we haven¡¯t utilized.¡±


    He dyed responding because he wanted to get used to the odd emotions he developed whenever Lily was around. Unexpectedly, he enjoyed it.


    ¡°I-I hope it¡¯s okay with you,¡± Lily said after receiving no response from him.


    ¡°If this is the spare you selected, this must be it, Lily. I ought to be the one to apologize for not having nned for the storage space. Have you had a meal?¡±


    He unexpectedly heard her stomach growling. Lily clutched her stomach while having a guilty cat¡¯s flush on her cheeks. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I was busy remodeling the house.¡±


    He extended his hand to her. ¡°Come with me. I¡¯ll prepare dinner because you must be tired.¡±


    Lily epted his hand but refused to let him make the meal.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s fine; you¡¯re the one who must be tired,¡± she responded, aware that he hade from somewhere else and had to travel back from his workce.


    ¡°But I¡¯m also certain that cleaning the house has worn you out.¡±


    Lily stopped arguing with him and started helping him with small tasks like chopping vegetables, preparing tes, or doing the dishes instead. Drew grinned because he didn¡¯t anticipate how pleasant sharing simple duties with someone would feel.


    After they had done dining, he invited Lily to join him for tea by the pool. They both faced the water, where the light from their home kissed its surface, and the chilly air made it glitter.


    ¡°Do you think I can finallyplete my college now?¡± Lily asked. They were each clutching a little cup while they sat on tanning beds across from one another.


    ¡°Lily, you are doing great, so why are you doubting yourself?¡± Drew asked, managing to turn to Lily. She continually looked back at the past, the only thing he disliked about her, though he also couldn¡¯t me her for it.


    ¡°I was humiliated by what happened to me at school, which was extremely traumatic.¡±


    Drew clenched his fist. ¡°As your husband, if you let them shame you right now, it would be the same as letting them insult me. Do not forget, we are now husband and wife. If you let those people hurt you, they will do it again. But they will avoid you if you are brave and willing to punish them seven times for their terrible crimes.¡±


    Lily looked at him and said, ¡°Is that what you did to Victor?¡±


    She has dazzling eyes. There is no mystery or secret significance there.


    ¡°Yes, initially, I had no ns to take action against Victor, but if I didn¡¯t, I¡¯m sure he would have bothered you again because he knew you were afraid. I just took action, Lily. And Victor happened to be the first on the list.¡±


    ¡°First on the list? Do you mean to say you also have ns for his other friends?¡±


    His eyes narrowed before replying to her with determination, ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°How can I help you, then?¡±


    He set the cup to the side, bringing his face closer to Lily¡¯s. ¡°Help yourself, Lily. You did it once with Victor, and you can do it again. I¡¯ll hand those fuckers to you, and you¡¯re going to repay them by making them suffer through their anguish seven times.¡±


    After speaking, he felt Lily¡¯s lips with his thumb before kissing her. He closed his eyes to feel her even more.


    He muttered between their lips, ¡°Let me see your scars again. Remember how I said I¡¯d cover the sofa with paint?¡±


    Lily took a deep breath. ¡°Then cover it with new art. I want a new style.¡±


    He smiled, finding it both thrilling and intense. As his palm massaged one of her breasts and traced her neck, he could hear herbored breathing. Soon, he carried her inside.


    ***


    Sarah ced a folder with papers on Drew¡¯s desk and said, ¡°Boss, here are the new applicants for the secretary position.¡±N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡°Ah, yes. Isn¡¯t Mara under you? You should be the one to choose.¡± He named one of the four secretaries on his staff.


    ¡°Yes, but I also considered telling you about a certain applicant in case you found it intriguing and decided to select her as well.¡±


    He curiously opened the folder and saw a man¡¯s applicant sheet.


    ¡°He is who I intended to pick. After Mara became pregnant and forced her to take her break, I intend to hire a man this time to avoid a repeat of the situation, but¡­¡±


    Sarah wasn¡¯t condemning discrimination against women; instead, she pointed out that they dealt with workloads in the most recent incident. As she exined, Drew checked the next applicant. It¡¯s her!


    ¡°Hire both of them.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re hiring two of them?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Because I have no ns for Jenny to stay here.¡± He knew Jenny had abandoned modeling and now worked for Jericho¡¯s family. She might have used it to qualify her application to his office. He shook his head and carried on with his task.


    ¡°She¡¯se to y. Let¡¯s give her the yground. But she must not me me if she¡¯s the bet.¡± He scoffed.


    His phone beeped, and he saw Orion¡¯s message. An image of Lily dining in the cafeteria with a young woman is attached.


    Orion: Boss, there is no issue with Ms. Lily. She immediately made a friend at school.

 Emergency

    Keh gritted his teeth while clenching his fist in anger.


    Because Victor is currently in jail, he goes to their usual hangout to see Jericho and Brian, two of his friends. Besides trespassing, Lily used Victor of attempted homicide. Due to a positive drug test, the man could not post bail and flee from custody.


    Brian Mendoza, who currently holds the title of one of the top-paid models, advised him, ¡°Talk to your brother-inw. Maybe Lily didn¡¯t tell her husband what we did.¡±


    ¡°Everything that happened to Victor was his fault,¡± Keh snarled before gulping down his wine, narrowing his eyes. The truth was, it was not Victor¡¯s fault. He used his friend to learn Drew¡¯s capabilities. Because Lily and Drew¡¯s home was tightly secured, he couldn¡¯t even approach his stepsister. He¡¯s also aware that Drew is watching them, so that¡¯s another open fact.


    He must do something!


    He reasoned, ¡°Victor offended Lily¡¯s husband. Everyone is aware that his restaurant triggered the explosion. He could have talked to us and asked for our help, but he chose to test Drew¡¯s patience. Visiting Drew¡¯s residence was the worst thing he had ever done!¡±


    Jericho looked at him perceptively. ¡°But wasn¡¯t this your idea? Didn¡¯t you instruct him to do that?¡±


    ¡°Do not me me if Victor is stupid!¡±


    Jericho snapped his ss in anger. ¡°Fine! It was his fault, but I¡¯m fucking out! Victor¡¯s problems took up too much of my attention. I¡¯m overwhelmed with work and must secure the general manager position before my brother does. I don¡¯t have time for such nonsense!¡±


    Jericho stood up. Keh sneered, pushing his friend in the chest to stop him. ¡°What, huh? Are you now running away from what you did?¡±


    ¡°What did I do? You brought Lily to my stag party! We paid you for that! Don¡¯t try me either, Ken.¡± He gritted his teeth. ¡°I still believe we¡¯re friends. But allow me to remind you that you brought Lily into our lives so we could destroy her!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s bullshit! You are just fucking scared of Drew!¡± He grinned mischievously. ¡°You¡¯re afraid that he might follow you.¡±


    ¡°I. Am. Not!¡±


    They were going to exchange blows when Brian separated them and said, ¡°Come on, guys! We shouldn¡¯t be fighting!¡±


    Smirking at Jericho, hemented, ¡°You¡¯re running a business, but much like in a chess game, Drew is a rook, while you are only a pawn. You were an obstacle in his way, and he could seize you at any moment without your knowledge.¡±


    He undoubtedly bruised Jericho¡¯s ego, as Jericho was on the verge of grabbing his cor if Brian hadn¡¯t intervened. ¡°Calm down!¡±


    Jericho snarled, ¡°I¡¯m out!¡± as he made his way to the exit.


    ¡°Jericho!¡± Brian continued to call his name to prevent him from leaving.


    ¡°Let him go! I¡¯m sure he¡¯lle back to ask for help,¡± Keh argued. After Jericho had left, fury returned to his body.


    Brian asked in a worried tone, ¡°Do you think Lily told her husband what happened back then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. Why? Are you scared?¡±


    ¡°Of course I am! The inte nowadays is scary, and I¡¯m well-known and among the highest-paid models in the business; this could cause a major scandal. I don¡¯t want my past with Lily to suddenlye out.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be worried about it; even if Drew had known, he wouldn¡¯t have done something foolish that could damage Lily¡¯s reputation.¡±


    Brian sighed, feeling as though someone had extracted a thorn from his chest. ¡°I¡¯m leaving, too, as I still havemitments to fulfill.¡±


    Along with Brian, Keh also departed. Drew Walton had be a supporter of Lily, which irritated Keh. He needed to take action now to win Lily back.


    Keh rode his motorcycle to the Walton¡¯s office building. Seeing Drew carrying a coffee he had undoubtedly purchased from the shop next to his workce didn¡¯t dissuade whatever evil thought was going through his head.


    Lily¡¯s husband was smiling while looking at his phone. Was he talking to Lily?


    ¡®Lily is mine!¡¯


    His gaze intensified as he elerated his motorcycle to aim at him. However, Drew reacted quickly, halting and letting him pass.


    ¡®No! You can¡¯t avoid me!¡¯


    Keh grabbed Drew¡¯s coat, clutching it for a few seconds before releasing it. Unaware that the car approaching from behind would collide with Drew, Keh witnessed him crash through the windshield of the ck vehicle and crumple to the ground.


    As the perpetrator, he felt a growing curiosity about his victim¡¯s condition. A few meters from Drew, his motorcycle halted, and the ck car¡¯s wheels screeched to a stop alongside it.


    ¡°Boss!¡± someone yelled, presumably referring to Drew.


    Just then, he continued driving.


    ¡®See that, Lily? This is all your fault!¡¯


    ***


    In her ss, Lily had a calm day. As the student who had paused for four years, she was older than some of her fellow students. She faltered and had to catch up on some lesson material. She kept her distance during ss, letting others socialize like she inhabited her own universe.


    She didn¡¯t mind at all. What was most important to her was that nobody caused her any issues.


    In her third ss, a woman sat next to her chair. The young woman sported short hair reaching her cor, donned a vibrant headband and floral dress, and held a tiny bag on the table. Lily thought she looked stylish, considering it an expensive outfit.


    ¡°Hi! I noticed you earlier,¡± the young woman said. ¡°Since the first ss, we have been ssmates. I was contemting talking to you because I thought you were b*tchy, but when I realized you were merely aloof, I plucked up the guts.¡± Her voice was soft and sweet, giving Lily the impression that she was a lovely woman.


    Lily¡¯s forehead furrowed. Thement she received was most likely the same as what she heard from her former ssmates, but that was long ago. In her current life, people always thought she was either reserved or refined. Perhaps Drew had changed her a bit.


    Thinking about him, how was he now?


    Lily exined, ¡°I stopped attending school for a while, so I¡¯m still catching up. I also noticed that some of our ssmates seemed to be familiar with one another.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see! We¡¯re in the same boat! By the way, I¡¯m Danica. I transferred courses frequently until I decided to stay at the design school. Nice to meet you!¡± The young woman smiled sweetly at her, infecting her with a smile.


    She made a friend on her first day, which was terrific. ¡°Please call me Lily.¡±


    ¡®She could help me with other things.¡¯


    They found opportunities to share meals during their free time. Danica was easy to get along with, as Lily could tell. Two years younger than Lily, the young woman exuded a positive aura. Lily almost forgot she had only met her new friend a few hours ago.


    As the afternoon arrived, she even joined Danica on a trip to a bookstore in a mall to purchase the supplies they needed for their ss.


    ¡°Miss Lily!¡±


    She was startled by Orion¡¯s approach while holding the supplies she intended to purchase.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    Danica frowned but didn¡¯t try to identify the man. Lily coughed and spun lies to avoid tipping off Danica that she had been under Orion¡¯s watch all along. ¡°He¡¯s my housemate.¡±


    She also didn¡¯t want people to know Drew Walton was her husband. She preferred that Danica knew her as Lily rather than Drew¡¯s wife.


    ¡°This is Orion,¡± she introduced.


    ¡°Hello!¡± Danica grinned and held out her hand. But Orion appeared restless, indicating that something terrible had taken ce.


    ¡°Miss Lily, I¡¯m sorry, but we have to go.¡± After saying that, he exited the store with his phone to his ear.


    Lily began to feel anxious. There must be some bad news from Orion. She tried to calm herself as she turned to face Danica. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I think we have an emergency. Let¡¯s meet again at school.¡±


    ¡°No problem! Do you want me to pay for your items?¡±


    ¡°Thank you! I¡¯ll make it up to you. I simply had to leave.¡±


    ¡°No problem! It looks like your housemate is in a hurry. Take care!¡± Danica waved at her.


    Lily hurried to catch up with Orion and found him waiting outside the bookstore. He noticed her and quickened his pace, directing her toward the building¡¯s exit. His rapid strides made it difficult for her to keep up. As they exited the building, Drew¡¯s car was waiting outside, but her anxiety grew when she didn¡¯t see him. She quickly got into the car, with Orion following suit.


    She shut the door and asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Boss Drew got hit by a car while clinging onto the motorcycle,¡± Mark, the driver, replied.


    Lily gasped. She was now extremely terrified. ¡°We have to leave! Take me to your boss!¡±


    As the car moved forward, tension surged through her body. She didn¡¯t possess the specific details; her only concern was to find out if Drew was okay. How serious was it that a car had hit him after he clung to the motorcycle?


    Upon reaching the hospital, Lily leaped out of the car and started running without a clear destination in mind, not even waiting for the vehicle to be fully parked. Her body continued to tremble, rendering her speechless, and her fear welled up, causing tears to stream down her face. Orion caught up to her and stopped her.


    ¡°W-where is Drew?¡± she asked, appearing lost in thought.


    ¡°Miss Lily, calm down,¡± Orion replied.


    He led her in the direction of where her husband was. They encountered Sarah in the hallway, who was also agitated.


    ¡°How is your boss?¡± Lily inquired.


    ¡°Boss is currently being examined. We still have no idea about his condition. When we brought him here, he remained unconscious.¡±


    ¡°Why did this happen to him?¡±


    The woman avoided her gaze. ¡°We are short-staffed because one of our secretaries got pregnant. As we were all busy, the boss insisted he would buy his coffee because the shop was across the street. Everything happened quickly, and those who witnessed it said the boss held onto the motorcycle because he was looking at his phone while crossing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure Drew is not the type of person who looks at his phone carelessly,¡± Orion argued firmly.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± They all looked at her in unison. She had texted Drew earlier, for sure!


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what happened; when the motorcycle let go of him, a nearby car hit him.¡±


    Lily couldn¡¯t stop sobbing, her only wish being Drew¡¯s well-being. In the midst of her emotional turmoil, her phone rang, disying an unknown number. She moved aside to answer the call, thinking it might be Danica, who was equally concerned about her, and she epted it.


    ¡°Hello!¡¯ She wiped her tears away.


    She heard a highly familiar voice asking, ¡°Did you like my bridal gift?¡±


    Creep crawled over her senses. It¡¯s him-Keh!


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me-¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lily, I will tell you! I am responsible for what happened to Drew because you seemed to forget about me.¡±


    Lily tightened her grip. Why wouldn¡¯t Keh leave her alone? Knowing the things her stepbrother was capable of, she should have been terrified of him, especially now that he had escted to the point of harming Drew. But she remembered her husband¡¯s repeated advice. Keh exploited her fear and maniption because she allowed him to.


    ¡°Keh, I swear to God! If something happened to Drew¡­¡± She burst into tears. No! She didn¡¯t want to think about that. But with Keh¡¯s personality, she knew he could kill her husband to get her and send her back to hell.


    ¡°What? What are you going to do, sister?¡±


    Taking up all her courage, she replied, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you!¡± That was the first time she threatened him. When she stated it, a fire appeared to ignite in her chest. She cried, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you in the most torturous way!¡±


    There was a brief moment of silence before she heard Keh¡¯s ominousugh. ¡°You now have the guts, Lily. I like it! Unfortunately, this is not the moment for your husband to leave you.¡±


    He ended the call, and the door to the area where Drew was being treated swung open. Lily swiftly concealed her phone, anxiously awaiting the doctor¡¯s update.


    However, she gasped, mirroring Sarah and Orion¡¯s reactions, when the first person emerged from the emergency room. Lily¡¯s eyes widened as she fixed her gaze on Keh, who emerged from the room donning a hospital gown with his mask hanging on his chin.


    Lily froze in sheer horror. It was him! It was Keh!


    ¡®How did he aplish that?¡¯ They finished their conversation through a call less than a minute ago.


    ¡°Sister! Luckily, Inded the assignment in the emergency area¡­ I¡¯ve ensured the safety of my brother-inw, even though he remains unconscious,¡± he said, smiling at her, his dark eyes conveying a message.


    She needed to interpret things in context. Whether Keh intends to let Drew live or to harm him depends on his choice as her husband¡¯s doctor.

 Courageous

    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Lily asked Keh sternly. She had to show Keh that she wouldn¡¯t tolerate his insults any longer. Despite her terror regarding her stepbrother, she said, ¡°It was you who did this to Drew! You, you¡­ It¡¯s your fault that Drew got hit by the car!¡±


    Tears flowed uncontrobly from Lily¡¯s eyes. She wanted tosh out at Keh. He was the one who had confessed to the terrible things he had done to her husband. This was too much-way too much!


    ¡°Lily, calm down¡­ I¡¯m a doctor. Where else should I be? Mr. Walton had a mild fracture in his legs and ribs, and I rmend he stay in the hospital for a few more days. We need to monitor his health for the time being.¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯ll get Drew out!¡± Lily eximed, battling the anxiety of her husband being in the hospital with Keh nearby. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Drew out of this hospital to get him away from you!¡±


    Drawing attention from passers-by, some of them started looking at them.


    Suddenly taking on a big brotherly tone, Keh asked sweetly, ¡°Lily, have you taken your medicine yet?¡±


    ¡®What medicine?¡¯


    Lily turned to face the onlookers. Did she appear crazy at the moment? Perhaps she wanted to discharge Drew from the hospital despite his iplete recovery and multiple physical issues.


    Her husband wasn¡¯t even awake!


    ¡°Lily, I¡¯m your brother, and I know what I¡¯m doing as a doctor.¡± Keh smiled, but for Lily, it was nothing but a reminder, giving her a creep.


    A woman came forward, following Keh. ¡°Mrs. Walton, I¡¯m Dr. Martin¡¯s assistant in the operating room. He asked you to let your husband stay because Mr. Walton needs to rest and undergo 24-hour monitoring. He has bruises and some broken bones. Releasing your husband from this hospital without us providing meaningful results won¡¯t be in his best interest.¡±


    ¡°But why is he unconscious? Why is my husband asleep? Keh must¡¯ve done something!¡±


    The hospital staff¡¯s expressions turned sour. ¡°Mrs. Walton, are you suggesting that we are harming the patient instead of fulfilling our duties?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my sister.¡± Keh gently prodded the woman, adopting the demeanor of a watchful physician and a sympathetic stepbrother. ¡°Lily, you¡¯re being unreasonable right now. If you care about Drew, you probably don¡¯t want anything bad to happen to him.¡±


    Lily balled her fist. She desired to harm Keh! No matter what he had nned for her, he shouldn¡¯t have included her husband, causing harm this way!


    ¡°Ms. Lily¡­¡± Sarah, who was carefully choosing her words, took her arm and sighed, ¡°As the boss¡¯s wife, I understand that you have authority among us, but perhaps we should let the boss stay here until he wakes up. He will surely instruct us to take him home when he awakens. Let¡¯s follow the hospital¡¯s advice for now.¡±


    Orion added, ¡°We¡¯ll keep a close watch on the boss if you¡¯re worried.¡±


    Lily couldn¡¯t argue anymore and realized she was utterly overwhelmed. But what could she do? Keh had manipted her emotions by using her husband as a pawn. epting the oue, she tried to calm her heart while gritting her teeth.


    ¡®No, Lily! You must fight without appearing to be an insane woman, not like this.¡¯


    ¡°Sister¡­¡± Keh was about to pat her on the head when Lily stepped away. She resisted his threats while perceiving the danger in his demeanor.


    ¡°Fine! We will stay.¡± ¡®I¡¯ll keep an eye on you, Keh. I won¡¯t let you harm my husband in any way.¡¯


    Lily narrowed her eyes and wished she could wipe away Keh¡¯s fake smile. If only everyone were aware of the demon hidden beneath his appearance.


    Keh smiled sweetly. ¡°Good. We¡¯ll hand him over to an orthopedic surgeon. I regret that I couldn¡¯t be your husband¡¯s attending physician.¡±


    ¡®Bastard!¡¯


    Keh continued, ¡°We¡¯ll transfer Mr. Walton to a private room; he¡¯s likely to wake up soon. I¡¯ll let the nurses provide further details because I have another appointment, so please forgive me.¡±


    Her body felt weakened, as if she had just returned from war after Keh had left her sight, leading to her sobbing. Does she look pathetic?


    Sarah rubbed Lily¡¯s back, exining, ¡°I was too preupied with the phone calls to realize Keh was the surgeon who hade in earlier for the boss. I¡¯m sorry. I was careless.¡±


    She nodded. ¡°He did it, Sarah! He was the one driving the motorcycle that was going to run over Drew.¡±


    ¡°How was he able to get there in time to see the boss?¡± the assistant questioned in a doubtful tone.


    ¡®Because Keh is a lunatic psycho!¡¯


    That was the only exnation she coulde up with for her brother¡¯s behavior. Kehcked consistency in his approach; he would be nice initially, but he might swiftly be angry and apologize like a scheming, maniptive monster. He was off his rocker and viewed her as a lost possession.


    While they were tending to Drew¡¯s medical needs, Lily received a message from Keh.


    Keh: You¡¯re being courageous, Lily, and I hate it!


    She deleted his message and then added him to her block list.N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    ¡®Was this the first time you¡¯ve been upset with me, Keh? Because I¡¯ve hated you for too long.¡¯


    ***


    While Drew was resting on the bed with his eyes closed, Lily nced gloomily in his direction. She held his hand while silently praying. He winced for a moment before cautiously opening his eyes.


    ¡°Boss!¡± eximed Orion, noticing Drew¡¯s slight movements.


    Because Lily was experiencing conflicting emotions, she burst into tears when her eyes met Drew¡¯s.


    ¡°Shit!¡± Drew groaned.


    Lily, who was in tears, stated, ¡°Don¡¯t move. Your leg didn¡¯t look well, and the doctor cast it. You also have a massive bruise on your back from the ident.¡±


    Despite experiencing some physical difort, her husband still gave her his full attention, questioning, ¡°Why are you crying when I¡¯m still alive?¡±


    She irritably confronted him. ¡°Because you scared me! What do you want me to do, rejoice that you got hit by a car?¡±


    ¡°My head is aching from your cries.¡±


    She stopped crying after hearing what he said. After a while, Drew caressed her cheek.


    ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. Where are we?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re here at the hospital, boss,¡± Orion replied.


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home. I don¡¯t want to stay here because I¡¯m going to get ill here¡­¡± Grunting, he continued, ¡°Aissst! My body hurts from head to toe.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll go out to find the doctor,¡± said Orion.


    Drew squeezed Lily¡¯s hand. ¡°Stop crying¡­¡±


    ¡°It was Keh¡­¡± she murmured.


    Drew frowned in confusion at what she had stated.


    ¡°Keh was the motorcycle¡¯s driver who grabbed you to make it appear as though it had been an ident. Ironically, he was also the surgeon who treated you when you were rushed here. Her chest burned with anger whenever Lily looked back at the event.¡±


    ¡°They checked the security cameras in some nearby establishments to see if what happened to you was recorded, but the investigation indicated that the motorcycle caught you as it passed, and the car that was following it was what put you in the hospital today.¡±


    Drew appeared emotionless as he recalled what had happened. After a while, his pupils constricted. ¡°That¡¯s why you cry so much. Did Keh do something to you?¡±


    ¡°No. Orion is keeping a close eye on me. But he must have done something to knock you out for a few hours.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I recalled several scenes from my time in the emergency van. Thest thing I remember is the medical team taking care of me. The next thing I knew was seeing Keh after I regained consciousness. He grinned at me as he told me he was going to give me a sleeping drug so I wouldn¡¯t make amotion in the operating room. He knew I wouldn¡¯t let him treat me!¡±


    ¡°That asshole!¡± As Lily had anticipated, her stepbrother did something to her husband. She also doesn¡¯t know Keh¡¯s prospective methods for gaining the hospital¡¯s trust.


    ¡°This is war, Lily¡­ He¡¯s dering war against me.¡±


    ¡°But I will not allow myself just to be his trophy! If he wants a war, I¡¯m with him! I¡¯m not going to let him mess with my emotions any longer, and I told him I¡¯d kill him if he did it to us one more time,¡± she vowed.


    ¡°Damn! That was sexy!¡±


    His remark caused her cheeks to turn red.


    Drew caressed her chin. ¡°At least you don¡¯t waste being a bad influence. Let¡¯s go home, paint my favorite couch, and then make love, Lily¡­¡±


    Lily nodded before kissing him on the lips.

 Baby Flower

    A month had psed, and Drew¡¯s leg had significantly improved under the guidance of his therapist. He seldom ventured beyond the confines of their home, primarily dedicating his time to recovery, even though he asionally attended business meetings.


    While Lily attended school, Orion took charge of her safety, and a new security guard now kept a watchful eye on Drew.


    Upon her return from school, Lily was startled to encounter an attractive woman exiting their residence. She furrowed her brow and scrutinized the woman, unable to shake the unsettling notion that the woman¡¯s intentions might not be entirely innocent. The woman¡¯s strong resemnce to the people Drew used to be associated with caused unease in her heart.


    ¡°Hi! You must be Mrs. Walton,¡± she said, teasingly smiling.


    ¡°Yes, I am. And you are¡­¡± Lily asked, her curiosity piqued.


    ¡°Jenny Cordova. I am Drew¡¯s new secretary. I brought and took some documents for him.¡±


    ¡®Cordova?¡¯ Is the woman rted to Jericho Cordova? However, since the woman worked for Drew, Lily was slightly reassured. It just so happened that Lily had already met Sarah and was aware that Drew had no romantic intentions toward his assistant.


    And yet, this woman¡­


    ¡°Okay¡­ Your boss is still recuperating. He¡¯ll be back at the office soon.¡±


    The woman passed by Lily, but it was a brief moment before she turned to face Lily once again. ¡°Ah, yeah¡­ I heard that Master Walton arranged your marriage.¡±


    Lily¡¯s expression darkened even further. ¡°What do you mean by that, exactly?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. I didn¡¯t expect Drew to have a wife. Especially since-¡± She cast a thoughtful nce over at Lily.


    Jenny ryed the same message as the woman who had visited Lily months ago. There was no doubt that Drew was familiar with this secretary. Could she have been one of Drew¡¯s past acquaintances? Despite her suspicions, Lily felt uneasy about the secretary¡¯s presence. Did shee across as uninteresting in the eyes of these women?


    She didn¡¯t mind portraying herself as modest as long as nobody saw her as a dull, fortunate soul who had merely lucked into marrying Drew.


    With an indifferent expression, Lily said, ¡°You speak as if you know my husband quite well.¡±


    Jenny¡¯s lips curled up at the corner. ¡°Yes, I do. I won¡¯t deny that we were involved in the past, and I had intended to join Drew¡¯s office to regain his attention. I was very familiar with all his characteristics.¡±


    Lily squeezed her hand in silence. She felt humiliated, recalling how Drew rejected and criticized her appearance. These women, representing the type her husband had been involved with, clearly differed from her.


    ¡°I know his preferences in bed. Uhmm¡­¡± Jenny bit her lip, rubbing her own breasts as she moaned provocatively.


    ¡®Who is this woman?¡¯ Lily was deeply concerned about her words and actions.


    ¡°I¡¯m really disappointed if this is the kind of woman Drew had in the past. Tshk!¡±


    Jenny¡¯s face flushed with rage. ¡°I¡¯ll definitely get him one day, I promise! You¡¯ll cry pathetically!¡±


    Lily smiled at the woman, her eyes narrowing. Was she dering war?


    ¡°Unfortunately, you only know his preferences. Do you understand the feeling when you see a familiar ice cream but can¡¯t even have a lick? That¡¯s you. Crave all you want! I relish the title of Mrs. Walton, and technically, I am your boss. Consider yourself fortunate that I don¡¯t mind keeping an eye on my husband. Just be cautious not to strain your eyes from excessive monitoring.¡±


    ¡°You-!¡±


    Lily walked past the woman. ¡°Goodbye!¡±


    After passing Jenny, she rolled her eyes, her expression turning sour. ¡°I won¡¯t take you outside anymore. Just ensure you don¡¯t steal anything because we have surveince cameras here. And next time, dress warmly, as I wouldn¡¯t want the Walton Group to be held responsible for your foolishness if you catch a cold.¡±


    Lily overheard the furious woman stomping away, but she no longer cared about Jenny.


    She found Drew sitting on the colorful couch.


    ¡°Hey, babe!¡±


    She passed her husband without ncing at him. It was the first time she had done so, but what else could she do? After encountering his former acquaintance, she wasn¡¯t in the mood to talk to him. She was furious!


    Once she reached her room, she let out a deep sigh. She realized her confidence had improved after the confrontation with Kehst month. Suddenly, the door to her room swung open.


    ¡°Hey! What do you mean by that?¡± Drew asked, wearing a puzzled expression.


    She shot a sharp re in his direction. ¡°Nothing! Go away! I¡¯m going to change into new clothes.¡±


    His eyebrows raised. ¡°I¡¯ve already seen your body.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t care! Go away!¡±


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ Lily. You¡¯ve grown bolder. I want you to be like that, but I¡¯m not sure if I¡¯d be happy if you dared to ask me to leave this room without giving me an answer. What have I done?¡± Instead of departing, Drew moved closer and ced his hand on her waist.


    ¡°I said nothing! Shooo!¡±


    His arms tightened around her waist as his nose brushed against her neck. ¡°But your bitter expression reveals the truth; you forgot my kiss and managed to shoot me a nasty look.¡±


    He was touching her neck with his lips, which gave her a peculiar sense of tension and prevented her from responding. ¡°I have to teach you a lesson¡­¡±


    Lily¡¯s lips quivered when his hand slithered inside her pants. She now questioned whether this was the reason his ex-rented women were appearing.


    ¡°Stop it! I¡¯m pissed.¡±


    Drew confronted her. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°The woman earlier¡­¡±


    That remark elicited a big grin and an using stare from him. ¡°You were jealous.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not! I said I¡¯m pissed!¡±


    ¡°My baby little flower is jealous,¡± he yfully dered, giving her a simple kiss on the lips. His yful eyes held a hint of usation, and she couldn¡¯t bear it.


    Lily blushed as she smiled, not because of the kisses he bestowed upon her or because she agreed with his assertion that she was jealous. He called her ¡®my baby little flower.¡¯N?velDrama.Org: owner of this content.


    It¡¯s sweet¡­ For a moment, she forgot about the secretary and their interaction.


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about those women approaching me, babe. I value our rtionship.¡±


    Would she feel more at ease knowing that her husband always had Jenny Cordova in his presence in the office?


    It made her sad. Everything Drew did was for her benefit. He demonstrated his willingness to take action to protect her. But where did this rtionship lead?


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep my promise to remain loyal to our marriage until the end of the year.¡±


    His words felt like a cold shower. They simply confirmed his intent to honor their mutual decision ¨C to go their separate ways after a year. How many months were left? Nine months?


    ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to leave this home?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you this home.¡±


    Lily smiled wistfully. She didn¡¯t receive the response she had hoped for, but she did gain insight into what was on Drew¡¯s mind.


    She gently held her husband¡¯s cheek, looking at him with sadness. Nine months¡­ Only nine months remained for her to understand his feelings truly.


    When her phone rang, Danica¡¯s name appeared on the screen. She nned to meet with her over the weekend for a project.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you downstairs. I need to change, then I¡¯ll prepare our meal.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not jealous anymore?¡±


    ¡°I told you I¡¯m not jealous!¡±


    Drew chuckled. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you, my baby little flower,¡± he mumbled before giving her a wink.


    It entertained Lily. Her bond with Drew grew more substantial, and she remained confident that he would fully ept her. They had only been together for three months, but she believed it would endure forever.


    She read Danica¡¯s message but was taken aback by its contents, nearly dropping her phone in surprise.


    Danica: Meet my boyfriend. After a month of not seeing each other, he promised to apany me on the weekend. You two will definitely get along.


    Attached to Danica¡¯s message was a picture of her with Brian-one of Keh¡¯s friends!


    Lily trembled as she felt these men were determined not to let her be at peace.


    Did Danica y a prank on her? Did she know about her past involvement with Brian?

 Woman

    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Drew asked Lily while having dinner.


    Her thoughts were still in Danica¡¯s message. Brian is her boyfriend!


    ¡°Are you still jealous?¡± teased Drew.


    Lily rolled her eyes at him. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°I feel like-¡±


    ¡°Do you feel something, Lily?¡± he asked worriedly. The man moved close to her.


    ¡°I have a ssmate named Danica; she¡¯s simple and adorably cute. She had a different personality from mine, but we both got along because I felt she depended on me. Although she struggles to do well in school, she enjoys designing. She made me feel more confident because I could help her frequently. I feel useful¡­ not until tonight.¡±


    Lily showed Drew the message that Danica sent. ¡°She sent this to me. That¡¯s Brian Mendoza, and he¡¯s one of Keh¡¯s friends. I was unaware that they were dating.¡±


    Drew¡¯s expression changed. ¡°And you n to meet with them over the weekend?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Danica might have been doing this to intentionally harm me, which made me upset. You are aware of my past school experiences, and I am now considering the possibility that Danica had approached me deliberately to make friends with her. I am now considering whether I am stupid, or the sort of person who is easily deceived.¡±


    ¡°Babe, of course not! This Danica girl might be a real friend. Why don¡¯t you meet her on the weekend to see what they¡¯re up to?¡±


    She looked up at him.


    ¡°If your suspicions are correct, your only option is to face your friend and confront her. I will not allow Brian or this Danica girl to hurt you, so you¡¯ll be okay. Orion will watch over you like he always does.¡±


    Lily¡¯s heart grew stronger because of what Drew said. He was really her guardian angel.


    She murmured, ¡°What am I going to do without you?¡±


    ¡°Was it because I¡¯m smart, cute, and sexy?¡±


    Sheughed at him. She put her palm inside his shirt, feeling his smooth skin. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I can¡¯t control my hands, babe.¡±


    Drew¡¯s eyes became dark because she called him ¡®babe¡¯ for the first time.


    ¡°You are ying with fire, baby.¡± He pushed all the tes to the side to make room for what was in front of her, then said, ¡°Lie down here,¡± patting the table.


    Lilyplied with her husband¡¯s directive. Sheid half of her body on the thick table.


    In a cab, Drew took the paint that her body was ustomed to. He put it next to her when he got back and took off the in dress she was wearing.


    His touch on Lily¡¯s skin caused her to tremble. She was already aroused, knowing what was going to happen next.


    ¡°A-aren¡¯t you hungry anymore?¡± she asked, gulping and trembling.


    ¡°I prefer a different food right now,¡± he murmured seriously, cing a kiss on the sensitive part of her neck. ¡°You¡¯re now a part of my daily vices, including my favorite couch-it¡¯s addicting!¡±


    She felt a solid line being painted on her back by the brush.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t stop her gasp as the cool liquid touched her skin.


    ¡°Covering your body indicates that you are mine. I¡¯ll make sure to erase every piece of shit Keh may have had of you, including your mind, Lily.¡±


    She thought he was hurrying the process because she could feel the brush moving so quickly. He left a warm kiss on her skin before he covered it with paint, finding it difficult to struggle with the desire that began to rise inside her belly. The strokes he put on her body aroused her inner heat.


    Drew bit her behind, causing her to whimper. It was painful and arousing at the same time. She could feel his intense gaze while he parted her legs, taking off the thin triangr fabric covering her pussy.


    ¡°You are so fucking wet as always¡­¡± he groaned.


    Even with the table supporting her torso, her leg wavered.


    ¡°Do you want my tongue, my finger, or my cock?¡± Drew kissed her inner thigh, waiting for an answer.


    Lily couldn¡¯t respond because she was being visited with pleasure after pondering what he was about to do. Her leg shook uncontrobly.


    ¡°Answer me, Lily¡­ No secrets between us; you own me.¡±


    ¡°I want all. I need all of them!¡± she said shamelessly.


    His hot breath crept into her entrance when he whispered, ¡°Haaahhh¡­ You¡¯ve been greedy, Lilian.¡± He breathed into her silky, sensitive knob.From N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hmmmmh¡­¡± Lily let out a suppressed moan.


    Lily sensed his finger entering her body to make her lose herself even more. Then his tongue wriggled into the heart of her delicate flesh. Theck of something to grip on the table forced her to clench her hand, while a thousand tickles surged up in her nerves.


    ¡°Drew¡­¡± It was as if she was pleading. Reaching the height of her glory, she turned her head to give him a slight nce. And as though to tell her to calm down, he stroked her leg. ¡°Ahhh¡­ yes!¡±


    She couldn¡¯t take it anymore. Just when she felt that she could no longer hold back her orgasm, he stopped. He stood up gasping, and then both of his hands caressed her wet-painted shoulders.


    ¡°You are mine, Lily!¡± His eyes narrowed, covering her lips.


    She felt the stickiness of the paint when he spread it across her back using both of his hands. He wrapped her hair despite having the paint in his hands to perfectly seize her lips while leaning against the table, but she no longer gave a damn. Their tongues danced while pleasure waved over her body.


    She wants Drew! She wants all of him!


    She felt his hardness poking into her entrance, making her moan. Then it gave her a shock when he abruptly thrust inside her to merge their bodies together.


    ¡°God!¡± Lily eximed. Drew gave her skin a sensitive kiss while she tightly closed her eyes. Then, he roamed his other hand over her nipple, sharing the gooey paint on her chest while ramming her pussy as if it were theirst.


    ¡°I want to cover you with my trace and fuck you senseless every day!¡± he growled.


    ¡°Ahhhh¡­ Drew! Please slower¡­¡± She couldn¡¯t handle his fast and violent thrust. She had already reached her cum, and once again, she was at her breaking point. Too much passion had caused her eyes to moisten and be blurred. A peculiar pleasure surged through her body, and she didn¡¯t know how to stop it.


    He followed her ecstasy, slowly shoving his cock in and out of her.


    Moving his chest away from her as she leaned against the table, he spread the wet paint with both of his palms on her back until they reached her round butt. This wasn¡¯t helping her at all; whether he moved quickly or slowly, she was experiencing mental instability.


    ¡°I can see from this view how perfect we are, Lily¡­ You ept my cock perfectly.¡±


    ¡°Babe, I can¡¯t¡­¡± she begged. Both of them moaned with the sudden urge of arousal.


    He kissed her on the cheek with his hot, heavy breath. After that, she was given a hug and brought to their favorite couch to share the paint on its leather.


    ***


    The next day, Drew came into the office. He was interested in finding out what Lily and Jenny had discussed the previous day.


    ¡°Boss Drew, here are the files that Ms. Sarah asked me to do.¡±


    ¡°You did great, Jenny! Aren¡¯t you struggling in my office?¡±


    ¡°No! I¡¯m enjoying it because I could easily be with you.¡±


    Drew observed that she had several of her clothing buttons undone, exposing her flesh and bra. It¡¯s not hard to know what the woman¡¯s objective was-she was trying to seduce him.


    ¡°You like me, huh?¡±


    ¡°Of course! That¡¯s why I applied to be your secretary. Is there any chance to¡­ you know¡­ we y fire again?¡±


    Drew let out a hard sigh. ¡°You made it sound like we had amitted rtionship before.¡±


    Jenny winced.


    He wanted to know the woman¡¯s true motivations, so he stated, ¡°I heard your husband was having issues with his grandfather¡¯s business. Is that why you applied for a job in my office? You want to hire me as his investor?¡±


    ¡°No! Of course not!¡± Jenny shook her head constantly. ¡°I really want to be with you. I really do!¡±


    With a serious tone, Drew asked, ¡°Yesterday, what did you tell my wife, Jenny?¡±


    She pouted her lips, trying to act cute. ¡°I told her we had a rtionship. Don¡¯t get me wrong, Drew, your wife is so boring! She¡¯s tasteless for sure!¡±


    He didn¡¯t express how angry he was about her statement, but questioned whether he appeared to be a married man who was notmitted to his marriage, which made him feel disappointed in himself.


    Holding back the annoyance, he said, ¡°You are right. But there is nothing I can do. I married her.¡±


    ¡°But if there was no way for them to find out, ying with your sweet and delicate ex-women wasn¡¯t against thew, right?¡± She drew herself closer, focusing on her rounded, perky tits.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Do you want to be in a rtionship with me?¡± he asked, moving slightly away.


    Jenny¡¯s face lit up. ¡°Of course!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then. You¡¯ll be my woman.¡±


    ***


    The weekend has arrived.


    Lily plucked up the courage to go to the coffee shop she and Danica had discussed because she was curious about her new friend. She wasn¡¯t certain whether being her friend would put her at risk once more, but Drew was right-this was her best challenge.


    She did nothing to Brian, and between the two of them, he was the one who had behaved badly towards her. Brian was the one who spread rumors about her, causing her to drop out of college. Considering the school¡¯s reputation, rumors about her having sex with five men were a grave sin.


    Orion moved away from Lily as soon as she walked into the cafe and sat down near the floor-to-ceiling ss window.


    ¡°Lily!¡± Danica waved at her with a delighted smile.


    While the youngdy was sending her a positive vibe, she could see Brian¡¯s shocked expression, as if he had just seen a ghost.


    ¡°Babe, she was the friend and a ssmate who often helped me in ss.¡±


    Lily came to the conclusion that Danica was unaware of her boyfriend¡¯s past at that point. It felt like a big nail was plucked from her chest when she learned this fact. Observing Brian¡¯s expression, he was inly the one who was currently anxious and possibly terrified. That gave Lily some courage. Between the two of them, it appeared like he was in difficulty.


    As if it was their first encounter, Lily greeted him, ¡°Nice to meet you!¡±


    His Adam¡¯s apple rolled. ¡°I-it¡¯s nice meeting you too.¡±


    Lily gazed down at his hand, which was slightly shaking on the table. She secretly raised the corner of her lip. If he had yed with her emotions back then, it appeared she could now pay him back.


    While battling her fear against the couple, Lily did not know that she would be having issues with her husband.

 Obligation

    Apart from the project they were working on in ss, Brian would be Lily and Danica¡¯s first client as interior designers. She will therefore see her young friend more frequently.


    Although Lily believed Brian was the person who dealt her the final blow and caused her to stop studying, she knew he was the safest among his friends.


    He sat seriously on the other side of the table, giving her a scrutinizing look.


    ¡°He purchased an apartment close to his agency. Lily, I truly wanted to help him.¡± Danica stared at her with her hands sped together to give the impression that she was sincerely hoping that it was okay with her.


    ¡°Babe, perhaps I can ask someone to help me decorate it. Aren¡¯t you working on another project?¡± stated Brian, who was clearly anxious to meet Lily.


    Danica made a pouty face. ¡°Eh, I wanted to help you, and aren¡¯t you proud that I will set up your future home-Lily and I will take care of that; we already made an agreement about it.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Her boyfriend¡¯s jaw clenched, holding back whatever he had in mind.


    ¡°Perhaps your boyfriend was just worried because it will fill up our schedule,¡± Lily interrupted with a serious tone.


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡±


    ¡°Hmph! Don¡¯t you trust me?¡± asked Danica, who was always showing her cutesy voice.


    ¡°Of course not, babe. It¡¯s just¡­¡± Brian took his nce at her, which made Lily slightly raise her eyebrow.


    Danica exchanged her nces with the two of them. ¡°Do you know, Lily?¡±


    ¡°No! I don¡¯t know her!¡± Brian quickly denied it.


    Lily could see Brian¡¯s throat gulping, adding to her amusement. She could smell the man¡¯s intense anxiety with her presence around. She was curious as to why. Is this how Drew maniptes the feelings of those he toys around with?


    ¡°Mhiato for Danica!¡± a server called out from behind the counter, leading Danica to briefly leave their side.


    ¡°Ooops! There¡¯s our coffee!¡±


    The young woman quickly stood up towards the counter. Brian seized Lily¡¯s arm and yanked her in close, but not so close that they could attract undue attention from others. Nevertheless, it rmed Orion. She gave him a knowing nce while indicating, ¡®I¡¯m fine.¡¯


    ¡°Stay away from my girlfriend, Lily! I¡¯m warning you!¡± Brian whispered in a warning tone, while his eyes were threatening.


    She pushed his hand away, gripping her frail arm. ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to? Danica has been a wonderful friend and ssmate, and I did nothing wrong with her. If anyone needs to avoid her, it¡¯s not me!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve gotten bold, you fucking bitch!¡± he snarled, gritting his teeth.


    Lily was used to swearing by Brian and his friends, so it didn¡¯t bother her. ¡°Does Danica know?¡±


    Brian¡¯s eyes were filled with threat as he said, ¡°No! And you don¡¯t fucking say anything to her.¡±


    Brian adjusted the way he was seated. They both regained theirposure when Lily glimpsed his girlfriend returning out of the corner of her eye. She found Brian¡¯s difort amusing, and her satisfaction came from seeing how ufortable he was.


    Danica is obviously important to Brian, based on his behavior. But if Lily had to make a decision, she would prefer her friend to date a different, nice man. Since Lily was aware of how evil Keh¡¯s friends were, Danica should avoid bing intimately acquainted with any of them.


    Danica sat next to Lily and frowned at her boyfriend.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be too childish!¡±mented Brian.


    ¡°You are the childish one! You told me you loved me! It¡¯s just a little thing I¡¯m asking of you. Is it bad if we remodel your ce?¡±


    Brian was obviously contemting because of his girlfriend¡¯s sulking.


    ¡°It¡¯s better that you two talk and figure this out. I¡¯ll go first.¡±


    She made the decision to depart first since she didn¡¯t want to be involved in the couple¡¯s ¡®minor¡¯ issue. Right now, what matters most is that she received the information she needed to know-her friendship with Danica was sincere.


    Danica is sweet and lovable, and she would definitely hurt Lily if she found their friendship a lie. She doesn¡¯t want to be deceived by another individual.


    Lily discovered her father¡¯s car settling in front of the coffee shop when she exited the premises. Its driver may be seen waiting for her outside while dressed in a uniform.


    ¡°Ms. Lily,¡± greeted the driver.


    Fear automatically filled Lily¡¯s body.


    ¡°Boss Martin wants your presence at the mansion,¡± the driver said softly. Whenpared to thest time they spoke, the way he treated her now seemed odd.


    ¡°Did you follow me here?¡±


    He gave a nod. ¡°The boss informed me that you already understand the consequences of disobeying.¡±


    Lily¡¯s throat constricted when she heard this. She instantly recalled being beaten by her father.  What can she do? It was apparent that she was his daughter and had responsibilities as a Martin. She appeared to be a faceless robot when Orion prevented her from getting into the car. He shed a warning look at the driver.


    ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Orion asked Lily.


    ¡°I have been summoned to our house.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°No! I have a stern order from Boss Drew to look out for you!¡±


    ¡°Sir, Mr. Martin summoned Ms. Lily. My boss just wants to talk to her,¡± interrupted the driver.


    ¡°Orion, I¡¯m fine.¡± She didn¡¯t want to cause trouble for Drew. Mr. Martin reminded her that she still has an obligation as his daughter. She made an effort to reassure the bodyguard that she was fine by saying, ¡°Come on, he¡¯s my father.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid! I¡¯ve been watching you for a while, and not even once did your father attempt to check on you, so don¡¯t give me that fucking excuse!¡±


    Lily held his hand to reassure the man that everything was alright.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Lily finally got into the car. She sped her palm and hoped nothing bad would happen to her.


    Her actions enraged Orion, who was left on the roadside to watch the car leaving.


    ***


    Being safe in the hands of the Martin Family is something miraculous.


    Lily received a violent p from Mr. Martin, causing her body to copse onto the carpeted floor.


    ¡°I provided for you for several years! You seem to have forgotten that I am your father, and your body is covered with my blood! Keep in mind that I gave you what you needed to survive, and if I¡¯ve abandoned you for so long, you¡¯re probably not in a good ce.¡± He kicked her, still lying on the ground, out of frustration.


    Lily was trembling in fright; she whimpered.


    ¡°You stupid wench!¡± The man mmed his cane into Lily¡¯s back.


    Lily couldn¡¯t recall how many times she curled her body on that floor, trembling in terror and attempting to contain her tears because it would enrage her father further.


    ¡°Honey, calm down¡­ your heart¡­¡± her stepmother interrupted him, and then added to the fire of his father¡¯s rage by asking, ¡°Lily, what this nonsense did you do?¡±


    ¡°Do you really believe you can get away from me just because you married Drew Walton? Ha! Think again! Have you forgotten what we discussed?! You wouldn¡¯t live in luxury if we hadn¡¯t given birth to you!¡±


    Lily¡¯s lips trembled uncontrobly as she took another hard blow to her leg.


    Her father kept talking. ¡°Drew asked me to release you as my daughter. Did you think it was that simple when I had you marry him so I could get a little wealth from his family? That¡¯s your sole responsibility as my foolish daughter!¡±


    It shocked Lily. She was unaware of Drew¡¯s ns.


    As her thoughts wandered about her husband, Mr. Martin struck her again. When her father gets mad like this, Lily knows that she will most likely be the one who receives the punishment, and no one can stop him from beating her.


    He hit her on the back¡­ on the leg¡­ He could feel all the physical pain.


    In the beginning, she could cry until her heart and body became numb. This is the kind of father she had. To this day, she still hoped he would treat her the same way he did when her mother was around.


    She was unaware that the door opened abruptly and Drew furiously burst in.


    ¡°Lily!¡±


    He approached her with aggressive steps. Her thoughts were hazy. The blurry vision obstructed her eyes, and all she remembered was his attractive face before it got dark.


    ***


    ¡°I fucking warned you, did I?¡± Drew shouted; his voice growled into Martin¡¯s entire mansion. He put all of his ns on hold that day to visit the Martins¡¯ house when Orion informed him that his wife had received an order from her father.


    ¡°Hmm¡­ did you really think you could easily cut your ties with me?¡± Mr. Martin asked with a challenging tone.


    ¡°I paid you for Lily¡¯s freedom!¡± Drew yelled.


    Upon witnessing his wife bleeding, he wanted to attack the man. His heart clenched at the sight. He assured his wife that he¡¯d protect her!


    Mr. Martin ignored him, saying, ¡°Son, why did you think your grandfather chose Lily as your wife?¡±


    He had no idea! That unexpected question also made him wonder. Compared to Walton¡¯s wealth, Lily¡¯s family has nothing. His grandfather had the option of choosing the wealthiest and the prettiest woman in this world to be his wife, but he settled on Lily.


    Drew no longer gave a damn about the cause. He walked quickly toward the door while holding Lily in his arms.


    ¡°Because Lily is lovable!¡± he responded to the question. That was the only justification he coulde up with.


    Hisments almost caused the curious maids to fall.


    He turned around and gave Mr. Martin a menacing look. ¡°We aren¡¯t finished, Mr. Martin! And please be reminded that I am not your son!¡± he said before finally stepping out of the residence.


    He stared at his unconscious wife while his body shook with uncontroble rage.


    ¡®He¡¯ll pay! I will make him pay!¡¯

 Tip of an Iceberg

    ¡°You, stupid wench!¡± Mr. Martin yelled with his eyes ring at Lily.


    ¡°Keep in mind that there would be a cost associated with every freedom, Lily¡­ You are na?ve!¡±


    ¡°A fool like you can¡¯t escape from me!¡± her father¡¯s voice continued to resound against her ear


    No, Dad! Lily extended her hand to her father so she could feel his warmth. Instead, she received a hard blow from his cane. He repeated until her thin body became numb.


    ¡°No, no, nooooo!¡± Lily sobbed, getting up from her nightmare. She gave herself a hug and began to act insane, frantically stroking her arm and leg, which were now hurting.


    ¡°Lily!¡± said Drew.


    Lily appeared to be living in her own world as she reyed the sequences of her nightmare. Her body was trembling constantly, and her eyes remained bulging while she kept wiping her body.


    ¡°Mr. Walton, hold her. Her wound will swell even more,¡± instructed the doctor, who was present in the room.


    ¡°Babe, calm down¡­¡± Drew stopped her hands from moving.


    ¡°D-Drew?¡± Her whole body shivered as she tried to recognize him. Tears streamed down her face, and she struggled to recover from her bad dream. Her husband caressed her back while she sobbed. In Drew¡¯s presence, Lily consistently experienced a profound sense of security.


    Whenever he was close, her chest would warm, as if he possessed the unique ability to bring herfort.


    Before allowing the doctor to proceed with another examination, Drew ensured that Lily had a moment topose herself. Just as the doctor was about to administer medicine to her leg, Drew intervened and halted the process.


    ¡°Let me¡­¡±


    The doctor gave Drew the medication in his hand right away. ¡°I¡¯ll go now, Mr. Walton. Please phone me if Mrs. Walton requires additional medical attention but getting her to the hospital is much better. I¡¯ll be returning to check on her in a couple of days.¡±


    Drew¡¯s brows furrowed when he nodded.


    Orion, who was equally upset, responded, ¡°I¡¯ll send the doctor out, boss.¡±


    ¡°You could go home as well. You can rest and I¡¯ll take care of Lily,¡± her husband said.


    Drew made the decision for the two of them in thefort of their home, even as Lily continued to sob. Gently, he shifted her head to rest on his leg, his long fingers delicately stroking her hair to offerfort with each tender touch.


    ¡°Why did you go there, Lily? Why didn¡¯t you let Orion defend you?¡± asked Drew. She could feel Drew¡¯s irritation, but he restrained himself from getting angry at her.


    ¡°B-because he¡¯s my father, Drew. Did you not yearn for your father¡¯s affection?¡±


    For years, she yearned for her father¡¯s love. He was the sole recipient of her affection after her mother¡¯s passing and before her marriage. Lily had always aspired to be cherished by her father in return for embracing the role of his daughter.


    Why did his attitude toward her suddenly change?


    Drew answered Lily¡¯s question. ¡°My dad¡­ He¡¯s a scumbag! He might have a personality that is simr to your father¡¯s. So, my answer is ¡®no¡¯! I never once demanded that he consider me as his son. One of my attitudes that makes me think of him makes me really detest it. He¡¯s a womanizer. I frequently saw my mother sobbing as a result of his various mistresses¡­


    ¡°Until one day, my mom lost it! She went crazy. I¡¯ve always understood that too much love is crazy. Even with my friends-¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence, holding back furtherment while clenching his jaw.


    That piqued Lily¡¯s interest.


    His friends¡­


    Other than Finn, Kori, Orion, and Lauren, he doesn¡¯t regard anyone else as a friend. Does he have another friend who has likewise lost his mind to love?


    ¡°Your father, is he still alive?¡± Lily asked curiously. It was the first time she had heard of Drew¡¯s father, and she didn¡¯t know whether Drew still had parents. She had only spoken to Drew¡¯s grandfather, Master Walton, who had raised him and had ast say in all matters.


    ***


    Applying the ointment, Drew tenderly soothed Lily¡¯s swollen cheeks. The crimson marks, apanied by a faint bluish bruise on her face, stirred a sense of unease within him. Despite his promise to protect her, she ended up injured.


    Contemting Lily¡¯s question led Drew to reflect on his past. He harbored an enduring resentment toward his father for the role he yed in his mother¡¯s demise. She struggled with anxiety, dissatisfaction in her marriage, and mental incapacity in her final days, ultimately sumbing to these challenges. This tragic experience shaped Drew¡¯smitment to loving only one woman for the rest of his life.


    ¡°I don¡¯t fucking know where my father is, and I have absolutely no intention of finding him. I¡¯ve removed him from my senses. Let¡¯s forget about myself, Lily. I understand you are Mr. Martin¡¯s daughter and that you may feel obligated to make up for that shithead in your life. But Lily, as your father, he has that duty.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I truly do feel that way, Drew. But I love my father dearly. Even if he continues to view me as being useless, even if he¡¯s just using me.¡±


    Drew¡¯s chest squeezed even more as she cried.


    ¡°No matter how much physical suffering he causes me, I love my dad, Drew¡­¡±


    ¡°What if he doesn¡¯t intend to reciprocate your love despite your continued love for him?¡±


    ¡°I will keep waiting for him as his daughter, no matter how much it hurts.¡±


    Drew¡¯s fist clenched as he struggled with hisck of tolerance for his father, finding himself envious of Lily for her contrasting attitude. The sound of her pitiful sobs felt like a dagger being driven into his chest. The desire to either confront Mr. Martin or set fire to his home burned within him.


    All he could do was bide his time until the proper moment for retribution!


    Later, as he began to apply medication to his wife¡¯s other bruised body parts, each bruise his fingersnded on caused his chest to constrict. He couldn¡¯t help but grit his teeth in a seething rage.


    After a few minutes, his wife began to calm down. He ensured that Lily was asleep before heading to his personal office on the third floor. He called his grandfather, who was resting in their mansion, to report a few events that had transpired in their office.


    During the call, he broached the topic of his marriage to Lily. ¡°Grandpa, can you tell me why you chose Lily to be my wife?¡±


    His grandpa had obviously heard the puzzlement he had when he asked this question. ¡°Because she¡¯s good; she¡¯s the appropriate choice! Is your marriage with her not going well?¡±


    ¡°No! We¡¯re fine. I asked because I knew that you and Mr. Martin didn¡¯t get along well, either. I mean¡­ For sure, you wouldn¡¯t want to get close to him or have him join your family. What are you gaining from their family? In this marriage, you won¡¯t really gain anything financially.¡±


    ¡°All I need right now is his support, so I have to treat him like a member of my family. And why exactly do you think I receive nothing? Instead of going out to parties, your marriage made you stay at home! You might end up like your dad if I didn¡¯t let you wed Lily!¡±


    After Master Walton named his father, he balled his fist. ¡°You know that I don¡¯t like him! We are not alike!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    His grandfather huffed. ¡°But you didn¡¯t notice that you had several women with you in the past, right?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m different! I paid those women! They have no duty to love me, and I have no responsibility to them!¡± He became enraged because his grandfather had made him appear like his father. Didn¡¯t he understand that was why he preferred to hire a woman before?


    ¡°But what about Lily? She¡¯s your wife and having sex with her is a necessary part of your marriage. Did you also see her as a woman who was being paid, in which case she wasn¡¯t obligated to love you?¡±


    This simply increased Drew¡¯s wrath and made his veins obvious on his neck. ¡°Lily won¡¯t ever be one of those women because she is my wife; even if we separated one day, there would be no harm done because we understand one another.¡±


    ¡°But, Drew, that is what I was asking. Does she reallyprehend where she is in your life? I¡¯d like it if she loved you!¡±


    ¡°That is no longer your concern, Grandpa! Bye!¡±


    He gritted his teeth in irritation. Instead of receiving any helpful information from his grandfather, all he got was a source of displeasure. He remembered his grandfather emphasizing the importance of Mr. Martin¡¯s assistance. But for what? The Martin¡¯s manufacturing business wasn¡¯t that substantial.


    What exactly was his grandfather¡¯s true motivation?


    ***


    At the Walton Mansion¡­


    Drew¡¯s elderly grandfather reclined in hisfortable chair, satisfied with the knowledge he had gathered from the investigation about his grandson and Lily. It pleased him to learn that Drew often stayed at home and refrained from engaging in intimate rtionships with any woman.


    The butler continued to observe him.


    ¡°What?¡± he inquired.


    ¡°Master, Ms. Lily visited their house this afternoon, and Master Drew witnessed Mr. Martin beating her¡­ ording to our investigation, Master Drew intended to end the rtionship between Ms. Lily and her father.¡±


    With a sigh, Master Waltonmented, ¡°He thought that ¡®scum¡¯ would easily ept releasing Lily from his ws!¡± Referring to Mr. Martin as the jackass.


    ¡°I am doing this for Drew¡¯s sake, but it seems like he wasn¡¯t aware at all! Invite him and Lily over here; I want to see how strong their rtionship is.¡±


    The butler nodded stoically, concealing his emotions, aware that Lily was the most ignorant yer in the game. The diligent butler could only hope that Drew would safeguard Lily until the very end. As the couple only perceived whaty on the surface, akin to the visible portion of a colossal iceberg, the substantial and potentially perilous half remained concealed beneath the murky water¡­


    It would undoubtedly cause pain for both of them.

 The Motive

    CHAPTER 22: The Motive


    When Lily awoke, the entire cityy shrouded in darkness. Pain shot through her flesh, prompting a wince as she realized her body was covered in bruises. The difort extended to her heart, making her uneasy.


    Summoning her strength, she forced herself to rise and immersed her body in a tub filled with ice. This act, reminiscent of her childhood when she sought relief from beatings by her father, was a familiar remedy. Closing her eyes, she tried to discern the sensation in her numb body. The heartache was overwhelming, and tears began to stream down her face. The depth of her anguish prevented her from registering the chilliness of the water.


    The heartache¡­


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡­¡± she heard Drew say after finding her in the bathroom. She didn¡¯t hear him walk in.


    The man approached her and caressed her tear-stained cheek.


    ¡°Don¡¯t cry, baby.¡± He could hardly breathe and seemed to be wounded by her condition. After assisting her get out of the tub, he dried her off with a towel. ¡°Until you feel better, you spend a few days at home.¡±


    ¡°I have to go to ss. I¡¯m also working on a project with Danica.¡±


    ¡°At least for two days, Lily. Please don¡¯t be stubborn anymore.¡±


    ¡°What if I fail my ss?¡±


    ¡°Well, you will enroll once more in the subsequent ss, until you pass and graduate.¡±


    ¡°Do you worry that I may be a burden to you?¡±


    ¡°You are not a burden; don¡¯t think too much.¡±


    She fell silent, uncertain if she could even venture out in her current state. Was he prepared to support her for a lifetime?


    Drew attended to Lily for the next few hours. After carefully cleansing her body, he assisted her in changing into afortable dress. Her husband even took the time to blow-dry her long hair.


    How could she suppress her emotions when this man made her feel like the most important person in the world?


    ¡°If you have any ns to visit your father, phone me and I will go with you. You are no longer going to the Martin household alone,¡± he muttered.


    Lily nodded in response. He carried her and then carefully took her to the dining area.


    He whispered quivering, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they are going to pay, Lily.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± She touched his cheek to calm the man down.


    ¡°How can you say that? Your monster father beat you until you lost consciousness. Look at yourself. I feel like I¡¯m useless!¡±


    ¡°This will be thest time.¡±


    ¡°Of course! I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you any longer. Do you remember what I said before? You are my wife; if they embarrass you, it¡¯s like they did the same to me.¡± He offered her a fresh ss of milk and said, ¡°This will make you feel better.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said weakly.


    ¡°What do you want to eat? I will cook for you.¡±


    ¡°This milk is fine.¡± She smiled simply at the attention she was getting from him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll toast the bread.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for her to respond. He was desperate for her to eat something. Lily watched Drew¡¯s back.


    The prospect of their separation would undoubtedly weigh heavily on her. Whether she admitted it or not, Drew always upied a significant space in her heart, regardless of the self-restraint she exercised.


    ***


    A few dayster, Drew and Lily paid a visit to Master Walton¡¯s estate. Drew proposed the idea of visiting his grandfather as a means to shift their mental state temporarily and set aside their troubles.


    Even though Drew didn¡¯t explicitly express it, Lily discerned that her husband harbored a desire to see the elderly gentleman as well.


    The Walton family¡¯s mansion is situated in a nearby city, boasting a verdant garden adorned with various nts and well-manicured grass. The interior reveals high ceilings adorned with a sparkling crystal chandelier and an expansive living space. The pristine condition of the surroundings is a clear indication of meticulous care by the housekeepers, a point emphasized by Drew, who attests to his grandfather¡¯s preference for an impably maintained home.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen you in a long time, Lily,¡± said Master Walton, smiling at her. ¡°I heard that your father hurt you. Are you alright?¡± He examined a few of the evident bruises that had left traces on her skin.


    ¡°Grandpa, of course, what that person did to my wife wasn¡¯t right!¡± Upon hearing him recalling the recent event, her husband was obviously enraged.


    Lily squeezed his arm to calm him down and then smiled simply at him.


    Drew went on to say, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Lily, I would have reported that shameless man to the police for abusing my wife.¡±


    The old man winced. ¡°Aiist! If you take that course of action, the Walton Group could face serious implications. Do you really want to thrust yourselves back into the spotlight by publicly using your own father-inw and making headlines? Allow me to intervene and try to persuade that scum to step away from causing trouble for both of you.¡±


    ¡°I hope he stays away from us forever!¡±


    Master Walton proceeded to inquire about her health while ignoring Drew. In the presence of Drew and his grandfather, her emotions softened. They clearly cared about her, which is extremely different from how they handled her at the Martin Residence.


    In an effort to regainposure, she excused herself and headed to thedies¡¯ restroom.


    ¡°I¡¯ll ask the maids to prepare dinner,¡± said Master Walton.


    Drew, who was inly concerned, asked, ¡°Are you sure you¡¯re the only one going to the restroom?¡±


    ¡°Look at this man! Lily is a Walton! She should get used to this mansion!¡± The old man criticized his grandson.


    Lily lost interest in the ongoing banter between the two and shifted her focus towards finding the restroom. On her way back from thedies¡¯ room, she traversed the corridor, passing a spacious open room.


    A particr photograph caught her attention ¨C a teenage picture of Drew disyed prominently on the wall. Intrigued, she decided to explore the room, drawn not only by curiosity but also by its pristine white ambiance.


    The room exuded a monochromatic elegance; every element, from the walls to the leather couch, the grand piano, and the adjacent chair, was painted in a pristine white. The sole exception was the oversized painting adorning one wall, portraying a family of three.


    Drew, unmistakably younger, stood out in the portrait, apanied by a stunning woman adorned with red lipstick and a fur coat, as well as a man in his early forties who bore a striking resemnce to Lily¡¯s husband. Intrigued, Lily scrutinized the details of the artwork that had captured her attention.


    ¡®I guess that was his dad and mom.¡¯


    However, when staring at the woman, particrly at her eyes, it appeared as though Lily was the focus of her attention. She gasps because the painting seems to be alive.


    ¡°Miss Lily?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Lily shrieked after being startled. Her heart jumped in nervousness. When she turned around, she saw the butler of the mansion.


    ¡°I¡¯ll apologize for frightening you. Master Walton wanted this room to be neat, but the maid failed totch the door after she finished cleaning. Moreover, family members are not allowed to enter this room.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± It confused Lily.


    ¡®Why are they forbidden? Why not simply toss the items away and remodel the room so that someone else can use it if this is prohibited?¡¯


    However, it is not for her to concern herself with what they want to do.


    ¡°Okay. I-I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°No problem.¡± The butler made sure that she wouldn¡¯t wander around the mansion again, so he personally escorted her back.


    Lily thought about asking him while walking because she just couldn¡¯t stop her curiosity.


    ¡°Why is that room forbidden?¡± Lily asked.


    ¡°That is madam¡¯s favorite room,¡± he replied, referring to Drew¡¯s mother.


    ¡°Oh!¡±


    He continued, ¡°She lost her life there, too. Because the master has superstitions about some things, the chamber is no longer permitted to be used, especially by the family.¡±


    They were already back in the dining room, making her stop wondering. Her husband gave her a simple sweet smile after seeing her.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Lily thanked the emotionless butler.


    Observing how well they got along, his grandfather said, ¡°You two seem to be getting along well. Are you nning to start a family? Are you pregnant?¡±


    Drew almost choked, drinking his water. ¡°Grandpa, why do you want us to be parents right soon when we¡¯ve just been married for a few months? We have other ns, and you know I don¡¯t want kids.¡±


    The elderly man bantered without hesitation. ¡°Because my only concern is determining when I¡¯ll cease regarding you as my grandchild, recing your own child!¡±


    Lily concealed her smile. She employs birth control pills to prevent pregnancy since she and Drew aren¡¯t ready for any additional responsibilities. Parenthood isn¡¯t part of their current agenda, especially given the shared conflicts and hardships they both experience.


    Master Walton kept a silent eye on her. Lily was unaware that the old man had asked directly whether or not they intended to be parents in order to find out the truth about their rtionship.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.

 Toxic

    After the visit to the Walton Mansion, Lily stayed at home. While resting, she caught up on her schoolwork and the project she coborated on with Danica.


    ¡°Are you okay?¡± Danica inquired over the phone. Shey on the reclining chair beside the pool, watching the orange sky with a hint of blue turning nighttime.Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I got sick, but I think I¡¯ll be better by tomorrow. We will discuss the project once I return. In the meantime, I¡¯ll find a client, so don¡¯t worry.¡±


    Her friend on the other line sighed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand why Brian doesn¡¯t want me to be friends with you. He stated he would only agree to let me refurbish his new apartment if you weren¡¯t my partner.¡±


    Because your boyfriend is a scumbag, Lily wanted to say.


    ¡°Just let him be.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure you weren¡¯t Brian¡¯s ex-girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Of course not!¡± Where did Danica get this idea? The thought cringed her.


    ¡°Whew! Thank goodness! He doesn¡¯t want us to be friends, and that¡¯s the only exnation I cane up with.¡±


    For Danica, she felt sorrow. What would she do once she learned the truth?


    When the doorbell rang, she nced via the surveince camera to see Lauren¡¯s figure standing outside their house. For several weeks, she hadn¡¯t seen the woman. ¡°I have to cut this call! I have a visitor.¡±


    ¡°Okay! Take care, Lily! Love you. Bye!¡±


    After speaking to Danica, she smiled. Lily felt bad that her friend ended up dating Brian because the woman was so kind and sweet. If only Danica was aware of her boyfriend¡¯s cheap character.


    ¡°Hi!¡± she greeted Lauren.


    The woman drew forward and gave her a warm hug while kissing her cheek. ¡°I brought food because I had heard you needed to stay at home because you were ill. Where is Drew? Why did he leave you alone?¡±


    ¡°He said he had to take care of something at the office, and Orion, unfortunately, abroad,¡± Lily reasoned.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve begun seeking clients. That will cause a conflict in your ss, don¡¯t you think?¡±


    ¡°Yeah! Because I have this friend at school; she¡¯s energetic and ambitious. She¡¯s the one who encouraged me to start the business. For the time being, we are only epting clients, but if our idea is a sess, we¡¯ll keep trying to make this a reality. I see nothing wrong with it. At least I can help Drew. Regarding the ss, I don¡¯t have a hard timebining it with this project. I¡¯m enjoying both of them.


    ¡°That¡¯s good! Looks like your rtionship with Drew is better now.¡± Lauren smiled with a tease.


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡± she replied with a heated face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry; I will rmend you to my brother. He¡¯s an engineer and is seeking an interior designer for his new client, as far as I know. This client is a VIP, so he is quite cautious and particr about several details. Maybe you could help him.¡±


    ¡°Wow! You have a brother? But isn¡¯t asking your brother for help going overboard?¡± She didn¡¯t want to appear like she was taking advantage of her husband¡¯s friend.


    ¡°Obviously not! Avoid thinking in that way! Lily, you¡¯re doing great! I was incredibly impressed by what you did to this home. The painted walls are gorgeous. I also appreciate the colorful abstract couch, which changes into a different painting style each time I visit.¡±


    She assumed Lauren was unaware of Drew¡¯s habit of using the couch as his preferred canvas. It was a secret between them. When she thought of the messy things that urred on that couch, her cheeks became even hotter. It turns out that they haven¡¯t finished painting it yet, since they frequently exhaust their strength during sex.


    ¡°Thank you for thepliment,¡± she said. ¡°I also want to thank you because I loved the clothes, we purchased the previous time.¡±


    ¡°You can go to Kori¡¯s shop sometime if you need help to choose your new set of clothes. We have the best personal shoppers.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! Do you want a snack?¡±


    Her cell phone beeped and nced at Drew¡¯s message.


    ¡®I¡¯ll being homete; I have to take care of something.¡¯


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it Drew?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°Yeah. He said he had to attend to something, so I suppose we won¡¯t be eating together this time.¡±


    ¡°Thene with me! This would be a great opportunity to introduce you to my brother.¡±


    Lily epted the woman¡¯s offer because she felt too embarrassed to decline. Consequently, she had grown ustomed to having dinner with Drew. Eating alone must be a lonely experience.


    ***


    ¡°Nice meeting you!¡± Lily greeted Lauren¡¯s brother.


    Lily thought they were roughly the same age, if not a year or two apart in age. He is a tall, tanned, and lean man-a perfect specimen of a man. They met him after he finished his business meeting at a hotel.


    ¡°He¡¯s Kael,¡± said Lauren, before turning to her brother. ¡°She is Drew Walton¡¯s wife, Lily. She is seeking a client, and I thought I¡¯d introduce her to you because you are also looking for an interior designer.¡±


    His eyebrows puckered and raised. ¡°Drew¡¯s wife? Interesting.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Lauren asked in annoyance.


    The man gave her another stare. ¡°I didn¡¯t know Drew Walton got married, and the reason I said it was interesting is that she¡¯s not the kind of woman I could see marrying that person.¡±


    ¡®Arrogance!¡¯


    Why does everyone she meets who is rted to Drew initially doubt that he would wed her or think that she is too unattractive to be his wife?


    ¡°Kael, your words!¡±


    ¡°He wasn¡¯t the first to tell me that. Would you believe that even before we got married, my husband nearly puked on me? The only thing I¡¯m unsure of is whether I actually appear to be worthless even at first nce. Do you truly think I look that bad?¡± she sadly asked. ¡°That¡¯s right, even in my family¡­¡±


    She took a deep breath, holding back the words.


    Perhaps Lily was hurt because of what she had experienced in their household. The idea that she wasn¡¯t Drew¡¯s first choice stung. However, her husband did things to alleviate her anxiety. He respected and appreciated her.


    Only the people had the courage to speak out against her. Why did people behave that way? Why did they criticize things that she could not do or have?


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lily.¡± Lauren shot her brother a threatening look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I will be happy working with your brother, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She got up from her seat and looked at Kael, saying, ¡°Ie from a toxic family. So, I hope you understand.¡±


    She sauntered her way out, leaving the brother and sister behind.


    ¡°Lily!¡± She heard Lauren yell before scolding her brother. ¡°You stupid brat! Follow her and then apologize!¡±


    She left the restaurant, but she hadn¡¯t anticipated seeing her husbande out of the elevator with a woman. She couldn¡¯t identify the woman because she was wearing sunsses. Drew informed her of his schedule for the evening and mentioned that he was busy. Why is he in this ce?


    She gulped.


    Kael, who followed her, muttered, ¡°I dislike your husband because of that. Fake women appeal to him! You detest toxic people, but you share a home with the most toxic person I know!¡±

 The Investor

    Lily took her nce up to Kael Escarrer, Lauren¡¯s brother, who was currently behind her.


    ¡°I don¡¯t trust Drew Walton because he understood how to deceive weak people like my sister, especially like you. I don¡¯t even understand why my sister still believes in your husband,¡± the man muttered.


    She moved away from him. ¡°We just met; I don¡¯t need your opinion. I¡¯ve been married to Drew for a couple of months, and I have faith in him.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ¡°Oh, yeah? For sickness and in health, I see. Are you certain he isn¡¯t cheating on you right now?¡±


    ¡°Lily?¡± She turned to her husband. His appearance was dark, looking at the two of them.


    ¡°Drew?¡± Seeing him astonished Lauren, who had exited the restaurant. ¡°Why are you here? I thought you were in the office?¡±


    Drew turned sour as Lauren cast a puzzled nce at the woman standing behind him.


    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look!¡± said Drew.


    ¡°Do you know that your husband is here, Lily?¡± asked Kael, fueling her confusion.


    But she swallowed because she didn¡¯t know. Is this the reason why he said he¡¯d bete returning home? She held her chest while remaining silent and then looked away. She knew nothing about her husband¡¯s daily schedule outside their home.


    Kael sneered. ¡°It¡¯s very easy for you to judge me when you don¡¯t even know me. Anyway, I¡¯ll think about working with you because I don¡¯t like having weak people in my team.¡±


    Lauren snapped at her brother, ¡°Kael! You¡¯ve gone overboard!¡±


    Lauren¡¯s brother didn¡¯t pay them further attention. He turned and strode off.


    ¡°Drew, take Lily home!¡± said Lauren with clear displeasure at the situation.


    ¡°Boss Drew¡­¡± said the woman behind him with a pitiful look.


    Lily felt a sudden knot in her stomach as she identified the familiar voice ¨C wasn¡¯t that her husband¡¯s secretary who had visited their home? Why were they both at the hotel? rm bells rang in Lily¡¯s mind, especially considering this woman¡¯s history as one of Drew¡¯s exes. Absentmindedly, she nced toward the elevator they had just left, searching for answers.


    ¡°Lauren, please send Jenny home.¡±


    ¡°This is annoying! Just because I am not your wife, you have the right to do this! Remember that we have a rtionship!¡± Jenny shouted.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening, Drew?¡± For the first time, Lily found her voice to shoot a question.


    ¡°I¡¯m in a rtionship with your husband! We have an office rtionship!¡±


    ¡°Damn it! You better shut up!¡± her husband yelled at the woman. ¡°Don¡¯t trust her words, Lily!¡±


    ¡°What the heck is going on, Drew Walton?¡± asked Lauren. It appears that three women are grilling him.


    ¡°We would be eloping if only you hadn¡¯t caught us!¡±


    Hearing the woman¡¯s provocativements, Lily felt a tightness in her chest. For months, Drew had reassured her of his loyalty. So, what was this woman implying?


    Drew ushered her away to avoid drawing attention in the lobby. Lily remained silent, keeping her head down.


    Did she have a right toin? Not really, as their agreement had been clear.


    As thoughts swirled in Lily¡¯s mind, she refrained frommenting. Upon reaching the parking lot, Mark, her husband¡¯s driver, awaited them, clearly astonished to see her with his boss.


    Seated in silence at the back, she sensed Drew¡¯s discontent through his audible, exasperated sighs.


    ***


    Weeks ago¡­


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Do you want to have a rtionship with me?¡± Drew asked Jenny because he could feel her constant flirting with him.


    ¡°Of course!¡± the woman said in a sweet voice as her face lit up. ¡°I missed you!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then. You¡¯ll be my woman,¡± he said with a smile.


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Just kidding!¡± He quickly recovered. He avoided her and went back to his seat. He no longer has time to make nonsense with this woman. He should be apuded for his tolerance of Jenny during her employment there.


    ¡°Augh! Drew, why are you so cocky?¡± the womanined.


    ¡°Jenny, in this office, I¡¯m your boss! Get back to work!¡± he ordered with a threatening tone.


    She seemed to recognize that his satisfaction had dwindled, prompting her bossy demeanor to surface and prompting her to retreat. He shook his head. Does she think he¡¯s oblivious to the fact that her attraction is solely based on his wealth? That seems to be the case with most of the women he encounters.


    His mind, however, was preupied with Lily and her captivating scents. Just the thought of her made him stir. His pants grew tight in response. Lily had a unique presence that could easily disrupt his world. Swallowing hard, he rose to pour himself some iced water.


    Drew shook his head, acknowledging that his wife could still arouse him even when she wasn¡¯t physically present. In contrast, Jenny elicited nothing more than irritation, even if she were to undress in front of him.


    ***


    A week prior, Drew encountered a man named Oscar Yu who found himself in need of funds to reim his stocks and revitalize his business. The challengey in convincing potential investors to inject capital into apany teetering on the brink of failure. Oscar sought Drew out as a potential investor.


    Upon Oscar¡¯s entrance into Drew¡¯s office, it became evident that Oscar harbored a keen interest in Jenny. The charismatic 40-year-old businessman, blessed with striking looks, recognized the allure his wealth held for Jenny and anticipated her willingness to engage in seduction to secure his support.


    ¡°Mr. Yu, what do you think your rating would be if you rated yourself in bed?¡± enquired Drew.


    The question clearly stunned and rmed the man, who then questioned Drew¡¯s sexuality. ¡°Rate? Do you mean how skilled I am in bed?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Perhaps his visitor believed he was going insane or was too horny to ask. ¡°No offense! I was looking for the ideal man toplete a task for me, and it just so happens that your physical attributes match what I¡¯m looking for.


    ¡°5 stars out of five. I¡¯m perfect, but I don¡¯t like men. I¡¯m a straight man.¡±


    Does he think he was the person he¡¯d seduce? Drew grimaced and exined, ¡°No! I will invest in yourpany, but I want you to act as a wealthy investor of the Walton Group.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡± Oscar asked.


    ¡°Because I want you to seduce a ¡®woman¡¯. Can you do that?¡± He stressed the word woman, stopping the guest from overthinking.


    His guest appeared to be exhaling with relief. ¡°Who, and why?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say she¡¯s too yful and having her here in the office distracted me. I take my duties here at the office very seriously, and when a woman tries to seduce me, it irritates me.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s the reason why the majority of your team are men, apart from your assistant and¡­¡±


    ¡°Jenny. Jenny Cordova.¡±


    ¡°And I assume she¡¯s the target?¡± The businessman smiled widely.


    ¡°Yes. I see she caught your attention, so I¡¯m letting you woo her using my money. In addition to Jenny, I¡¯ll invest in your business, so it¡¯ll be hitting two birds in one stone.¡±


    ¡°Nice deal! I¡¯m in!¡± the man said before they shook hands.

 Throbbing

    The next day, Mr. Yu returned to Walton Group to meet with Drew once more.


    Jenny was constantly aware of Mr. Yu¡¯s persistent attention, and it had an impact on her. Just with his intense gaze, she felt a fire piercing through her body. However, she had no idea who the man was and kept herself at a distance.


    After marrying Jericho, she no longer desired to be fooled again. She believed that by marrying him and joining his family, she would lead the life everyone desired.


    Who would have guessed that her husband was a bastard from the Cordova Family, preventing him from attaining a higher position in theirpany? This hindered them from enjoying wealth while still adhering to the tiresome and strict rules of the family.


    Jenny had grown weary of dealing with her husband¡¯s family¡¯s constant criticism over her four years of marriage. She had given up her career as an escort and model just to lead this boring life.


    If only she could seduce Drew again. She was more attractive than his wife.


    She even made an attempt to speak with the club manager, to whom Drew had previously made frequent visits. However, they imed Drew had terminated his membership after he got married.


    There are no ¡®extra¡¯ activities for her boss. He either returns home or remains in his office, doing nothing except attending to his duties as their President, making everyone believe he¡¯s a loyal husband.


    Sarah came over, stopping her from specting.


    ¡°Jenny, once Boss Drew finishes his meeting with Mr. Yu, please send the guest downstairs.¡±


    ¡°Huh? Why is it me?¡± She wanted to stay as far away from the man as she could. ¡°Who was he anyway? Doesn¡¯t he know how to find his way out?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s an investor, an important guest! Also, this is an order and not a request! Remember that I am your boss!¡±


    If Sarah wasn¡¯t most of Drew¡¯s trusted employees, she would have strangled her.


    When Drew and Mr. Yu concluded their meeting, Jenny donned the persona of Walton Group¡¯s ideal employee, smiling and awaiting his departure. She sensed the warmth emanating from his body as she guided him towards the elevator. Despite feeling a surge of affection for the man, Jenny swallowed her emotions, making a conscious effort to keep them in check.


    While in the elevator, he asked, catching her off guard, ¡°Do you believe investing in the Walton Group is a wise decision? Please don¡¯t fret; I won¡¯t disclose what you shared with me to your boss.¡±


    She replied, ¡°The Walton Group is one of the wealthiest. Whether or not you invest doesn¡¯t significantly impact thepany.¡± She then recalled Jericho¡¯s recent issues. ¡°I know of a business that would make the ideal investment. Are you familiar with Cordova Construction?¡±


    With Jericho lingering in her thoughts, she initiated an illicit connection with Oscar at that point.


    After inviting her to dinner, Oscar also proposed a luxurious spa visit, a luxury she hadn¡¯t indulged in for a long time. Once she feltfortable in his presence, he gifted her an expensive bag andter jewelry-things she hadn¡¯t received during her marriage. This led her to the conclusion that it would be best to end her rtionship with Jericho.


    The emotions and attractions she felt for Oscar were genuine-that¡¯s what she believed.


    ***


    Drew¡¯s strategies worked well. Despite knowing each other for just a week, Jenny seemed to be overwhelmed by the gifts Oscar provided her.


    Jenny believed Oscar to be a wealthy Chinese businessman. Given the size of the firm Oscar ran, she had no concerns. However, she was unaware that if Drew refused to support him, hispany would be at risk of failure.


    Oscar informed Drew of the details he learned about Jericho from Jenny. While ying tricks on Jericho, Drew spent millions of dors on Cordova Construction, assisting Jericho¡¯s brother in securing the position of general manager.


    Oscar may have achieved two objectives with one move-having Jenny and the investment-but Drew doesn¡¯t care about that. He obtained what he desired and didn¡¯t lose anything; he invested in two businesses without giving Jericho anything, including his precious marriage and the job he had worked so hard to obtain.


    Drew only needed money to exact revenge on Jericho Cordova. He didn¡¯t bother to share all his ns with Lily because she was too focused on her sses and the recent events in the Martin household.


    ***


    ¡°Boss Drew! We have bad news,¡± Sarah eximed, rushing into his office. As he observed his assistant, it was evident that the information she brought was troubling.


    Pausing from his paperwork, he asked, ¡°What happened?¡±


    ¡°Our partner, Mr. Valerio, traveled from the province and is currently resting at the hotel. He requested the documents and contracts that require signatures, so I asked Carlo and Jenny to meet him. However, he recognized Jenny as the escort he had hired before.¡±


    Did Jenny¡¯s past concern the Walton Group or Drew? He had hired and utilized their services, so who was he to pass judgment? It shouldn¡¯t affect thepany unless its employee was in danger.


    ¡°Carlo called and informed me that Mr. Valerio asked him to leave the suite, leaving Jenny behind. She didn¡¯t want to stay alone with our partner, but he humiliated her and threatened them, saying he wouldn¡¯t sign the documents. Jenny then agreed to stay because she didn¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°Shit!¡±


    Drew hurried to the hotel in response. He needed to intervene to defend the Walton Group, picking up his secretary.


    He was incensed by the fact that Jenny had seemingly agreed to their client¡¯s demands. Why was she acting so foolishly?


    He was pleased with that, though, as one who was also ying tricks on her, using Oscar.


    He didn¡¯t, however, anticipate seeing Lily with Kael. After observing how close Lauren¡¯s brother was to his wife, he became enraged. His envious heart was furious!


    His foolish secretary spread lies out of control! He was given weird stares by Lauren and Lily, making him appear as though he were a grilled fish. He drew Lily away so she wouldn¡¯t continue to listen. However, the sight of Kael and Lily caused his raging heart. He continued to grind his teeth until they reached their home.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be meeting Kael!¡± he sharply warned.


    ¡°You are unbelievable!¡± Lily responded in a loud tone. When did she learn to answer him this way? ¡°Was that really what you were going to tell me?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡±


    Lily curled up her hands. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sorry to say that Kael and I are friends!¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not!¡± His shout almost resounded throughout their house.


    Lily¡¯s face turned crimson. He sensed Lily attempting to contain her feelings of resentment towards him. To see how furious she was made him feel thirsty and desperate. He wanted to pin her on the painted wall.


    He is definitely mentally unstable, lusting after his wife when she clearly wants to hit him in the face.


    ¡°You are unbelievable, Drew Walton! Perhaps you believe that since we are only temporarily husband and wife, you have the right to control me and cheat on me. Well, go to hell, you motherfucker!¡±


    He came forward. His temper increased, but fucker, motherfucking hell, he realized that his cock was also in a rage! The sight of her getting angry made him horny! Immediately, he desired to teach Lily a lesson.


    ¡°When did you start cursing? And really, to me? You grew hardheaded, Lily. Do I need to teach you a lesson?¡± he asked her darkly.


    ¡°You will not be going to touch me! I¡¯m done with scumbags, Drew! You better know!¡± Lily muttered in agony, then turned away from him and mounted the stairs.


    ¡°Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!¡± He couldn¡¯t stop cursing. He had a throbbing, aching cock and had no idea what to do about it. It wasn¡¯t until then that he realized he never gave a reason for why he was with Jenny.


    ¡°Damn it!¡±


    Lily may probably have thought he cheated on her.


    Shit! He was terribly and utterly screwed! That was the first time he and Lily had an argument. He looked down at his tightened pants.


    ¡®This is your fault, buddy!¡¯

 Ached

    Lily entered her room to take a nap. What happened tonight displeased her.


    Understanding Drew¡¯s behaviors and reactions proved challenging for her. She anticipated an exnation since, in many aspects, their agreement and rtionship seemed intact-until tonight, when she was left feeling hurt.


    ¡®I shouldn¡¯t have been hurt. I have to get used to it.¡¯


    Was she bing too brazen in confronting Drew? Nevertheless, she convinced herself that this approach was preferable. He needed to experience what he was imparting to her, at least to some extent. But the nagging thought persisted: What if he loses his temper, leading to the demise of their rtionship?


    She locked the door after mming it. Consequently, she had trouble falling asleep because she could not feel Drew Walton¡¯s warm touches on her body as shey in bed.


    This is bad. Very, very bad.


    Before she sensed the door click and swing open, she had been lying there for three hours, recalling how Keh had mistreated and assaulted her in a simr manner, widening her eyes in distress.


    Drew¡¯s familiar scent soon wafted into her nostrils, offering a reassuring presence as panic began to set in. Her muscles rxed with the recognition of the man entering the room. The side of her bed sagged a little as he approached. When her husband embraced her, she pretended to be asleep.


    He breathed in her scent, nestled in her hair.


    Drew whispered, ¡°I know you are living for me, Lily.¡± His fingers crawled up her arm, almost making her throat dry. ¡°Your body can¡¯t deny it. It followed my caresses.¡±


    She continued to take deep breaths.


    ¡°See?¡±


    When his warm lips briefly caressed her shoulder and his hand moved over her chest, she closed her eyes.


    ¡°I want to apologize for my actions. You must trust me when I say that I won¡¯t do anything that would hurt you in your role as Mrs. Walton. You do not know, baby, how much I respect this marriage; even though I never imagined it.¡± His lips left small tickles until they reached her nape.


    Lily felt bad that Drew didn¡¯t believe in his own abilities as a husband. ¡°You are good, Drew. Why do you doubt yourself?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everyone is aware of my jerkiness.¡±


    Drew ced herrge palm on Lily¡¯s breast, causing her to let out a loud gasp. He rolled his fingers over her nipple. Sweet and luscious messes with her mind, and she is unsure about what to do.


    ¡°Do you realize how your body responded to my touches? To our undeniable kiss? Lily, this is what I want, and no woman was as tasty as you.¡±


    Every touch he made and every word he spoke caused a reaction to her senses. As he wrapped himself around her and took hold of her lips, her body shook. She gave him a simrly passionate kiss in response while gripping his shoulder. Her husband¡¯s touch, which passed through her clothing, grabbed her nipple.


    He caressed her cheek as she looked up at him in the weak outside light. ¡°Your body knows how to respond. You ached just by the mere touch. Please let me taste you¡­¡±


    While his palm strokes her skin, Drew gives her an enchanting look. He swiftly lifted her blouse before his lips went down to her breast and seized one of her crowns. As her gaze met her husband¡¯s, her lips quivered.


    Drew pinched one of her pink nipples while dancing his tongue over the other. He sucked and nibbled at her mound while his eyes were deliriously closed. Lily arched her back and gripped every strand of her husband¡¯s hair with her long fingers.


    ¡°Hahhh¡­¡±


    ¡°Do you know how uneasy it made me feel just to recall how you moaned when I touched you?¡± Drew murmured. Her body was overflowing with scrumptious desire, making it impossible for her to think clearly enough to answer his questions. His touches left warm traces all over her body.


    She felt pain as a result of his mouth ying with her breasts. He seemed to understand her hunger for more with ease, moving his lips downward. Her pajama pulled down until it reached her thighs, just enough to show her pussy. He lifted both of her legs a little and inhaled her yearning womanhood. The touch of his hot breath brings a strange electricity to his gem.


    ¡°I will never cheat on you, Lily. Your pussy was enough to satisfy me,¡± he murmured.


    She could feel her leg shaking as she prepared to see what he would do next. He spread her trembling legs before his tongue ran over her moisture.


    ¡°Ahh!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯te, babe, or you¡¯ll be punished.¡±


    He kept ying with her delicate cave with his heavenly tongue. She was powerless to resist the pleasure that was surrounding her body.


    ¡°Drew¡­¡± She spoke with a begging voice since she could not control the constant buildup of her own honey, swirling from her belly.


    ¡°Shhh, baby¡­ You are so wet, tight, and aching for me!¡± he grunted.


    She pushed her hips forward. As if it had its own mind, her pelvis wanted to follow her husband¡¯s lips wherever it went. She was at her limit, and Drew seemed to sense that. Hepletely took off her pajamas.


    ¡°Nowe, babe!¡±


    That was her signal to scream, reaching her delicious orgasm. The way Drew made love to her was undeniably sweet and sexy!


    Her muscles unwittingly tensed up, and the pleasure left her eyes wet.


    ¡°Now, it¡¯s my turn, babe.¡±


    Over her feet, he sat down. He readily removed his boxers as if he could not wait any longer. Drew has hope in his eyes as he considers the things she is capable of. He inhaled carefully while giving her his deep attention.


    Lily swallowed as she focused on his shaft.


    ¡°Feel how hard I am.¡± Her sole touched his cock as he gestured it to show how hard he was. Drew was hot, ached, and swollen! His gaze turned dark.


    ¡°Come here, babe¡­¡± Drewmanded with narrowed eyes.


    Lily moved and then crawled towards her husband. After taking a deep breath, Drew supported his body by cing both hands to the side. She felt an odd sensation when her husband looked at her.  She could feel how intensely he yearned for her.


    ¡°Suck me¡­¡±


    Holding his shaft, her tongue glided from his balls all the way up to his tip.


    ¡°Ohhhh, yes¡­¡± Drew moaned in a guttural way. He closed his eyes, feeling how tender her lips were, sucking the head. ¡°You¡¯ve done well, babe.¡±Please check at N/?vel(D)rama.Org.


    In order to see better how she reciprocated the pleasure he had given her, Drew stroked her hair that was blocking his view and scooped it all up in one ce. Listening to Drew¡¯s gasps and moans fill their room, she couldn¡¯t help but be more and more thrilled about what was about to happen next.


    Holding her hair, he raised her gaze to face him, and with thirst, she took his lips. His manhood was tightly covered by her palm as she tugged it up and down while her tongue danced inside Drew¡¯s lips. It responded to her touch more warmly as it became harder and grewrger over time.


    ¡°Ahh¡­ fuck¡­.¡± Drew moaned. ¡°I want you now!¡±


    Ah, God! She¡¯s going crazy. She needs more! They both chased their own air and seemed to anticipate bing one. She can¡¯t do it anymore! Lily kept her stare while pulling back a little. She put her legs opposite Drew¡¯s before cing her arm on his shoulders.


    ¡°Use your pussy to suck me, Lily!¡± said Drew, grinding his teeth.


    She followed him without any hesitation. Lifting her butt slightly, she positioned herself on the tip of his hardness.


    They both groaned as she upied his entire length. Lily closed her eyes firmly as she felt the bulge of his manhood inside of her.


    ¡°God! It¡¯s deep!¡± she muttered. She had never before felt him with such intensity.


    ¡°Shhhh¡­¡± He sensually caressed her back to soothe her flesh. ¡°Move whenever you want, baby.¡±


    Before moving, Lily took a deep breath. She closed her eyes as she perceived how every muscle in her body danced, clenching his length. It was a delicious moment that she would never get tired of wishing for.


    ¡°Fuck, Lily!¡± His internal monster hissed as he kept on moaning.


    Lily¡¯s grunts joined in. She clung firmly to Drew¡¯s shoulder.


    ¡°I need the control, Lily! I can¡¯t take this anymore!¡±


    ¡°Yes! Do ¡®your¡¯ way!¡±


    At her remark, his eyes grew dark. His palms wrapped around her buttocks. He squeezed them before pressing them together. Her inner walls became tighter, making her lose her own control. She¡¯s almost there-just a little more!


    ¡°Drew!¡± He immediately gestured at her hips like the conductor of arge symphony, moving her up and down, shrieking Lily.


    He charged forward, reaching out to touch her heart and soul. Drew was close¡­ she was close!


    They soon reach paradise together; no one will be left behind.


    When she achieved the climax, her leg shook around Drew¡¯s body.


    Drew kissed Lily¡¯s lips, holding her gaze. With a heavy and slow breath, he whispered, ¡°You are mine, Lily. Mine!¡±


    ***


    ¡°Keep Lily away from my girlfriend!¡± Brian told Keh, visiting him in his clinic.


    ¡°Here I was, thinking you were here for a consultation,¡± said Keh. He had no time for Brian¡¯s outburst.


    ¡°What if Lily said something to my girlfriend? I love Danica so much.¡±


    ¡°Seriously! You really don¡¯t need my medical help; you are hallucinating!¡±


    Brian¡¯s lips formed a line.


    Keh exined, ¡°Do you think Lily would do that? No! I know her!¡±


    ¡°Why are you suddenly defending her?¡± he asked before his gaze caught something. ¡°Wait!¡± He took the photograph of the woman out of the frame. ¡°Wasn¡¯t there a mature woman in this picture before? You imed to adore that woman.¡±


    Keh¡¯s jaw clenched. He failed to conceal that item. He snatched the frame from Brian¡¯s hand and then ced it inside the drawer.


    ¡°Leave now. I still have a lot of work to do.¡±


    Brian questioned usingly, ¡°Do you love Lily? Why is the photo now changed by her?¡±


    Keh¡¯s appearance grew gloomier.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense! Didn¡¯t the woman you love be the mother of-¡±


    ¡°Stop fucking right now!¡± he eximed, cutting off Brian¡¯s sentence.


    ¡°You are fucking in love with Lily! So, you want to own her!¡±


    He gritted his teeth. ¡°Get. The fuck. Out, Brian!¡±


    His friend gave him a sneer and put on his sunsses. He made a threat, saying, ¡°I¡¯m telling you; I can¡¯t guarantee Lily will be safe if my girlfriend learns about our past,¡± and then left.

 Her Event

    Months have already passed. Lily nearly missed noticing that she and Danica were about to finish their ss. To avoid Brian, she was the one who refused to take the service to his home because she didn¡¯t want to leave any of her traces there.


    Orion suggested she should keep her distance from Danica¡¯s boyfriend. However, she could still see him when he picked up Danica from school. Yet, both of them were aware of respect for each other¡¯s space.


    Upon exiting the school, Drew was waiting on the hood of a high-end sports car that was parked directly in front of the main entrance. On that hot afternoon, a light shirt was all he needed to unt his attractive form.


    When Drew took off his sunsses, some students were so excited that they couldn¡¯t contain their screams.


    ¡°Drew!¡± Some young women screamed his name and even wanted to demand photos of him.


    It perplexed Lily.


    ¡°Oh, no way!¡± Lily murmured upon noticing what was happening and halted her walk a short distance from Drew.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Danica frowned before continuing to follow her gaze. ¡°Do you know him?¡±


    Lily was certain she would draw attention and wanted to hide behind the book she was clutching. Nobody at school, not even Danica, was aware that her husband was a young millionaire and the only heir to the Walton Group, Drew Walton.


    But it was toote when he smiled, waved at her, and said, ¡°Babe!¡±


    Everyone turned in her direction, even Danica. Her friend followed her in a perplexed manner, approaching Drew.


    ¡°W-why are you here?¡± she asked Drew agitatedly because she knew the women at her school were squinting their eyes at her.


    Her husband smiled. ¡°Happy birthday, babe!¡±


    That startled Lily. She forgot. When was thest time she received a birthday greeting? She took the huge arrangement of lilies Drew had handed her and couldn¡¯t hold back the tears.


    ¡°Today is your birthday?¡± Danica asked in disbelief.


    ¡°Oh, by the way, she¡¯s Danica, my friend,¡± she pointed to the woman beside her. ¡°And he¡¯s Drew, m-my husband,¡± she said, almost whispering. It¡¯s a secret at school.


    ¡°Whaaat?¡± The majority of the onlookers¡¯ pupils were as surprised as Danica was.


    ¡°My apologies. We still need to go somewhere, so I¡¯ll take Lily,¡± he said to Danica.


    Danica nodded as she was still reeling from her shock. When Lily excused herself to get in her husband¡¯s car, her expression was pleading. Once she was inside, she was no longer visible to the bystanders, allowing her to finally take a breath.


    ¡°Ah, God! Why the sudden grand wee?¡± she asked Drew.


    He gently stroked her cheek. ¡°This is your birthday, and I wanted to surprise you. My grandfather has nned a celebration for you, so we¡¯ll head directly to the hotel.¡±


    Lily hugged therge bouquet of flowers. Her heart was zing with love, but she had no idea how to stop herself from sinking.


    Lily and Drew arrived at the Grand Pce Hotel a little whileter. Before giving the car key to Orion, who had followed them, he opened the door and assisted her in exiting. After meeting Sarah, his secretary, they were led to the rented suite.


    They went into a big room where several stylists were waiting to assist Lily with getting change.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be backter.¡± Drew smiled and excused himself from the room.


    She had never experienced a celebration intended only for her. The stylists quickly changed her appearance into a new look. She regrets not having the opportunity to invite Danica or Manang Puring. Apart from Orion and her husband, does she know the other attendees?


    She changed into a long red gown. She had little, sparkly ornaments ced in her beautifully braided hair that was collected at the side. A thick diamond was worn around her neck. On the reflection, she hardly recognized herself. This was an entirely different woman than the one who married Drew Walton months ago.


    Her mouth opened a little, realizing she had been married to Drew for eleven months. As the end of their agreementes closer, she bes more and more anxious.


    She saw Drew enter after the door had swung open, giving her a smile.


    He gave her a mixture of light and a solemn nce. As he drew nearer, he becamepelled to grasp her waist. He took one of her hands to his lips after feeling his warm breath in her ear.


    ¡°You¡¯re gorgeous!¡±


    Lily¡¯s cheeks flushed. ¡°Thanks!¡±


    He whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s go before I ruin your clothes right now.¡±


    Lily avoided the gaze of the people who were still in the room, admiring them.


    After taking her hand, he cautiously led her to the event hall. At the gathering, Lily ran upon a few of Drew¡¯s business partners and friends. As she anticipated, she didn¡¯t know anyone besides Lauren and the woman¡¯s husband, Finn. Lily could not sense that the gathering was actually intended for her.


    Lauren waved at her while continuously talking to Kori and the other women with them.


    ¡°Grandpa,¡± greeted Drew to his grandfather, who was conversing with a businessman.


    Lily smiled simply.


    ¡°I hope you enjoy the party, Lily. This is yours,¡± Master Walton dered.


    Though I believe it¡¯s not! She won¡¯t express those opinions to the person who organized the birthday party.


    ¡°Thank you for the beautiful present. I heard that your garden at the mansion was being remodeled; I will bring nts that are not difficult to maintain.,¡± said Lily.


    ¡°Thank you, Lily! Happy birthday!¡±


    ¡°Drew!¡± called one of the investors. Her husband excused themselves to his grandfather and led her closer to thedy.


    ¡°Madam!¡± Drew kissed thedy¡¯s hand, then introduced her. ¡°She¡¯s my wife, Lily.¡±


    They were talking about unfamiliar topics like stock markets, money, business, and other things that Lily had no idea about, so she stopped paying attention to what they were discussing. Even the name of thedy escaped her memory. She permitted herself to stick by her husband since she didn¡¯t want to leave abruptly.


    Drew¡¯s conversation with thedy grew by one each time until he was the focus of attention. In a situation like that, Drew was aware of how to use his charm. He was the one who interacted with the guests, making jokes andughing, while Lily could not follow any of the discussions. She appeared to have turned into Drew¡¯s ornament, demonstrating that this was not actually her true self. She would want to spend all of her time with Drew if she could.


    ¡°Are you okay, babe?¡± asked her husband after observing how sleepy she appeared at the gathering.


    ¡°Yes.¡± Lily mustered a smile.


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not.¡± Drew saw how she was constantly kicking her leg to move it because she was tired of standing. ¡°I¡¯ll take you to the lounge.¡±


    They headed to the hotel¡¯s lounge area, where soft jazz music was ying. Orion followed them, keeping a constant watch over her.


    ¡°Drew!¡± called the woman along the hallway. Both of them halted and turned in her direction. She has short, blonde hair and a slender body. Her whole face was touched by light makeup while her body¡¯s curvature was entuated by her long dress. Overall, the woman appeared doll-like in person.


    ¡°Remi? What are you doing here?¡± eximed Drew. She could see her husband was uneasy seeing the woman.


    ¡°I need to talk to you!¡± The woman held her husband by the arm with concern on her face.


    Orion pulled the woman away, covering his boss, and said, ¡°Leave!¡±


    ¡°Orion! You know I won¡¯t hurt your boss!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± the bodyguard replied sarcastically.


    Drew grasped the woman¡¯s arm firmly. ¡°What game is this, for fuck¡¯s sake, and why are you still here after four fucking years?¡±


    ¡°I need your help!¡± she pleaded.


    ¡°Seriously! Are you fucking kidding me right now?¡±


    ¡°As we previously agreed, I shouldn¡¯t approach you, but I¡¯m at a loss for words because Ryle is missing! Someone abducted our son!¡±


    Drew gritted his teeth and cleaned his jaw even more. ¡°Orion, bring Lily to the lounge.¡±

 Trust

    The bodyguard quickly followed the order. Lily didn¡¯t even react because the bodyguard was dragging her away. She turned to face Drew, who was obviously enraged. She could hear him swearing nonstop in the hallway.


    Was her husband distraught by the disappearance of his son from that woman? Does Drew have a child?


    ¡°Don¡¯t believe what you heard. That woman is a liar,¡± Orionmented after taking her to the private lounge.


    ¡°Who is she?¡± she asked.


    Drew¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e.¡±


    ¡°Drew was supposed to marry someone?¡±


    After a few months of adjusting to his presence, she had alreadye to regard Orion as a brother; perhaps this is why he didn¡¯t keep anything about Drew a secret. ¡°Yeah¡­ I think it was four years ago.¡±


    Lily has many questions. She did not know that her husband was about to marry someone else. If he gets to that point, it means Drew loves her.


    What happened to them? And when did he have a child with another woman? Why, after a few months of marriage, doesn¡¯t she know about this?


    She made an effort to rx. But time passed and Drew still hadn¡¯t returned.


    Orion irritatedly stated, ¡°I told you, don¡¯t overthink!¡±


    ¡°Do I really have the right to overthink, Orion?¡± she asked. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was hurt.


    ¡°Yes! Because you are Drew¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t I know? Why didn¡¯t anyone tell me that information, which was necessary and something a wife should know?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know you didn¡¯t know anything,¡± he reasoned before looking away. She was aware of his intention to divert attention.


    ¡°I need to breathe!¡± she said.


    ¡°All I can say is don¡¯t take that woman to heart, Lily.¡±


    Lily eximed in annoyance, ¡°Seriously! Should I really be the one to hear it from you? Your boss isn¡¯t here-because his son is missing-to the woman you told me not to trust!¡±


    Instead of arguing with Orion, she ought to get up and return to her own party.


    They went back to the gathering event but halted at the door. Even the celebration itself didn¡¯t feel like hers. Perhaps it was only a coincidence that she had her birthday on that day, and the Waltons couldn¡¯t think of anything to describe the asion, so they called it ¡®her birthday party¡¯!


    Everything in the gathering represented the presence of the Waltons-not about her! Even her father, Mr. Martin, was not at the event, not that she had wanted him to.


    ¡°Boss!¡± Orion received a call, holding up his phone, which she believed was from Drew. ¡°Stay here, Lily!¡±


    Before leaving, he instructed Walton¡¯s bodyguard to watch over her.


    What¡¯s happening? Where is Drew? Why Orion too?


    Was Drew¡¯s son really missing?


    She could feel tears starting to gather in her eyes. It¡¯s been a long time in months since her eyes felt heated. Despite being abused and a r*pe victim, Drew epted her. Does he believe that if he has a child with someone else before bing her husband, she won¡¯t ept him?


    Before she attracted the attention of the guests, she went to thedies¡¯ room. She may not have noticed the absence of a bodyguard or the guard may not have taken Orion¡¯s instructions seriously.


    Maybe this is the case since she wasn¡¯t worth keeping an eye on. Lily dabbed her tears away.


    Lily, calm down! Trust Orion! Trust Drew!


    She exhaled, then smiled sadly in the front mirror before moving toward the door. Upon opening it, a man she hadn¡¯t seen in months greeted her.


    ¡°Hello, Lily!¡± Her hand clung to the door handle more tightly.


    The man waiting for her outside looks deranged! His eyes were red.


    One second! That¡¯s all she has to get away from this crazy crap! Lily considered locking thedies¡¯ room after closing it.


    But he gave off the impression of a massive lion that was about to devour a helpless rabbit like her. Before she could retreat inside, he pulled her close to his chest.


    ¡°Your fucking husband! He did this to me! My wife was ruined by him! Well, I¡¯ll do the same! Or perhaps I already did!¡±


    ***


    When Drew was with Remi, his ex-girlfriend, he was ufortable. Before they split up, he noticed Lily¡¯s worry. But he decided to follow his ex-girlfriend when she said something that infuriated him.


    ¡°Your dad! He kidnapped Ryle!¡± eximed the woman, adding to his rage.


    Drew¡¯s jaw clenched. If Remi hadn¡¯t mentioned his father, who was currently showering with money, he shouldn¡¯t have cared. Even if they severed their ties with him, he was still making enough money from the Walton Group to fulfill everyone¡¯s aspirations.


    Four years ago, it was published in some news reports or news blogs that he had a child with Remi. In multiple interviews, he dered that he would wed the woman who was carrying his child. Even though it was difficult to forget Kori, his first love, everyone knew that he was content in his rtionship with Remi.


    For years, he had loved Kori. He reasoned that the best way to divert his focus would be to marry Remi. He wanted to demonstrate to his friends that he, too, would be living a happy marriage.


    His happiness was genuine when he found Remi was pregnant, or so he thought.


    Not until Drew realized Remi had been lying to him the entire time. At a party, he personally learned of Remi¡¯s rtionship with their supplier. He was supposed to use the men¡¯s room but found his girlfriend having sex there. He discovered Remi was not pregnant by him but by that person.


    ¡°Are you really in love with me? Or did you choose Drew Walton instead?¡± the man muttered from inside the bathroom, followed by grunts and heavy breaths, which froze Drew in his tracks when he heard his name.


    ¡°Come on! You know I only love his money!¡± He balled his fist when he recognized Remi¡¯s voice.


    ¡°That moron, knowing he always used condoms, didn¡¯t even question if he was really the father. Open your legs further! Fuck! Your cunt and babies belonged to me!¡± He heard a pping sound.


    ¡°How did you know he uses condoms?¡±


    ¡°Heard it from women who he had affairs with.¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, I am the smartest of them all!¡± He heard her giggle and then moaned. He had no idea why he had remained there to listen to these fuckers.


    ¡°There were times he was drunk, and I told him he fucked me without the condom on. He believed it!¡±


    ¡°What a moron?¡±


    After a couple of minutes, the two opened the toilet door. Remi discovered Drew waiting outside, which clearly astonished the woman and the supplier.


    ¡°I¡¯m calling off the engagement,¡± Drew muttered, looking at Remi. Judging by the way she looked, there was no way to doubt that she had just fucked.


    He saw how his girlfriend¡¯s throat rolled. ¡°I never imagined that someone like me would be attracted to me so strongly since I thought I was the only one who was a jerk.¡±


    He turned his attention to their supplier. Before turning away from them, he gave them a disgusting nce.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Drew, no!¡± Remi chased after him.


    He turned back to face her. ¡°Remi, I¡¯ve heard everything you¡¯ve said, I¡¯ve heard how you yed with me, and I¡¯ve heard that he¡¯s the one who got you pregnant. So, to avoid mywsuit about your cheating, stay away from me!¡±


    He fixed his gaze on the woman¡¯s abdomen. After learning that she was expecting, he may have dreamed about a new life, or he may have been envious of his friends¡¯ happy marriages and growing children.


    He had nothing but Remi. He refrains from getting angry. Is this retribution for what he previously did to Finn and Lauren?


    ¡°Drew!¡±

 Ex鈥檚 Game

    Remi will be thest person to cheat on him, Drew vowed. He tried to avoid her, but he never imagined that she would find a way to retaliate.


    Because of a sexual fantasy in which he took the woman to the province, specifically to the isted ce, and then pretended to r*ped her before she became pregnant, the woman filed a r*pewsuit against him.


    It¡¯s not r*pe, but a sexual fantasy. It¡¯s consensual-both of them agreed to do it! There was a lot of sexual role-ying between him and Remi, including r*pe role-ying.  He overyed the part, harming Remi by pping her face, yanking her hair, and squeezing various of her body parts. He had to do it like a real r*pist to his victim.


    It was wrong and dangerous; it was just how fucked up he was before.


    When they broke up, he was investigated after she filed a r*pe case against him. At the location he brought her, the investigation discovered some signs and evidence to support Remi¡¯s ims. Drew went beyond what was necessary to show that it was their shared understanding as a couple.


    In the end, he and Remi talked about how he would support her kid for dropping thewsuit. Yet, Remi had already ruined his name, dragging Walton¡¯s reputation. Since then, all the women have lost his trust, with the exception of his friends Lauren and Kori. Not until he met Lily, a real r*pe victim.


    After his experience with Remi, he convinced himself that he wouldn¡¯t deserve anyone. He was destined to be alone forever. Although Lily¡­ She was different¡­


    Drew was forced to concentrate on the present when the woman asked, ¡°Drew, what should I do?¡±


    ¡°We both agreed loud and clear that you should stay away from me. Also, I don¡¯t have a child with you!¡±


    Her lips trembled. ¡°I know. I¡¯m sorry. I treated you like his father because you are the one who is supporting his needs.¡±


    He couldn¡¯t believe his ears! This woman¡¯s face is thicker than a block of ice! ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh, Remi. I know you did that to harm my rtionship with my wife.¡±


    The guilty look on her face was evident.


    ¡°S-She doesn¡¯t look like your wife at all. She is not the typical Drew Walton would marry.¡±


    ¡°What kind of woman do you think I would marry? Simr to women like you? I must admit, I¡¯m relieved we separated. You are nothingpared to Lily-nothing at all! She does not need material things, is not a cheater, and doesn¡¯t leech for money! So please, don¡¯t ever fuckingpare yourself to my wife. You don¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    Remi was clearly in pain. But she was the one who initially tricked him. To find out where his father was, Drew made a call to his assistant, Sarah. He also called his grandfather to inform him of what was happening.


    ¡°Drew!¡± with a nervous look, the woman called him out.


    While he was preupied looking for his ridiculous father, Remi held his sleeve. ¡°Your dad told me not to call the police! He needed money! He knows that Ryle is your son, urging him to take my son captive.¡±


    ¡°Whatever is happening right now, it¡¯s all your fault. Now, let me go!¡±


    The woman let go of him as if scalded by his shirt.


    ¡°What is happening?¡± asked Master Walton before noticing Remi. ¡°Seriously! Where is Lily?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want Lily involved in this issue!¡± replied Drew.


    ¡°I sent her back to the gathering. Before arriving here, I had another guard watch over her and called my friend to find out where Mr. Walton was,¡± informed Orion.


    They needed to find out if Remi¡¯s usation was urate.


    Master Walton snorted, ¡°That scum! I never believed he would do such an idiotic thing. What now? Is he now a kidnapper?¡±


    They all gathered at the side of the hotel; Drew, his grandfather, Sarah, and Orion, who were busy looking for his dad, whom Drew hadn¡¯t seen in years.


    Sarah informed, ¡°Boss, we found Mr. Walton! He was in Australia, but he seemed angry after hearing the usation! He doesn¡¯t know anything about Remi¡¯s son or what¡¯s happening right now.¡±


    He gazed at Remi, who seemed to flinch in the wake of his scorching re. ¡°Are you certain that your son was taken by my father?¡±


    The woman took a swallow. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know. He imed to be Mr. Walton and demanded money from me.¡±


    Drew was so filled with anger that he violently strangled the woman. Why did he believe this? He hated his father, and the woman knew about it!


    Drew yelled fiercely, ¡°Tell us the fucking truth!¡±


    ¡°Boss!¡± Orion grabbed him, observing Remi¡¯s nearly bluish face.


    He pushed the woman to the ground. Remi coughed and struggled to catch her breath. ¡°You acted like a victim and made my father the suspect to make sure you got our attention, right? You want my money again!¡±


    Sarah mumbled, ¡°I knew it! I already expected that this is another lie!¡±


    Remi answered the phone when it rang, despite the smudge Drew¡¯s hand had left on her neck. ¡°H-he¡¯s home now?¡± she said after pausing, ¡°Thank God!¡±


    ¡°Seriously, Remi! What kind of fucking game is this?¡± Drew asked after noticing that she had finished the call.


    ¡°My son was truly abducted by someone. Whether you believe it or not, it¡¯s true! He¡¯s requesting money from me! He said I could take the money from you and find a way to get to the party tonight. I-I used your dad because I don¡¯t know how to grab your attention,¡± she said, avoiding his burning gaze.


    If he could only hurt her! But with this woman, he had already received his lesson. They both understood from thew that they should avoid one another.


    ¡°But why did the kidnapper suddenly release your son unscathed and without us giving you anything? Something is off!¡± Sarah asked with a questioning look.


    ¡°That man needed something, and he sure as hell just used you and your son for us to-¡± Orion gasped, turning her gaze to everyone.


    Everyone was there¡­ except Lily.


    Fear ran from Drew¡¯s head to his toes. Shit! He ran back to the gathering, following Orion. He saw Lauren, Kori, and others.


    ¡°Where is Lily?¡±


    Lauren asked in a perplexed voice, ¡°Aren¡¯t you with her?¡±


    ¡°I haven¡¯t seen her since the time you two left this hall,¡± Kori replied.


    Drew gritted his teeth while clenching his fist. He scanned the area. This wasn¡¯t about Remi¡¯s son. That person¡¯s intention was to keep him away from Lily.


    ¡°End the party now!¡± he roared into the hall while his body heaved. They drew attention from other attendees, who were astonished that he was stopping the event, ending the night.


    Finn remained by his side, asking Kori and Lauren to go home to watch over their children. His best friend won¡¯t let him be alone. He told every guard to look for Lily and went to see whether she had gone back to their home. In any surveince, they did not see Lily leaving the hotel¡¯s grounds.


    Drew¡¯s heartbeat was faster than usual. For the first time in his entire life, he was so horribly terrified.


    ¡°Drew!¡± Orion took a guard with him. Thetter swallowed. ¡°I left Lily to him.¡±


    The security officer muttered shakily, ¡°Boss Drew, I¡¯m sorry! One guest was already drunk, and I stopped him from causing trouble. I saw your wife go to the women¡¯s restroom, and assumed she would be safe there, believing she would definitely not leave this hotel.¡±


    He retorted fiercely, ¡°But it doesn¡¯t mean she was safe!¡±


    His entire body trembled. He alone is to me for this; nobody else.


    ¡°Calm down¡­¡± said Finn.


    How could he?


    Finn added, ¡°We will see Lily no matter what.¡±


    After making a phone call, Sarah came over. ¡°Boss! I received a call from Mr. Oscar Yu. Jericho Cordova beat Jenny after discovering his wife was pregnant.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Yes. He learned about Jenny¡¯s cheating, and because she works at the office, he assumed you were the father of her child.¡±


    Shit! Shit! Shit! He called the Martin household right away!


    ¡°Let me talk to Keh!¡± he said to whoever picked up his call. He couldn¡¯t think of anyone who would kidnap Lily if it wasn¡¯t one of his friends. He waited for a few minutes.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    At the other end of the call, he could hear Keh asking, ¡°What is it?¡±


    Drew shut his eyes tight. He felt certain that Keh was not the person who abducted Lily if he was in their home.


    ¡°Jericho. What is Jericho¡¯s contact?¡±


    ¡°Why do you need his number?¡±


    ¡°Because he kidnapped Lily!¡±

 Pathetic

    When Lily opened her eyes, she discovered herself in a room. It was warm, smokey, and dark. She discovered Jericho¡¯s scorching eyes as the man stood beside the window. He kept puffing smoke out of the e-cigarette he was holding.


    Back in the corner, she crept to get away from him before hugging her legs. She knew he hadn¡¯t harmed her because she was still wearing the red gown.


    ¡°W-what am I doing here?¡± she asked.


    ¡°You have a cunning and maniptive husband, Lily,¡± he muttered meaningfully, tugging his own hair. ¡°He is pushing us one by one, for what? For you?¡±


    ¡°What did Drew do to you?¡±


    ¡°My wife is pregnant!¡± He took the e-cigarette closer to his mouth before having another smoke.


    Shouldn¡¯t he be happy with that news?


    Lily, though, felt worried by what Jericho stated next. ¡°I¡¯m not the father! Since my wife was Drew Walton¡¯s secretary, I knew that something wasn¡¯t right with them!¡±


    Her lips parted. Now, she gets the connection of Drew¡¯s ex-woman with Jericho. ¡°I-is it Jenny?¡±


    Jericho gave a nod. ¡°My wife is being fucked by your husband! It¡¯s impossible that I got her pregnant because¡­ because I know I¡¯m incapable of having a child!¡±


    Lily¡¯s eyes grew wide. Can Drew really do that? Could Drew possibly be cheating on her?


    ¡°I know you are important to your husband. Brian abducted his son so we could get you away from Drew. I want to destroy you, Lily! So that your husband will realize how horrible it is!¡± he eximed.


    Lily¡¯s tears flowed. She wished she could be strong, but how? After all the mistreatment she endured, why is she now being treated like this?


    ¡°My wife is in the hospital because I beat her when I found out she was pregnant.¡± He tugged his hair once more, and he seemed agitated. ¡°Jenny is everything to me; she is my life. However, she ends up in the hospital, losing a child!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re wrong; Drew would never cause your wife to be pregnant. She must have once been Drew¡¯s woman, but I¡¯m confident Drew isn¡¯t the father of your child!¡± She has deep faith in her husband because she loves him, but does Drew love her?


    ¡°What do you know, huh?¡± His tone rose. ¡°Drew Walton has totally yed with your mind!¡±


    ¡°No! It was your wife who made the attempt to seduce him. I¡¯m sure she did. That¡¯s her job!¡±


    As soon as he could, Jericho sped Lily¡¯s neck with his broad palm. Because everything happened so quickly, she was astonished. With his hand blocking her throat, she could barely breathe.


    ¡°What do you know?!¡±


    His eyes were burning from rage, wanting to break her neck.


    ¡°Do you see what happened to you, Lily? What do you be? Drew Walton could easily manipte your fucked-up mind, and you didn¡¯t even realize you were just agreeing and believing whatever he said!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Jericho violently freed her neck. She was nearly knocked out after being pushed into a wall. There was too much news tonight, causing her chest to tighten.


    Sobbing, she said, ¡°Drew is not controlling me! Whatever you want to say, I respect my husband, unlike you!¡±


    She knew that everything began with her and Drew, was on paper, and nothing else. But within eleven months, they had amon understanding. Right?


    Or perhaps she was trying to convince herself of that. Lily wept. The revtion that Drew had a child with his ex-girlfriend, whom he almost married, still had not made her feel better. She could not ept the secrecy it produced. She had been with Drew for months. How could anyone hold that information?


    And now that Jericho was telling her that Drew had another woman impregnated, it hurt too much, even though she didn¡¯t want it! She disliked all the usations being leveled about her husband, and as a result, she began to wonder if her husband had betrayed her.


    Lily continued to weep because she could feel her heart breaking into pieces. She loves Drew, so, so much¡­


    Jericho¡¯s jaw tightened. ¡°All I know is that your husband is seeking retribution from us. After he locked Victor up in jail, he wanted me next! He wanted me to do something awful, just like Victor, so he could also lock me up! Brian wille next, followed by Keith and Keh!¡±


    ¡°You are pathetic! All of you!¡± Lily said, crying. ¡°You ce me on other people for your foolishness! Just like Victor, you, Brian, Keith, and Keh were ming me for what was urring, even though you brought yourself here. It¡¯s your decision! But for me, you simply assaulted me! I didn¡¯t do anything to you, and I didn¡¯t like anything you did to me!¡±


    He sneered. ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh, Lily! You liked Keh. He won¡¯t y with you if you don¡¯t like him!¡±


    She made noment. What he said made her feel even worse.


    ¡°You¡¯re just as twisted as your stepbrother!¡±


    No!


    From beneath the apartment, they heard a loud bang. The lights eventually turned on, blinding Lily. A short whileter, the room¡¯s door swung open.


    When she recognized Keh, she jerked back. His eyes were particrly burning when he noticed how bloody her head was. He repeatedly punched Jericho in an enraged manner.


    Thetter also took offense. In addition to being fearful of the two men, Lily was also terrified, since they were fighting right in front of her. Her heart beat three times as hard as usual, clenching with conflicted feelings.


    ¡°Stop it!¡± Lily shouted while crying.


    Before Keh again punched Jericho on the cheek, he yelled, ¡°You fucking moron!¡±


    ¡°What now, huh, Ken? Didn¡¯t you enjoy it when we yed with Lily? What now? Huh?¡± Jericho shouted as if he was going insane. He kicked several damaged objects.


    Her brother clenched his fist.


    ¡°Please¡­ Stop it¡­¡± Lily wailed. It hurts too much. She didn¡¯t understand what was going on and she no longer desired to be a part of their issue. She. Had. Enough!


    ¡°Your wife bes pregnant through her lover, and it¡¯s not Drew Walton! So, whatever your ns are for Lily, you¡¯ve chosen the wrong person to exact your vengeance on! Neither she nor Drew had any part in it!¡±


    Jericho argued, ¡°But my wife works for Drew! Jenny always exined she was leaving town for work; her justifications were always rted to her job. I even caught her once sending an unpleasant message to Drew!¡±


    ¡°Wasn¡¯t it an excuse for those who were cheating?¡±


    ¡°Your wife was a prostitute!¡± Lily yelled.


    When he yelled, Jericho clenched his teeth and nearly groaned. ¡°You were the whore! We may treat you any way we want after paying your brother. Because of the people you put your trust in, you are the dirty one!¡±


    Episodes of harassment visit Lily¡¯s memory, making her feel dirty!


    Please! Stop!


    ¡°Don¡¯t youprehend how Drew and Jenny were once sexually involved? Along with being a model, your wife also worked at a sex club! I only learned about that after investigating Drew,¡± exined Keh.


    ¡°What?¡± Jericho halted his movements, taking in the information.


    Lily could no longer breathe. She disagrees with what is going on in this ce.


    ¡°Lily!¡± When he realized she kept thudding her chest, Keh called her name in terror.


    ¡°I-I can¡¯t breathe.¡±


    Keh took her pulse. ¡°Sht!¡± He pushed Jericho. ¡°If something happened to Lily-¡±


    ¡°What, huh? You want to own Lily now! Why?! Why have you changed? Did Lily know you were in love with your former patient-Drew¡¯s mom? Did they know that their marriage was only a ruse? Does Lily discover that Drew¡¯s mother has been sending her creepy letters? You¡¯re waiting for the right moment to clutch her neck again.¡±


    Keh grabbed Jericho¡¯s cor and asked, ¡°How did you know that?¡±


    Jericho sneered. ¡°Drew employed my wife. Her hearing gossip was quite normal!¡±


    Lily could hardly breathe from crying, but she couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°What do you mean by Drew¡¯s mother writing me letters?¡±


    ¡°Because her mother was crazy!¡±


    When they were having a serious chat, she recalled what Drew had said. His father was such a womanizer that Mrs. Walton lost her mind. She was certain the reason the father and son¡¯s rtionship fell apart wasn¡¯t that simple. It must be a serious reason! She was also certain that the Waltons had picked her to wed Drew for a purpose!


    ¡°You met Drew¡¯s mother at the hospital?¡± she asked Keh.


    ¡°Keh and I were both students at the time that he first met Drew¡¯s mother because he began his training there. We were aware of his feelings for Mrs. Walton!¡±


    Keh¡¯s jaw stiffened.


    Lily wanted to stop her mind from thinking. It¡¯s too much!


    ¡°Lily!¡± As if she was dreaming, she heard Drew shout from the lower level. Her face was growing paler, and bitterness tightened her chest.


    She was exhausted. Her body, mind, and soul. She desired a separation from reality and wished to end the suffering. When her husband and Orion entered the room, her eyes were lifeless, and she couldn¡¯t move.


    A group of police followed the two men.


    ¡°Babe¡­ I¡¯m sorry¡­¡± She looked at Drew¡¯s trembling lips. A tear had formed in his eyes. ¡°Look at me. You¡¯re safe¡­ Hmm?¡±

 Lifeless

    While staring at his wife¡¯s bleeding head, Drew¡¯s body was trembling, and his jaw was clenching. While he was downstairs, he heard the two men mention his mother. He could hear it because Jericho and Keh were shouting at each other.


    As though life had somehow departed Lily¡¯s body, it was unresponsive. He is to me because he left his wife at the gathering. His chest constricted at the sight before he attacked Jericho.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    While the arresting officer was handcuffing him, Drew shoved him, and said, ¡°What did you do?!¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s your fault! You are the reason why your wife is often in trouble!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not true!¡± He simply wanted to exact revenge on Lily for what those beasts did to her! Perhaps it was his fault that Lily always ended up breaking up in the end. He had considered destroying Jericho, but not in a way that would involve his wife once more.


    ¡°Your wife is a slutty fuckin¡¯ slut! If you have an issue and she bes pregnant with her lover, don¡¯t hold it against me!¡±


    ¡°Of course, this would be your justification, almighty Drew Walton! You manipted Lily and my wife, and don¡¯t deny it!¡±


    He acknowledged Jericho¡¯s assertions. He prodded Jenny into her current state by luring her like a toddler being offered candy. However, not all of it was his fault. Isn¡¯t she married? Why did Jenny always act indecently to seduce him? It¡¯s no longer his fault if she became pregnant because she fell in love with another man. He hatched a scheme against the woman, but it was her willingness that made it all happen.


    ¡°I did nothing!¡± Drew denied. ¡°I didn¡¯t get your wife pregnant! I paid her back then as an escort, but there is no illicit rtionship between us now!¡±


    Jericho¡¯s teeth gritted. To express the agony he was feeling towards Drew, he said, ¡°You are taking revenge on me! You ruined my wife because we ruined yours too! Yeah, maybe you don¡¯t know, but you also have too much faith in Lily. You thought she was our victim? She consented to whatever Keh asked of her because she loved him.¡±


    Drew punched Jericho because he insulted his wife. Before Orion and the others could calm him down, his thumping fist left the fucker bleeding.


    ¡°Drew, you need to calm down,¡± muttered Orion.


    The next time, he would give what he had just heard this evening some thought. He picked up Lily¡¯s unresponsive body and carried her downstairs. He passed Keh, who was giving him a serious look. He wanted to ask the man why he toyed and mistreated his wife, or why he loved his dead mother, but he didn¡¯t have time for Lily¡¯s stepbrother.


    Drew led Lily outside. He hugged the woman who was curled up on top of his calf and continued to talk in her ear. Heforted her with soothing words in her ear, then gave her a tender kiss on the forehead.


    ¡°Lily, I¡¯m here¡­ This won¡¯t happen again, baby¡­ We¡¯re going somece¡­. And I¡¯ll defend you from anyone trying to hurt you,¡± he said those words over and over.


    He aspires to strength. He and Lily might not have reached this conclusion if he had simply let Keh and his friends go.


    Tears began to well in Lily¡¯s eyes, firmly clutching his clothes. Lily¡¯s birthday was today. Her wife should be happy.


    During the course of the investigation, he drove Lily to the hospital. Keh should be thankful that he was not involved in this case. However, Brian was implicated after he took Remi¡¯s son hostage. Drew found it quite annoying to think about them.


    Does Lily understand that he is only Remi¡¯s son¡¯s financial backer and has no other rtionship with them?


    But hecks the strength to borate. She was exhausted. He was drained.


    After making sure Lily got her medical treatment, Drew took her to Lauren¡¯s private rest house in the nearby province.


    He needed to keep Lily away from everyone while he conducted his own investigation.


    After only a few days of their stay at the beach house, he became worried that Lily wasn¡¯t as receptive as she once was. She continued to give him a lifeless response, which was concerning. He asked their friends and invited them to help him with solving his dilemma.


    ***


    Lily could hear the beach waves crashing on the shore. She was aware that they were at Lauren¡¯s beach house. The window was wide open, allowing the high, brilliant sun from outside to shine directly inside, making the room bright and airy. The room was filled with its warmth and brightness, while the cool wind was touching her long hair.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make meugh, Lily! You liked Keh. He won¡¯t y with you if you don¡¯t like him! You¡¯re just as twisted as your stepbrother!¡±


    Jericho¡¯s voice rang in her ear. She seemed to still remember his venomous voice. When she was twelve and Keh was neen, their parents¡¯ marriage brought the mother and son to the Martin home. He had a training course at the hospital as a student during the same year.


    She was the only child in the family, and being fascinated by Keh after her father brought him home was a normal reaction.


    Now, she¡¯s puzzled as to whether she is at fault for her stepbrother¡¯s behavior in manipting ang toying with her innocent mind, as Jericho imed.


    How about Drew? Was Drew really manipting her? Everyone said he was a cunning fucker, a scumbag-even her husband admitted to these assertions.


    She thought back on everything they had gone through from the moment she married him; she feared him until he taught her how to fight. For a couple of months of being his wife, she became independent. In that conclusion, contrary to what some people might think, her husband was a good man.


    As the sea breeze ruffled their hair, she felt two arms encircle her waist.


    ¡°Are you alright, babe?¡± Drew sniffed her neck.


    She closed her eyes to deeply feel his touch. God! She wanted Drew so much! She wanted him. But once he dumps her, it will destroy herpletely.


    Drew stroked her cheek. ¡°I brought you here to get you away from the others. I¡¯ve set up everything you need at school, so you won¡¯t have any problems.¡±


    ¡°I understood,¡± she said, forcing a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s eat. I bought some seafood. Orion left to allow us time alone. I just realized we haven¡¯t done our honeymoon yet,¡± he said, chuckling.


    ¡°Okay.¡± She couldn¡¯t say anything other than that.


    Drew led her out of the two-story rest house. There is a table shaded by arge leafy tree. He helped her to sit before serving her lunch. He grilled oysters, shrimp, and other vegetables.


    Lily watched Drew intently. Her life has always differed from her husband¡¯s. Why does she want him to live a lifetime with her? She was nothing more than a woman with a horrible past, whereas he was such a prince.


    ¡°Lauren lent me this rest house months ago, but I thought of using it now,¡± he said before looking at her lifeless expression. ¡°Lily? Lily?¡±


    Her attention abruptly turned to him; her thoughts were scattered all over the ce. ¡°Hmm?¡±


    Drew ced the freshly grilled shrimp on her tter and said, ¡°Here. Do not consume it right away; wait until it has cooled.¡±


    Lily nodded, forcing a smile. She had a lot on her mind while he packed her te with food.


    With concern, Drew asked, ¡°Are you alright, babe?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry; I just have some thoughts. Where is my phone? I¡¯ll check to see if I¡¯ve received a message.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s inside the room. Please finish the food before making a call.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    Drew gave her a hug. The only sound was thepping of the waves against the coast as silence descended upon the two of them.


    ¡°Remi¡¯s son is not my son,¡± Drew said, startling her. ¡°If that¡¯s why you¡¯re quiet, it¡¯s not mine. I told you before that I was cheated on by a woman because of my money, that¡¯s Remi.¡±


    She sincerely replied, ¡°I believe you, Drew. Your ex is not what I had in mind. I was just-¡±


    Drew took her hand. ¡°But I truly admit that it was my fault that Jericho and his wife, Jenny, misunderstood each other. It¡¯s true that I tried to control things. Jenny tried to seduce me in the office, and I knew it was because she was after my money.


    ¡°I introduced a foreign businessman who asked me to make a big investment in hispany in order to save his business. Except for Sarah, who knew who the man was, everyone in the office was informed that he was one of the major foreign investors in the Walton Group, rather than I was investing in them.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± Lily responded.


    Drew felt lost as to what to say next. ¡®Okay,¡¯ and that¡¯s it? If she didn¡¯t express any interest, what would he say after that?

 Broken Wings

    After lunch, Lily returned to the bedroom where they were staying to check for any messages. Indeed, Danica had texted her.


    Danica: Why didn¡¯t you tell me, Lily? Are you really treating me like a friend? Brian told me everything because the police arrested him after being implicated by his friend in the kidnapping of you and another child.


    In the next message, she read:


    Danica: I thought you were my friend! I always suspected you and Brian had a history, but I didn¡¯t anticipate it being this bad!


    Danica: I broke up with Brian.


    Lily ced her phone back in the drawer. Whenever someone got to know her, bad things always seemed to happen. These were things that Keh had been telling her for a while. She silently cried, theny down on the bed, revealing how broken and miserable she felt.


    She felt the opposite side of the bed sink, followed by Drew¡¯s kisses on her hair and his delicate touch on her skin. ¡°Everything will be fine, babe,¡± he whispered.


    When night fell, she made love with Drew almost every night.


    Whenever his hand touched her skin or his lips met hers, she felt alive and secure. He held her as delicately as if she were a fragile piece of crystal, requiring careful handling of every word and touch, which contrasted with the way he had made love to her in the past months.


    Drew moved with care, his eyes filled with passion, gazing deeply into hers as he moved his hips to connect with the deepest part of her body.


    While there was still time, she could have tried to make the most of her remaining days with him, knowing that their time together was limited. She was conscious of Drew¡¯s anxiety about her. His kisses were tender and sweet, leaving behind beautiful memories that lingered on her lips.


    During their stay at Lauren and Finn¡¯s retreat, it was always like this. However, with each passing morning, the pain deepened as she was increasingly aware that this dream would soone to an end.


    ***


    After a couple of days at the private beach, Lauren and Kori arrived, each with their respective children.


    They sat beneath arge tree, observing the blue, gently waving water, bathed in sunlight. Felix, along with his one-year-old baby brother, and Davi, Kori¡¯s daughter, yed on the beach, building a sandcastle.


    ¡°We came to check on you and see how you¡¯re feeling,¡± Lauren murmured.


    ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m okay.¡±


    Kori followed, asking, ¡°How have you been? Drew told me that you¡¯ve been going through a tough timetely. I¡¯m sorry I haven¡¯t been around much; I¡¯ve been busy with my business and my kids. But now, I¡¯m d to see Drew happy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m alright. We¡¯re sorry if my husband troubled you by asking you toe here.¡±


    ¡°My brother Kael is also apologizing for his behavior during our previous encounter. That brat!¡± Shaking her head, Lauren recalled her first meeting with Kael.


    Davi began crying out of the blue after tripping while running back from inside the house. She came with a pail. Lily observed Drew rushing over to the young child to assist her, followed by Kori checking on her daughter.


    Lily became envious as she noticed the unusual attention Drew was giving to the mother and daughter. Drew chuckled as he teased Davi and Kori. The three of them looked like a family of three.


    She was aware. How many times had she heard the im that Kori was the one woman Drew had ever truly loved? He would never love anyone else, and it would be selfish of her to urge him to stay by her side.


    Lauren saw the anguish in Lily¡¯s eyes and said, ¡°Did you know that I also felt jealous of Kori before?¡±


    She turned her gaze to the woman. ¡°Drew, Finn, and Kori have known each other since they were young. Even my best friend Brett, Kori¡¯s husband, had ended his rtionship with Kori because of Drew. We used to call them ¡®the three musketeers¡¯ during high school¡­ There won¡¯t be any issues with Kori and Drew¡¯s rtionship, Lily.¡±


    Lauren may have wanted to ease her mind, which prompted Lily to smile.


    ¡°I know,¡± she replied, forming only a few words with her fingers.


    As their friend was leaving, Drew informed Lily that he had to return to the city to check some paperwork in the office, leaving Orion with her to stay at the beach house.


    Master Walton paid her a surprise visit while Drew was away.


    Forcing a smile, she said, ¡°Grandpa, why did youe to see me here? Drew and I are going back home tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Lily, would you like me to help you with locking up Keh and his friends?¡±


    The old man¡¯s tone suggested that he might be familiar with some aspects of her background, which astonished her.


    ¡°I can help you, but if your reputation as Drew¡¯s wife is damaged, the Walton Family will also suffer, including my grandson.¡±


    Clenching her palm, she said, ¡°What is the actual reason you came here, Master Walton?¡±


    Because she believed he had already strained their family rtionship, Lily could no longer bring herself to refer to him as ¡°grandpa.¡±


    ¡°I want you to annul your marriage with Drew so that the Walton Group won¡¯t have to make any concessions. One day, I¡¯ll hand over the Walton Group to him, and you¡¯ll tarnish his good reputation.¡±


    Lily¡¯s tears flowed continuously. This anguish resurfaced once more. With a victim like her, was society truly this unforgiving? Why couldn¡¯t she fight without being subjected to judgment from others?


    As a victim, if she were to testify in court, would she end up being ridiculed in the end?


    ¡°I¡¯ll do that,¡± Lily said, not realizing what a significant decision it was. But she reasoned that there was nothing to lose because the day of her agreement with Drew was drawing near.


    ¡°However, I¡¯d like to know if it¡¯s true that thete Mrs. Walton used to write me letters and, if so, if that had anything to do with your decision to choose me to be Drew¡¯s wife.¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°W-why?¡±


    Lily wept upon learning the truth, her soul utterly shattered.


    ***


    Sarah called Drew. His father had requested his presence upon his return to the country. To avoid disturbing him at home, Drew went to his father¡¯s hotel suite and excused himself to Lily by saying he had to go to the office for something.


    Given that Lily had been through a lot and was currently not doing well, Drew didn¡¯t want his irresponsible father to see his wife.


    Upon entering his father¡¯s suite and seeing him smoking and sipping rum at one end, Drew wasted no time and asked, ¡°What else do you need?¡±


    His dad had done nothing but squander Walton¡¯s money. Due to his mistress mitting¡¯ suicide right in his private office, he not only failed to contribute to the business but also seriously damaged the Walton Group¡¯s reputation. As a result, Master Walton had forced him to leave for a distant country, where he was living the kind of life every cker desired, something Drew knew wasn¡¯t a small sum. ¡°I came here because I overheard the funniest thing. I shouldn¡¯t have cared, but you called and disturbed my peaceful world.¡±


    Seeing his dad irritated Drew, not just because of his presence, but because he looked exactly like his father. He couldn¡¯t deny that his father wasrgely responsible for his physical appearance, reminding him of the biological connection between them.


    ¡°Was there anything funnier than youing back to this country? As far as I know, you shouldn¡¯te near me,¡± Drew said icily.


    ¡°You came here on your own, son?¡±


    Drew restrained the anger in his heart.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡®Son?¡¯


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to mess up my life. That¡¯s why I¡¯m here! Now, what¡¯s that ¡®funniest thing¡¯?¡± Drew said sarcastically, mocking his father.


    ¡°That you married Cristina¡¯s daughter,¡± his dad replied, lifting the corner of his lips.


    ¡°Cristina? Cristina Martin?¡± There was no doubt that his dad was referring to Lily.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Mr. Walton Sr. grinned mischievously and continued, ¡°You know your mother pushed my mistress out of the window of my private office, right?¡±


    Drew clenched his jaw. He was aware of it and had no desire to learn more. It would only intensify his anguish. That incident led to his mother¡¯s mental instability, and his father, a notorious womanizer, was to me for everything.


    The next words from Mr. Walton Sr. sent shockwaves through Drew¡¯s world. ¡°Cristina is that mistress!¡±


    ¡°Your grandfatherplied with the Martins¡¯ demand after they found out about it. Everyone thinks Cristinamitted suicide, but the truth is, your mentally unstable mother pushed her from my office! Your mom, not in her right mind, was writing letters intended for Cristina¡¯s daughter, confessing her actions. That scheming Martin used them to his advantage!


    ¡°To conceal all of your mother¡¯s sins and protect the reputation of the Walton Group, you became the solution! He ensured that Lily would fall in love with you and then shattered her delicate heart afterward! Do you truly believe your grandfather chose Lily of his own ord? He orchestrated this entire n!¡±


    Drew shuddered at the revtion. He had believed he could protect Lily until the end, but he was wrong.


    What he didn¡¯t know was that Master Walton had shared the same information with his wife, effectively and utterly breaking Lily¡¯s spirit.

 Plucked

    ¡°You were lying!¡± Drew yelled at his father. How could his wife ept that if it were the true reason he married Lily?


    ¡°Why would I lie?¡±


    ¡°To hurt me! You¡¯ve done nothing but harm me.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    His father chuckled. ¡°Drew, between me and your grandfather, he¡¯s the one who truly wanted to harm you. He doesn¡¯t like Cristina¡¯s daughter. For your grandfather, thepany¡¯s reputation is paramount. Remember, you¡¯re my son! And don¡¯t act miserably because I know you don¡¯t love Lily. You¡¯ve made up your mind to end your rtionship with her.¡±


    Drew remained silent as Mr. Walton Sr. spoke. He was afraid he might be just like his father, known as a womanizer. He was so afraid that he didn¡¯t want to hurt Lily or force her to stay with him just to start a family. Instead of hurting his wife and taking on mistresses like his father, he would rather live alone for the rest of his life.


    His chest clenched. Had he done the right thing?


    ¡°I love Lily! I won¡¯t treat her the way you treated my mother!¡± Drew dered.


    Mr. Walton Sr. chuckled. ¡°You and I are not the same, Drew! Now, I shared these things because I want to meet Cristina¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll never get anything from me! Stay away from Lily and return to wherever you came from. I¡¯ve already severed ties with you, so don¡¯t approach my wife, or I¡¯ll obtain a restraining order against you!¡±


    With a heavy heart, Drew left his father¡¯s hotel suite.


    As he walked toward the elevator, his phone rang, and he noticed Orion¡¯s caller ID on the screen.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Drew, something happened here. Master Walton came over to the beach house. I had to give them space, so I left with the rest of your grandfather¡¯s bodyguards. When everyone departed, Lily broke down in tears. Your grandfather must have said something to cause her such pain.¡±


    Frustration coursed through him.


    He hastily left the hotel and headed to his car.


    On the highway, he drove faster than usual, desperate to reach his wife and anxiously hoping for her well-being.


    Within minutes, he arrived, and before even switching off the car¡¯s engine, he rushed into the beach house.


    Why did it always end up like this?


    On the sofa, Lily clutched herself, her expression filled with hopelessness, and tears welled up in her eyes. Orion watched over her. Drew, too, felt the urge to cry with his wife. Tenderly, he lifted her in his arms, carrying her to their room.


    ¡°Ssshh¡­ everything will be fine,¡± he whispered, his voice breaking. Would everything truly be all right? ¡°I promised to protect you, yet I keep failing.¡±


    Drew kept the room in darkness, with only the faint glow of the hallway¡¯s fluorescent light.


    Choosing a nearby couch in the room, he sat down while his wife curled up in his embrace, softly murmuring into her ear, desperately trying to reach her soul.


    ¡°Lily, I¡¯m here¡­¡±


    ¡°Everything is alright, babe.¡±


    ¡°Tomorrow, no more pain¡­¡±


    Drew¡¯s heart clenched. He does not want to see Lily like that. His flower¡­


    They fell asleep together in that position.


    ***


    When Lily woke up, she found herself already in bed. Drew, who had also just awakened, caught her gaze as soon as her eyes opened. He forced a smile and gently caressed her cheek.


    ¡°Good morning!¡±


    She was in too much pain to respond.


    Numerous obstacles stood in the way of her being able to keep Drew by her side, despite her desire to reach his heart.


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you freshen up,¡± he said softly, assisting her in getting up.


    A whileter, Drew washed her,bed her hair, and helped her change into clean clothes. She was too despondent and lost to realize that he, too, was broken.


    In the afternoon, they returned to their home.


    As soon as she entered their home, Lily summoned all her courage, determined to share her thoughts and feelings with Drew.


    ¡°Drew?¡±


    Drew stayed silent, wearing a mournful expression as he looked at her, as if sensing her intentions.


    Lily whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s terminate this agreement. Let¡¯s put an end to this marriage.¡±


    She noticed the anguish on her husband¡¯s face.


    ¡°Hmm,¡± Drew nodded, his gaze fixed on the floor. He couldn¡¯t answer with a clear yes or please don¡¯t, leaving his response ambiguous.


    He appeared calm but was clearly torn inside, like the deep and serene blue sea, making his reaction seem all the more devastating.


    He maintained a calm exterior, but underneath his skin, it felt like an erupting volcano had formed and was poised to shatter the world-this was what Drew felt upon hearing Lily¡¯s request.


    Even though it was tearing him apart, he wanted what was best for Lily. A thousand shards of his heart fell out of his chest.


    His flower had finally been plucked from his life¡­


    ***


    ¡°You¡¯ll get the house, Lily,¡± Drew said, mustering strength despite the crushing weight in his chest; that was all he could say.


    ¡°But the house is yours, Drew. It was yours before I entered your life.¡±


    If Lily stayed in this house rather than moving elsewhere, he would feel more secure. It would be easier for him to locate her if he ever wished to visit. Besides, Lily had left her mark in every part of the house, from the kitchen to the pool, the vibrantly painted walls, and even the colorful couch.


    Every corner was infused with Lily¡¯s presence. His heart couldn¡¯t find peace in this house, so it would be better if he gave it to her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll be staying here because this is your home, Lily. This is part of my gift in our agreement.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡±


    Drew¡¯s fist clenched tightly. He feared that if he reached out with his hands, they might betray him and draw Lily closer to his chest.


    The tip of his tongue almost wanted to whisper, pleading with her to stay with him and take back what she had said. But Lily was too broken, and he didn¡¯t want to worsen her already painful situation.


    ¡°I¡¯m going,¡± he said, unable to conceal the crack in his voice.


    Lily nodded. Not a single syble could escape their lips, both of them silenced by their throats constricted with desperation.


    Drew couldn¡¯t bear the weight in his chest as he prepared to leave the rtionship behind and turned to head out the door. His one year with Lily had been a unique experience, the most beautiful yet dark and painful.


    After he closed the door, he heard her sobbing. Drew, too, struggled to hold back his tears. The pain was overwhelming. What would happen to them next was uncertain, but in his mind, he wasn¡¯t what Lily needed at this moment.


    He didn¡¯t know how he ended up beside his car.


    ¡°Boss?¡± Mark asked with concern.


    He kept reaching for the car door handle. ¡°To Kori¡¯s yhouse.¡±


    Before he could get in, he heard Orion¡¯s voice from behind. ¡°Drew, beyond the boss and bodyguard rtionship, we¡¯re friends.¡±


    He turned to face Orion, who was taken aback by his appearance.


    ¡°You love Lily! I don¡¯t understand what¡¯s going on, but whatever Master Walton did, please don¡¯t let this affect the two of you!¡±


    ¡°No. I don¡¯t love her,¡± Drew denied.


    Orion growled, clearly unhappy with Drew¡¯s ns. ¡°You¡¯re not like your father! I understand that you¡¯re behaving this way because you¡¯re afraid Lily might suffer the same fate as your father did to his family!¡±


    Lowering his tone, Orion continued, ¡°You¡¯re worried that Lily might lose her mind entirely, given how unstable she¡¯s been these past few days, but you¡¯re not like Uncle Andrew!¡±


    ¡°I was like my father, Orion. Have you ever counted how many women I¡¯ve been with in the past?¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    ¡°Please, look after Lily.¡±


    Drew ultimately retreated to his car, his heart heavy, and drove away, uncertain about how to restart his life.

 His Flower

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t love her¡­¡± Lily heard Drew reply to Orion.


    Lily knew she was the one who had made the crucial decision and had requested to end her marriage with Drew. It would be painful and difficult for him to take care of her while bearing the guilt invested by their parents in their marriage.


    Orion reached out his hand to pull her up as she sobbed beside the door and then led her to sit on the colorful couch. The paint was finished, covering the entire piece of leather, blending in with the vibrant lilies painted on the wall. She was even more depressed, realizing that her husband had painted it to hide unsightly marks on her body, to make her feel like no one owned her.


    As she sobbed, Orion sat down next to her and allowed her to lean her head on his broad arm. She was nheless grateful that he stayed with her-the man she believed had given her the brotherly love that she had been searching for in Keh.


    Lily used to be afraid of him. Who wouldn¡¯t?


    Orion initially appeared as cold and emotionless as a block of ice. Given her history of unfair treatment, this raised concerns for her. However, as she got to know him and grew ustomed to the abundant protection Orion offered, she discovered that he was kind and considerate, much like a big brother looking out for his younger sister. He consistently showed up whenever she needed him and was always watchful over her, attending to every move she made.


    After what felt like an eternity, Orion managed to lift her and guide her to the bedroom. She had no energy for anything else and simply wept.


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave the door open and stay outside the room. Please let me know if you feel ufortable,¡± he offered.


    Lily didn¡¯t respond. Despite the door separating them, they continued to sense each other¡¯s presence.


    For a few minutes, she quietly sobbed on the bed while Orion continued to smoke in the hallway. She lost count of how many cigars he had gone through as she struggled to fall asleep.


    The next day, in thete afternoon, Lily decided to put an end to her wretched situation as she felt her burning and swollen eyes. Orion offered her food, and she didn¡¯t decline.


    ¡°Why did you break up with Drew, Lily? You know your marriage was good,¡± Orion inquired.


    As images of Drew shed through her mind, her lips trembled, and she seemed on the verge of tears once more. ¡°Because I shouldn¡¯t tie him to our rtionship, Orion. He¡¯s a king, and I¡¯m like dirt in his nearly perfect world.¡±


    ¡°Lily¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because of me that Drew got involved in uwful activities. I know he only intended to seek vengeance on those who hurt me by exploiting their weaknesses. Victor came first. Drew gave Victor a reason tosh out and took advantage of his obsession with money and his business.¡±


    ¡°The next one was Jericho, and all I know about him is that he loves his wife, and Drew exploited this weakness. My husband conspired with an investor to entice Jericho¡¯s wife. She had a baby, Orion¡­¡± She paused, her lips trembling.


    ¡°Jenny had a child with another man, and Jericho beat her because he had known about his impotence from the beginning, sending Jenny to the hospital and possibly causing her to lose her baby¡­ Brian helped Jericho just to keep me away from Danica. Everything that transpired was interconnected. Knowing that Drew did all of this because of me devastated me, and I have to put a stop to it.¡±


    ¡°But did you realize Drew did everything he did for you-so you could have a happy life?¡±


    She corrected Orion¡¯s statement, ¡°That I could have a good life if we end the marriage.¡±


    ¡°Lily¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s happening now. All I can do is be strong and look forward to a fulfilling life. She¡¯s not that naive. She had often been told that Drew preferred to live on his own and had no desire to start a family, so she knew he was preparing for their separation. Lily¡¯s eyes welled up once more.


    Orion sighed in frustration and gave Lily a reassuring pat on the head. ¡°Everything will be fine, Lily.¡±


    ***


    Drew felt empty. He was seated near the floor-to-ceiling window of Kori¡¯s penthouse, or as they called it, Kori¡¯s yhouse, and he seemed to be passively waiting for the day to end.


    He knew his wife was too wounded to seek a marital annulment, trying not to care rather than being angry with the Walton Family. If Lily¡¯s mother had been alive, she wouldn¡¯t have gone through all she had, including the violence and mistreatment by her dad, her stepmother, and Keh. Perhaps she would have lived as a typical, happy young woman.


    Lily lost an important person, and then everything about her fell apart. But, damn, it hurts so much!


    It was more painful than the rejection he received from Kori. Because he and Kori were best friends, the affection he felt for her was very different.


    But Lily¡­ She was his flower. Like Mother Gothel and her Rapunzel¡­


    Where would he find the strength now that his beloved flower had been cut off? He was too devastated and heartbroken to think or act.


    When the person he knew well, who could easily track him everywhere he went, showed up at Kori¡¯s yhouse, he was in this predicament.


    He looked at him silently.


    Drew warned Finn, ¡°If you¡¯re here to talk about what happened to me and Lily, you¡¯d better just leave.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m here to drink, not because of you,¡± Finn said to Drew.


    ¡°Fucker,¡± he weakly muttered.


    Since high school, only the three of them had had ess to Kori¡¯s penthouse. Any tears, joy, destruction, or anything else significant in their lives-both good and bad-took ce here. They were now sharing this penthouse with Finn and Kori¡¯s children.


    For whatever reason, Drew knew that his best friends were concerned about him. Kori kept calling, but he ignored all of them.


    Finn appeared calm, as if he didn¡¯t give a damn about Drew¡¯s world, and headed toward the bar area. After grabbing a bottle of scotch, a ss, and some chips, he sat down next to Drew by the window.


    ¡°I miss her terribly,¡± Drew confessed.


    As he filled his ss with scotch, Finn raised an eyebrow and mumbled, ¡°I thought we weren¡¯t going to bring up Lily.¡±


    Drew replied with a constricted chest, ¡°Well, I can¡¯t help it. I¡¯m¡­ I¡¯m missing her.¡±


    Finn responded with a hint of amusement, ¡°Alright, but remember that you brought up the topic of Lily, not me.¡±


    ¡®Fucker!¡¯


    ¡°Now, I¡¯ll ask you what really happened. You¡¯ve been hiding here for three days, Drew. Why did you go through with your n to give up Lily? Didn¡¯t you agree that after a year, your marriage would either continue or be annulled? We all believed that you and Lily were happy.¡±


    Drew hugged his leg. ¡°You know I love my mom. She gave me all the affection that she couldn¡¯t receive from my dad. Therefore, I can¡¯t help being biased in choosing between my parents, I can¡¯t stop it. Mom loved me. Mom and Dad would often argue whenever the opportunity presented itself on any asion, but most of the arguments stemmed from her allegations that my dad had cheated on her with other women.¡±


    His chest constricted as though something had been lodged there for a very long time. Tears began to fall, and he asked Finn, ¡°You know the story of that person whomitted suicide in the former Walton Group Building, right?¡±


    ¡°The woman they said was Master Walton¡¯s former secretary?¡± Finn was uncertain about the direction their conversation might take and continued, ¡°The woman they said went unhinged and took her own life because her husband divorced her?¡±


    They abandoned the old building and renovated it into a new one for that reason. His grandfather managed to conceal the incident without tarnishing thepany¡¯s reputation.


    ¡°That woman was Lily¡¯s mom.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°God¡­¡± What Finn heard appeared to stop his thoughts in their tracks.


    ¡°The most terrifying aspect of all that happened in that story, Finn, was that Lily¡¯s mother didn¡¯tmit suicide. My mom pushed her out of an open window after she was found in my dad¡¯s office.¡±


    Drew couldn¡¯t quell the pain in his chest, the memories of his mother, his father, and even Lily flooding in.


    ¡°I wondered if Lily¡¯s mother had a rtionship with my dad after learning she was the woman who passed away at that time. The idea that my mom might have betrayed me hurts so much! I felt somehow connected to Lily¡¯s sorrow in every way. Since everything is intertwined, I¡¯m worried that my existence can¡¯t ease her suffering.¡±


    ¡°I-I-I want to hug her, Finn¡­ I want to maintain our rtionship and build it into the wonderful life we both deserve, buttely, I¡¯ve started to think that she¡¯s hurting more because I¡¯m staying with her. Finn, Lily loved her mother in the same way that I do. She sacrificed a lot, and it hurts so damn much!¡±


    ¡°But, bro, you love her, don¡¯t you? Lily will ept you if you offer her more of your heart because you¡¯re her husband. If you love her, you should fight for what you feel for her.¡±


    What Finn said only deepened his sense of despair.


    ¡°But when you love a woman, you give her more than just your heart-you give her what she deserves most. I want to grant Lily freedom because that¡¯s something she¡¯s never experienced in her entire life. Love involves eptance, and I ept everything about her. Even if we don¡¯t have an official rtionship, I can still make her happy. You know that feeling, right?¡±


    He knew that Finn had been through a simr experience with Lauren.


    ¡°Give her space until she moves on, but do not annul your marriage, bro. It will break you, Drew.¡±


    ¡°I know¡­ but what can I do?¡± He felt something in his throat that prevented him from swallowing, so he quickly downed the wine.


    He had never encountered anything like this, not even with his ex-girlfriend. He had been upset at the time because he felt deceived by Remi, but after discovering her deceit, he had gone to the office the next day and pretended nothing had happened, even after his rejection from Kori.


    But his ending with Lily? Three days had passed, but he still felt how devastated, hurt, and depressed he was, wondering why fate was against them.


    ***


    As Lily left Drew¡¯s residence, she carried a sling bag and a luggage bag. She had to do this to better herself. If she stayed here much longer, she wouldn¡¯t be able to think clearly.

 The Mistress

    [This chapter may disturb some readers. A trigger warning is advised.]


    [Fourteen years ago]


    Around eleven o¡¯clock in the evening, most of the lights in the 12-story skyscraper owned by the Walton Group were switched off; their employees were undoubtedly fast asleep at home.


    However, in one room on the top floor of the building, a stunning woman with a toned frame was sobbing. In the vice president¡¯s office, where the woman had gone, they had dimmed the room¡¯s lighting as she wished to conceal her wounds from her long-time friend.


    The man, with his expressionless face, stood next to the open ss sliding window in the far corner of the room, smoking a cigar. The architect had designed it specifically for him, taking into ount his smoking habit.


    Women who cry for any reason are among the things he dislikes the most, especially since he had just had an exhausting argument with his wife a while ago.


    He continued to blow smoke from his cigarettes out of the building, and in response, a chilly breeze from outside entered his office.


    ¡°I never once thought that you woulde here to see me after all these years, Cristina,¡± said Andrew.


    The woman¡¯s eyes became agitated, and she said, ¡°I need your help so I can see Niel.¡±


    ¡°But haven¡¯t you already turned him down? I¡¯m aware of your recent affair. You made up your mind and told him you were choosing your husband. After hearing about your rejection, my friend left the country and might note back. He will continue to support his two children. To bepletely honest, Cristina, I¡¯m not even sure what you actually want,¡± Andrew¡¯s brows wrinkled.


    Cristina tried to exin while crying. ¡°Andrew, it¡¯s because I already have a family. Martin, my husband, was the one I turned to when Niel left me and promised to support me. Back then, I needed support, and my husband was there. It would have been simple to ept if Niel hadn¡¯t left me. We would have gotten along great.


    ¡°He decided to return when Lily turned twelve. When he asked me to elope and leave Martin, it forced me to make the decision to choose my family. Martin was my choice because he married me. While I was pondering these things and trying to avoid betraying my family, I learned that Martin intended to divorce me.¡±


    ¡°Andrew, I can¡¯t do this any longer! My husband has been cheating on another woman for years. He assured me that if I married him, I would lead a happy life, but that wasn¡¯t the case!¡±


    Andrew¡¯s jaw clenched. ¡°Seriously, Cristina! You quickly changed your mind about going back to Niel because you and Martin are about to separate. Is that right? It seems like you used your husband¡¯s extramarital rtionship as an excuse to be with my friend.¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not like that; even then, I still loved your friend. I consented to marry Martin since he was there for me when I needed an ally after Niel left, and my thoughts were all over the ce,¡± replied the woman.


    Andrew sneered. ¡°That does not change the fact that you¡¯re a user!¡±


    Cristina shed more tears. ¡°You have no idea what you¡¯re talking about! You don¡¯t know what I sacrificed!¡±


    ¡°I probably don¡¯t have any idea, but that¡¯s what I see¡­¡±


    The woman trembled, then whispered, ¡°Lily- Lily is Niel¡¯s daughter. That was the truth, and Martin knew about it. Martin used to care for Lily like a daughter. However, I can see how dissatisfied he is right now!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± That¡¯s where Andrew¡¯s sanity stopped.


    ¡°Martin vowed to take care of me while I was pregnant with Lily. What should I do? I had just turned 18. I needed his help, but he was in Europe on business. Later on, I discovered that the real reason he traveled abroad was because he already had a son. I tried to contact him, but all of my calls were rejected. I wasn¡¯t sure if he still intended to avoid me, if he still nned toe back, or if he was even still alive.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t find him! Niel, I thought, had abandoned me, and then Martin took on the responsibility because I didn¡¯t know what to do. And then, after I married Martin, I learned he was already in a rtionship and was expecting twins, too.¡±


    Andrew¡¯s thoughts were confused. ¡°Do you mean Lily is Niel¡¯s daughter?¡±


    Cristina sobbed as she nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the truth; once my issues are resolved, I intend to tell Lily everything. Andrew, I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±


    ¡°What about me, Cristina? Would you have allowed me to look after Lily if I didn¡¯t have a wife and a son back then? Would you have wanted me to act like ¡®Martin¡¯ did back then?¡± His chest hurt as he looked at the distressed woman.


    Cristina fixed her gaze on Andrew and shook her head. ¡°You and Niel treat each other like brothers. I can¡¯t involve you in this mess. The situation would definitely be messier if you were a part of my problems right now.¡±


    ¡°With my wife, I never felt at ease. She thought I had mistresses, including our maid, her cousin, and my secretary. She was envious of any woman I spoke to in front of her, which made me feel like I had a leash around my neck. She found your photograph among my belongings, and now she believes I have another woman.¡±


    Cristina¡¯s expression was one of confusion, even as tears flowed from her eyes.


    ¡°Niel and I confessed to you, remember? Your heart unexpectedly epted Niel, and I couldn¡¯t help but be happy for the two of you. Besides, I was already married. The difference between Niel and me was that he was a single dad, and I was a married man. When Niel left you, I was one of those who regretted my marriage.


    ¡°I believed that we might have ended up together if I hadn¡¯t been married at the time. But you just said there was no way because you valued my friendship with Niel.¡±


    Their deep conversation was abruptly interrupted by the ringing of his phone, which was on the table.


    The voice on the other end, assumed to be from the security team, stated, ¡°Boss, Mrs. Walton came and is looking for you. She¡¯s on her way up to your office.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± replied Andrew before putting the handset back. ¡°My wife is here. I¡¯ll go get her before she bes hysterical again.¡±


    Cristina hurried to the open window Andrew had left so she could take in some fresh air as soon as he left his private office. She was disoriented and exhausted. The chilly midnight breeze blew her dark hair.


    Andrew is right. But what about Lily? Her daughter also deserves to know her father. This is all her fault!


    ¡°I always believed I¡¯d catch Andrew, eh!¡±


    Cristina was taken aback by the voice and turned to look at the woman. It was evident from the woman¡¯s lifeless expression and the dark circles under her eyes that she had not been getting enough sleep.


    Is this Andrew¡¯s wife?


    ¡°You¡¯re a whore!¡± The woman swiftly advanced and grabbed Cristina¡¯s hair, shocking her. ¡°You¡¯re a home-wrecker! A slut! You¡¯ve ruined my life!¡±


    The pain in her scalp intensified, and Cristina cried even harder due to the physical and emotional distress inflicted by Andrew¡¯s wife. Was she out of her mind? As Andrew had mentioned, it was clear that she was not thinking clearly.


    ¡°Stop that!¡± Andrew yelled. To stop his wife¡¯s madness, he pped her hard, causing the woman to fall to the floor.


    Cristina, who was next to the window, kept sobbing. Because of Andrew¡¯s wife, her sense of confusion in life grew even more.


    ¡°Let¡¯s talk. I-I¡¯m not your husband¡¯s mistress.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re lying. You love that wench, Andrew! She¡¯s the woman in the photograph you keep in your wallet! I cannot be mistaken! I had reason to believe you two were cheating after all!¡±


    ¡°Yes, I love Cristina! If only you hadn¡¯t been so crazy, I might have loved you from the moment I married you!¡±


    The woman screamed hysterically. It¡¯s unsettling, eerie, like something out of a nightmare. ¡°I will kill you, you, fucking b*tch!¡±


    She stood up, ran over Cristina, and then strangled her neck. Half of her body was sticking out the window, feeling the chilly air while both of Andrew¡¯s wife¡¯s hands were clutching her neck. Her ck hair danced together with the cold wind, which frightened her.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    ***


    ¡°You fucking b*tch, stop that!¡± Andrew didn¡¯t know how to stop his wife from her craziness. That evening was the first time in many years he had seen Cristina.


    Andrew managed to remove his wife¡¯s hand from Cristina¡¯s neck and then tried to pull Mrs. Walton¡¯s waist to get her away from the woman. His wife kept on struggling while wrapped in his arms, screaming like a madwoman! But before Andrew could eventually pull his wife far away from Cristina, Mrs. Walton¡¯s foot reached and kicked the struggling Cristina out of therge and open window.


    Cristina was still holding her chest and snatching air to breathe from the window before disappearing from their view. It was the longest second in Andrew¡¯s life.


    ¡°Noooo!¡± Andrew yelled before pushing his wife to the floor as they heard a crash from the ground.


    When he peered through the window, he saw Cristina¡¯s dislocated body on top of the vehicle.


    His wife¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at the woman¡¯s lifeless body. Mrs. Walton trembled all over. Even from a distance, they could see Cristina¡¯s eyes, lifeless yet wide open, staring in their direction.


    ¡°I-I didn¡¯t do it! It¡¯s not my fault!¡± Mrs. Walton reasoned, though Andrew felt a surge of anger as he watched her sob.


    ¡°You¡¯re clearly not thinking straight!¡± he scowled at his wife.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t do it, Andrew! It¡¯s her fault! She seduced you!¡± Mrs. Walton murmured through her tears.


    Andrew screamed in frustration. He did love Cristina, and that¡¯s why he had chosen to avoid her¡­


    He med himself. If he hadn¡¯t invited Cristina that evening¡­


    If he hadn¡¯t kept the photo of Cristina that he found among Niel¡¯s belongings¡­


    If he hadn¡¯t opened the window¡­


    If his wife hadn¡¯t be consumed by jealousy and dominance¡­

 Big Project

    Several days had passed. Orion had a family matter to attend to, and Lily convinced him that he could leave her. If she continued to be terrified of Keh, nothing positive would happen in her life. She had to ovee her anxiety about being independent and alone.


    Orion was Drew¡¯s confidant, and she didn¡¯t want to settle into a life she knew wasn¡¯t meant for her.


    Lauren visited Lily¡¯s house just a few dayster, apanied by Felix, her son, and Kael. She embraced Lily tightly.


    ¡°You¡¯ve obviously been crying for days,¡± Lauren said, noticing how puffy her eyes were.


    Lily smiled sadly and invited the visitors inside. Fortunately, she and Orion had gone grocery shopping the other day, so even though Lauren brought her food, she already had something on hand.


    After taking a seat in the dining area, Lauren elbowed her brother.


    ¡°I came here to offer my sincere apologies. Finding out that you are Drew¡¯s wife made me overreact,¡± Kael said.


    That was one of Lily¡¯s questions. Why did Kael and Drew dislike each other so much? ¡°May I know why you have such strong feelings against my husband?¡±


    Lauren scowled at her brother, giving him the ¡®go ahead and tell her¡¯ look.


    ¡°Everyone dislikes Drew, so that¡¯s not surprising. They yed with my sister¡¯s feelings years ago, and that¡¯s what really upset me. Not to mention that your husband was excessively arrogant.¡±


    ¡°yed?¡± Lily asked in confusion.


    ¡°Well, your husband took Finn to the club where he was a member during the first few months of our marriage. He hired a prostitute for my husband,¡± exined Lauren with a bitter smile.


    ¡°The three musketeers, led by Drew, conspired to manipte my sister¡¯s emotions. They wanted to take revenge on Brett because they all believed he loved my sister,¡± Kael pointed out, referring to Drew, Finn, Kori, and thetter¡¯s husband, Brett.


    ¡°That year was chaotic. Drew was the one who informed me of all the details of their betrayal, including my husband¡¯s infidelity with a prostitute. I left for New York in utter despair and with a broken heart. I almost believed that Finn and I were ending our marriage, but we worked through it. Look at us now; we¡¯re happy.¡±


    ¡®I suppose Lauren¡¯s marriage was equally messy as mine.¡¯


    Lauren let out a sigh. ¡°But that¡¯s all in the past. Drew has already apologized to me. That¡¯s why Felix received such a generous gift from him as his godfather,¡± she said with a smile.


    Kael argued, ¡°Anyway, to cut the story short, your husband was a scheming jerk!¡± Seeing her unhappiness, he added, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    None of these applied to Lily. Drew may have been a maniptive person, but to her, he was the most devoted husband. He was the man who had won her heart and the first person who had truly valued her. She took a deep breath to calm herself, or else she¡¯d cry.


    ¡°Anyway, I came here because I want to offer you a job, Lily,¡± Kael muttered.


    ¡°A job?¡±


    ¡°You need a distraction right now,¡± Lauren countered.


    Kael continued, ¡°And you¡¯re in luck because the project I¡¯m working on is nearingpletion. I needed a reliable interior designer for this resort project, and I must admit that your portfolio impressed me.¡±


    This is precisely what Lily needs. Even though her future life may not be with Drew, she needs a career where she will be the one in charge.


    ¡°Job epted!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ***


    Lily made the hasty decision to ept Kael¡¯s offer along with Danica. She sent her a message, asking her to meet at Boracay Ind for a job, even though she wasn¡¯t sure if she would see her friend at the airport. She added that when they had the time, she would reveal everything about her history with Brian. Danica was the first friend Lily had ever considered keeping.


    She trusted the young woman, believing that she would do the same for her.


    When she stepped outside, Kael¡¯s car was already parked in front of her house.


    ¡°Thank you for picking me up. I still can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to work together.¡±


    He simply smiled and said, ¡°You are perfect for this project.¡±


    Kael began to exin the specifics of the hotel and resort that his group was nearly finished building. They were approachingpletion, and her ability to meet the resort owner¡¯s demands would determine whether she retained her job. The estimatedpletion date was two months away, so she could avoid thinking about Drew during that time.


    The annulment procedure wouldn¡¯t be simple, but she wanted Drew to feel happy once it was over, even though she hadn¡¯t received the annulment papers or received any calls from Drew to inquire about how things were progressing.


    When they arrived at the airport, she saw Danica, dressed in bright and colorful attire, waiting in the boarding area. She could see the sadness in the young woman¡¯s eyes as they made eye contact.


    ¡°Are you sure she¡¯s your friend?¡± Kael asked, noting the differences in their personalities. Lily is more reserved and introverted, while her friend is bright and outgoing. Lily is dressed in loose-fitting jeans, while Danica epitomizes the image of a perfect youngdy.


    ¡°Of course!¡± Lily rushed forward to get closer to the young woman and give her friend a hug.


    ¡°Ohhh¡­ I miss you, Lily!¡±


    ¡°I almost thought I wouldn¡¯t see you. By the way, this is Kael Escarrer. The resort we are going to in Boracay is his client.¡±


    Danica¡¯s eyes widened as she eximed, ¡°What?!¡± before asking, ¡°H-he¡¯s Kael Escarrer from the Escarrer and Montana Builders?¡± and swallowing.


    Kael¡¯s eyebrows raised. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s me.¡±


    Danica winced and scratched her neck. ¡°I-I¡¯m Danica Arvesso.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you are rted to my client-Mr. Arvesso?¡±


    Lily was perplexed. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Are you two acquainted?¡±


    Danica muttered, ¡°He is my father. Yay¡­¡± even though her voice said otherwise.


    Kael turned his gaze to Lily. ¡°You mean the partner in your design team is Mr. Arvesso¡¯s daughter? The one you told me you¡¯d include in this project? Are you kidding me?¡±


    Lily was still trying to understand. ¡°Can you guys borate? Do you know each other?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s say we¡¯re going to your friend¡¯s resort.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lily¡¯s eyes widened in surprise as she looked at Danica. ¡°We¡¯re going to work at your family¡¯s resort?¡± She had no idea that her friend was that wealthy. She knew Danica¡¯s family was well-off, but she had no idea they ran a luxury resort.


    Kael had previously provided details and mentioned that the project was substantial. Lily reasoned that perhaps this was one of the reasons Brian was fond of her friend.

 Need

    Lily, Danica, and Kael were picked up by a shuttle service and driven to the resort area from the ind¡¯s dock. Danica¡¯s true identity still puzzled her.


    ¡°Miss Danica!¡± gasped the staff member who came to pick them up.


    Her friend replied, having forgotten the teen¡¯s name. ¡°I told my dad I woulde back today.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yes. I just didn¡¯t expect you and Sir Kael to know each other.¡±


    Kael had been a regr presence there, so he was acquainted with all the staff. The young man instructed them to board the vehicle.


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Danica muttered, biting her fingernail.


    Lily sensed an unexined source of anxiety in her friend. She didn¡¯t inquire about the young woman¡¯s family situation and only knew that her friend was carefree and acted as she pleased. In her eyes, Danica was, at least, a carefree young woman.


    ¡°Don¡¯t your family know you¡¯re an interior designer?¡± Kael questioned Danica, who was clearly distraught. They both could see that Danica had been restless since the airport.


    ¡°No. My dad thinks I¡¯m studying business. Although my brother knew I was studying design,¡± she replied before looking at Lily and saying, ¡°Once my dad finds out about this, I¡¯m done!¡±


    Lily didn¡¯t know how to console her friend. She didn¡¯t have a good rtionship with Mr. Martin or anyone in her family, either. So, she wasn¡¯t the right person to say to Danica, ¡°It¡¯s okay, your dad will understand you.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°I have spoken with Mr. Arvesso many times, and I think you¡¯ll be fine,¡± said Kael.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. If only you were aware of my dad¡¯s strict rules for me. He has often scolded me, thinking I had taken too many sses, but what could I do? Ick a business mindset.¡±


    Lily held Danica¡¯s hand. ¡°Being an interior designer is also business-minded. We were considering forming a partnership, were we not?¡±


    ¡°Oh, Lily¡­¡± Danica chose to lean against her when they were seated next to each other and hugged her arm. Lily might have been more positive about things because she was two years older than Danica. She had never once offered a friend a word of encouragement, which made her believe she had changed over the months.


    On an ind known for its beach resorts, Danica¡¯s ce is situated several kilometers from the port area. The shuttle service passed through an alley and arrived at a stunning and spacious building.


    ¡°Oh, oh! Please pray for me!¡± uttered Danica.


    Before Lily could enter the building, she felt her phone vibrating and saw Orion¡¯s name shing on the screen. She answered the call because she figured the man would be worried, knowing she wasn¡¯t at home.


    ¡°Hello!¡±


    ¡°Lily, where are you?¡± he said on the other line with a concerned tone.


    ¡°Orion, I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to worry. I told you I needed to be brave because I can¡¯t always rely on you, which is why I epted a position to work with Kael Escarrer.¡±


    But as she finished speaking, Lily heard another voice.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡±


    It was Drew. Lily gasped. Hearing his voice made her heart ache with longing.


    ¡°I came home immediately after knowing you¡¯re not here, and I¡¯m worried about you, Lily. I don¡¯t mind if you have a job; what I want to know is if you¡¯re okay where you are right now.¡±


    ¡°So far, I¡¯m good.¡± Talking with Drew felt like he was just inches away.


    ¡°But Lily¡­ we appeared on the news and in a few social media posts.¡±


    Hearing this, she furrowed her brow and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Lily, when I visited your school, some students who were curious about our rtionship discovered that we were married. The thing is¡­ they delved into the past. Lily, these students can be quite invasive. They found untrue rumors that were circted in your former school. Not only that, but another woman who ims to be the most recent victim of Keh and his friends apparently submitted a case report to them. She implicated you as one of their victims.¡±


    ¡°Ohhh¡­¡± uttered Lily, leaning against the car before covering her mouth.


    She wanted to keep her past hidden and move on, which is why she declined Master Walton¡¯s offer to help her prosecute Keh and his friends. What she desired most was peace of mind.


    She knew her chances of sess in a legal battle against Keh and his friends were very slim. What happened to her had urred a long time ago. What evidence did she have? Reliving her suffering, hardships, and painful memories would only make her feel worse. She feared that the wounds she thought had already healed would reopen.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to you, Lily!¡± said Drew.


    No! Her chest rumbled. Once she saw him, she would only experience more pain.


    ¡°Lily?¡±


    ¡°Drew, I¡¯m fine. This job is what I need. I¡¯ll call you if ever I encounter problems. Right now, everything is fine.¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m not fine, Lily¡­ I¡¯m not okay.¡±


    Lily gulped when she detected the sadness in Drew¡¯s voice. ¡°Why? Are you sick?¡±


    On the other end, Drew remained silent. Lily understood that her husband was concerned about her.


    He and Orion might both be used to taking care of all her needs or solving her problems.


    Her husband¡­


    ¡°Drew, I need this job. You know we¡¯ve separated, right? I need this for myself. I know you¡¯re probably worried, but I¡¯m alright. I¡¯m with Lauren¡¯s brother, Kael¡­ Drew, for two months¡­ During that time, I need to be on my own, and I hope Orion will allow me to be alone around this period as well.¡±


    Lily heard his slow breathing on the other end. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to get hurt.¡±


    ¡°If it¡¯s true that someone used my name in Keh¡¯s trouble, it would be even more difficult for both of us if I ever returned to the city. Being here makes me feel safer.¡±


    ¡°Alright. If you¡¯re really fine, I¡¯ll let you do what you want.¡±


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± She felt like crying after their conversation.


    This is just a start, Lily.


    ¡°Bye, Lily!¡± Drew muttered on the other line before she pressed the end button.


    ¡°Lily?¡± Kael called. ¡°Are you alright? Mr. Arvesso is waiting.¡±


    She nodded, forcing a simple smile.


    Kael may not be aware of the recent issues she has, she thought. She will make an effort to keep her personal problems out of her mind while staying on this ind and will check the inte once the meeting with Danica¡¯s father is over.


    ¡°Sorry, Drew called me.¡±


    Kael was slightly taken aback, then grimaced. ¡°Is your husband looking for you right now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. Drew was just worried about me because I didn¡¯t inform Orion about my ns, either. In order to convince Orion to let me stay home so he could meet his father, who had traveled from abroad, I promised him I¡¯d call him if I ever had intentions of leaving the house-which, of course, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    Kael chuckled, shaking his head, and said, ¡°It¡¯s tough being the wife of one of the three musketeers, eh?¡±


    If only Kael knew it was her who was continuously causing trouble for Drew and not the other way around.


    Following Kael inside, she heard a man¡¯s deep voice scolding Danica.


    Lily couldn¡¯t anticipate how her life would changepletely the moment she stepped foot inside that resort.

 Escaping

    ¡°I am the one who will be paying Kael¡¯s firm, and now my daughter ims she works under him, which, incidentally, made me pay for you as well!¡±


    Lily appeared rmed by the rage she detected in Danica¡¯s father. The man¡¯s loud voice triggered her anxiety. Terrified, she clutched Kael¡¯s arm, not realizing her fingers were digging into his skin. Memories of how angry Mr. Martin used to get shed through her mind. The man wouldsh out at her with anything he could grab, including his cane.


    ¡°P-please¡­ stop¡­¡± Lily whispered, turning her attention to the ground in order to cease watching the father and daughter.


    ¡°Are you alright, Lily?¡± Kael asked.


    Lily closed her eyes tightly. She tightened her grip on Kael¡¯s arm.


    Pouting her lips, Danica spoke in a nagging voice, ¡°Dad! You saw that my boss and my friend were here. Can¡¯t you please be a little more discreet?¡±


    The elderly man shook his head. ¡°You ungrateful child! We¡¯ll talk about this moreter,¡± he said before facing them. ¡°I apologize. This kid is so stubborn that I couldn¡¯t help getting angry. She¡¯s my princess, and I worry about her.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Daddy!¡± Her friend grinned widely, which changed Lily¡¯s impression.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, Sir! I understand because I know how proud you are of Danica. Every time we have wine, you keep bragging about her,¡± replied Kael, chuckling.


    Lily¡¯s anxiety vanished as a result. While Mr. Arvesso may have scolded Danica, it wasn¡¯t the same treatment she had experienced from her own father.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°By the way, let me introduce you to Ms. Lily Martin. She and Danica have been friends and ssmates for a year, and I¡¯ve heard they have worked on a few projects together. I met Lily through her friendship with my sister, and I was impressed by her portfolio, so I wanted to recruit her for this job.¡±


    Mr. Arvesso looked at her intently.


    ¡°Does that mean you only wanted to hire Lily? Am I just an afterthought here?¡± Danicained.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Kael scratched his head, clearly hesitant to make a nasty remark.


    ¡°Lily Martin¡­¡± Mr. Arvesso uttered her name. The elderly man coughed and straightened his posture. ¡°Well, I assume no one has had lunch yet. Let¡¯s discuss workter. I have a lot to say to this misbehaving child. I¡¯ll take her with me for now.¡±


    Danica grinned. ¡°See youter, Lily! In the meantime, I¡¯ll have a talk with my dad.¡±


    Danica hugged Mr. Arvesso¡¯s arm like a cat, seemingly trying to act cute to ease her father¡¯s temper. They left the main building.


    A resort staff member approached Lily to assist her with carrying her belongings to the bedroom.


    Once Lily arrived at the room where she would be staying for a few weeks, she contemted essing the inte to check what was happening in the city. After entering Keh¡¯s name into the search bar, she noticed a blog that caught her eye and decided to read it.


    ¡°Carm Sanchez, a nurse, has filed a rape case against Dr. Keh Martin, a business associate, Jericho Cordova, the famous model Brian Mendoza, and Keith Dantes. The victim alleges that the assault urred two weeks ago. ording to her attorney, Miss Alessandra, who is well-known for representing rape victims, Carm underwent an investigation, and they have substantial evidence. The four used individuals have also provided statements to the authorities.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God¡­¡± Lily gasped because she knew Carm.


    The woman had a strong liking for Keh. She worked as a nurse at the hospital where Keh was employed. Lily was familiar with Carm because the woman had previously tended to her wounds and bruises after Keh had viciously assaulted her. Now she was deeply concerned for the woman.


    On social media, she came acrossments that ridiculed Carm¡¯s appearance and used her of lying.


    ¡°You¡¯re not even attractive!¡±


    ¡°I hope you enjoy thepany of those handsome men. They are gorgeous!¡±


    Seeing the criticism Carm was receiving online made Lily feel nauseated and terrible. There was so much disagreement amongizens, which was one of the reasons why Lily had declined Master Walton¡¯s offer.


    Not everyone has experienced being molested, and she knew that once she agreed to Master Walton¡¯s offer to bring awsuit against Keh and his friends, she was putting herself in the line of fire.


    ¡°That¡¯s why she persuaded me to speak,¡± Lily thought.


    Even though Lily had never spoken to Carm verbally before, she was certain that the woman knew everything that happened to her whenever Keh called for assistance. It¡¯s twisted that he would ask for help for Lily after abusing her, but that¡¯s how bizarre he was.


    Lily came across a recent Instagrab post made by Carm on social media.


    I am telling the truth! Those beasts ought to be locked up!


    Knocks on her door made her heart race, startling her. She was so tense that the phone she was holding slipped out of her grasp. After letting it fall onto the mattress, she headed toward the door and found Kael outside.


    ¡°Lily, my sister called and asked me how you are because she¡¯s worried. What¡¯s going on? Drew spoke to you earlier too, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Brian and his friends!¡± Danica interjected, standing at the end of the hallway, holding a cell phone. Her friend walked up to them, wearing a serious expression.


    Lily couldn¡¯t meet her eyes.


    ¡°Lily, the news about you is all over the school forum. Brian admitted to me, that jerk! He confessed that he was the one his friends asked to orchestrate the scheme to tarnish your reputation at your previous school. He did it just to make fun of you, but he had no idea that you wouldter be a source of trouble for him. Ugh! Whatever his motive was, what he did was awful!¡± Danica exined angrily. ¡°Tell me, d-did he r*pe you?¡±


    Lily shook her head, her nerves trembling, and she found it difficult to meet Danica¡¯s gaze. Kael gritted his teeth, his hand tightly gripping the edge of the door, as he listened to her story for the first time.


    Tears began to flow. Years ago, she had once believed she had no chance of survival. In truth, she had contemted ending her life. However, she remained convinced that her existence on Earth had a purpose and refused to see herself as merely Keh¡¯s ything. Even when she had been on the verge of giving up, she clung to the hope that one day she would be free from Keh¡¯s control.


    You are not going anywhere, Lily. Just ept your faith-that¡¯s what Keith, Keh¡¯s best friend, whispered to her.


    Anything belongs to Keh, it belongs to me, and it also belongs to our other friends. You are our property¡­


    Lily received a special snuggle from Danica as her hand began to tremble.


    ¡°I think I have to take you off my team, Lily,¡± Kael dered after hesitation.


    ¡°No!¡± Lily firmly refused and then seized Kael¡¯s arm. ¡°Please, Kael¡­¡±


    ¡°But I¡¯m worried if you can do this job.¡±


    She was on the verge of tears, unable to ept Kael¡¯s decision. ¡°I came here for the job! If you¡¯re genuinely concerned about me, please grant me this job; I desperately need it!¡±


    ¡°But are you confident you can handle it?¡±


    ¡°Kael, you must have heard your sister¡¯s concerns and what Danica mentioned. I admit I want to escape the city, but this is where I¡¯m most needed. Even if I returned and confronted the issues there, it wouldn¡¯t resolve my situation.


    ¡°I¡¯vee to understand that when people perceive you in a negative light, it¡¯s almost impossible to change their minds because they want to believe the worst. They will continue to harbor doubts about you, not because you¡¯re not telling the truth, but because biases are ingrained in human interactions. I¡­ I need this, Kael¡­¡±


    ¡°Let her stay!¡± Mr. Arvesso¡¯s voice echoed through the hallway as he stood near the end, where Danica had juste from. He walked over to them.


    ¡°There are no other guests here who would cause you any trouble, even if I considered sending you away. The resort¡¯s opening is still two months away. Furthermore, you and Danica share a very close friendship, and if you were to leave, I¡¯m certain this stubborn child would follow, and I don¡¯t want that to happen. She needs to understand that this resort will one day be hers, and I want her to treat it as such. You will assist me in the process.¡±


    Rebellious kid? Danica frowned.


    ¡°You are brave, Lily,¡± added Mr. Arvesso.


    ¡°Thank you¡­¡± she said, sobbing.


    While facing challenges in another city, the idea of seeking refuge in this resort made her uneasy, but she understood that she would have to confront her problems upon her return. After her painful breakup with Drew, she didn¡¯t want any more burdens to weigh on her. For the time being, she needed this distraction.


    Little did Lily know that her destiny upon returning would involve facing Keh in court.

 Oh, Cupid!

    ¡°I want these two autograph chairs in the pool area,¡± suggested Danica, pointing to an item on an iPad, which disyed an in-pool luxury lounger to Kael. They were shopping for appliances from a trusted supplier.


    Kael turned his attention to the space around the pool before examining the chair Danica intended to ce there.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯d like those as well, but is there enough space in the pool area? Since the poolside is narrow, what I had in mind was something simpler, yet still elegant, like cozy reclining chairs or pillows for visitors to unwind,¡± replied Kael.


    ¡°No! I want that in my pool! I¡¯ll be the manager here one day, and that¡¯s what I want!¡±


    These are just a few of the work-rted arguments that Kael and Danica have. Because Mr. Arvesso mostly agreed with the woman¡¯s preferences, Kael often had to tolerate Danica¡¯s temper tantrums. She¡¯s disrupting his work, and he¡¯s on the brink of losing it. He had the original ns and designs, but as Danica found something she liked that wasn¡¯t necessary for him, they underwent significant changes.


    Kael couldn¡¯t contain his frustration. ¡°You know what, Danica? How about you do whatever you want, and then I¡¯ll go home! I need some space because I¡¯m at my wit¡¯s end!¡±


    Danica yelled back at him, ¡°I don¡¯t care! That¡¯s fine. It might be better if you go home, and then Lily and I will take care of everything. Perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten that we are the designers on this project!¡±


    Ouch! Kael wanted to strangle the petite woman but was well aware of how much of a control freak he was.


    He wanted things to go ording to his ns and desires. The entire resort, including the interior design, was his major project. He was supposed to be in charge of these two women, but whenever Danica made decisions or requested changes for the resort, he struggled to implement them. In the end, she was right ¨C in a few months, she would be the boss here!


    Danica and Lily were the designated designers, and they werepetent for the job. However, due to his precision and obsession with details, Kael found himselfpelled to step in and carefully review a few things.


    When he hired Lily and the woman¡¯s services, he had no idea that he would encounter this much trouble.


    ***


    ¡°Dan, I think you said too much to Kael,¡± Lily muttered.


    Danica snorted. ¡°I¡¯m disgusted by his controlling nature. I want to confront him!¡± She gets frustrated whenever Kael takes charge of tasks that shouldn¡¯t be his responsibility.


    ¡°Well¡­¡± Lily scratched her neck as her phone next to her beeped, indicating a new message.


    ¡°Augh! I¡¯ll show him that the autograph chairs I want aren¡¯t taking up too much space!¡± she murmured.


    ¡°I understand your frustration, Dan, but let¡¯s discuss it without any confrontation. You can calmly exin your perspective to him.¡±


    ¡°When you rmended something, he approved, but the moment I suggested something, he immediately declined!¡±


    Ever since she was cheated on by Brian, her ex-boyfriend, who is now involved in a gang rape case, she seems to have lost faith in men. She never thought that someone like Brian, who treated her like his most precious gem, would be involved in the murky world of rape cases. Brian made her feel like a princess and gave her the impression that he was an ideal guy-he never even touched her once.


    Now, she no longer has confidence in any man except for her dad and brother.


    Lily remarked, interrupting her thoughts. ¡°Oh! I almost forgot that we have an on-site visit scheduled at Mrs. Joson¡¯s apartment tomorrow. Are you able to travel back to the city to meet her? I¡¯m so grateful she texted me!¡±


    Since they arrived on the indst week, Lily has been dealing with personal concerns that also involve Brian. She had been in hiding here and didn¡¯t intend to leave until they finished the project.


    ¡°No problem! I will arrange my things upstairs.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!¡±


    Danica was returning to their lodgings when she noticed Kael standing close to the second-floor open balcony overlooking the beach. At that moment, as he gazed at the clear blue water, his eyes appeared filled with loneliness. Whether or not she wanted to admit it, his attractiveness seemed to stir her feelings.


    Kael¡¯s hair waved in the breeze, as did the hem of his nnel shirt, which he wore over his shirt, making him look like a man from a magazine cover.


    No, Cupid! Don¡¯t shoot me! Danica thought.


    Danica waspelled to acknowledge Kael Escarrer¡¯s attractiveness. He was intelligent, and despite his young age, he had already achieved so much. When Kael turned to face her, she swallowed hard.


    Danica mumbled, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I-I¡¯m sorry for what I said earlier.¡±


    Why am I apologizing again? Ah, yeah! Because Lily told me.


    After being startled, Kael grinned. He narrowed the distance between them, startling her and causing her to take a small step back.


    Wait, Dan! Why are you panicking?


    ¡°Why are you apologizing?¡± He lowered his face, so close that she swallowed hard as her cheeks began to flush. Her heart was still reeling from the beauty of his earlier image.


    ¡°F-for what I said! I made remarks I shouldn¡¯t have made.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine! Maybe you got the wrong idea and thought I was returning to the city because of it. A client invited me to an event, which will allow you and Lily to work without me overseeing your job.¡±


    With her cheeks turning crimson, Danica asked, ¡°About that-can Ie along? Lily and I have an appointment scheduled with one of our clients, but she isn¡¯t quite ready to return.¡±


    ¡°No problem! I will take care of booking our ne tickets. You can treat me to a snack in return!¡± Kael gave her a wink before heading back to his quarters.


    No, no, no! This is bad!


    Danica¡¯s heart was pounding as she hurried to her room. ¡°No! No way! I don¡¯t like that control freak!¡±


    ***


    Kael offered Danica a free ride because Lauren was also at the airport for the Burnham Airlines inspection. With so many travelers, she epted the offer, as she didn¡¯t want to struggle to find a cab to take her home.


    With her bubbly personality, Kael started to see her differently.


    ¡°Today being summer, there are many vacationers from different ces. I¡¯ll ask my sister to give you a ride home, so don¡¯t worry!¡±


    She looked up at him, and Danica reminded him of a lovely kitten, which made him grin foolishly.


    ¡°Kael!¡± As soon as he heard Lauren, the tension between them eased.


    ¡°Sister!¡±


    Seeing Danica startled Lauren, who may have mistakenly assumed that the tiny woman was his girlfriend.


    ¡°Oh! She¡¯s Danica, the daughter of my client, Mr. Arvesso. Is it okay if we give her a ride home?¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡± Lauren¡¯s face brightened.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    He then exined to Danica, ¡°She¡¯s also Lily¡¯s friend, my sister, Lauren.¡±


    Kael observed that his sister liked Danica so much that she invited the woman to their mother¡¯s birthday celebration the following weekend. ¡°Our mother¡¯s birthday is on Saturday; please join us if you can!¡±


    Danica looked at him as if seeking help.


    ¡°Sister, don¡¯t scare her!¡± he said.


    ¡°What? I like Danica!¡±


    Danica¡¯s expression brightened. She was delighted by what she heard. ¡°Really? Do you like me already? Oh, oh! I like Lily¡¯s friends too!¡±


    While listening to the two women¡¯s chat, Kael shook his head. Even though the two women in the van seemed to be in their own world, he couldn¡¯t help but grin.


    Soon, their vehicle came to a stop outside of Danica¡¯s apartment building.


    He helped her with her luggage.


    ¡°I¡¯ll consider whether I can make it to your mom¡¯s birthday celebration. I¡¯ll let Kael know,¡± Danica told his sister.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°Bye!¡± Kael waved at the woman, waiting for Danica to get inside.


    ¡°B-bye!¡± She leaned forward and then kissed him on the cheek. The sweet smell of Danica soothed his senses. As soon as she understood what she had done, she hurried into the building.


    Kael couldn¡¯t help grinning because he thought Danica was adorable.


    ¡°Do you like her?¡± Lauren asked as he entered the van.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡±


    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m talking about Danica!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s Mr. Arvesso¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°So? I like her for you!¡±


    Unbeknownst to him, he shrugged his shoulders, still lost in thoughts of Danica¡¯s adorable face.


    Lauren yfully nudged his arm and teased him, ¡°You like her! You like Danica. That smile says it all.¡±


    That¡¯s when he realized his smile had lingered, his mind drifting to the thought of Danica kissing his cheek.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. She¡¯s cute and can be quite feisty. Can you believe we were enemies at the resort?¡±


    Lauren grinned. ¡°I like Danica, and the fact that she¡¯s Lily¡¯s close friend is a bonus. You know how selective Lily can be with people.¡±


    Kael shrugged. Whatever was toe in his rtionship with Danica, he was content to let fate decide.


    Lauren invited him to stay at her home, and he agreed because he was exhausted.


    However, he never expected to find Finn¡¯s sister, whom he hadn¡¯t seen for years, sound asleep in the guest room, looking like a princess. He found himself deep in thought as he admired her beautiful face.


    Pain, sadness, guilt¡­

 Out-Of-Character

    Dan, please¡­ talk to me, please. I didn¡¯t do anything to that woman! Please trust me. Let¡¯s talk! That was Brian¡¯stest message to Danica.


    She broke up with Brian after discovering that he had yed a role in Lily¡¯s predicament years ago. Their one-year rtionship had been great until it wasn¡¯t. His friends were insane! She had once celebrated Brian¡¯s birthday with them, but she had never suspected that they were keeping something secret.


    When she suggested partnering with Lily, she assumed that Brian simply didn¡¯t like her friend, without considering that his connection with Lily was moreplicated or darker.


    When her schoolmates spread information about Lily¡¯s past on their school forum, she learned that Brian was one of the men who had mentally abused her friend. Then, to her utter bewilderment, the police arrested Brian in connection with an abduction case.


    She didn¡¯t think twice about ending their rtionship after that because he seemed to be a man hiding behind the facade of a respectful boyfriend!


    Lately, Brian¡¯s messages had been unsettling. Even though she kept it a secret, his messages were growing increasingly controlling and dominant.


    Danica: Brian, please stop texting me! We¡¯re finished! Not only did you hurt Lily, but remember, you have an ongoing case with Carm!


    Brian: I didn¡¯t do anything to her, Dan. Please believe me.


    How could she believe him?


    She no longer wanted tomunicate with him. To prevent him from calling her, she added Brian¡¯s number to the block list, which he had changed countless times.


    Danica met their client and assisted her with an ocr. Everything went smoothly until a strong grip suddenly halted her arm as she exited the building. When she saw Brian, her eyes widened.


    ¡°B-Brian!¡± Danica eximed.


    ¡°Why are you doing this to me?!¡± Brian looked toward the building she had just left and used her with rage, ¡°Did you meet your new lover here, huh?¡±


    Danica nced at the people walking by casually. ¡°Let go of me!¡±


    ¡°You are mine, Danica! We were fine until you met Lily! Why do you have to end things with me just because of her?¡±


    Danica kicked him in his most vulnerable spot, and he hissed in pain. Brian had never experienced this before.


    ¡°Fuck!¡± he cursed, clutching his aching groin.


    Theirmotion attracted unwanted attention, which Danica detested. She quickly distanced herself from him while he writhed in pain.


    ¡°Danica!!!¡± Brian yelled, paying no heed to the onlookers who had gathered to watch.


    Danica felt her feet burning from the high heels as she ran, and her chest pounded with anxiety. She lost track of time as she sprinted. Suddenly, she heard a car horn beeping beside her and saw Kael driving with the window down.


    ¡°Danica!¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God!¡± Upon spotting Kael, she felt like she had found an ally and was on the verge of tears. She scanned her surroundings but couldn¡¯t locate Brian.


    ¡°Are you alright?¡± Kael asked.


    ¡°T-there¡¯s a stalker chasing after me!¡± She was ashamed to admit that the man she referred to was her ex-boyfriend.


    Kael followed her anxious gaze. ¡°Hop in before I cause a traffic jam.¡±


    Danica flung open the passenger side door and jumped inside. She couldn¡¯t stop her body from trembling.


    ¡°Where should I take you?¡± Kael asked.


    He pulled himself closer to secure her seatbelt. Seeing him at such close proximity, Danica swallowed, admiring his smooth skin and perfect form. His scent enveloped her senses, nearly causing her to forget about her stalker-like ex-boyfriend, whom she desperately wanted to avoid.


    ¡°I-in my apartment,¡± she stammered, considering going home to sleep in her own ce instead.


    But seeing Brian entering the building astonished her. Danica was too trembling with anxiety to open the door, observing her ex-boyfriend¡¯s uncharacteristic behavior.


    She covered her mouth, unable to fathom that this would be the result of their separation. Danica recalled giving him thebination to her apartment door, a thought that now terrified her and sent shivers down her spine.


    Kael noticed her trembling in fear.


    ¡°Is that your stalker? The one with the hat who had just entered the building?¡±


    ¡°P-please¡­ Get me away from here,¡± muttered Danica, avoiding everyone¡¯s gaze.


    Kael nodded. ¡°Hmm¡­ I¡¯m going to visit my mom. Do you want toe with me?¡±


    With numerous thoughts and worries swirling in her mind, Danica couldn¡¯tprehend what was happening and didn¡¯t bother to answer. It took a few minutes until Kael¡¯s sedan arrived in front of an immense house in an exclusive neighborhood.


    ¡°W-where are we?¡± she asked.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention that I was going to see my mother? Let¡¯s go inside!¡± Kael opened the door on her side.


    Even though she had only known Kael for a few weeks, she had already met his sister. And now, he was letting her know that she would meet his mother in a matter of seconds, causing her cheeks to heat up.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    Stop, girl!


    ¡°T-thanks!¡±


    Kael retrieved a bag of food from the back seat.


    ¡°I made this at my apartment after my brief meeting because my mother loves the food I prepare.¡±


    ¡°Is this the perk of being the boss? You get to go home early,¡± Danica said, amusement evident in her tone. She realized her earlier fear had gradually dissipated without her noticing.


    ¡°As if you don¡¯t know!¡± Kael replied before mimicking her voice. ¡°¡®I want this, and I want that!¡¯ I¡¯m not as bossy as you are.¡±


    ¡°Shut up!¡±


    Kael grinned and led her inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m here!¡± he announced, opening the front door.


    ¡°Sir Kael!¡± greeted a helper


    ¡°How are you, Joy? You¡¯re looking even more beautiful, aren¡¯t you!¡±


    The woman¡¯s smile widened, clearly appreciating thepliment. ¡°Really?! Thank you! Come in!¡±


    ¡°Is that Kael?¡± They found his mother reading a book inside.


    ¡°Mom!¡± Kael hugged his mother and kissed her on the cheek, while she curiously gazed at Danica.


    ¡°Hello, Mrs. Escarrer!¡± Danica greeted with a cheerful smile. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for any inconvenience.¡±


    His mother turned to Kael. ¡°Lauren told me you have a new girlfriend. Is this her?¡±


    Kael smiled brightly. ¡°What do you think?¡±


    ¡°I approve!¡± Danica¡¯s cheeks remained flushed in response to Mrs. Escarrer¡¯s straightforward statement.


    Her cheeks burned with heat. It was the first time she had received such apliment, even though she wasn¡¯t romantically involved with Kael. Yet, it didn¡¯t prevent her heart from racing.


    As Kael¡¯s mother headed to the kitchen to prepare the dinner they had brought, Danica yfully hit Kael¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Hey! What¡¯s your deal?!¡± she asked in an irritated whisper.


    ¡°Why? What did I do?¡±


    ¡°Why did you lie to your mom? I¡¯m not your girlfriend!¡±


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a lie if it bes true one day,¡± heughed.


    She grimaced as she kicked him in the leg, feeling the leather of her heels scrape her skin.


    ¡°Hey!¡±


    Noticing how ufortable she was, Kael picked her up and carried her to a single-seater sofa. She wanted to scold him for various reasons but hesitated to create a scene.


    Before her, Kael knelt and examined her foot. Completely entranced by his presence, she felt like she had lost touch with herself, and the earlier anxiety seemed to have vanished.


    Now, Danica was anxious for a different reason.


    Kael removed her shoes before gently massaging her feet.


    ¡°I-it¡¯s dirty!¡±


    He raised his eyebrows. ¡°I¡¯m an engineer, babe. I¡¯ve touched things you could never imagine, and I¡¯m certain your feet are clean.¡±


    Babe?!


    His mother returned with a tter of snacks. ¡°What happened to your girlfriend?¡±


    ¡°Do you have any medicine, Mom? Her foot got blistered.¡±


    ¡°You can find it in that drawer,¡± Mrs. Escarrer responded before giving her son a yful scolding. ¡°What kind of boyfriend are you? You should buy herfortable shoes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mom!¡± Kael winked at Danica. ¡°Stay right there, princess.¡±


    Danica covered her cheek, which, in her humble opinion, had turned as red as a tomato.


    This is bad¡­ Really, really bad!


    It¡¯s entirely his fault if she ends up liking this man!

 I Love You

    During her time at the Arvesso¡¯s Resort, Lily excelled in her work, making an effort to put aside the issues she had left in the city for two months. She had little trouble selecting the finest furnishings and appliances and formed good rtionships with Kael, the rest of the staff, and the Arvesso family.


    Although she didn¡¯t need to stay on the ind for the entire two months, Lily chose to do so, given the troubles that Keh and his friends were facing. Mr. Arvesso weed her with open arms and allowed her to stay as long as she wished.


    Mr. Arvesso dedicates the majority of his time to traveling and managing various businesses including hotels, resorts, and real estate. In light of this, he envisions Danica following in his footsteps and wishes for her to pursue a business course.


    Lily had never met Danica¡¯s brother, but ording to her friend, Mr. Arvesso and her big brother, who worked in different ces, did not get along well.


    One afternoon, Danica invited Lily to the beach to watch the sunset.


    ¡°Aisht! Two months have passed since you arrived here, and you haven¡¯t even tried swimming!¡± her friend remarked.


    Lily eventually gave in, which is why the two of them were currently strolling along the sand, letting the waves wash over their feet. The beach was bustling with people having a good time. They passed by tourists kayaking, taking photos, and kids building sandcastles.


    ¡°Lily, is there anything in your life that you regret?¡± Danica asked, her gaze fixed on the serene orange sky.


    ¡®Too many¡­¡¯


    ¡°Why did you ask? Do you have anything you regret?¡± Lily inquired.


    ¡°There is. I regret meeting Brian. I loved him so much, but I was terribly disappointed in him after I found out what he did. Oh, I-I¡¯m sorry. I know you don¡¯t want to talk about those people,¡± Danica exined, wiping away the tear that had formed beneath her eye.Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    Lily squeezed Danica¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I understand your affection for Brian. You have a different bond with him than I do, and don¡¯t me yourself because we couldn¡¯t control our feelings of love for someone who didn¡¯t deserve it.¡±


    ¡°The only person who genuinely cared about me, Lily, was him. I was in love with Brian even though I knew he had lied or possibly even cheated on someone, but I believed what he showed me was real.¡±


    ¡°Did I mention that Brian is the least troublesome among Keh¡¯s friends?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s hard to deny that he was involved in Carm¡¯s case. I¡¯ve been feeling guilty and couldn¡¯t help but think that maybe if we hadn¡¯t broken up, he wouldn¡¯t have done that.¡±


    Lily paused in her stride to embrace Danica.


    ¡°Don¡¯t me yourself. You¡¯ll find someone worthy of you as well.¡±


    Lily couldn¡¯t have imagined herself giving such advice to Danica one day.


    ¡°You should find a man who will cherish both you and those around you.¡±


    As Lily wasforting Danica, two women wearing bikinis approached them.


    ¡°Miss, are you Lily Walton?¡± asked one of them.


    Lily faced the woman with a frown. ¡°Hm?¡±


    The other woman recognized her and her face lit up. ¡°She is! I¡¯m a fan of your husband!¡±


    ¡®What¡¯s happening?¡¯


    The woman added with excitement in her voice, ¡°We never thought we¡¯d see you here! Did you know that I¡¯ve been following Carm Sanchez¡¯s case because I have a huge crush on the model, Brian?¡±


    Lily was trembling with fear, especially after they drew everyone¡¯s attention by mentioning Carm Sanchez. People in the area were watching her and Danica. Some even began taking photos of them, assuming they were celebrities who frequented the location for vacation.


    ¡°Are you here because you don¡¯t want to get involved with Carm?¡±


    ¡°Or maybe you don¡¯t believe her, either?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s your problem?¡± Danica asked the two women, who couldn¡¯t help but grow irritated.


    Lily covered her face and clutched her chest as she began to feel like she was running out of breath, fearing that these people might harm her. Her body shook, and her vision became foggy.


    ¡°Screw off!¡± Two arms wrapped around Lily¡¯s body. A man shielded her head against his broad, bare chest. His familiar scent filled her nostrils,forting her. She closed her eyes to savor his presence even more.


    ¡°Get Lily¡¯s friend,¡± Drew instructed Orion.


    Drew put sunsses on Lily¡¯s eyes and guided her towards a certain direction, shielding her with his arms. He cast a prating nce at anyone who got in their way, while Lily kept her gaze fixed on the ground and avoided making eye contact.


    Danica and Orion followed them until they reached a luxurious hotel. Minutester, Lily found herself seated in Drew¡¯s rented suite.


    ¡°Are you feeling okay?¡± Drew asked. He handed her a ss of water before taking a seat next to her on the long sofa.


    At that moment, Lily began to realize Drew¡¯s proximity. She couldn¡¯t help but admire his masculine features as she gazed at him. He was dressed in nothing but beach shorts, and his broad chest was clearly visible before her. It had been two months since she hadst seen Drew, and even now, the pain lingered.


    How is he now?


    She inquired, ¡°W-what are you doing here, Drew?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on vacation,¡± Drew answered with a shrug. ¡°Isn¡¯t that the reason why peoplee to this ind?¡±


    Yeah, right? Why do I think it¡¯s because of me?


    Lily felt a little uneasy. You know that feeling when someone close to you suddenly makes you feel as though there¡¯s an elephant in the room? It¡¯s hard to describe.


    ¡°W-where is my friend?¡± Lily asked instead, searching for Danica.


    ¡°Orion took her to their hotel.¡±


    Then why am I here? She wanted to ask, but instead, she said, ¡°Do you need something from me?¡±


    ¡°There is.¡±


    Lily turned to face Drew. Like a daring ruffian, he leaned in closer and swiftly ced his lips on hers. ¡°I missed you so much that I couldn¡¯t control myself from kissing you.¡±


    ¡°Drew¡­¡± Lily uttered, her heart racing in her chest. She rose to her feet and moved towards the door, setting boundaries between them, as she knew she would get even more hurt if this continued.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡± Drew stopped, giving her a moment to leave.


    Lily spun around to face her husband, her eyes filled with a pang of guilt and hurt.


    ¡°Drew, it hurt me when you left the house, but I quickly started to heal. I told myself I needed to be better so I could be free of you¡­ You crushed my feelings. That evening, even though I was the one who had requested an annulment and the dissolution of our marriage, I secretly hoped you wouldn¡¯t agree. I was foolish, wasn¡¯t I?¡±


    At that point in her life, Lily thought she had stopped shedding tears for the only man she had ever loved, but she soon began to cry again because the pain persisted. Loving someone who doesn¡¯t need you is painful.


    Lily muttered, ¡°If I give myself a chance now, I¡¯ll be devastated again because you don¡¯t love me¡­¡±


    ¡°Leaving our house was the worst decision I¡¯ve ever made in my entire life, Lily.¡±


    ¡°You still hurt me,¡± she responded, tears in her eyes. ¡°Seeing you now hurts me.¡±


    ¡°But I was hurt too. You ended our rtionship without consulting me or giving me a choice; what can I do about it? Seeing you now hurts, it¡¯s like the universe inside me is in turmoil.¡±


    ¡°I¡­¡± She didn¡¯t know how to respond. Summoning all her courage, she said, ¡°I was in love with you, Drew! I fell deeply in love with you¡­¡±


    She thought that admitting her feelings might be frightening him now.


    Drew stared at her, his eyes filled with tears, and said, ¡°I love you too, Lily.¡±


    When Lily heard those words, her heart beat even more intensely. This was the most sincere thing Drew had ever shown her.


    ¡°I am at a loss for words to express the actions I¡¯ve taken. But even though I was broken and shattered on the inside, I granted you freedom because I love you.¡±


    ***


    Meanwhile, Danica was sulking, asking Orion, ¡°Brother, where do you think Drew will take Lily?¡±


    ¡°Forget about them, they are husband and wife! Where¡¯s Dad?¡±

 Sinful

    ¡°Brother, where do you think Drew will take Lily?¡± Danica asked her big brother, Orion, with a frown. He was ten years older than her. Just like their dad, Orion treated her like a princess.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not my question-why are you here with Drew Walton?¡±


    ¡°Because Drew is my boss.¡±


    ¡°What? Do you mean Drew is your boss? Is he the reason why you¡¯re watching over Lily? You simply ignored me and pretended you didn¡¯t recognize me when we first met at the bookshop! Because you pretended like that, I behaved foolishly!¡± Danica pouted her lips.


    ¡°Thank you for reporting anything about Lily to me these past weeks. Does she know that we¡¯re siblings?¡±


    Danica scratched her head. ¡°Probably not! She might have left the resort if she had known! Also, she might think I intended to make friends with her. I¡¯m worried this information could hurt her.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s true! Though I¡¯m d that you enjoyed Lily¡¯spany and the interior design process.¡± Orion patted Danica¡¯s head.


    Danica serves as Orion¡¯s informant within their school. At first, she mistakenly thought Lily was her older brother¡¯s girlfriend, and as a result, she kept a watchful eye on her. Bing friends with Lily had its advantages because she received extra money from her brother Orion. She was able to achieve two goals at once by bing a part of Lily¡¯s life.


    Danica was now hesitant to reveal the truth to Lily. ¡°I don¡¯t want her to think poorly of me. It¡¯s true that I genuinely like Lily as a friend. I don¡¯t want to scare her, brother!¡±


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay. Lily is stronger now. You can tell her. You might convince her that your rtionship with her is sincere. And as for you, forget about Brian!¡± He yfully smacked her head with controlled force.


    ¡°Eeeh!¡± Danica was on the verge of tears when she felt Orion¡¯s light punch. ¡°Aw! Aw! I know! I¡¯m in the process of moving on. Hello?¡± She responded by giving Orion¡¯s butt a yful kick. They arrived at Arvesso Resort, yfully teasing each other. It was the first time Orion had seen Danica and Lily¡¯spleted work.


    ¡°You did a great job, kid-you and Lily. She¡¯s a great friend to you. By the way, how are things with the engineer? I know you have a crush on that guy. If you want Kael to be your boyfriend, I¡¯m fully supportive!¡±


    ¡°Can you please stop teasing me about my love life?! I don¡¯t even ask about yours either!¡± Danica scowled.


    After discussing rtionships, Orion shifted the conversation by asking, ¡°Where is Dad?¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not here, he¡¯s staying at the hotel in the city,¡± Danica was saddened by the thought that Orion and Mr. Arvesso¡¯s rtionship wasn¡¯t as affectionate as it should be for a father and son. ¡°Are you really noting back? Are you really not going to forgive Dad?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m okay,¡± Orion replied inly.


    Mr. Arvesso opposes Orion¡¯splicated job. For years, their conflicting desires have made it difficult for Orion, who enjoys his risky work, and their father, who wants him to focus on the family business, to get along.


    ***


    Lily was uncertain about how to handle Drew when he unexpectedly appeared on the ind, dering his love for her. It took her a few moments to realize that his words had stirred certain concerns in her mind.


    ¡°Drew¡­¡±


    Drew reached out to hold her hand, and she could feel his touch sending ripples through her chest.


    ¡°Lily, I know we love each other. I regret ending our rtionship. It tore me apart.¡±


    Lily found her voice and said, ¡°But what about your reputation? Aren¡¯t you concerned? Drew, I¡¯m damaged. Look at what happened earlier. Given the current situation with Carm, my name has been dragged through the mud, and as your wife, this surely affects you. Don¡¯t you worry? What about your family, the Walton Group?¡±


    As Drew¡¯s palm touched her cheek, she gasped, unable to control the intense longing welling up inside her.


    ¡°Lily, I don¡¯t care! Who told you I¡¯m not wed? Many people in my social circle believe I can¡¯tmit to one woman. My ex-girlfriend used me of wrongdoing. How is that any different from what happened to you? Every person is meant to make mistakes, Lily, every single one of us. Can you honestly say you¡¯ve never broken any of God¡¯s rules?¡±


    Drew gently kissed her hand, and it made her desire to embrace him, but she knew there were things holding her back that wouldn¡¯t be beneficial for him.


    ¡°I will stand by your side in this battle. Life is fleeting, and I don¡¯t want to waste it pondering whether or not to confess my love for you. I don¡¯t want to squander my time while you face this alone. I¡¯d rather spend my life with you, build a family, and share our love with our children.¡±


    With a tone of resentment, she asked, ¡°But wasn¡¯t Kori the one you loved? Didn¡¯t you make amitment to yourself to love only her?¡±


    ¡°I cared for Kori, but I never felt the intense passion that I¡¯ve experienced with you. Kori and I were meant to be friends. But you, Lily, we were destined to be together as husband and wife. The most sincere thing I¡¯ve ever said, or will ever say, is my love for you. I was deeply in love with you, Lily. It feels right to love you.¡±


    It felt like a dream when he was there, expressing his feelings. ¡°I love you, Drew¡­ I love you so much that I broke up with you¡­¡±


    Lily couldn¡¯t control her tears. She found herself in her husband¡¯s warm embrace, listening to his heartbeat as he gently stroked her back.


    Drew whispered, ¡°You can¡¯t imagine how hard it is for me to say goodbye to you. The unimaginable events that have unfolded in our family¡¯s past have made it difficult for me to express my feelings-to my mom, my grandfather, and my parents¡­


    ¡°I made the decision to leave because I saw how broken you were. I was so afraid that you might end up like my mother. Do you me me for what¡¯s happened in our family, Lily?¡±


    Lily shook her head. ¡°Of course, I was angry at your mom, Drew. Isn¡¯t that a normal reaction? It¡¯s painful to know that your mother yed a part in my parents¡¯ passing, but I don¡¯t want to live consumed by hatred and resentment-even though I felt irreparably damaged. I don¡¯t want to spend the rest of my life hating those who¡¯ve wronged me. I want to move forward. That¡¯s why I chose to stay here.¡±


    ¡°Oh, babe! You¡¯ve done amazing! Even if you say you¡¯re damaged, I¡¯ve never met anyone with a purer heart than you.¡±


    As she gazed at his lovely face, it felt like a mystery was unfolding in her chest. His thumb gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks, his touch soft andforting. A little whileter, his lips met hers again, but this time the kiss was deeper and more profound, conveying a promise. He lifted her and carried her to therge chair she had been sitting in earlier.


    Lily settledfortably in Drew¡¯sp, her arms wrapped around his neck. It felt as if the rumors and the current reality were unreal. His hand traced a gentle path down her neck as she gazed directly into his eyes.


    ¡°When Ist called you, I had this strong urge to follow you here. Orion reassured me that you were okay and that I should give you some time. So, I did. I know I need to give you space, but, God, babe, I miss you so much! There are so many things I want to do with you, but for now, I just want to hold you and feel you.¡±


    His arms around her waist tightened, pulling her closer.


    ¡°What about Master Walton?¡± Lily ran her finger along Drew¡¯s chest and murmured, ¡°I¡¯m sure he won¡¯t like me.¡±


    ¡°You are my wife, Lily. I will fight for you. I could face any devil if necessary. What matters is whether or not you will ept me as your husband.¡±


    ¡°What if I didn¡¯t ept you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll use every charm I have. I¡¯ll offer you the painted couch at home until you realize you¡¯re the perfect one for me.¡±Content property of N?velDra/ma.Org.


    His teasing brought herfort. ¡°I miss you, Drew. I miss our couch, too!¡±


    ¡°Are you ready to go back?¡±


    Lily nodded. ¡°Though I want to spend more time with you here and enjoy the ocean with you.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s rest. I stayed up for two months thinking about you.¡±


    Lily closed her eyes. The mental fog that had clouded her thoughts for the past two months had finally lifted. She knew that being in his arms was her destiny.


    ***


    Keh was browsing the news on the inte. After two months, pictures of Lily on an ind in another region were spotted online. Yet, seeing a snapshot of Drew driving his wife somewhere annoyed him.


    ¡°Now that Lily was spotted, Carm¡¯s camp will surely find a way to talk to her,¡± said Jericho while puffing on a cigarette.


    With Carm¡¯s case ongoing, Keh and three of his friends were gathered in a secure location after posting bail.


    ¡°Why are you so anxious?¡± Keith asked indifferently. ¡°We had nothing to do with Carm, and that¡¯s that!¡±

 Perfect Daughter

    During midnight¡­


    Soft kisses on Lily¡¯s lips roused her from sleep. Her past stirred within her, briefly triggering anxiety, but she quickly realized it was Drew snuggled up to her. Even though it felt like a dream, her body recognized his touch.


    ¡°I thought I was dreaming,¡± Drew murmured, smiling between the kisses.


    Lily¡¯s fingers gently ran through his brown, wavy hair. She cracked her eyes open to gaze at Drew¡¯s face. It was midnight, and the room was shrouded in darkness.


    ¡°I thought so too.¡±


    Thest thing she remembered was falling asleep in Drew¡¯s arms as he held her close, breathing in his familiar scent. Unbeknownst to her, he had carefully moved her to the bed. Despite the chilly sea breeze wafting in from outside, she felt warm and safe in his presence.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any ns to let you go for a couple of days. How does that sound?¡± he asked, lifting her shirt to reveal her nakedness.


    ¡°Hmmm¡­ that sounds like a great n!¡±


    ¡°God, I missed you so much!¡± Drew¡¯s lips traced a path from her lips to her neck, down to her corbone, her chest, her navel, and further down. He savored every inch of her skin, sending shivers of delight throughout her body.


    She missed him too.


    On that ind, Lily had found sce and healing. She hade to terms with her past and was at peace with herself. But Drew¡¯s taste was her most intense addiction, one she couldn¡¯t resist. His kisses and their lovemaking made her feel like she was in a dream, where she felt extraordinarily beautiful.


    Drew reached for her trousers, removing them, along with her underwear. After fully witnessing her bare body, his lips gleefully stroked her ankle.


    ¡°Trust me, this is not why I came here,¡± he teased, licking her bare skin.


    ¡°Nobody trusts you, Drew!¡±


    Hisughter tickled Lily¡¯s skin and said, ¡°I¡¯m happy you know how to make a tease now.¡±


    Lily held his gaze. ¡°It¡¯s not even a tease. You love my body, babe, in addition to you being a horn dog.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t find me creep?¡±


    She responded by saying, ¡°You¡¯re a handsome creep.¡±


    Drew tugged his surfing shorts down and then joined his happy ce. She could tell he was ready by seeing his full erection.


    ¡°I wanted you now, baby,¡± he murmured.


    His knee pushed her leg to part, giving himself some space. His length swiftly glided through her slit, causing her pussy to quiver. She¡¯s holding her breath as she looks deeply at her husband.


    Still in disbelief that they had reconnected after two months, she gently stroked her fingertips across his cheek. Their lips met in a sweet, passionate kiss, and Lily responded with the same intensity, feeling as though she might lose herself in the moment. Her body responded eagerly to Drew¡¯s every movement, leaving her feeling slightly dizzy and thoroughly engaged.


    ¡°Tell me you are mine, babe!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m yours!¡±


    As her husband moved his hips, she gasped and inhaled his hot breath. Each stroke was strange, slow, and reached out to her feelings. He waves his soul while thrusting his hips in and out, over and over again.


    While breathing heavily, he whispered, ¡°I love you, Lily¡­ Please do not forget.¡±


    The tickles apanied by his feelings surged to her nerves, and the sensations persisted in her body.


    ¡°Drew¡­¡± She didn¡¯t do anything other than call the name of the man who had repeatedly kept her from moving forward and was the only reason she was still in her right mind.


    ¡°You are perfect, Lily. You should never, ever tell me that you are a damaged woman because you are not; don¡¯t even think about it! And I was lucky I found you.¡±


    Out of all the sex they had, that night was unique. He expressed his love and admiration for her as Lily-his wife-rather than telling nasty words. Instead of doing it fast and aggressively, they took their time, made the sweetest sensation, and enjoyed every orgasmic moment.


    ***


    Early the next morning, Lily returned to the Arvesso Resort, only to regret her decision upon arrival because thest people she wanted to see were there ¨C her stepmother and father.


    Her stepmother shrieked, ¡°Get Lily out! I know she is here! Lily! You are shameless! Are you hiding from us?¡±


    The resort staff, who were beginning their morning shifts, felt uneasy. Lily felt embarrassed, as her family¡¯s presence brought a negative atmosphere to the resort, even though it had not yet opened to tourists. Danica initially brightened upon seeing her entering the resort area, but her expression quickly changed to one of concern.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Lily! They refuse to believe that you haven¡¯t been here,¡± Danica informed her.


    ¡°Well, the b*tch is here!¡± said her father.


    Drew¡¯s jaw clenched upon hearing Mr. Martin¡¯s remark. Lily might have already be numb to waiting for her father¡¯s approval and not taken it to heart, or perhaps she was used to hearing such things from him.


    ¡°What are you doing here?¡± she asked nonchntly, grateful to have Drew by her side, squeezing her hand.


    ¡°You idiot! Master Walton withdrew all his stocks from the office and advised you to end your rtionship with Drew! Once you do that, he will return the funds! Without Master Walton¡¯s investment, in addition to Keh¡¯s issue, our business is in jeopardy! I don¡¯t want to live on the street. You must take action right away!¡± yelled her stepmother.


    Lily turned to Drew. Though unsure of the details of the arrangement between her father and husband, she trusted Drew and was fed up with Mr. and Mrs. Martin.


    ¡°It has nothing to do with us. Drew is my husband, and I¡¯m not going to end my rtionship with him. Do you consider our marriage to be a trial where you¡¯re free to act however you please?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean? You ungrateful child! Don¡¯t forget that I am your parent, and I weed you into my family. Without me, you¡¯d be homeless.¡± The woman didn¡¯t appreciate the change in Lily.


    ¡°It¡¯s a pity that some parents behave this way, showing love to a child without any blood ties. Do you know what that means?¡±


    After delivering her pointed remark, Lily¡¯s stepmother gasped.


    ¡°Being a parent means offering love without expecting anything in return other than love, care, and understanding. You and my father have never given me anything like that,¡± she said, her chest heavy with emotion.


    Mr. Martin came forward to hit her with his cane.


    But Drew warned him before he could make an attempt. ¡°Go ahead! I¡¯ll have you arrested!¡±


    Her father stopped, his hand dropping, shaken with fear. Lily summoned all her courage.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been a good daughter to you! Despite everything, I¡¯ve grown into a good person. What I don¡¯t understand is why you¡¯ve never treated me like a member of the family. So, please leave me out of whatever you and Master Walton are discussing! I married Drew because you made it clear it was my duty. When will you let me have a happy life?¡±


    ¡°You-¡± her father seethed with anger.


    ¡°Speaking of Keh, you won¡¯t cause any trouble for my son!¡± her stepmother shouted.


    Lily began to sob. She had questions that she previously could not voice. ¡°I¡¯ve alerted you, Dad! I told you that Keh had molested me back then. You trusted your wife¡¯s son over me simply because he was an intelligent man! You are happy having Keh, forgetting I¡¯m your daughter!¡±


    Mr. Martin¡¯s face darkened.


    ¡°You stopped seeing me as your child the day my mother died. You gave all your affection to Keh because he is this woman¡¯s son! What part of your heart contains me and my mother?¡±


    The woman chuckled. ¡°Oh, Lily! Don¡¯t take it to heart! You are not my husband¡¯s child either! Furthermore, my son did not molest you! You fucking liar!¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lily whispered, losing all her strength. Drew¡¯s hand became more tightly sped after hearing the woman¡¯s confession.


    This shocked her beyond belief. She turned to look at Mr. Martin, who she had believed would one day return her affection¡­

 New Beginning

    ¡°Your mum is a whore! She got pregnant by someone else and then begged my husband to raise her child!¡± Mrs. Martin said before pointing her fingers at Drew. ¡°And you, you have the guts to live like a prince, whereas your insane mother shoved Cristina out of the Walton Group¡¯s building! Don¡¯t you know that?¡±


    Drew was resisting the urge to hurt her stepmother. Lily had a sense that both this woman and her dad harbored intentions to utterly shatter her, but the reality of the situation caught herpletely off guard.


    The woman¡¯s mention of their mothers insinuated a deep-seated, unspoken rift between her and Drew.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather ironic,¡± Lily observed, her words tinged with a touch of madness, as she gazed at her dad. ¡°I once cherished the belief that our biological bond was thest bastion of hope for you to embrace me as your daughter. But right now, I¡¯m profoundly let down by your actions. You shouldn¡¯t have had the power to dismantle my life in the first ce, and yet, I mistakenly granted you that authority!¡±


    Lily ceased her cries as she no longer wished to appear frail in front of these two people.


    ¡°Thank you for the confession. I am severing any remaining ties I have with you and your wife!¡±


    ¡°What- You are a disgrace to my family, Lily! Allowing you to marry Drew was the worst decision I¡¯ve ever made! I should have let my older, wealthier, and more influential business associates purchase you from me. They would have annihted you!¡± her father yelled.


    Orion, who could stand it no longer, punched Mr. Martin in the face.


    Her dad fell off to the ground while her stepmother shrieked. ¡°You bastard, I¡¯ll call the police and file awsuit against you all!¡±


    Seeing enforcers approaching inside, Orion retorted, ¡°Right on time! There they are!¡±


    Terrified resort staff members called for help after discovering that Mr. Martin and his wife had caused trouble at the resort. They cautioned the couple and prevented them from meeting Lily.


    Lily felt that her strength had been drained, and she couldn¡¯t control her tears.


    Shaking and weeping, she rested her head on Drew¡¯s chest. He was the sole reason she still held onto her sanity amidst the painful realizations and truths.


    Drew reassured her, ¡°You¡¯ll be fine, babe,¡± even though he was trembling as well. ¡°You¡¯re with me.¡±


    ¡°Drew, I need to talk to your father. He knows something! Master Walton said he was there that evening. I want to know exactly what happened that night!¡±


    ¡°But¡­ I don¡¯t want to hurt you, babe.¡±


    She dismissed his argument and stayed silent. She believed that avoiding the truth wouldn¡¯t improve her rtionship with Drew because it had already been tarnished.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    The most distressing realization would be if she discovered that she and Drew were siblings, but she also thought that Master Walton wouldn¡¯t go to such lengths, dispelling that notion. Her mother had gone to the building that evening for a reason. Whatever that reason might be, she had to confront it.


    ***


    Lily and Drew remained on the ind while Danica returned to the city and met Kael.


    As Danica and Kael arrived at the luxurious hotel¡¯s spacious hall for his mother¡¯s birthday, guests were already enjoying themselves. They spotted Lauren engaged in conversation with several attendees, seated near Mrs. Escarrer. The two women smiled as Danica and Kael approached their table.


    ¡°Happy birthday, Mrs. Escarrer!¡± Danica greeted, handing her gift to thedy.


    Mrs. Escarrer smiled even more broadly. ¡°Thank you, Danica! Kael, take good care of her. Make sure she gets something to eat!¡±


    ¡°No problem,¡± Kael replied.


    He guided Danica to the buffet table to get some food. ¡°You know, I have a feeling there won¡¯t be any issues if I marry you. It¡¯s clear that my family likes you!¡±


    Her cheeks flushed. Even though she was twenty-two, the notion of getting married had never crossed her mind, and she still considered herself quite young.


    Kael stayed by her side, and the two of them engaged in constant conversation. As the party continued, they were called as a pair for a paper dance game, with Lauren and Finn as theirpetitors. Danica couldn¡¯t stopughing and had an immensely enjoyable afternoon, ying, dancing, and relishing the festivities.


    Shortly after, a brte woman arrived at the celebration, likely around the same age as Lily.


    ¡°Faye! It¡¯s wonderful to see you! I¡¯m grateful you could make it!¡± Mrs. Escarrer eximed joyfully.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯mte. I¡¯m still adjusting to the time,¡± the woman replied, looking at Danica with a questioning expression. As she took her seat at the Escarrer¡¯s table, it was possible that people were wondering who she was, but Danica didn¡¯t hold it against the woman.


    Mrs. Escarrer noticed and said, ¡°Oh! She¡¯s Danica! She¡¯s Kael¡¯s girlfriend.¡±


    Hearing this, her son cleared his throat. Danica felt a twinge of guilt for not being forthright, realizing that they had never discussed their true rtionship status with Kael¡¯s mother. However, Kael remained silent, allowing her to simply brush it aside.


    Mrs. Escarrer continued, ¡°Danica, this is Faye Burnham, Finn¡¯s sister. She spent a few years living in America and has recently returned to be with my friend, her mother.¡±


    ¡°Hi! Nice to meet you!¡±


    ¡°Oh, nice meeting you too!¡± She shook hands with Faye.


    To socialize with some of her acquaintances, Faye moved to the table next to them. Danica noticed nothing unusual, except that she and Kael had ceased their conversation andughter.


    ¡°Finn¡¯s sister is quite lovely,¡± Danica remarked as she observed Faye, who was now engaged in conversation with her brother Finn.


    Kael offered a simple smile, but she could sense that he felt somewhat ufortable with the woman¡¯s presence.


    ¡°Eh, you seem a little awkward around her. Come on, confess!¡± she teased.


    ¡°Why do you say that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s because she¡¯s so attractive?¡± Danica yfully mentioned. It¡¯smon for potential inws to find each other attractive, so she didn¡¯t think there was anything out of the ordinary about it.


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful too!¡± Kael yfully applied icing to her nose. ¡°She¡¯s awyer and exudes an abundance of confidence. That¡¯s probably why you mentioned it.¡±


    ¡°Oh! So, she¡¯s awyer¡­¡± Danica murmured.


    Clearing his throat, Kael stated, ¡°I¡¯m going to the restroom. When Ie back, I¡¯ll take you home. I know you have to return to the resort tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    She reached for her phone and noticed a message from Lily. She informed her friend that she would be returning to the resort the following day because Kael¡¯s family had invited her to a party.


    Lily: You did what? Did you go to Mrs. Escarrer¡¯s birthday party? Seriously?


    Danica took a snap of herself, showing the stage and the gathering in the background. She sent it to Lily.


    Danica: I¡¯ll be back tomorrow. See you soon!


    Her brow furrowed as she realized that ten minutes had psed without Kael¡¯s return. She got up with the intention of finding him.


    Meanwhile, in the restroom area, Kael cornered Faye in the hallway adjacent to it.


    ¡°Damn it, Faye! You were hurt! I could see it in your eyes!¡±

 Happy Place

    Kael observed the hurt in Faye¡¯s eyes after his mother introduced Danica as his girlfriend. Earlier, he had felt uneasy and wanted to correct his mother, but he didn¡¯t want to upset her on her birthday.


    ¡°Yes, I was hurt! Is that what you want to hear? And then, what¡¯s next?¡±


    She was right. What would happen next? Due to his lingering attachment to the past and his history with Faye, he found it challenging to ept the mistakes he had made. Faye turned her head away from him.


    ¡°I¡¯m struggling with my situation, Kael. Please¡­¡±


    ¡°You still love me!¡± he dered. He didn¡¯t need to assume her feelings because he knew it in his heart. They had engaged in sexual encounters because they couldn¡¯t restrain their affection for each other, both on the evening he visited Lauren¡¯s house and the day he finally saw Faye after a couple of long years.


    They shared a connection too powerful to be erased. Kael¡¯s previous rtionship with Faye had been a mix of happiness and tragedy, and he was unsure of how to navigate it to be with her in the present.


    Faye swallowed, biting her lower lip.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°You still love me,¡± Kael repeated.


    Faye tightly closed her eyes. The pain was too much to bear. ¡°Kael, I love my fianc¨¦!¡±


    ¡°But you love me too,¡± he murmured.


    Tears flowed from Faye¡¯s eyes.


    To maintain her gaze, Kael gently cupped both of her cheeks. He understood her suffering and realized his significant role in Faye¡¯s current turmoil. Without uttering a word, he kissed her. He had reached a point where he was willing to plead for even a few moments of her attention, and his heart was prepared to share Faye¡¯s affections with her fianc¨¦.


    He felt like he was going mad, but what other choice did he have?


    Their intense love for each other and hisplex history with Faye made it impossible for him to stop. He had impregnated her, a pregnancy that, unfortunately, did not survive. After warning him about the miscarriage and informing him of her ns to study overseas, Finn had sent Faye away. However, Lauren, who believed that Kael regarded Faye as a younger sibling, remained unaware of their troubled past.


    Because Finn was married to Kael¡¯s sister, their family regarded Kael and Faye as siblings, making it impossible for them to be together, thus turning their rtionship into a family taboo.


    As Kael was kissing Faye, they heard a voice emanating from the hallway adjacent to the open area near the restroom.


    ¡°Hi! Where is thedies¡¯ room?¡±


    They recognized Danica¡¯s voice, and it left him feeling perplexed about why he was anxious. After a quick gasp for air, Faye withdrew from his embrace. He let her go.


    He¡¯s not cheating, right?


    Danica isn¡¯t his girlfriend, but he still felt as though he had wronged her.


    Someone, whom he assumed to be a hotel employee, replied, ¡°That way, miss! That space on the right.¡±


    They were just a few meters from Danica, concealed from her view by the wall.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Danica responded.


    Before departing, Faye whispered to Kael, ¡°We need to stop running into each other like this,¡± and then made her way toward that hallway.


    A few momentster, Faye engaged in a cheerful conversation with Danica.


    ¡°Oh, hi! You¡¯re Miss Burnham, right? I¡¯ve heard about your mother, and I hope she recovers soon.¡±


    ¡°Thank you! She¡¯s improving after the chemotherapy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s so sad¡­¡± Even though he couldn¡¯t see Danica, he knew the kind ofpassionate woman she was. She was the type who could shed tears at the sight of a live fish having its gills sliced.


    How did Faye manage to appear so carefree, as if nothing had ever happened?


    Kael grappled with his situation. He desired to confront Faye, but there were too manypelling reasons for him to suppress whatever feelings he had for her.


    He hadn¡¯t anticipated the coteral hurt Danica would experience due to his conflicted emotions.


    ***


    While waiting for Mr. Andrew Walton to return to the country, Drew didn¡¯t let go of Lily and ensured that every moment was joyful for her. After what had happened at the Arvesso Resort, he refused to leave her side.


    It was the workweek, and Kael hadn¡¯t returned to the ind, providing her with some free time.


    She and Drew explored the nearby inds and had a great time as a couple aboard his yacht, hoping to avoid being recognized. To bring her happiness, they engaged in various activities together, even if it was as simple as hugging and sitting on the beach, gazing at the waves. They crafted their own happy paradise.


    ¡°Baby, forget about everything. Let¡¯s have fun!¡± Drew dered before jumping into the deep water.


    Lilyughed as she caught sight of him in the nude, just before he disappeared beneath the waves.


    Lifting her shirt to bare her body, she jumped in, joining him. As they swam underwater, he held onto her hand.


    After a couple of minutes in the sea, Lily gasped for air and found a resting spot in the corner beneath the deck. She let out a shriek as Drew¡¯s head suddenly surfaced in front of her eyes.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Her scream was followed byughter. She had never experienced such happiness in her entire life.


    He reached for her lips, encircling his big arms around her waist. A gentle fire tickled her heart as she caressed his body.


    In between kisses, he mumbled, ¡°You are addictive.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I miss the couch,¡± she teased, her fingers caressing Drew¡¯s lean torso, while her other hand rested on his lips, savoring every moment in her heart.


    With or without the couch, she was content to have her husband with her, but over the course of a year, the couch had yed a significant role in their life.


    Drew¡¯s gaze darkened as he carried her body back to the deck.


    He yfully threw her onto the bed inside the cabin and began to lick her salty skin.


    She weed him, inviting him into her paradise.


    ***


    Aware that Drew also had concerns about Lily¡¯s true identity, she pushed those thoughts from her mind. They made an effort to steer clear of the sensitive issue. However, the nagging idea that they might be rted frustrated their curiosity.


    She didn¡¯t want to let him down, but their rtionship had never been as wonderful as it was now. Even though they avoided the topic, they were gradually bing more open with each other. What truly mattered to her was that Drew cared about her, and she was well aware of his deep desire to see her happy.


    As the orange sun descended, Drew kissed her on the forehead while she rested on his broad chest.


    ¡°Lily, is it wrong for me to say I want to marry you again?¡± he asked.


    She raised an eyebrow at him and replied, ¡°Hmmm¡­ Weddings can be expensive, you know.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s get married! I want to experience our first kiss as husband and wife without you passing out again! I mean, seriously, that day I was convinced my breath was that bad!¡±


    Lilyughed, and in retaliation, he yfully bit her shoulder to make her pay for recalling their first meeting.


    ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, babe. My wedding dress was too tight, and I think I was so terrified of you,¡± she confessed with a chuckle.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done amazing! I¡¯m incredibly proud of you. There¡¯s no turning back now. In order for us to start anew and for me to give you the real wedding you deserve, I want to marry you all over again. I¡¯m doing this because I truly want to!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s do it!¡± she said with a smile. Over the past few days, they had been inseparable, and she was savoring every moment of it.


    Although it seemed a littlete to ask, she wanted to know if Master Walton might be willing to disregard Drew¡¯s presence on the ind for her. ¡°Is it true that you don¡¯t have a job right now?¡±


    Drew replied, ¡°You know I could still provide for you even if I turned into a cker. My mother left me an incredible inheritance, and I own stocks in major corporations,¡± he said, kissing her yfully. ¡°Plus, I have an artist wife¡­ We¡¯re absolutely fine!¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s go back! I¡¯m feeling better now. I know you¡¯ve stayed here to support me. I feel it in my heart, Drew! We¡¯re going through a significant revtion that might shake us, but I¡¯d feel terrible if you cut ties with your grandfather. I¡¯m prepared to face your father and Master Walton to address the issues we have in the city.¡±


    ¡°Lily, promise me that you¡¯ll see and love me as your husband, regardless of what my dad says. I wouldn¡¯t be able to ept you leaving again,¡± Drew said, his voice filled with fear.


    Lily turned to her husband and kissed him on the lips. She could sense that he was even more anxious than she was.


    ¡°You belonged to me, Drew.¡± To ease the mood, she followed with a yful tease, ¡°We¡¯ve gotten quite a bit of color, almost resembling monkeys.¡±


    During their time at sea, their skin had darkened from the sun.


    ¡°Why are you so perfect, Lily?¡± Drew inquired.


    She knew she wasn¡¯t perfect, but she no longer contested his sentiments. Love had a way of making one express the most beautiful words.

 That Night

    It was a fine afternoon¡­


    Lily sat in the car with Drew, her heart racing twice as fast as usual as they approached the Walton Mansion. They had been informed that Mr. Andrew Walton was staying in their home.


    As a part of the family who had made significant contributions to it, Mr. Walton had every right to stay in the mansion. Despite the old man¡¯s preupation with their reputation, Drew and his father were still Waltons.


    ¡°Babe, you have to stop worrying,¡± Drew said, gently rubbing her arm.


    ¡°I can¡¯t help but feel anxious because I¡¯m meeting your father for the first time. I¡¯m also unsure about what Master Walton will say to me, and I can¡¯t help but feel like I¡¯ve taken away your chance to run his empire.¡±


    Drew married her as instructed by his grandfather to secure his inheritance of the Walton Group. Understanding that he was severing his ties with his grandfather and relinquishing control of the Walton Group, it was clear why she felt sorry.


    Drew¡¯s arms tightened around her body, and he kissed her sensually.


    ¡°Babe, don¡¯t even think that you¡¯ve taken my dream away from me; those are just my trivial aspirations.¡±


    Lily pondered, ¡°Then, what is your dream?¡±


    ¡°Wet dreams.¡±


    She didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry at his response, but she lightly tapped his chest and chuckled.


    ¡°There she is. Smile, babe! My greatest dream is to spend my entire life with you, and I¡¯d choose you over anything else.¡±


    She admired his unwavering support as she closed her eyes, embraced him, and inhaled his scent. He rewarded her with a kiss on the forehead.


    After some time, the car eventually came to a stop in front of the grand entrance. Mark, the driver, opened the car for them, and they quietly entered the mansion.


    The sight of Mr. Arvesso sitting seriously on a long, elegant couch left Lily perplexed. He was sipping hot coffee.


    ¡°S-Sir?¡± Lily gasped with wide eyes.


    Danica¡¯s father initially exhibited a reaction simr to hers, especially after spotting Drew with her. However, he quickly regained hisposure and subsequently smiled broadly.


    ¡°Drew, it¡¯s great to see you again!¡±


    ¡°Uncle Niel!¡±


    ¡°Do you know Mr. Arvesso?¡± Lily asked her husband.


    Drew scratched his chin. ¡°He¡¯s Orion¡¯s father.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Lily couldn¡¯t believe it, and her head shot up. ¡°Y-you mean Orion is his son?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ I¡¯ve known Orion since we were kids because our fathers are friends,¡± Drew exined.


    ¡°If Danica is his daughter, that means-¡±


    ¡°Danica and Orion are siblings. They are my children,¡± the gentleman stated with a smile.


    Lily turned to her husband, finding this news hard to digest, and asked with doubt, ¡°Did you know that Orion and Danica are siblings?¡±


    It makes sense now.


    ¡°Um¡­ yes?¡± he replied with a grimace. ¡°Remember when I told you to meet her with Brian? I knew Danica wouldn¡¯t harm you. Orion suggested not informing you that we knew Danica because it might give you the impression that we were constantly watching you. He also wanted his sister to mature and discover Brian¡¯s true motives.¡±


    She red at Drew as if to say, ¡®You¡¯re unbelievable!¡¯


    Though she wasn¡¯t seriously hurt, she couldn¡¯t believe the three of them had kept this secret from her for a year! Now it made sense that Orion knew her situation within the school. She had almost thought he possessed superhuman telekic abilities to ensure her safety.


    It turned out that he had ced a close friend beside her without her knowledge. Who would have imagined that Danica, who was kind and sweet, would be part of this conspiracy?


    ¡°Hmm¡­ you¡¯ve mastered the art of ring at me now?¡± Drew teased.


    ¡°Because I couldn¡¯t believe it!¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t get to know Danica very well due to our significant age difference. I¡¯ve met her a few times at some previous gatherings. Plus, Orion and I try to keep our personal and professional lives separate.¡±


    Lily¡¯s cheeks turned scarlet as Mr. Arvesso coughed, making them aware that he was nearby while they were discussing his children.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t realize you two had already reconciled,¡± Mr. Arvessomented.


    The man in his fifties, whom she believed to be Drew¡¯s father, descended the wide stairs. Seeing the three of them in the same space as Mr. Arvesso astonished him.


    ¡°L-Lily?¡± Before turning to face Mr. Arvesso, Mr. Walton¡¯s lips formed an ¡®o¡¯. It seemed like he had something to say, but he wasn¡¯t sure how to say it, so he briefly shut his mouth before opening it again.


    Drew muttered coldly, ¡°My wife and I can return another day if you need to speak with Uncle Niel about something important.¡±


    ¡°N-no, it¡¯s just-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, Drew. I¡¯ll be waiting. It seems like you¡¯ll be discussing something important with your dad,¡± said Mr. Arvesso.


    It felt awkward, perhaps because Kael¡¯s client, who was also technically her boss, was present. Moreover, she had never met Drew¡¯s father before and was unfamiliar with him.


    Mr. Walton said, ¡°Niel, Lily came here to inquire about that night.¡±


    Thetter turned to look at the ground, his eyes reflecting pain and his heart growing heavy.


    Lily gathered her courage and said, ¡°I came here to find out what happened that evening. Even though I¡¯m aware of some details, I still wanted to know why my mother met with you¡­ Why did Drew¡¯s mother use you of cheating on her? D-do you have a rtionship with my mom?¡±


    ¡°If the usations against me were true, would it trouble you to learn that I had an affair with your mother?¡± the man responded with a question.


    ¡°No! The only thing that might affect my mental state is if I find out Drew is my brother. My dad, I mean Mr. Martin, informed me that I¡¯m not his¡­ I-I¡¯m not your child, right?¡±


    The two elderly men exchanged nces, and Drew¡¯s grip on her skin tightened. She thought the question might have startled him as well.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Lily, why do you think there¡¯s a possibility?¡± Mr. Arvesso asked, looking at Drew¡¯s father. His expression changed. ¡°No way! You didn¡¯t!¡±


    ¡°If the two of you are my children, I¡¯m not that cruel to let you get married,¡± Mr. Walton replied.


    ¡°Then why? Why did my mother visit your workce after office hours?¡±


    ¡°Because she wanted to annul her marriage with your dad, Lily! The rtionship between your parents was strained because Martin already had an affair with his lover, who is now his wife. Your dad used to mistreat your mom during the time he was unfaithful. I saw it with my own eyes. Cristina had bruises when she came to my office that night.¡±


    ¡°What? That fucker!¡±mented Mr. Arvesso. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me, Walton?! You mean he¡¯s beating Cristina?¡± He stood up and lost hisposed demeanor. His chest heaved with anger.


    ¡°It was a mess, Niel! I also had to take care of my severely ill wife. I didn¡¯t expect Cristina to visit me that night because she was looking for you! Her injuries embarrassed her, and she asked me to leave the dim light on. Because of that, my wife thought that Cristina and I were having an affair and hiding in the dark.¡±


    ¡°So, you mean my mom was seeking Mr. Arvesso?¡± This revtion left Lily confused.


    ¡°Oh, my god!¡± Drew eximed. ¡°Uncle, it was you who had a rtionship with Lily¡¯s mother!¡± His tone conveyed certainty rather than spection. Drew was convinced of it!


    The man tightly closed his eyes.


    Lily couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. She wasn¡¯t present at the scene, yet it felt as if she could visualize what had transpired in the past. The two men were close friends, and her mother would track down Mr. Arvesso through Mr. Andrew Walton, wherever he might be.


    Her mother had previously worked as Master Walton¡¯s secretary, so it was easier for her to locate Drew¡¯s father than to find Mr. Arvesso, who didn¡¯t settle down in a permanent location.


    Lily, even though she knew the answer, managed to pose the question, ¡°My mother was faithful to her husband and had no rtionships with any of you. But I¡¯m curious as to why she wanted to find Mr. Arvesso.¡±


    Grief-stricken by the past, she attempted to remainposed by thinking of her mother, the most ideal person she had ever known. The two men could not speak, as if something was choking them in their throats, while her heart beat rapidly.


    There is no answer other than what¡¯s already in her mind.


    The truth is right there, deeply hurting her.

 Fucked up Family

    Drewforted Lily, caressing her back to help her ease the pain, recalling her mother. She felt her husband was probably still had the confusion and expecting positive news from his father.


    A voice roared from one hallway. ¡°Because he¡¯s your dad!¡±


    All of them turned to face Master Walton, Drew¡¯s grandfather, who had just entered the house from the back. His presence increased her unease because she didn¡¯t currently have a strong rtionship with the old man.


    ¡°Grandpa!¡± Drew gasped as his eyes widened. Lily¡¯s lips formed a line.


    ¡°Cristina is my secretary. Of course, I know everything about her. If there¡¯s one thing I know for sure, it¡¯s that my son still loves Cristina, regardless of their marriages!¡± Master Walton said, casting an inquisitive nce at Drew¡¯s father.


    However, Lily¡¯s mind remained fixated on the fact that her biological father was the same man whom she considered her boss for two months and who was also the father of Danica and Orion. Mr. Arvesso was her dad! Did he know she existed? Was he aware that she was alive and that someone else had raised her?


    Did he know she was alone, hurt, and mistreated?


    Drew gave Lily a bear hug as she broke down in tears. ¡°Babe, are you alright?¡±


    Lily shook her head, unable to speak.


    ¡°Dad, you always ruin everything!¡± Mr. Andrew Walton was furious at his father, noticing that her body was shaking as she learned the truth.


    Master Walton¡¯s voice roared across the room, ¡°What did I do? I did nothing but try to fix the problems you gave me!¡±


    But Mr. Walton didn¡¯t back down either. ¡°May I remind you that you caused me problems? For what? Twenty years! I spent two decades trapped in my marriage! You forced me into an arranged marriage and handed me an unstable wife! It all started with you, including Cristina, whom I lost!¡±


    Drew suddenly lost hisposure after hearing about his mother. If Lily hadn¡¯t been around, he likely would have grabbed Mr. Andrew Walton and punched him in the face.


    ¡°Don¡¯t insult my mom! You¡¯re a liar and a cheater!¡±


    ¡°See what you did to my son?!¡± Instead, his father grew angry with Master Walton. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you said to Drew to make him believe everything you¡¯re saying!¡±


    ¡°Drew, calm down. Your dad never cheated! If he did, I would have had no chance with Cristina,¡± defended Mr. Arvesso.


    ¡°Really, Uncle Niel? Grandpa himself imed my dad loved Lily¡¯s mother until now! Moreover, while I was living on campus, my mother constantly called andined about how much she detested my father for cheating!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°Because you believed too much in your insane mother!¡± Mr. Walton pointed out.


    Drew was consumed by anger, sorrow, and misery, trembling with emotion. Now that Lily understood the depth of Drew¡¯s resentment toward his father, she realized there was little hope for reconciliation.


    Drew roared, ¡°Don¡¯t you dare! My mother went insane because of you!¡±


    ¡°Drew, stop! Stop, please!¡± Lily¡¯s hand coiled up, as if she wished to shield herself from the escting tension in the room. She was frightened, seeing that every man present was furious, and she felt weary of her husband¡¯s arguments.


    Drew couldn¡¯t hold back the tears, and Lily felt lost in the midst of their emotional turmoil. Their hearts weighed heavily, and everything seemed chaotic. However, she was determined to find a solution before they left.


    The four men seemed to have drained their energy. Lily had never seen Drew so profoundly wounded. He clung to her, sobbing, his body trembling. His face remained buried in her neck, seeking sce. It was difficult for them to revisit the memories of theirte mothers, whom they both loved dearly.


    ¡°Babe, we have to stay strong¡­ I¡¯m as angry with your mother as you are with mine. Do you understand what I mean?¡± she asked Drew.


    If they wanted to uncover the truth, they both needed to be brave.


    Mr. Walton¡¯s tone grew calmer as he continued, ¡°Your mother forced Cristina out of the building, and I made it seem like I had an affair with another woman. Drew, before that night, your mom had been seeing a psychiatrist for two years, and I knew it would upset you more than anything else. Your mother was not mentally stable, and Iter found out that she had been in therapy even before I married her. When she pushed Cristina, she had not slept for three whole days!¡±


    Lily had a hunch about that. ording to Jericho, Keh fell in love with Drew¡¯s mother after meeting her at the hospital. She was just twelve years old when Keh was neen and started his training in the psychiatric ward of a private hospital. This indicated that Mrs. Walton visited the hospital even when her mother was still alive.


    ¡°I still have a question. What did my father-or, I mean, Mr. Martin-read in the letter that Mrs. Walton wrote for me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you should read that, Lily,¡± said Mr. Arvesso. She could see the concern on his face.


    She asked cautiously, ¡°Why?¡±


    Mr. Walton answered the question. ¡°It¡¯s distressing because she¡¯s not even apologetic for what she did. If anyone should read it, it¡¯s Drew because his mother was nuts.¡±


    ¡°Why did the Martins hide that from me?¡±


    ¡°Because Cristina¡¯s scumbag husband was irresponsible! Rather than having the fact that he beat up your mother exposed, he would prefer for everyone to believe that his wifemitted suicide!¡± Mr. Arvesso replied, gritting his teeth.


    ¡°How about you, Grandpa? Why did you keep it a secret?¡±


    Master Walton dered, ¡°To protect you, of course!¡±


    ¡°Protect my ass! It¡¯s because he doesn¡¯t want to defile our family¡¯s name! Instead of epting the fact that your mom and I were involved, he would much rather have people believe that someonemitted suicide in the Walton Group building!¡±


    Mr. Andrew Walton gave his father a sharp look.


    But at this point, Drew needed Lily more than ever. Drew was trembling from his excessive anguish.


    ¡°We¡¯re going!¡± Drew eximed, taking her out of the mansion.


    Drew clutched Lily closely in the car, acknowledging that Walton¡¯s family members had all yed a trick on him by hiding the ugly reality. She was hurting for both of them. The families theye from are too messed up. Only the two of them could be truly sincere with one another.


    He whispered in her ear, ¡°Lily, I¡¯m sorry.¡± She knew that he was regretting what his mother had done to her. ¡°If I could only bring back the past¡­¡±


    ¡°Love, we can¡¯t change the way the stars fall-we can¡¯t rewrite it as the song states. We can only create wonderful things by moving forward. I love you so much, Drew¡­¡± Lily wiped away Drew¡¯s tears.


    She had made a promise! Everything between her and Drew would remain magical until their final breath.

 Need Each Other

    In Lily¡¯s life, numerous changes have urred, including the revtion of her real identity.


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Drew asked, hugging her from behind.


    She was gazing out the window at their yard, contemting some changes she wanted to make. Drew¡¯s arms tightened around her waist, and he kissed her shoulder.


    ¡°Many things¡­ Mr. Arvesso is the main thing on my mind. After learning that I wasn¡¯t the Martins¡¯ real daughter, I never imagined that he would suddenly appear to be my biological father. Also, I¡¯m unsure of how to approach Orion and Danica. Will it affect their perception of me if they learn I¡¯m their dad¡¯s other daughter?


    ¡°And then, I¡¯m not even sure how my mother and Mr. Arvesso¡¯s rtionship began. I was eight years younger than Orion, and their rtionship might have had an impact on him. So, yeah, those are the people I¡¯ve been thinking about just now.¡±


    ¡°I know that Orion¡¯s mother passed away before he turned eight. So, if you¡¯re wondering if your mother was Uncle Niel¡¯s mistress, she wasn¡¯t. Danica¡¯s mother is a different woman from Orion¡¯s.¡±


    ¡°Hmm¡­ I see.¡± Lily noted the distinction in their appearances.


    Danica resembled an anime doll-small, adorable, and sweet-while Orion was tall, broad, and muscr, enough to fit into a live-action Avengers film.


    ¡°When Orion¡¯s mother passed away, I was five. By my estimation, Uncle Niel¡¯s rtionship with your mother began after the death of his mother. When he returned to Europe, he got Danica¡¯s mother pregnant with twins.¡±


    Lily had heard about it. Tragically, one of Danica¡¯s twins passed away during high school.


    Drew carried her, her legs wrapped around his body, while her arms naturally secured around his neck. She could feel his firmness as she held on.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy to know they¡¯re your siblings?¡± Drew asked again, his breath warming her neck.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯m more than happy¡­ I¡¯m just a little worried. Even though our situation is confusing, I don¡¯t want to jeopardize my rtionship with them. What if they¡¯re not happy I exist? Exining this truth to them is quite challenging. Should I let Mr. Arvesso tell them, or is it my right to speak?¡±


    Drew gently caressed her cheek as he led her somewhere. ¡°Orion will undoubtedly be pleased to discover that you are his sister. However, I¡¯m not sure how he will react to your issues with Keh once he learns you¡¯re a close rtive. Orion tends to be guarded around his family. That¡¯s why he¡¯s the best bodyguard I rehired to watch over you.¡±


    ¡°If his family is wealthy, why did he decide to be a bodyguard?¡±


    Lily was well aware of the extensive properties owned by the Arvessos around the world. Mr. Niel Arvesso was a multimillionaire realtor.


    ¡°He was once part of the National Investigations; most likely, it was his dream job. But something tragic involving his siblings and the boss¡¯s son changed things. It became politicized and unpleasant. It might have made him realize that his job wasn¡¯t what he thought it was. After that, I needed a bodyguard because my life was in danger, and that¡¯s when our boss-bodyguard rtionship began.¡±


    She suddenly became concerned and didn¡¯t think Drew was calmer than Orion.


    ¡°Regarding Danica, I¡¯m not sure¡­ Like I said, I don¡¯t know her very well. How about you? Are you happy to know they are your family?¡±


    Lily gently parted Drew¡¯s hair, revealing his forehead. ¡°Because of the safety I¡¯ve always felt with Orion ¨C something I never experienced in my own family ¨C I¡¯ve always thought of him as a brother. The same goes for Danica. She¡¯s like the little sister who alwaysforted me, so I¡¯m happy to know that our rtionship is deeper than that. But I¡¯m more than happy to have you in my heart, Drew.¡±


    ¡°Great answer!¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    Drew responded with a deep kiss. Lily felt herself leaning back against the mattress of the bed, and Drew savored the moment. He quickly removed her top, then flipped her over, kissing her on the back and shoulders with delicate, featherlike kisses. He traced the scars on her back with the tip of his index finger.


    ¡°How do you feel about my scars?¡± Lily questioned anxiously. He might consider how filthy she was right now.


    ¡°I¡¯m ufortable seeing those scars because you don¡¯t belong to anyone, Lily. Not even to me.¡± His finger trembled against her skin. ¡°Keh needs help. Would you like me to find the best surgeon to remove these scars?¡±


    She thought that if Drew was ufortable with her scars, maybe it was time to consider their removal.


    ¡°Sure!¡±


    ¡°I promise you, no part of your body will ever bear a scar from me,¡± he assured as his hand sensually moved down Lily¡¯s back.


    She soon felt his length sliding between her thighs. After taking a deep breath, she looked back at him with anticipation. He kissed her lips and then slowly began to thrust from behind.


    ¡°Lily, I will never tire of giving you all of me¡­¡± He closed his eyes. The tickling orgasms apanied Drew¡¯s chest.


    Lily remained silent, her gaze locked onto her husband, trying to perceive the emotions he was going through, wanting to share in his feelings.


    After a few tender thrusts, he gently maneuvered her onto the bed, intending to kiss her passionately and take their intimacy to new heights. It was a while before they returned to their starting point. Gradually, he caught his breath and rested his head on her soft chest, listening to her soothing heartbeat.


    Drew¡¯s body exuded a profound sorrow, which Lily keenly sensed. They had discussed her situation many times, but he was still grappling with the reality of his mother¡¯s actions.


    Her husband disyed an extraordinary sensitivity to her needs, treating her with the utmost care, as if she were a fragile crystal. He continued to watch over her, even in the midst of his own grief.


    A sad smile graced her lips as she empathized with his pain. ¡°You¡¯re an incredible husband, Drew. With the way you prioritize me, I have no doubt you¡¯ll make an exceptional parent too. We¡¯ll be there for each other, sharing our dreams and love, until the end of our days.¡±


    He gazed into her eyes and whispered, ¡°I love you deeply, Lily,¡± his voice breaking as tears welled up in his eyes.

 Faye Burnham

    A few dayster, Kael was at work when Faye Burnham, an unexpected guest, came to see him. He hadn¡¯t seen her since his mother¡¯s birthday.


    ¡®What is she doing here?¡¯


    For the next few days, he made a conscious effort to forget about the woman, as she had wished. He wanted to refocus his goals and attention away from Faye because she was driving him crazy. However, Faye visiting him in his office raised serious issues for him because he had already decided to stay away from her due to the potential conflicts within their family.


    ¡°Let her in,¡± he instructed his secretary.


    A short whileter, he watched Faye enter his room. In a dark pencil skirt and a light button-up blouse, she presented a polished appearance.


    When she saw his stern face, she gulped and shut the door. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my sudden presence! What I need from you is important.¡±


    ¡°Please take a seat.¡±


    Faye followed. ¡°Thank you!¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Kael got to his feet and walked over to the water dispenser. The woman¡¯s presence made his throat dry, and he asked, ¡°Would you like coffee or tea?¡±


    ¡°Tea, please¡­¡±


    ¡°I only have Earl Gray here.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡±


    Because it seemed that fate had yed a trick on them, Kael needed to be prepared for whatever Faye had brought. It was as if he was being tested. After some time, he ced a cup of tea in front of the woman.


    ¡°Why are you here, Faye?¡± Kael allowed her to start by asking for what she needed.


    Faye took a sip of tea before responding, ¡°Brother Finn told me that Lily, Drew¡¯s wife, will be here today.¡±


    Kael gently raised an eyebrow. He was aware that Drew¡¯s wife had been going through an emotional ordeal and had been taking it easy for the past few days. Even after reconciling with Drew, Lily continued to face problems and difficulties.


    While waiting for her degree, Lily approached him the other day about a new project. That¡¯s why he had invited Lily toe by his office today.


    ¡°Why?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Kael, I am handling the case of Carm Sanchez, the r*pe victim.¡±


    What a coincidence?!


    One of the male defendants who had been troubling Danicately was her ex-boyfriend. Carm Sanchez involved Lily because, in her words, thetter was one of Keh and his friends¡¯ victims.


    Their situation is not difficult toprehend because Lily stayed at the Arvesso Resort, and that¡¯s why she sought safety on the ind.


    ¡°I need to talk to Lily. I came here because I have no other option.¡±


    He didn¡¯t understand her reasoning. ¡°Drew and your brother are great friends, so it should be simple to locate them, Faye. Why don¡¯t you go to Drew¡¯s ce? The couple has returned to their residence.¡±


    ¡°I know! Finn warned me that Drew could not ept our request for Lily to serve as a witness. I was informed they were having issues with the Walton Family.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re here because you believed I could help?¡± he asked sarcastically.


    He responded in an unexpected way, leaving Faye dumbfounded. Did she realize he was struggling with their situation? He didn¡¯t want to add this to his existing difficulties with Drew. Why was Faye putting him through this?


    ¡°Kael¡­ I just want to talk to Lily.¡±


    He nodded reluctantly. He called his secretary and instructed her to let Lily enter his office. He couldn¡¯t help but appear distant around Faye, which he believed made her feel ufortable, especially since they were alone in the room. Despite the physical proximity, they both hesitated to address their inner emotions in this confined space.


    Faye wiped away her tears. ¡°I feel like an idiot. I asked you to stay away, but I came anyway. I needed to divert my attention from the sorrow I¡¯m feeling at home, but I guess my timing wasn¡¯t always perfect. Not always¡­¡±


    He felt a degree of regret as he recalled Mrs. Burnham¡¯s chemotherapy treatment.


    ¡°How is your mom?¡±


    ¡°S-she¡¯s not okay,¡± Faye burst into tears.


    Tofort the woman, Kael got up and, for once, allowed her to lean on him. He knew the Burnhams well and could empathize with her current situation. The burden Faye was carrying seemed to pierce his chest.


    Faye sobbed on his chest as she admitted, ¡°I¡¯m looking for a chance to tell my fianc¨¦ that I cheated on him. I¡¯m ashamed because of what happened that night.¡±


    Kael¡¯s lips formed a line. His thoughts were bing more and more confused. He wanted to convey that he was prepared to ept her, but once they reconciled, what did they really want? They would have to start over from scratch because no matter what they did, their family would disapprove of their rtionship.


    Will he and Faye find happiness if he offers her everything?


    It¡¯s unexpected that he no longer wants to dive headfirst into his emotions. He must take a deep breath and give himself some time.


    ¡°Does he know that¡­ our son died?¡± Kael asked, curious about her boyfriend¡¯s knowledge.


    Faye shook her head.


    ¡°You have to tell him everything, Faye. That way, you¡¯ll know if your fianc¨¦ truly loves you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared¡­¡± she responded with tears.


    Pulling out a tissue, Kael wiped her cheek. Faye quickly regained herposure since she needed to feel better in order to talk to Lily.


    The door burst open as Lily appeared, interrupting him just as he was trying tofort Faye. She looked baffled by what she saw, and Kael felt guilty not only for upsetting Drew¡¯s wife but also for involving Danica, who was Lily¡¯s friend, in this situation.


    ***


    Lily headed to Kael¡¯s office after spending her days with Drew. Her husband drove her, but she asked him to stay in the car.


    Despite Master Walton¡¯s requests for him toe back, her husband persisted in sulking. He had no intention of returning to the Walton Group again unless his grandfather made amends to Lily. With these small gestures, she could tell how much Drew loved her. Nobody can treat her with the respect andpassion she deserves besides Drew.


    Why didn¡¯t you even say that you and Orion are siblings? She sent Danica that message while the elevator was going up.


    Danica: Sorry! I don¡¯t want you to think badly of me.


    Lily: What about Drew? Do you know he is my husband?


    Danica: I¡¯m not! I¡¯m being honest with you! Orion¡¯s keeping these things a secret from me, and it severely annoyed me! At first, you confused me for Orion¡¯s girlfriend.


    Danica sent that text message along with a crying emoji.


    Brother Orion¡­


    Lily touched her chest as she realized that the man she had always considered to be her brother was actually rted to her. When she and Drew split up, Orion looked after her like a big brother. She also grew to enjoy being Danica¡¯s sister, hoping they were already aware of the truth and anticipating Mr. Arvesso¡¯s confession.


    She ced her phone back inside her purse as the elevator approached Kael¡¯s office floor.


    The secretary said, ¡°Good morning, Lily! Boss Kael is waiting inside his office. You can juste in.¡±


    Lily answered with a smile. Following the instructions, she simply opened Kael¡¯s door and entered his office.


    Kael was inside, but he wasn¡¯t alone. She found him hugging a woman, but they immediately separated.


    ¡°Oh, I¡¯m sorry!¡± she muttered to Kael. ¡°I had assumed you were by yourself because your secretary told me to enter.¡±


    As far as I know, Kael doesn¡¯t have a girlfriend.


    The woman Kael was with regained herposure and moved closer to Lily. ¡°Mrs. Walton?¡±


    ¡°Uhm, yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m Faye Burnham.¡± She shook hands with Lily.


    Lily shifted her attention to Kael, who became silent and avoided her gaze.


    Faye scratched her cheek and then winced, saying, ¡°I know your husband, but knowing Drew¡­¡±


    ¡°Oh! Finn is your brother!¡± Lily guessed the woman¡¯s connection to her husband¡¯s best friend based on the woman¡¯sst name. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you!¡±


    But Faye was being serious as she continued, ¡°I¡¯m here to talk about my client, Carm Sanchez.¡±


    It startled Lily, and her smile subsequently vanished.


    ¡°I¡¯m here to encourage you to participate as a witness against Keh Martin and his friends.¡±

 Internal Battle

    Lily became ufortable with Faye in the room and felt her head growing heavy, knowing that the woman was there to invite her to testify as a witness in Carm¡¯s case.


    ¡°Can I call you Lily? You can call me Faye,¡± the woman said earnestly.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    Faye continued, ¡°I work for the legal team managing Carm¡¯s case, and I¡¯m here to encourage you to speak up and make your own defense.¡±


    Thement made Lily flinch a little. She had never met Finn¡¯s sister before, which immediately disappointed her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided not to pursue Keh¡¯s or Carm¡¯s case any further. Faye, you probably know that I am a married woman, and I believe you know my husband if you¡¯re Finn¡¯s sister¡­ I don¡¯t want to ruin Drew because of my darkest history, which might tarnish his reputation as the Waltons¡¯ sessor.¡±


    ¡°But you are a victim, Lily! Yes, I know Drew, and I¡¯m confident he will defend you! This is your chance to speak out!¡±


    ¡°I already have! Do you really believe it¡¯s so simple to trust others when my family has turned their backs on me? How about you-do you believe that I am a victim? What about them-will they ept what I say in court?¡±


    ¡°Why not, if you can convince the judge that you¡¯re a victim?¡±


    Is she serious right now?


    ¡°If I can convince him?¡± She wanted to scoff at Faye¡¯s illogical reasoning. ¡°You said it yourself. It¡¯s still an argument!¡±


    ¡°But-¡±


    Lily raised her hand to stop the woman. ¡°Faye, do you actuallyprehend what you wanted from me? Before you came to Kael¡¯s office to confront me, did you even attempt to get to know me?¡±


    Despite her calm argument with Faye, Kael had been silent ever since she entered his office and didn¡¯t want to involve himself. He might be worried as a result of letting Faye see her in such a sneaky way.


    Lily continued, ¡°Did you even gather information about me, Miss Lawyer, and what I went through? Or did you solely rely on the information prepared and written down on the documents in front of you?¡±


    Although Lily felt it was wrong, she had to convey those ufortable truths for Faye to understand. ¡°Do you genuinelyprehend the struggle a victim like me faces, Faye? Have you witnessed how society ridiculed Carm? Can you grasp what it feels like to be criticized by people?¡±


    The woman¡¯s lips flitted open and shut, as though she didn¡¯t know how to respond to Lily.


    ¡°Exactly! You have no idea! For fifteen years, I battled for my life and against those who mistreated me, and it was exhausting! Only now that Drew has embraced me can I breathe easily. I will reopen the anguish if I ever give in to what you desire, and my husband would undoubtedly suffer as well.


    ¡°Do youprehend the dreadful feeling of waking up and fearing that perhaps your husband finds you repulsive? Or maybe he asionally thinks that I am dirty in his eyes. You don¡¯t understand, Faye!¡±


    No matter how hard she tried to contain herself, she let out a sob. They were both women, yet no one could grasp her true feelings.


    But as the door suddenly mmed open, the three of them gasped and turned their heads in that direction. Kael grimaced, while Faye swallowed nervously. Drew¡¯s eyes were dark as Lauren followed him. Thetter was taken aback to find Finn¡¯s sister in Kael¡¯s office.


    ¡°Faye?¡± Lauren asked.


    ¡°I met Lauren downstairs when I decided to follow her, and I overheard Lily while we were outside this door. I didn¡¯t expect that something would be going on here. What is this about, Faye?¡± Drew walked over to Lily and wiped away the tears running down her cheeks with a worried expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! Carm¡¯swsuit against Keh Martin and his friends is being handled by thepany I¡¯m currently employed by. I¡¯m encouraging Lily to testify.¡±


    Drew didn¡¯t show any signs of emotion, but she could tell he was angry.


    ¡°And since you knew Drew was going to refuse, why did you corner Lily here in Kael¡¯s office?¡± Lauren asked.


    Faye responded, ¡°Lauren, I¡¯m doing this for the women! Thew needs to punish Keh and his friends. I¡¯m doing this for that reason. What about you, Brother Drew? Don¡¯t you want to see those scumbags locked up?¡±


    ¡°What I don¡¯t want is your interference hurting Lily! She¡¯s right! You don¡¯t even know what she¡¯s going through!¡±


    Drew¡¯s voice echoed around the room, prompting Kael to stand up and point his fingers at her husband. ¡°Stop shouting at Faye!¡±


    ¡°What now, huh? Are you two seeing each other again? As far as I know, Faye has a fianc¨¦ abroad.¡±


    Faye couldn¡¯t meet their gaze, avoiding the prying eyes of both Lauren and Drew.


    ¡°Oh, my God! Are you meeting in secret?¡± Lauren eximed.


    ¡°It¡¯s none of your concern, Drew! What you should be focusing on is your wife!¡± Kael responded firmly.


    ¡°Well, Faye is like a sister to me! I just want her to understand that before trying to influence my wife¡¯s decisions, she should first make the right choices in her own life!¡± Drew gave Finn¡¯s sister a stern look.


    If that¡¯s the case, then I was right to assume they had been lovers all along. It¡¯s strange to see them embracing sensually. When she walked into the office, they were likely kissing.


    Lily shrugged and decided not to dwell on it any further.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°You, jerk!¡± Enraged, Lauren¡¯s brother seemed ready to confront Drew, but only if the three of them weren¡¯t present.


    ¡°Stop, Kael! I¡¯m talking about your rtionship with Faye, and I really mean it! Stop it.¡± Lily had never seen Lauren so furious, clenching her teeth and ring at Kael and Faye.


    ¡°There is no rtionship between us!¡± Kael argued.


    She could only sense that he was lying, yet she said nothing.


    The corner of Drew¡¯s lips turned up. He, too, didn¡¯t believe him.


    Lily tightened her grip on her husband and shot a warning nce to leave the office. Kael and Drew don¡¯t get along; they¡¯re like oil and water. It¡¯s unlikely they will see eye to eye, especially when the woman they both care about is involved in the discussion.


    ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡± Drew dered as he gently led her to the door.


    ¡°Lily¡­¡± She turned around as Faye called her name once more. This time, her voice was lowered. ¡°Please¡­ Will you allow the number of victims of Keh and his friends to increase? You clearly wanted to help.¡±


    Without saying a word, Drew walked her out of the office. She was a little concerned that her husband had overheard her thoughts. Because Keh had eroded her self-confidence, she felt powerless to stop her negative thoughts.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, babe. You¡¯re not a filthy woman¡­ Don¡¯t ever think that way.¡± Drew hugged her in the elevator and whispered softly in her ear. ¡°You don¡¯t have to deal with the case Faye is working on if it makes you ufortable.¡±


    ¡°But she was right. They were giving me a chance to speak. How about you, Drew? Do you want Keh to serve his time in jail?¡±


    ¡°Of course! Nothing would please me more than for him to serve a prison sentence and regret what he did to you. I want to see him pay for it, but I won¡¯t make the same mistake I did before, hurting you in the process.¡±


    ¡°You had only just begun talking to Faye, but she has already reopened your wounds. What will happen when you are in front of the court, answering all their questions? We don¡¯t have evidence, Lily.¡±


    Lily took her time to think before responding. Should she let the past slip away, taking no action as Faye suggests? But Drew was also right.


    She is currently wrestling with an internal conflict and is uncertain about how to proceed.


    Looking at Drew, she asked, ¡°But do you want me to fight and speak out against Keh and the others, just in case? The potential oue could harm us both.¡±


    ¡°Lily, as your husband, I absolutely want you to fight! Fight because you are telling the truth and will continue to do so. Fight because you deserve justice.¡±


    ¡°Then, let¡¯s fight!¡±

 Irony

    ¡°Is it true that you two have rekindled your rtionship?¡± Lauren inquired, adopting the demeanor of an investigator.


    Faye couldn¡¯t hold back her tears. The conversation she had with Kael kept haunting her thoughts, and their kisses lingered vividly in her memory. She was acutely aware that she was betraying hermitment to Harry, but it felt beyond her control.


    Once Carm¡¯s case was resolved, she nned to return to America to talk with her fianc¨¦. For now, she needed to keep her mind upied, and delving into Carm¡¯s case seemed like the best distraction.


    Kael was right! Faye realized that it was essential to open up to her boyfriend about the painful truth: she had lost a baby when she was eighteen. If there were any lingeringplications from that experience, it was better to reveal them to Harry now to avoid surprisester.


    Faye couldn¡¯t help but dwell on the child she and Kael could have had. That child might be around seven years old now.


    ¡°Why are you crying, Faye?¡± Lauren asked, her face clearly disying confusion.


    ¡°It¡¯s impossible for me and Kael to simply forget everything, Sister Lauren. I believe you must understand¡­¡± Faye sobbed.


    ¡°Faye!¡± Kael interrupted, striking the table.


    The urgency in Kael¡¯s plea was evident as Faye met his gaze. She couldn¡¯t be sure if he was doing it to shield his sister, Lauren, like her protective older brother. But she was no longer willing to keep the truth from the woman.


    ¡°Why? What¡¯s going on? What have I been kept in the dark about? Was it really so hard for you two to simply have a sibling rtionship? Tell me!¡± Lauren¡¯s frustration was evident.


    ¡°Nothing!¡± Kael swiftly denied any wrongdoing and gestured to Faye with a feeble shake of his head. Fear was clearly shown on his face.


    Faye remained silent, though inside, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of irony. It seemed that since her return to the country from abroad, she had been inadvertently causing chaos.


    Kael continued, ¡°Thest time Faye and I met was on Mom¡¯s birthday. We didn¡¯t exchange calls or even texts, so please stop asking questions! We have no romantic rtionship. She came here to talk to Lily.¡±


    Faye let out a deep breath, struggling to contain her mixed emotions. She needed to leave before saying something that could hurt Lauren further. ¡°I¡¯m leaving. Thank you for the tea, and I¡¯m genuinely sorry for any trouble I may have caused Kael and Lily.¡±


    With her bag in hand, Faye made her way to the door.


    ¡°Faye!¡± Lauren called out, but Faye could only offer a wistful smile before departing.


    From her purse, Faye retrieved a pair of sunsses and shielded her eyes with them, concealing her reddened eyes and the uncontainable tears streaming down her cheeks. She chastised herself for being so selfish, a stark contrast to her usual confident demeanor in the courtroom.


    ***


    ¡°What should I know, Kael?¡± Lauren persisted in her questioning.


    Kael kept denying the truth because he didn¡¯t want to inflict pain on his sister. He was determined not to make her feel guilty about his troubled history with Faye, especially since a significant portion of that past was his fault.


    As he gazed at Lauren, he mustered the courage to reveal the one part of the truth he did of their history and said, ¡°Seven years ago, I deliberately broke her heart as an act of revenge against Brother Finn for leaving you and for the rumors they spread about our family.¡±


    The woman gasped at what she heard. ¡°No way! Why did you do that, Kael?¡±


    ¡°I admit that our rtionship was just a game for me at first. I was only twenty, and I was still a troubled jerk back then. That¡¯s one of the reasons why Brother Finn sent Faye abroad-to keep her away from me. You already know about that. My love for her at that time was genuine, Sister Lauren. I¡­ I believe Faye is still struggling with it, and so am I.¡±


    He wasn¡¯t being untruthful about that while a deep sense of sorrow welling up in his chest. He had made decisions in the past that he deeply regretted, including the night when Faye had a miscarriage, the very day she discovered the painful truth that he had manipted her feelings as payback for his Sister Lauren.


    However, Faye had been gracious enough to provide him with a second chance because of the depth of their love. They continued their rtionship, both harboring dreams of someday getting married, while she pursued her studies abroad. This continued until the moment Lauren and Finn rekindled their marital agreement and subsequently wed.


    Pursuing a rtionship with Faye would have caused immense harm to their families, and they made the decision to prioritize Lauren¡¯s happiness because she had loved Finn since high school. Furthermore, they were the ones people expected to marry.


    Their family adhered to a tradition that Lauren had embraced. If Kael¡¯s sister were to learn of Faye¡¯s miscarriage, it would unquestionably be a source of anguish for her, given the distress she had already endured.


    Kael leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and clenched his teeth. Staying on this course would just keep causing more pain for everyone.


    Lauren inquired, ¡°Tell me honestly, do you still love Faye?¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t matter anymore. Doesn¡¯t she already have a fianc¨¦? I¡¯m happy for her,¡± was his only response to that.


    Lauren didn¡¯t say anything, but he knew she understood his answer. He and Lauren knew each other well, as they were only siblings and shared a strong bond.


    He adjusted his seat and then looked at Lauren. ¡°I know you won¡¯t support my feelings if I still love Faye.¡±


    Hisment infuriated his sister. ¡°Is that how you see me?¡± she asked with an inscrutable expression on her face. ¡°Kael, I¡¯ll stand by you in almost anything, but not when ites to Faye! Yes, I maye across as stern when ites to our family, but you haven¡¯t suffered or endured hurtful words from others like I have! I don¡¯t want you or Faye to go through that! The Escarrer name has already been tarnished, and I want you toprehend that!¡±


    Frustrated, Lauren left his office, leaving him in a state of bewilderment. He stood up from his chair and then opened the blinds to gaze at the cityscape beyond his window. He had been in a good mood earlier. How had it all turned sour like this?


    He dialed his secretary¡¯s number.


    ¡°Please cancel my appointments,¡± he said. He was no longer in the mood to work.


    ¡°Okay, boss!¡±


    He picked up the coat hanging in the corner and then headed out.


    He didn¡¯t know where he was going, and he soon found himself standing in front of Danica¡¯s apartment building. With so many people living there, the chances of encountering that happy girl were quite slim. However, his confidence grew when he spotted her ex-boyfriend entering the building.


    Had Brian and Danica rekindled their rtionship?


    He wasn¡¯t involved with a woman, so he couldn¡¯t me her if they had. Nheless, an unfamiliar sensation gripped his chest, causing him difort. In the end, if she chose to get back with her ex-boyfriend, there was nothing he could do about it.


    Kael sighed. Why did she have to be Mr. Arvesso¡¯s daughter? Because the man was responsible for his wealth, he had to suppress his feelings for Danica. He couldn¡¯t pursue the boss¡¯s daughter!


    His car remained in hazard mode as he clutched the steering wheel, not caring if he received a parking vition ticket.


    After some time, his phone rang, and he saw Danica¡¯s name on the screen. He felt nervous, sensing that something unpleasant was about to ur.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Kael!¡± He heard Danica¡¯s trembling voice.


    ¡°Where are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m scared! Brian! He¡¯s almost broken down the door to my unit. I don¡¯t know who to call.¡±


    ¡°I saw him when he entered.¡± Without a second thought, he swiftly exited the car, no longer caring if it got towed, and ran inside to rescue the woman.

 Creep

    Danica was busy organizing her belongings when she heard a series of loud knocks on her front door. Curious and somewhat apprehensive, she cautiously approached the peephole to identify the visitor. As she caught sight of Brian¡¯s figure through the viewer, a shock of fear coursed through her, causing her to clutch her chest, as if his presence had the power to pierce her very soul.


    ¡®What is he doing here?¡¯


    Luckily, she had altered the passcode to her security system, preventing him from entering at will.


    ¡°Danica! I know you¡¯re in there!¡± the man shouted, punctuating his words with a powerful thud on the door.


    ¡®Oh no!¡¯


    ¡°You, slut! You¡¯re in a rtionship with someone else, huh?¡±


    Danica remained silent, allowing Brian to believe that she wasn¡¯t in the room. She didn¡¯t want to make any noise, but her hand shook as she picked up her phone to request assistance. Danica called building security to inform them not to grant Brian ess to the building.


    ¡°Danica!¡± shouted the man at the other door.


    How could she escape when Brian was waiting for her outside?


    ¡°Hello!¡± someone responded to her call.


    ¡°I¡¯m the tenant in room 1701. Please, remove my guest from the premises! He¡¯s causing a disturbance- Ahhhh!¡±


    The lock on the door was forcefully tampered with, causing her to scream. Fortunately, there were safety chains in ce, preventing the door from fully opening.


    ¡°I knew it! You¡¯re in there!¡± Brian eximed angrily.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to contact security to go to your floor,¡± the person he was speaking to responded, conveying their concern.


    ¡°Please¡­¡± Danica couldn¡¯t help but fear for her life.


    ¡°Danica, please talk to me!¡± Brian shouted once more.


    ¡°Go away, Brian! You¡¯re seriously scaring me!¡± she responded.


    ¡°Damn it! You can¡¯t get away from me!¡± he retorted.


    Danica had no choice but to retreat to her bedroom to hide further and lock the door again.


    ¡°Hello?¡± She heard from her phone. She didn¡¯t realize she had dialed Kael¡¯s number found in the call history.


    Danica told Kael that Brian is right outside her door. As to how he got her newbinations, she didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°My girlfriend is upstairs. Her ex is causing trouble, which is why she asked me toe here!¡± Danica heard Kael¡¯s voice, as he hadn¡¯t disconnected the call.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, sir, but we can¡¯t just let you in.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s ridiculous! You even allowed her stalker toe in! Here¡¯s my ID, and here¡¯s my license! I¡¯ll file aint against this building if anything happens to my girlfriend!¡± Kael dered, frustration evident in his voice.


    Based on the conversation, Kael was granted ess and directed to the floor where Danica¡¯s unit was located.


    Shortly after that, she heard amotion outside her door. She removed the security chain and recognized Kael¡¯s voice.


    Danica witnessed Kael delivering a punch to Brian¡¯s cheek, causing her ex to tumble to the floor. Both men were swiftly separated by the five security personnel who had arrived to intervene.


    ¡°Danica, is this how you¡¯re going to repay me after I treated you like a princess?¡± Brian¡¯s angry shout was muffled as two security guards held him back, yet the pain in his voice was palpable.


    She couldn¡¯t imagine how he might evade the security measures while Carm¡¯s case was still ongoing.


    ¡°You creep! You have no right toin! Danica should be treated like a princess!¡± Kael seethed, itching to strike Brian again, who was evidently drunk. Danica was aware that her ex-boyfriend¡¯s modeling career had been derailed due to his ongoing legal issues.


    Danica sobbed, clinging to Kael¡¯s chest, trembling with grief. She was tormented by what had urred between her and Brian, and couldn¡¯t help but wonder if it was truly her fault that he had ended up like this.


    In the end, the building¡¯s security detained Brian and filed charges to prevent him froming near Danica again. She asked Kael to keep the incident hidden from Lily or her father, not wanting to contribute to their already challenging situation.


    ***


    Keh and his friends are all together in a safe house where thewyer has allowed them to stay. They are forbidden to leave that ce, especially since Carm¡¯s case is still ongoing. They have only petitioned for bail, which is the reason they are not inside the prison.


    Yet, Keh couldn¡¯t help but feel a growing frustration. Despite being confident in their ability to win the case, impatience gnawed at him. As he, Keith, and Jericho sat together, engrossed in watching TV, their defense attorney finally made an appearance.


    ¡°We have a problem,¡± thewyer announced.


    ¡°What is it?¡± Keith inquired.


    ¡°Lily Martin, Drew Walton¡¯s wife, will be a witness next week, which means this case is going to attract more attention. I¡¯ll need to strategize and navigate the court proceedings carefully. In the meantime, I¡¯ll start by reviewing Lily¡¯s statements.¡±


    Keh contemted, She has a lot to share, doesn¡¯t she?


    His jaw remained firmly set at the thought of Lily taking the stand and facing questions from both sides. After a while, a twisted smile yed on his lips, as if he were descending into madness. It would be the ideal moment for him to gauge Lily¡¯s resilience, and, above all, witness the anguish it would inflict upon her husband, Drew.


    Jericho, sensing his unease, nervously inquired, ¡°What are your thoughts on this, Ken?¡±


    Ken nonchntly shrugged, replying, ¡°Nothing.¡±


    His response irked his friend. ¡°Nothing? You¡¯re heading to jail, and all you have to say is ¡®nothing¡¯?¡±


    Ken retorted, ¡°Who said I did anything to Lily without her consent? It was you who imed she loved me,¡± he said, directing a serious gaze at thewyer, silently implying that thewyer might have understood his hidden meaning.


    ¡°Wait! Where is Brian?¡±


    The three of them exchanged nces.


    Keh exined, ¡°That fucker was drunk and should be in his room.¡±


    Keith sneered, saying, ¡°He did nothing but get drunk and mumble about Lily and his girlfriend.¡±


    Thewyer¡¯s phone rang, prompting him to answer it. ¡°Hello¡­ What?!¡± He then looked at them. ¡°Could someone please check if Brian is in his room?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± Jericho volunteered.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± thewyer expressed his gratitude once more before refocusing on the phone. ¡°That guy!¡±


    Jericho quickly returned with the news. ¡°Brian¡¯s not in the room!¡±


    ¡°Alright! I¡¯m heading there,¡± thewyer replied before ending the call.


    ¡°Brian¡¯s in jail-again! Not only did he stalk his girlfriend, but he also entered her apartment building without permission,¡± he said with frustration, rubbing his temples.


    ¡°That guy is absolutely insane!¡±


    None of the three responded.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I¡¯ll check on Brian, but for the love of sanity,¡± he said with a hint of exasperation, ¡°can you all please stay put in here? Thank you!¡±


    With clear annoyance, thewyer stormed out, visibly upset by the situation.


    ¡°I can¡¯t ept this!¡± Keith eximed, shaking his head in anger, his thoughts consumed by Carm. ¡°I¡¯ll make that b*tch pay when this case is over!¡±


    Keh, concerned, offered a caution, ¡°Keith, I understand your frustration with our predicament, but let¡¯s be careful with our words, especially when we¡¯re not in private.¡±


    Keith vented his anxieties with an exasperated, ¡°Augh! I¡¯m not even sure if there¡¯ll be a job waiting for me once this case is over.¡±


    Both of them were doctors, though they worked in different fields. However, Keh was no longer cared about his work. He knew he had a job waiting for him in the Martin business office in case the hospital he worked at no longer epted him. He turned to Jericho and asked, ¡°How about you, Jericho?¡±


    Jericho sighed, his uncertainty evident. ¡°I¡¯m not sure anymore. My family has rejected me, and I don¡¯t even know where to go once this case is over. Jenny admitted she loved her lover, Oscar Yu, and our annulment is also in progress.¡±


    He lit a cigarette and squinted his eyes. All he wanted was Lily, and nothing else.

 Unexpected News

    Kael brought Danica to his apartment, offering a ce to stay after her harrowing encounter with Brian left her fearful of returning to her own ce. At this moment, Kael was the only person she feltfortable leaning on, as she didn¡¯t want to burden Lily, who was going through something even more challenging.


    ¡°Are you sure you¡¯ll be all right here?¡± Kael inquired, handing her a bottle of water.


    Danica nodded appreciatively. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine. Thanks!¡± She took a sip of the drink.


    He sat down beside her and gently rubbed her back.


    ¡°Kael, I¡¯m d you¡¯re there, though I must admit I was surprised at how quickly you arrived,¡± she said, recalling the situation, which took less than five minutes for him to reach her.


    His cheeks turned a shade of red, and he averted his gaze. ¡°Well, I happened to have a client in your area.¡±


    Danica had no reason to doubt his exnation.


    Her heart raced as she found herself alone with him in his apartment. Their attraction was undeniable, and she couldn¡¯t ignore it. It felt as if she wanted to close her eyes every time he took a breath, just to savor his presence. Even Kael¡¯s gaze seemed to prate her thoughts.


    ¡°Truth or dare?¡± Kael inquired.


    The memory of their previous conversation resurfaced in her mind. They had a standing agreement that whenever they were alone, they could y Truth or Dare, either asking and answering questions truthfully or fulfilling a request.


    ¡°Um¡­ Dare?¡± Danica replied.


    Kael¡¯s eyes held a subtle plea as he asked, ¡°I want to kiss you. May I?¡±


    Her thoughts echoed, ¡°Just the way I want it!¡±


    She felt a surge of joy because he seemed to understand the thoughts in her mind. That¡¯s precisely why she had chosen ¡°dare.¡± As she turned her head towards him, she noticed the nervous motion of his throat before his hand reached up to gently touch her cheek.


    ¡°I want to kiss you so badly, Danica¡­¡± Kael whispered, cupping her chin.


    Her lips parted slightly, aching for the anticipated connection. He leaned in, bringing his face closer to hers, their breaths mingling in the charged moment.


    ¡°You may¡­¡± Danica whispered as her eyes fluttered shut. It was the first time she had experienced the delightful sensation of butterflies dancing in her stomach. The sweet, simple kiss ignited a fire that soon grew more intense.


    She found herself pressed between the sofa and Kael¡¯s body, her legs wrapping around his torso as they passionately explored each other¡¯s desires. Their kisses continued for what felt like an eternity before they reluctantly broke apart to catch their breath. Kael lowered his face to her neck, his breath heavy and reluctant to leave that intimate space.


    ¡°Truth or Dare, Kael?¡± Now it was her turn to pose the question.


    ¡°Truth,¡± he responded.


    With blushing cheeks, Danica confessed in a hushed tone, ¡°I like you.¡± Maybe it was the right time to express her feelings. After all, she wouldn¡¯t have let him kiss her if she didn¡¯t like him-a lot. She found herself already immersed in her emotions, and it wasn¡¯t hard to imagine that she might have even begun to love him.


    ¡°I like you too, Dan¡­ so much!¡± His eyes gleamed with joy.


    His response sent her soaring, making her feel as if she were lifted to the heavens. He kissed her once more, his kisses so delicious that they left her utterly captivated. Their lips grew tender after minutes of intimate connection. As they exchanged breaths and explored each other¡¯s mouths, their tongues entwined.


    Danica felt the gentle pressure of his hand on her chest, his thumb tracing over her nipple through the fabric that separated them.


    He released a deep breath before delicately lifting her blouse and bringing her nipple into his mouth.


    ¡°Damn!¡±


    As a peculiar sensation coursed through her body, Danica jerked. Her leg entwined with his, a clear sign that she didn¡¯t want to let him go.


    ¡°Truth or dare?¡± Kael murmured, his tongue yfully tracing the contours of her chest.


    Growling, she responded, ¡°Truth!¡± trembling with the sensation.


    ¡°I¡¯m not entirely certain if this is the right moment, baby. I still have an arrangement with your dad. However, I¡¯m consumed with the desire to hold you close right now. I want to have sex with you.¡±


    His confession deepened the blush on her cheeks.


    ¡°You may, Kael,¡± she said, her trust in him unwavering. She had no regrets about giving herself to him.


    ¡°But¡­ please be gentle. I¡¯m¡­¡± She hesitated, unable to admit that she was still a virgin without any sexual experience.


    His forehead furrowed, and he seemed to understand what she couldn¡¯t express in words. ¡°You¡¯re a virgin, babe?¡±


    She nodded.


    Before long, she found herself being gently carried by the man into his bedroom.Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ***


    Danica was in search of a new ce to live, following her unsettling encounter with her ex-boyfriend.


    In a different aspect of her life, her connection with Kael had taken her by surprise. Kael was a sweet and helpful presence. He went out of his way to assist her in finding a new ce, leveraging his engineering connections and resources to point her toward the perfect location. Despite their interactions, they hadn¡¯t had a formal or official conversation to define their current rtionship.


    While riding in his car after he had picked her up from school, Kael yfully teased, ¡°If you want, you can live in my home.¡±


    He was now taking her out to dinner.


    ¡°You¡¯re a flirt, you know?¡±


    Heughed. ¡°Nope! I just wanted you all to myself.¡±


    ¡°But could you confront my dad if it came to that?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± he assured her, though he seemed uncertain. ¡°As my client, it would be quite ufortable, but¡­¡±


    Danica didn¡¯t allow him to finish his statement. She felt disappointed, especially about this matter, and her uncertainty about her rtionship with him only added to her confusion. Her father¡¯s project was nearingpletion, and she couldn¡¯t fathom the real reason for his restlessness.


    Her phone rang, and the name of her father¡¯s secretary appeared on the screen. She rarely received calls from the secretary, which made her slightly anxious.


    She answered, ¡°Hello?¡±


    ¡°Ms. Dan, I apologize for the call,¡± the voice on the other end said.


    ¡°Is there something wrong?¡± Concern crept onto her face. If her father was okay, the secretary wouldn¡¯t be the one contacting her.


    ¡°Well, Mr. Arvesso wasn¡¯t feeling well, but I¡¯ve already summoned a doctor. He requested I reach out to you and said he¡¯d like to see you.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m on my way,¡± Danica replied after her conversation with the secretary.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kael. That was my dad¡¯s secretary, informing me about my dad¡¯s situation. I need to head to the hotel where he¡¯s staying. I¡¯m sorry if we have to cancel our ns for tonight.¡±


    Kael reassured her, ¡°No problem! I¡¯ll drive you there instead. I hope your dad is alright.¡±


    Danica nodded, replying, ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    When they pulled up in front of the hotel, Kael assisted her as she stepped out of his car.


    ¡°Goodbye!¡± She waved, feeling a pang of guilt as their nned date had been derailed.


    Unable to resist, Kael leaned in to kiss her on the lips before gently pulling away.


    ¡°Whew!¡± Her cheeks were crimson, and she nearly rushed to the elevator. He watched with an amused grin and waved at her before getting back into the car.


    ¡®God! What am I going to do now?¡¯ she wondered in her thoughts as the elevator doors closed.


    Her intense attraction to Kael left her feeling almost entranced. She couldn¡¯t help but wonder about the nature of their rtionship. Inside the elevator, she felt like a fluttering butterfly, her heart dancing with exhration. When she stepped out, she maintained a casual facade, doing her best to suppress her smile, so as not to appear overly enthusiastic.


    While it wasn¡¯t the first time Danica had been called to her father¡¯s hotel, the unusual aspect was that she encountered her elder brother, Orion, in her father¡¯s suite. Mr. Arvesso was casually dressed in a in white t-shirt and shorts, but his stern expression was still there. Witnessing her brother with their father was out of the ordinary and left her feeling even more apprehensive.


    Danica asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on, Dad? Are you unwell? Is that why my brother is here as well?¡±


    Orion was speechless, rebuking, ¡°Why was your first thought that Dad was seriously ill? It¡¯s as if you only consider my presence when it¡¯s about his health.¡±


    Their father¡¯s secretary chimed in with a smile, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but notice the concern in your voice when I called you too, Mr. Orion.¡±


    A hint of color crept into Orion¡¯s cheeks, causing Danica to smirk. She understood that even though the two often argued, they still held each other in high regard.


    To ease the awkwardness in the room, the secretary asked Danica, ¡°You have nothing to worry about, Ms. Dan. Would you like something to eat?¡±


    Danica had nned to meet Kael for dinnerter. ¡°Hmmm¡­ I¡¯d like some milk tea. Could you get me one?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± the secretary replied and left the room.


    Turning her attention to her father, Danica asked, ¡°How are you, Dad? Are you sure you¡¯re okay? This is quite surprising since you¡¯re usually upset when the three of us are together.¡±


    Mr. Arvesso took a deep breath. ¡°First, what¡¯s going on with your apartment unit? Why did you suddenly put it up for lease? And what¡¯s the reason behind your search for another apartment?¡±


    Was this why he had been so quiet? Danica wasn¡¯t surprised that her father was aware of these matters since her apartment was named after his father. Reluctant to discuss her issues with Brian, she opted for an excuse instead. ¡°Well, considering my tighter school schedule, I thought it would be more convenient to find a ce closer to the university to avoid the traffic, which has been making it difficult for me to study. So, I¡¯m looking for a ce near the school.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± Mr. Arvesso handed her an envelope.


    Danica was on the verge of tears when she realized that the property was named after her. She gasped and asked, ¡°What is this, Dad?¡±


    Her father smiled and exined, ¡°I had originally nned to give it to you on the day of your graduation, but I also noticed your persistence and hard work in recent months. You truly deserve it, sweetheart.¡±


    She was deeply moved by this gift. Despite being part of a family with a sessful background, their dad had raised them to be independent. However, she couldn¡¯t help but think about her older brother. ¡°What about Brother Orion?¡±


    ¡°I have some news to share, which is why I¡¯ve called both of you here¡­¡± Her father took a deep breath before continuing, ¡°Lily is my daughter.¡±

 Siblings

    Their reactions were immediate; both Danica and Orion¡¯s lips formed an ¡®O,¡¯ and they were lost for words at this revtion.


    ¡°What?!¡± Orion stood up.


    Danica, overwhelmed by emotions, covered her mouth and then burst into tears. ¡°Dad, is this true?¡±


    Mr. Arvesso nodded. ¡°I met her mom in Master Walton¡¯s office. I had a rtionship with her until I was sent abroad because I had to deal with issues regarding our family¡¯s property, wealth, and business. I also had to take care of Orion. At that time, he was only eight years old and had a nanny to look after him.


    ¡°I had to stay abroad for a few months because Orion was with me. I was torn between my responsibilities as a father and my feelings for the woman I loved. I didn¡¯t immediately return to Cristina because it wasn¡¯t as simple as justing back. When I finally made the decision to return, I received an email from Andrew Walton stating that Cristina had married Lily¡¯s now-recognized father, Martin.¡±


    ¡°Oh my God!¡± Danica couldn¡¯t stop crying. ¡°Poor Lily¡­¡±


    ¡°I know¡­¡± Mr. Arvesso couldn¡¯t hold back his tears either. ¡°I¡¯ve been ming myself for leaving Cristina.¡±


    Orion clenched his fist, and Danica understood that his strained rtionship with their father had its origins in Mr. Arvesso¡¯s love for another woman. Their dad¡¯s involvement with this woman had caused him to lose precious time with his older son. Now, they were discovering that the woman in question was Lily¡¯s mother.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I have mixed feelings about Lily¡­¡± Danica tearfullymented.


    Orion stood silent while tears streamed down their father¡¯s face. Danica knew that her brother was containing his anger.


    ¡°Orion, earlier, Danica asked me what I would leave for you. As the only male among my children, I have a request from you. I want you to lead our real estate business. You will inherit everything I have, with the exception of the Boracay resort, which Danica will manage. Lily will receive the hotels I own in Hong Kong and the ones in Europe.¡±


    ¡°I believe you are a respected and capable older brother, and I have every confidence that you will guide Lily and Danica effectively. You will be the next family head, and I am certain you will do whatever it takes to support them. That¡¯s why I want you to take charge of the entire business.¡±


    ¡°But¡­¡± Orion¡¯s face revealed fear and concern.


    Their father maintained eye contact with Orion and continued, ¡°I want you to marry the princess of the Viverdes.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Orion stood up abruptly, his lips parting in disbelief. It seemed as if he had reached a breaking point. He sneered, ¡°You haven¡¯t changed at all; you still want to control my life!¡±


    Mr. Arvesso was silent, while Danica did not know what to do or say. ¡°Isn¡¯t that overboard, Dad?¡±


    At that point, he wanted to side with her older brother.


    ¡°Ha! It¡¯s obvious that you are friends with Mr. Walton. You are both crazy!¡± Orion remarked before leaving the room. Danica, on the other hand, said goodbye to their dad to catch up with Orion. She nned to invite him to Drew¡¯s house to cool his head.


    In the car, she didn¡¯t know what to do and was constantly crying. She was happy to know that Lily was their sister.


    After a few days, when she went to the address written on the title of the property given by her father, she seemed confused by the ce indicated on the map.


    The house Mr. Arvesso gave her is a house right in front of Kael¡¯s residence!


    ***


    Lily¡¯s eptance of the invitation to testify in court by Carm¡¯s group remained unnoticed by the public. She still felt nervous about the possible questions the court might ask during the trial. Initially, she underwent an investigation led by Carm¡¯s team, during which the twowyers asked her a series of questions about how she became a victim of Keh¡¯s group. Trembling, scared, and hurt, she shared her experience with them honestly.


    ¡°You may be able to reveal some details at trial to demonstrate how you became a victim,¡± Faye exined.


    ¡°Do not be afraid. We will ensure they end up in jail, so be brave,¡± the woman, Attorney Gregory, reassured her, holding her hand. ¡°As long as you share your side, you can breathe easily afterward. Don¡¯t overthink it. Don¡¯t dwell on how or what people might think about it, but be proud that, despite how difficult it is, you will share the truth.¡±


    Lily nodded, although she wasn¡¯t entirely at ease, but rather nervous. She would appear in the courtroom as a witness to prove that Keh and his friendscked remorse and had victimized not only a single woman. She felt like she wouldy bare all her dark past in the courtroom because she was determined to reveal all her hidden history.


    ¡°Are you alright, babe?¡± Drew asked Lily on the day she went to court.


    Anxiousness showed on her face as she responded, ¡°You know I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t know what they might ask me. Today, I will see Keh and his friends, apart from Victor, who is in jail.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. Even if they call you a liar, remember that I will always believe in you.¡± He drew her closer, embracing her, even though they were still seated in the back of the car. She leaned against Drew¡¯s body. She needed his support more than anyone else, and his words meant a lot to her.


    ¡°What about your family?¡± Lily inquired, aware that her actions would likely displease Master Walton.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about them. This is our battle.¡±


    She knew her actions went against the Waltons¡¯ wishes. To them, it was a disgrace that she had be a victim and that it might tarnish Drew¡¯s reputation.


    It¡¯s embarrassing¡­ Is it really embarrassing to be a victim, especially if you¡¯ve been molested? Maybe that¡¯s the reason why the Martins didn¡¯t help her. All she needed was support, and she was thankful that Drew opened his arms to give her strength and love.


    Ten minutes before the scheduled time, they got out of Drew¡¯s car. Faye met them inside the court. Danica and Orion were there, which added to her nervousness.


    She felt eyes watching her. When she turned around, she found Keh¡¯s group on the other aisle. She felt her stepbrother¡¯s gaze directly piercing her as if he could still control her like before. But she was no longer the same Lily, no longer afraid of the things he might do to her.


    ¡°Look at me, babe,¡± Drew ordered.


    She turned to her husband and found his reassuring smile. ¡°You have me.¡±


    Lily nodded and then squeezed his hand. Carm was also present, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to make eye contact with anyone. Her gaze remained fixed on the floor, but Lily could still observe the woman¡¯s form. Carm had the body of an extrarge woman, an ordinary and unassuming facial appearance, and held a profound admiration for Keh.


    Most people didn¡¯t believe in Carm, but Lily did. She believed that Keh was capable of such things, and that¡¯s what she held to be true.


    When the appointed time arrived, the exchange of discussions between both sidesmenced. She couldn¡¯t make sense of anything else until her name was called. The nervousness in her chest tripled, particrly when she was led to the chair situated near the front, close to the judge.


    ¡°Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?¡± She barelyprehended the court¡¯s question.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I will,¡± she affirmed.


    She faced a series of questions, responding with a simple ¡°I will¡± or ¡°Yes¡± to each one. The court scrutinized her, just as Faye and thewyers on Carm¡¯s team had advised her to prepare for.


    Nevertheless, what could she do if she wasn¡¯t entirely prepared for this experience? She was determined to share her dark past, unveiling all her secrets and the underlying dark truth.


    ¡®Lily, this is your chance to fight!¡¯

 Trial

    [This chapter may be unsettling for some readers due to the ufortable situations that Lily has had to confront in her past. If you prefer, you can skip this chapter and continue to the next one.]


    Seated at the front, under the scrutiny of the people observing the case, she gathered all her courage.


    Right! She shouldn¡¯t care about anyone else!


    ¡°Lily, can you tell me about your rtionship with the four defendants?¡± Attorney Gregory asked the initial question.


    ¡°Keh is my stepbrother. I was thirteen when my dad and his mother got married. Soon after, my daddy brought him to our house¡­ I met Keith because he often came to the house as Keh¡¯s friend. I was in college when I met their three other friends,¡± she replied, her hand beginning to sweat.


    ¡°How did you meet their two other friends?¡±


    ¡°I-I was neen. There were several asions when Keh had tripped me up. He threatened to harm my nanny if I didn¡¯t go with him¡­ So, he took me to a hotel¡­¡±


    She reminisced about the day when she first saw Drew.


    ¡°That¡¯s where I met his other friends. My understanding was that they were celebrating Jericho¡¯s stag party. I saw Jericho handing money to Keh, and then they ordered me to strip and dance¡­¡±


    ¡°What did you do afterward?¡±


    ¡°I refused. I had the chance to escape when they told me I could run from that room, but I was afraid they would catch me. I ran into the hallway and was so scared that I passed out inside an unlocked suite I found. The incident was reported at the hotel that day. Because nothing happened to me that day, Keh was not happy, and h-he molested me, R-worded me at our house a week after that incident,¡± Lily said, her tears starting to flow.


    ¡°How many times did he do that to you?¡±


    ¡°Can I choose not to answer?¡±


    For all that she had sacrificed, they were unrted to Carm¡¯s case, but in the courtroom, she received various reactions: pity, and doubt, while some showed no emotion. She turned to Drew, noticing his rage as he sat there wanting to take action. She shouldn¡¯t have brought her husband with her, but he needed to hear what she had to say. He needed to listen and learn these things, as she believed it would help their understanding and their rtionship.


    ¡°On July 20, ording to Carm, you were at Keith¡¯s apartment, their usual hangout ce. That was the first time she met you. There were cigarette burns on your body and knife cuts on your back, and you were covered with blood.¡±


    A shudder coursed through her skin as she recalled that memory.


    ¡°Keh marked me that night. His four other friends were present while I was being punished, or to be precise, I was being marked.¡±


    ¡°Your Honor, here is a picture of Lily¡¯s back, where Keh injured her,¡± Attorney Gregory said as she handed the picture to the judge. ¡°I apologize to everyone present here; what we¡¯re about to show on the monitor is sensitive and may be ufortable for some.¡±


    The people in the room gasped when they saw the deep scar on her back disyed on the wide-screen television. It was marked with the words ¡°You R MINE,¡± as if she were the lead in a thriller movie.


    Lily was asked some questions that she answered truthfully like Keh¡¯s other friends never touched her, but still, they molested her in different ways, like burning her with a cigarette, caressing her private parts, or ordering her to touch herself while they were watching.


    She felt tainted after divulging her experiences, yet she knew it was necessary. It was her moment to find the courage to speak about her past. The ordeal was far from over as the opposing attorney, Keh¡¯s legal representative, Attorney Tucson, started interrogating her.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t youe forward earlier when you believed you were victimized by someone you considered a big brother?¡± he inquired, raising an eyebrow.


    ¡°I was afraid. I did report it to my father, but he didn¡¯t believe me because Keh was kind to me in other ways,¡± she replied.


    ¡°Lily, you mentioned that Keh forced you, and he managed to molest you in your own home. How many employees did the Martins employ at that time?¡±


    Lily recounted the number of workers in the Martins¡¯ household when she was neen. ¡°T-twelve.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that among the dozen employees, in addition to Mrs. and Mr. Martin, not a single one of them was aware of what was happening in your home? Whereas you were in the hotel with those five capable men, and yet, you managed to leave the room? There were instances during that same period when you were pursuing Keh. Are you absolutely certain that you didn¡¯t have any intention of seducing Keh, with the hope that something might ur? Was it-¡±


    Lily was horrified, tears welling up in her eyes.


    ¡°Your Honor! Mr. Tucson is starting to give his own opinion!¡± Attorney Gregory immediately objected.


    ¡°I¡¯m just stating some facts, Your Honor. There are fourteen people in their home. People inside the house will easily know that something is going on if it is true that Keh Martin has victimized her. Howe she didn¡¯t do anything to get out of the hands of one person when there were so many people she could have asked for help?!¡±


    ¡°Proceed,¡± said the judge.


    ¡°You could answer the question, Lily,¡± the opposing attorney continued.


    ¡°Because I was terrified! I¡¯m still scared of him!¡± Lily eximed.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re iming that you¡¯re no longer afraid, which is why you¡¯re here in court?¡±C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    ¡°I have to speak the truth! I have to share what happened to me, even if it¡¯s painful!¡±


    ¡°Did you ever have romantic feelings for Keh in the past?¡±


    ¡°No, absolutely not! We¡¯re like siblings!¡±


    ¡°Really? Because we discovered a message on one of Keh¡¯s social media ounts. You sent it to him when you were seventeen. You wrote a text saying, ¡®I love you, Ken,¡¯ and you sent it on September 9th.¡±


    What?


    Lily gazed at Drew, his expression grave.


    ¡°It was simply a casual message to my brother because he was kind to me,¡± she exined.


    ¡°It¡¯s rather ironic that you¡¯re here in court today saying something entirely different,¡± Attorney Tucson scoffed mockingly.


    Lily remained silent. She had answered the question, but she was aware that those around her might have assumed she consented to the r-word that had urred. She paid little heed to what others thought; her primary concern was whether Drew believed in her.


    She couldn¡¯t fathom the repercussions if he were to use her of lying.


    ¡°ording to information we obtained from the hospital where Mr. Keh Martin was employed, it appears he had a rtionship with Mrs. Walton, thete mother of Mr. Drew Walton, while she was a patient there. Now that you and Mr. Walton are married. Is there any possibility that your actions are influenced by your husband?¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Lily eximed. She had been unaware of the rtionship between Keh and Drew¡¯s mother.


    Everyone was taken aback when Drew rose to his feet, shouting in anger, ¡°No! My mother had no rtionship with that monster!¡±


    Orion intervened and halted Drew¡¯s outburst, and Lily was immensely grateful that he was present. The ongoingmotion had reached a fevering pitch, leading to Drew being escorted out of the room. Lily felt as though she had lost a pir of support, which only exacerbated her tears. Although her emotions were running high, she knew she had to answer the remaining questions andplete the trial without any regrets.


    ¡°I have no knowledge of any rtionship between Drew¡¯s mother and Keh,¡± Lily replied once she had regained herposure.


    ¡°Your Honor, Keh¡¯s rtionships have no relevance to anyone involved in this case,¡± Attorney Gregory asserted.


    Lily felt her strength waning after enduring a series of challenging questions. She believed she had answered to the best of her ability, drawing from her knowledge and experience. What mattered most was that she had been truthful in all her statements.


    She felt a sense of liberation afterward, despite knowing that there was a possibility of being mocked by someone.


    As the session concluded, she couldn¡¯t control her tears. She had bared her heart and soul to the court, uncertain of the potential consequences. At times, she had even doubted whether Keh had trulymitted those acts, given his outward kindness to others.


    Upon leaving the court, Drew embraced her. His touch and presence had the power to alleviate the weight of the painful truth.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, babe!¡± Drew said, with tears streaming down his face. ¡°You¡¯ve been incredibly brave.¡±


    She wrapped her arms around him, seeking refuge from that ce.


    ¡°It¡¯s typical that they will look for loopholes, so if you¡¯re concerned about me having any doubts about what happened to you-don¡¯t be. I believe everything you said.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s go home,¡± she murmured. She no longer wished to remain in that ce.


    Drew led her away, and Lily¡¯s sole hope was that Carm would win this case and that her testimony in court would make a difference.

 Deranged

    Lily sat in the car, silently sobbing, her feelings wounded as she recalled and shared the past.


    Drew¡¯s phone kept ringing with calls from those interested in what had transpired in the courtroom, so he turned it off since he was no longer in the mood.


    ¡°Shhh¡­¡± Her husband gently caressed her back as he held her. She was still trembling with fear.


    ¡°I feel dirty,¡± Lily uttered.


    Drew held her tighter and gazed out the window. ¡°I feel like an idiot. I met you that night, Lily. I wish I could have saved you before Keh did those things to you or before his friends yed with you. I wish I had known you earlier, so I could have rescued you from your house,¡± he said, gritting his teeth.


    She knew it was difficult to ept that just a week after that day, Keh had given her a nightmare. She tightly closed her eyes, no longer wanting to relive each incident. How could she ask for help? Keh had covered her mouth and choked her. ¡°You are mine, Lily¡­ No one else will touch you, only me.¡±


    One moment he was kind, and then he¡¯d torture her again.


    Her hold on Drew grew tighter.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Lily said.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. It was them who did evil things to you. They should apologize to you,¡± Drew assured her, kissing her forehead. ¡°I am proud of you.¡±


    She attempted to calm herself, eventually drifting off to sleep, even though she continued to sob while Drew held her close.


    ***


    ¡°Where is Lily?¡± Orion asked, arriving with Danica, her puffy eyes revealing she had recently cried.


    ¡°She¡¯s sleeping.¡± ¡®Why are these two here?¡¯ Drew wondered, wanting to know their reason for being in his house.


    ¡°We have already learned that Lily is our sister. Daddy informed me this evening,¡± Danica exined, tears welling up. ¡°That¡¯s why I feel differently about her.¡±


    Drew was grateful that Danica hade because Lily needed her friend after the exhausting trial. ¡°You can go to her. Lily is upstairs. You can find her in the master bedroom.¡±


    ¡°Really? Can I really go there? You will not get angry?¡±


    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have a choice if you¡¯re my sister-inw,¡± he replied simply, a grimace on his face. His wife needed support from many people, and the presence of her siblings was crucial. The young woman disappeared, heading in the direction of the broad stairs.


    Orion continued to twirl his de, his eyes narrowed and unfocused. Drew poured wine into two sses in an attempt to calm him down.


    ¡°Bro, stop that! You look like a serial killer.¡± He handed him a bottle of rum.


    ¡°I just couldn¡¯t believe it! How did she end up in that family?!¡±


    Drew had questioned that as well. It¡¯s just that he could no longer change anything since the event had already taken ce, and Lily had gone through a dark experience.


    ¡°We have to stop questioning those things, especially when Lily is around. Her resentment will only increase. I know that her trauma has resurfaced after the trial,¡± Drew remarked.


    Orion let out a sigh and then took a gulp of his wine.


    ¡°What did Uncle Niel say?¡± he asked his friend.


    ¡°He admitted his guilt. He only found out that Cristina, Lily¡¯s mother, was pregnant when he returned from abroad. When they met again twelve yearster, a few weeks before she passed away, he asked Lily¡¯s mother to leave the country. When my dad proposed this, she didn¡¯t want to betray her husband, even though Mr. Martin was already having an affair with Keh¡¯s mother.¡± Orion¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. ¡°That fucking prick! I really wanted to kill him!¡±


    ¡°Calm down. Lily won¡¯t appreciate it if you act that way. It¡¯s not worthpromising your morals dealing with that demon.¡±


    Orion resembled a dragon, exhaling smoke through his nose. ¡°And since when have you be so kind? Don¡¯t you want them to be punished?¡±


    ¡°This is Lily¡¯s battle, so I won¡¯t interfere. Remember how upset she was when I took action against those jerks? It left her devastated and hurt, and I don¡¯t want to put her through that again. She doesn¡¯t want to seek revenge under those circumstances. So now, I¡¯ll let Lily and thew decide. She believes that her presence in court and sharing her past is a strong point in Carm¡¯s case.¡±


    ¡°You thought she had gone through a dark experience, but she¡¯s the one who brought you into the light?¡± Orion remarked.


    ¡°Jerk!¡±


    Orion refilled his wine ss once again. ¡°That¡¯s why the feelings I had for Lily were different.¡±


    Drew sat up. ¡°Tell me honestly, as my friend, did you have feelings for Lily?¡±


    Orion raised an eyebrow and met Drew¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°Why would I have feelings for her? She¡¯s your wife. When I first met her, I considered her a genuine friend. You know I can¡¯t look at your wife with romantic intentions! We have the bro-code! Even when you broke up, I thought of her as a younger sister because she was Danica¡¯s friend, and during those times, we were really close like siblings. I felt that I became her support when you left, but not in a romantic way. I¡¯ve always treated Lily like a younger sister.¡±


    Drew winced. He didn¡¯t want to revisit the day when he and his wife had broken up.


    Orion exined, ¡°Dad was still too embarrassed to go see Lily. He couldn¡¯t face his conscience. How about your family? How did they ept this?¡±


    ¡°Well, my dad sends gifts to Lily, so I know he epts my wife. The stubborn ones are my grandfather and some distant Walton rtives who, in my opinion, shouldn¡¯t really care about my married life.¡± He shook his head. ¡°My aunts talked to me as if they yed a significant role in my life. But, in reality, they were just trying to gain my grandpa¡¯s favor. They seemed to think I should be grateful.¡±


    His grandfather had numerous nieces and nephews among his brothers and sisters, and those individuals only added to his irritation. They acted like obedient and trained dogs, offering advice as a front for their ulterior motives. In the end, they were suggesting that he should break up with Lily.


    Fortunately, his cousins were afraid of him.


    ¡°Are you ready to leave the Walton Group?¡± Orion asked before pouring another rum.


    ¡°The truth is, no, but I can¡¯t leave Lily anymore. She¡¯s the only family I have left. I can give up the few years I¡¯ve worked there if it means I¡¯ll be with Lily for the rest of my life. I¡¯ve already promised to build a family with her.¡±


    ¡°How do you feel about the news that your mother had a rtionship with Keh?¡±


    Drew sadly gazed up at the dark sky. ¡°I guess I have to ept that my mom lied to me, and I think she did the same to Keh.¡±


    ¡°How can you be sure?¡±


    Drew went to a drawer and retrieved the letter from his mother addressed to Lily. The Martin couple had sent it to him just a few hours ago in exchange for money. That¡¯s how shameless the Martins are.


    His friend, Orion, read it.


    ¡®Dear Lily,


    Surprise! You don¡¯t know me, but I know you quite well because you are Cristina¡¯s daughter! I came across your mommy¡¯s picture in my husband¡¯s wallet, and it got me wondering if they had a rtionship.


    Please keep this between us.¡¯


    No sender¡¯s name or return address. It was just the first letter Orion had read, but a sense of unease had already begun to creep through his veins. ¡°It¡¯s as if-¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s creepy, I know¡­¡±


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    ¡®Dear Lily,


    I had your mother investigated. That night, my husband and I had a terrible argument. That scum! He went outside the house, even though he was the one cheating on me! I went to his office, and that¡¯s when I saw your mother hugging my husband!


    Why were they hiding in the dark on the night when your mom died? I saw your mom inside my husband¡¯s office. She looked pretty, even though it was clear she had been crying.


    I was furious with her! Even worse, I forcefully pushed her through the open window!


    I didn¡¯t mean it, believe me! I thought the angels would protect her.¡¯


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    ¡®Dear Lily,


    I have another secret. Did you know I met a man who is half my age? I attracted him. I shared with him what I had previously told my son, Drew. I showed him a picture of your mother. He felt sorry for me and then asked why I was still maintaining a rtionship with my husband. He doesn¡¯t know that I love my husband.


    I told him that I was ill, and I allowed him to resent your mother, Lily! I wanted him to be angry with your mother!¡¯


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    ¡®Dear Lily,


    I¡¯m sorry, Lily¡­ Would you please look after Keh? He will look after you, just as he did for me. But don¡¯t get too hopeful! He despises your mother and loves only me! He will resent you; I¡¯ll ensure that because you resemble your mother!¡¯


    ¨C ¨C ¨C


    ¡®Dear Lily,


    Are you growing weary of my letters? This will be the final one. Please forgive me for what I did to your mother. Can you look after Drew? I informed my father-inw that my son would marry you. Keh is mine! You can have Drew.¡¯


    Orion¡¯s expression was perplexed after reading those letters. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Drew, but it appears that-¡±


    ¡°Yes¡­ She¡¯s deranged! I know! She was writing to Lily while she was in the hospital, but all of those letters were sent to the Martins¡¯ house before my mother passed away. And I wasn¡¯t the only one she manipted, Keh was as well.¡± Drew¡¯s fist clenched. ¡°I¡¯m just hurt that I believed in her, that I thought my dad was the worst when in reality, none of what my mom told me was true! Even though I don¡¯t entirely trust my dad, I¡¯m certain that Uncle Niel was telling the truth.¡±Belongs to N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved.


    ¡°Has Lily read this?¡± Orion asked.


    He shook his head.


    Orion remained silent, opting to keep quiet as they both indulged in rum. They failed to realize that they were finishing the bottle.


    Meanwhile, in Lily¡¯s room, she detected Danica¡¯s sweet scent, and she knew that the young woman was the one lying beside her in bed.


    ¡°You¡¯re here¡­¡±


    ¡°Yes. Daddy told me the truth, so I persuaded my brother to bring me here. Fortunately, Drew allowed me toe upstairs and find you. He suggested that I stay with you.¡±


    Danica embraced her, causing Lily to burst into tears once again. The warmth that Danica brought to her heart wasforting, making her believe she had a family now. She could now regard Danica as a sister.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry that Brian did what he did to you,¡± Danica whispered, making Lily sense that the young woman might still have feelings for Brian.


    ¡°You¡¯ll find someone else, Danica. Someone who will genuinely love you.¡±


    ¡°Forget about your past, Lily. We are your family.¡±


    Danica pressed her body closer to Lily¡¯s, sharing a smile, because Drew understood what she needed at that moment.

 Withdrawn

    A lot transpired in Carm¡¯s case, and it was quite chaotic. However, what Lily didn¡¯t anticipate was Carm, the woman who had filed the case, withdrawing her case against Keh¡¯s group. This came as such a shock to Lily that it was emotionally painful. She felt the urge to cry out of frustration.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to Faye¡¯s office,¡± she told Drew. They had been resting at home for a couple of days, and she felt within herself that she was ready to confront whatever the problem was. She needed to face this before she could truly ept it.


    ¡°Babe¡­ I¡¯m not sure if going to Faye¡¯s office would be good for you,¡± Drew muttered, expressing his concerns.


    ¡°Drew! I need to understand why nothing has developed in the case. How would you feel if you were in my shoes? Before I epted Faye¡¯s invitation, I had maintained silence and was on the verge of letting go of the past because I wanted peace of mind. They were the ones who pressured me into opening up, recalling the painful memories I was forced to forget. And now, after exposing my dark past to the public, Carm suddenly backs off. I had so much faith in her!¡±


    ¡°Well, unfortunately, she had been deceiving us,¡± Drew responded with a heavy heart.


    ¡°What?¡± Lily was caught off guard and slumped onto the vibrant couch.


    Drew sat beside her, gently putting his arm around her.


    Did the woman lie? How could Carm do this to her? She needs to know what happened!


    Lily¡¯s body quivered; her anger apparent.


    ¡°Take me to Faye¡¯sw firm,¡± she demanded, her voice filled with frustration.


    ¡°Babe¡­¡±


    ¡°Please, Drew¡­¡± she said, with her body shaking.


    Drew let out a sigh. ¡°Is there anything I can do? I¡¯ve always got your back, so I¡¯ll go with you.¡±


    Lily turned to Drew and embraced him, feeling his love and support. This was why she was gathering her courage, and it was clear that Drew was by her side as always, providing encouragement.


    ¡°I love you, Drew. I can¡¯t bear to lose you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Lily, more than anything!¡±


    ***


    Faye was upied at her desk when Lily and Drew entered. She happened to leave the office upon their arrival, and upon seeing them, her shoulders slumped. All Faye could do was to face Lily.


    ¡°Lily, please take a seat,¡± she gestured toward the spacious couch.


    Lily asked with curiosity, ¡°What happened, Faye?¡±


    ¡°Unfortunately, Carm was lying. We were deceived,¡± Faye said, her fist resting on the sturdy table, clenched. She couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at Lily, even though she could feel her teeth grinding.C0pyright ? 2024 N?v)(elDrama.Org.


    Lily inquired, ¡°How could that be?¡± She still couldn¡¯t believe it, gazing directly at the carpeted floor.


    ¡°Could you please share what happened?¡± Drew was the one who inquired.


    Faye began to exin, ¡°Well, on the day of Keh¡¯s interrogation during the trial, their camp released a video before we even had a chance to start our questioning¡­ Before the video, Carm stated that Keh had invited her to their usual hangout. She admitted she went there of her own free will, and she imed that when she arrived, Keh forcibly fed her his P-word without her consent.¡±


    ¡°The sperm DNA of Keh, Keith, and Jericho matched the specimen found in the undergarment fabric she used. Brian¡¯s DNA was discovered on her top, which is the reason they were charged in this case. The evidence was clear.¡±


    Lily¡¯s throat felt parched as she listened to Faye, and her words stirred up Lily¡¯s deep-seated fear of the past.


    ¡°Um, d-do you want me to continue?¡± the woman asked anxiously, sensing Lily¡¯s silence.


    ¡°Yes,¡± Lily nodded firmly. She hade here to uncover the truth and confront the triggers from her past. Drew squeezed her hand, a reassuring reminder that he was right there with her.


    Faye continued, ¡°Carm sent a message to Keh-more than one hundred and twenty-four text messages after that incident!¡±


    Drew winced and asked, ¡°Who in their right mind would text their assant after such an incident?¡±


    ¡°Exactly! And she didn¡¯t confide in me about that. Their group keeps insisting that Carm was just seeking attention. She wanted Keh¡¯s attention, and this case was just one way to get it. She wanted Keh to focus on her, and he did-along with all of us!¡±


    ¡°Carm loves Keh,¡± Lily remarked. At least that was the truth she believed. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t havee to see me that night when Keh called for her help, the night he marked me if she didn¡¯t have feelings for him.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the argument from the other side-they im that Carm had held deep admiration for Keh for a long time and that what happened that night was consensual. However, from my perspective, it doesn¡¯t necessarily prove Keh¡¯s innocence. Loving someone and wanting to please them doesn¡¯t preclude the possibility of being their victim. We can¡¯t truly know what¡¯s in someone¡¯s mind. The r*pist is still a r*pist.¡±


    Lily was silenced by this andpelled to confront Faye¡¯sments, a bitter truth rooted in her own experiences.


    ¡°So, fast forward to the day Carm withdrew the case, their camp released a video, which revealed that she was the one who initiated contact with Keh that night.¡±


    Lily¡¯s fists clenched.


    ¡°I felt intense anger, especially when Carm admitted to lying! Keh¡¯s group had pressured her to the point where she had no choice but to withdraw from the case. She exined that she only wanted to gain Keh¡¯s attention, hoping that he would reciprocate her feelings after what happened, which was far from reality. I was utterly lost and devastated.¡±


    They heard a knock, which drew their attention, and the door was opened. A staff member peered in from the outside.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Miss Burnham. Carm is here,¡± the staff member announced. Carm emerged from a concealed doorway, appearing visibly fatigued, with no signs of sleep or rest.


    Lily gritted her teeth upon seeing Carm, who couldn¡¯t muster the courage to meet her gaze, instead keeping her eyes fixed on the carpeted floor.


    ¡°I¡¯vee here to¡­ apologize,¡± Carm began, her voice betraying her nervousness. ¡°And to apologize to you too, Lily.¡±


    Lily rose from her seat, anger seeping into her words. ¡°Carm, I can¡¯t forgive you for what you did! Why did you do that? You put me in the hot seat just because you knew they had done something to me?¡±


    The woman wept, stuttering through her words, ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry¡­ I-I just want to-¡±


    ¡°Sorry? Do you know how many days I suffered and cried at home, reliving that painful past? I¡¯m a victim, and you, of all people, know that! You used me! Do you understand the true pain of a victim?¡±


    The woman continued to sob, pleading, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Lily!¡±


    As themotion drew the attention of other employees who had been eavesdropping outside Faye¡¯s office, Drew decided it was time to leave and minimize the spectacle. He addressed Faye, ¡°We¡¯re leaving!¡±


    Thewyer nodded, crossing her arms, determined to avoid looking at Carm and instead focusing on the street outside her window.


    Lily continued to sob as they left Faye¡¯s office. Thewyers, too, were visibly upset, while Carm couldn¡¯t meet their gaze. Lily had believed in her, and that was the most agonizing truth of all,pounded by the fact that she knew Keh was a demon!


    She had trusted Carm, and that trust had caused her immense pain.

 Engulfing Scent

    Lily felt sad when Carm withdrew the case, leading her sister to stay at home with Drew.


    Danica had a surprise in store for Kael, who was about to move into the house next door; a gift from her father. She was thrilled because she would be the one to decorate and arrange it.


    As some belongings arrived, she started arranging the furniture, which took about three hours. At six o¡¯clock, she received a call from Kael. Peeking discreetly through the window of the upstairs room into the neighboring house, she spotted him undressed in his room.


    She was taken aback by what she saw and couldn¡¯t help but swallow hard as her gaze passed over his Adonis-like body. She hadn¡¯t anticipated that he would simply remove his clothing.


    Didn¡¯t he realize that their neighbors might see him?


    ¡°Hello,dy! Have you had dinner yet?¡± the man inquired. This was a familiar urrence for her. He often invited her to have dinner at his ce.


    Observing his current state, he was reaching for shorts from the cab, using a speaker, or possibly wearing a Bluetooth headset.


    ¡°Kael, I know it¡¯s your own house, but have you considered that the neighbors might see you, right? Oh, oh! Please cover up!¡± she said. She shielded her eyes with her fingers, but she could still see his nudity.


    ¡°Are you some kind of stalker?¡± He nced outside and noticed that the light was on in the house across the street-her house-was all bright.


    She contemted opening the terrace door and waved with a smile at him. ¡°I¡¯m here!¡±


    She could tell that Kael was surprised. ¡°Wow! There is a woman in my neighbor¡¯s house. She¡¯s attractive and currently peering at me. What should I do?¡±


    Despite hisplete nudity being tantly visible, he even managed to flex his arms. At this point, she hoped Kael would see her as a beautiful woman and not just ¡°cute.¡±


    ¡°Oh, my God! I¡¯m the one feeling embarrassed for you! Please put your clothes on!¡± She chuckled at his yful remark.


    ¡°Come here, babe! I was just about to invite you for a meal,¡± he suggested.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Danica hastily exited her house and headed to Kael¡¯s residence. She opened his gate, which reached up to her chest. The sound of the iron ticking loudly indicated her presence to the man. In just a matter of moments, the main door swung open, and he pulled her inside. He still wasn¡¯t wearing any clothes.


    The man lifted her, cradling her buttocks, while her arms were wrapped around his neck. His passionate kissnded directly on her lips, causing everything else in her mind to fade away, enveloping her in the heat emanating from the core of her body. In the kitchen, he seated her on the ind table and fervently kissed her neck.


    The man¡¯s hands glided from her neck, caressed her thighs, slipped beneath her panties, and rolled them down her hips. Unusual desire flickered in his eyes as he continued to kiss her.


    This wasn¡¯t the second time this had urred between them. Consequently, it had be a regr part of their rtionship, where they couldn¡¯t keep their hands off each other when they were alone at his house.


    She was engulfed in love with him. They made love in that kitchen, on the couch, even in the shower area, and on his bed. It was already nine o¡¯clock in the evening when they found themselves exhausted, growling in their stomachs. Kael had prepared a meal for her. He disyed surprising skills in various areas that Danica hadn¡¯t expected.


    He kissed her lips once more before they began to eat dinner.


    ¡°I enjoy your dishes, as always,¡± praised Danica.


    ¡°I used to work at my best friend¡¯s bar during college. I¡¯ll introduce you to him,¡± he replied before asking, ¡°so, why are you there?¡±


    ¡°Surprisingly, that home is mine. My dad bought the housest year. He was supposed to give it to me once I graduated.¡±


    His face brightened. ¡°Wow! Really?¡±


    ¡°Yep!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s crazy!¡± he eximed.


    ¡°And I have news!¡±


    ¡°Uhm, you¡¯re not pregnant, right?¡± She saw the concern on his face, which made herugh.


    ¡°Kael, I¡¯m not pregnant! Geez! I¡¯m taking birth control pills. I don¡¯t want to get pregnant just when I¡¯m about toplete another semester. But why does it seem like you¡¯re not ready?¡±


    ¡°Not really. It¡¯s just that my family has certain traditions, you know. They believe it¡¯s a sin for a child to be conceived before marriage,¡± he exined.


    Sheughed. ¡°Really? Is that still a thing these days?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t really mind, but I don¡¯t want our future child to feel embarrassed,¡± he replied.


    Danica smiled. His responses reassured her that Kael still desired to have a child with her.


    ¡°Moreover, I¡¯m certain my mom and sister would be thrilled if you became pregnant,¡± he said with delight.


    ¡°Unlike my dad, who would definitely be angry!¡± she retorted.


    ¡°Oh, man!¡± He kissed her cheeks. ¡°So, what¡¯s the news?¡±


    He received a call that interrupted their joyful evening. She noticed Kael¡¯s furrowed brow and parted lips as if he were hesitant to answer the call.


    Danica asked, ¡°Who was it? Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll take this call.¡± She heard him mention Faye¡¯s name when he answered it.


    ***


    ¡°Hello?¡± Kael answered Finn¡¯s sister¡¯s call.


    ¡°Kael¡­¡± He heard Faye¡¯s sobbing on the other end while calling his name.


    ¡°What happened, Faye?¡± he asked with concern.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do, Kael.¡±


    ¡°Calm down and tell me what happened.¡±


    Faye exined the situation. She had discovered her fianc¨¦ was involved in an intimate affair with another woman in America, even though they had already made ns to get married and more. Learning about this happening in another country had bewildered him. Thest time he had seen the woman was in the office when she talked to Lily. He had been avoiding her, even though Lauren was angry with him that afternoon and had spent all his time with Danica.


    He felt sorry for Faye, especially since he was part of her problems, and he felt guilty about it.


    At that moment, he wasn¡¯t sure how he would react.


    ¡°I need you, Kael¡­¡±


    ¡°It¡¯d be better if you came back here, Faye. Lauren and Finn are here, as well as your mom. You have a family that can support you. I¡¯ll pick you up at the airport if that¡¯s what¡¯s needed.¡±


    ¡°Can you please meet me in Hong Kong? I just want peace of mind, Kael, even if it¡¯s just for a brief moment. If I go back, I won¡¯t find sce there either. People were expecting me to be strong¡­ Please¡­¡±


    He felt sympathy for her. In truth, he was one of those who had high expectations of Faye as a strong woman, which is why her actions surprised him.


    She continued, ¡°Sister Lauren and Finn are dealing with a problem right now because their child is sick. I didn¡¯t want to disrupt the couple, so I thought of you. I¡¯ll provide the ticket.¡±


    He nced at Danica from where he was standing. The woman was busy washing their dishes, which brought a smile to his face. She had the power to lift his spirits at any time.


    ¡°Fine! I¡¯lle to you.¡±


    He hung up after talking to Faye, and he sat on the bench, lost in thought. The dilemma was that he couldn¡¯t determine if he still loved the woman. His emotions were in turmoil. While in deep thought, he received the ticket from the itinerary Faye had sent. Kael winced. At this point, he couldn¡¯t really turn the woman down, especially considering that she had already spent money.


    He returned to the kitchen, where he embraced Danica around the waist as she washed the dishes. He nted a kiss on her neck and savored her scent.


    ¡°Hey! I¡¯m still working here,¡± she yfully said.


    ¡®Ah, I really like this woman!¡¯


    ¡°Unfortunately, we need to get some rest. I have an early morning flight to Hong Kong tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Aw.¡± He noticed the youngdy¡¯s disappointment. She pouted, urging him to yfully bite those lips.


    He invited Danica to sleep in his bed. As he inhaled her scent, he contemted how he could assist Faye. In truth, he didn¡¯t know what kind of help Faye was seeking from him. He closed his eyes, enveloped in Danica¡¯s fragrance.


    ¡®I¡¯ll only be doing this as her family,¡¯ he thought, but he never expected that his action would devastate Danica.

 Unreasonable

    Kael met Faye in another country and listened to all herints.


    He allowed himself to silently grieve for the man she was nning to marry while Faye sobbed. Now, he understood why Faye no longer wanted to go back to America. In a little while, he ordered food to be delivered to the room because he doubted whether Faye could eat at the hotel¡¯s restaurant.


    She barely touched her own order either. Kael joined her in watching a movie on the television before informing her that he was going back to his room. It was already midnight, and they both needed to rest.


    ¡°Can you stay?¡± Faye asked.


    ¡°Faye¡­¡± Concern etched on Kael¡¯s face. His mind was now firmly set that it would be wrong if something were to happen between him and Finn¡¯s sister.


    ¡°Faye, I am dating someone,¡± he stated firmly.


    The shock was written all over Faye¡¯s face.


    She pressed her lips together and didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°Danica? The woman you were with at the birthday party? Is it her?¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­¡±


    Perhaps she had miscalcted, thinking that Kael would wait for her, but was hurt by what she heard. She had told her fianc¨¦ that she still loved Kael and was still hoping that things would work out between them.


    She knew there was no chance for a romantic rtionship between them, but the story between her and Kael ran too deep.


    ¡°D-do you love her?¡± she asked, summoning her courage.


    Kael averted his gaze. ¡°Whether I love her or not is not the issue here.¡±


    Faye¡¯s self-confidence soared as she listened to him. It had only been a few months since he had confessed his love for her, despite their five-year separation. She was convinced she still upied a special ce in Kael¡¯s heart. After all, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to her invitation to Hong Kong and left Danica in another country if his love for thetter was real, right?


    No! Before she had hime to Hong Kong, she had resolved to confront any challenges that came her way. She was willing to fight for Kael, even if it meant facing opposition from their families, keeping their rtionship a secret, or enduring any other obstacles-as long as she could be with Kael!


    Hadn¡¯t he demonstrated this when she returned from America? Kael had told her he still loved her.


    ¡®Howe he¡¯s dating someone?¡¯


    She felt her heart shatter into pieces at what she heard, but she had no right toin. It was she who had wished for Kael to distance himself.


    ¡®No! I have to get him back! He still loves me for sure!¡¯


    After all, how long had he known Danica? She believed Kael wouldn¡¯t sever their strong bond just like that. She fell silent, contemting several things.


    Kael cleared his throat. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s my status right now, Faye.¡±


    She nodded while tears trickled down. She felt a deep sadness, but she understood there was nothing more she could do. She didn¡¯t want Kael to be driven away from her. Well, if it made her appear selfish or whatever, so be it!


    ¡°Just stay; you can sleep on the sofa,¡± she offered.


    After he thought it over, he gave in to her.


    When morning arrived, Kael casually ordered breakfast while Faye was in the shower.


    By the time their food was delivered, she had just stepped out of the bathroom.


    Kael opened the door, and to their surprise, it wasn¡¯t the hotel staff delivering the food that caught them off guard, but a person passing through the hallway who was staying in one of the rooms on the same floor.


    ¡°Kael? Wow! Long time no see!¡± However, the woman was equally surprised to see Faye. ¡°It¡¯s a small world, and here we are, meeting in Hong Kong.¡± She¡¯s Karen, Kael¡¯s college ssmate.


    Kael nced at her, his brow furrowing. ¡°Yeah. We¡¯re heading back today.¡±


    ¡°Oh, I see! Same here! Sorry, I have to go! I need to catch my flight back,¡± Karen said her goodbye.


    They didn¡¯t sense any potential trouble because their consciences were clear, but they both made a mistake.


    When they returned home, they received numerous messages from Finn, as did Kael. Both of them were summoned to Finn¡¯s office.


    ***


    Kael and Faye went straight to the Burnham Group¡¯s office in response to the messages sent by Finn. He stayed silent by Faye¡¯s side, from the airne to the car that picked them up at the airport.


    When the car stopped at the building housing Finn¡¯s office, he helped Faye step out of it.


    His heart raced as they rode in the elevator. He couldn¡¯t quiteprehend why he felt so nervous.


    ¡°W-what do you think Finn is going to say?¡± Faye inquired.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Faye. I believe your brother may already be aware that we met in Hong Kong.¡±


    Their conversation was cut short when they were greeted by the security guard, who opened the ss door for them. They were then led inside by Finn¡¯s secretary to his private office.


    ¡°Brother-¡±


    ¡°Sit. Down!¡± He saw the annoyance on Lauren¡¯s husband¡¯s face, whom he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time.


    The man leaned back in his chair and angrily turned hisptop to show them Karen¡¯s public post on social media.


    ¡®That fucking Karen!¡¯


    Kael gritted his teeth as he read through the post.


    ¡®Hey, everyone! I¡¯ve got some juicy gossip. This morning, I was shocked to find Faye and Kael Escarrer together in a suite at the Artus Hotel here in HONG KONG! OMG! It¡¯s clear they had quite the night. Faye was wearing only a robe with a towel on her head as if she had just taken a shower. Kael, on the other hand, was in a robe with his chest exposed, and he was wearing just boxer shorts or something. Are they having a secret affair while their siblings are still married? Or could this be a sign of trouble between Lauren and Finn, just like before? What are your thoughts?¡¯


    ¡°It was forwarded to me by a business associate. Thankfully, Karen took it down after I scared her, mentioning that she might meet mywyer because she included both of you, along with Lauren and me. Even though it¡¯s just a screenshot, her circle of friends had already seen this post. Our reputations are tarnished! Nothing escapes the inte! If I have a screenshot, someone else undoubtedly does too!¡±


    Kael wanted to strangle that woman! Why didn¡¯t he sense that she had a n to spread rumors about him and Faye? They had done nothing, so he hadn¡¯t considered the possibility of such an issue arising.


    ¡°First of all, nothing happenedst night, Brother Finn! Nothing!¡± Faye said, her tone raised in anger. ¡°And yes, I will personally meet her!¡±


    ¡°Yeah, right! And who would believe that? The two of you have a history. She saw you in Hong Kong! I even, when I read this, thought that you were secretly meeting in another country!¡±


    ¡°But you have to trust me, Brother Finn!¡± Faye said.


    ¡°The problem is, you¡¯re not giving me a reason to trust you!¡± He angrily reprimanded them. ¡°You got pregnant at the age of eighteen, for fuck¡¯s sake, Faye! I kept it a secret from everyone because I didn¡¯t want to tarnish your reputation! I didn¡¯t want to hurt Dad, Mom, or even my wife!¡±


    ¡°You are being unreasonable!¡± Faye cried out to him.


    ¡°Oh, really? Tell me right this second that you two didn¡¯t sleep together recently, from the moment you came back from America.¡±


    They couldn¡¯t look at each other.


    ¡®Sht! Sht! Sht! Damn it!¡¯


    ¡°Exactly!¡± Finn mmed his fist, getting the answer he desired.


    The woman began to cry, and Kael felt frustrated because he couldn¡¯t answer Lauren¡¯s husband. Finn had every right to scold both him and Faye.


    ¡°Why did you meet in Hong Kong?¡± Finn inquired, speaking in a lower tone. He had a valid reason to question them, given that, if he hadn¡¯t intervened with Karen, they might have already be a topic of discussion among some friends.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°I love Kael, Brother Finn¡­ But we gave in to you and Sister Lauren.¡±


    ¡°Huh?! Are you kidding me, Faye? I just want to remind you that Lauren and I have been married for six years now! Whatever your reason is, it¡¯s no longer valid! Did I forget to mention that you were supposed to marry your fianc¨¦ in America?¡±


    ¡®He had a valid point there!¡¯


    In the midst of their intense discussion, they receive messages from Lily and Drew, informing them of a distressing incident that had urred in their home, while Danica and Orion were also present.


    A tragic death had taken ce at Lily¡¯s residence.

 The Ex-boyfriend

    Danica invited Lily to go out after being feel devastated with Carm¡¯s case. They were shopping for clothes when they talked about Kael.


    ¡°Do you have a crush on Engineer Kael?¡± Lily asked the young woman.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    ¡°Huh? No way! Why would you ask that?¡± Danica replied, with her cheeks turning red, clearly avoiding the question.


    ¡°Because I wouldn¡¯t me you if you did. Kael is kind, handsome, and has a good life, and a strong family rtionship¡­ Most importantly, I want to know if I need to protect your feelings. He¡¯s still in love with Faye Burnham.¡±


    Her sister froze in her tracks. ¡°T-thewyer?¡±


    Lily nodded.


    ¡°But doesn¡¯t she have a fianc¨¦? Isn¡¯t Faye getting married? And how did they even start a rtionship?¡±


    She gently ran her fingers through Danica¡¯s hair. Lily was aware that her sister was beginning to develop feelings for Kael, even though she denied it.


    ¡°Unfortunately, they have a history. Lauren¡¯s family was overly meticulous due to their family issues in the past. Since Lauren was already ted to marry into the Burnham family, they believed it was impossible for Kael and Faye to be together. They had to protect their reputation, and it¡¯s almost like a taboo in their beliefs. To the best of my knowledge, that¡¯s why they sent Faye abroad to study, to keep her away from Kael.


    ¡°Unfortunately for Kael, due to his family¡¯s financial troubles, he had to stay here. That¡¯s when they ended their rtionship. I could see the tension between them whenever they were in the same vicinity. Even Drew strongly believes that their love story isn¡¯t over yet.¡±


    Danica fell into silence, and after a while, tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°I-I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m hurt.¡±


    ¡°A, Danica¡­ it¡¯s because you¡¯ve already fallen for him,¡± she said in a sad tone. To offer Danica somefort, she embraced her sister.


    Lily couldn¡¯t me her. In recent days, Kael and Danica had been spending a lot of time together, especially since Lily was often with Drew at home. Some aspects of Danica¡¯s personality had changed, and she knew that Kael had a significant influence on her.


    ¡°He said he likes me,¡± Danica replied.


    ¡°When?¡± Lily was taken aback.


    In a soft voice, Danica exined, ¡°Before he met Faye again. I didn¡¯t know they had a history. I thought they treated each other like siblings.¡±


    ¡®This is bad.¡¯


    ¡°I will ask you one more time-do you love him, Dan?¡±


    Her sister nodded, tears welling up in her eyes.


    ¡°As your sister, my advice to you is to talk to Kael and find out what he wants now-if his feelings for you are still the same as before. I already told you, didn¡¯t I? There are plenty of men out there. You are beautiful, sweetheart.¡±


    The thought that Danica had opened her heart to the engineer after her breakup with Brian saddened Lily.


    She gently caressed the corner of the young woman¡¯s eye, a clear sign of her current emotions. It hurt her to see Danica like this.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know, Lily. Kael and I don¡¯t have a rtionship, so I have no right to cry over this.¡±


    Danica¡¯s phone beeped shortly after.


    When she pulled it from her bag¡¯s pocket, she discovered a message from Brian.


    ¡°Do you want to see who sent me the text?¡± Danica showed the phone screen after Lily nodded.


    Brian: Danica, we need to talk.


    She wasn¡¯t really sure what Brian needed, especially after Carm¡¯s case was withdrawn, but she asked Danica how she felt about it. She asked, ¡°What do you think? Of course, I¡¯m notfortable with you meeting him.¡±


    Before Danica could respond, her phone beeped once more, indicating another message.


    Brian: You can bring Lily if you¡¯re notfortable. I have something to give her, too.


    The two of them exchanged nces. She wondered what he could be giving them. She couldn¡¯t recall having anything from Brian, but it genuinely piqued her interest. ¡°Do you want to meet him?¡±


    Brian: My modeling career is over, babe. I can¡¯t show my face to people anymore, so I want to see you onest time, please.


    Upon receiving this text, Danica dered, ¡°Let¡¯s meet him!¡±


    ¡°Have hime to Drew¡¯s house.¡±


    Danicaposed a message to her ex-boyfriend. It would be preferable to meet Brian at her house, where her husband and Orion were present, as they had nned to use the gym while she and Danica organized their shopping time.


    Brian, who had evidently just arrived, was sitting on the car¡¯s hood when Lily and Danica reached Drew¡¯s home. The man appeared despondent, clearly sleep-deprived, especially after the case against Carm and her friends had been dismissed.


    ¡°Danica!¡± Brian¡¯s face lit up.


    The gate opened, revealing Drew with an inexplicable expression. He was wearing only shorts and was drenched in sweat, clearlying from the gym.


    ¡°What is he doing here?¡± He nced at her sister. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re getting back together with him?¡±


    Danica winced. ¡°Shut up! He said he wanted to talk and will give something to Lily!¡±


    Brian exined, ¡°I just need five minutes to talk to the two of them.¡±


    Orion appeared with his arms crossed. His figure was also obscured in darkness, and he was perspiring as well. Brian cleared his throat, and Lily knew she had made the right decision in sending him there.


    Lily kissed Drew on the cheek. ¡°He said he only needs five minutes.¡±


    ¡°Fine! But he should stay here in the garden. It just so happens that I don¡¯t want us to attract the neighbors¡¯ attention.¡± Drew and Orion left their post by the gate to create space for Brian to enter.


    ¡°Come inside,¡± Lily invited Brian.


    They all passed through the gate one after the other until they reached the pool area next to the garden. Brian took a few steps, only a meter away from the gate, looking ufortable.


    ¡°What do you need from me?¡± Danica asked.


    ¡°My love for you, Danica, was genuine.¡±


    Both men squinted their eyes.


    ¡°I loved you too, Brian, but what you did to me is uneptable. They found your DNA on Carm¡¯s clothes. You stalked me and caused a huge mess in my previous apartment. How are you going to exin that to me?¡±


    Orion was clearly infuriated by what he heard. ¡°What? Howe I didn¡¯t know about that?¡±


    Danica couldn¡¯t meet her brother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°I was angry when you broke up with me! I know that wasn¡¯t a good reason, which is why I¡¯m here¡­ I want to apologize to you, Lily, for my actions during your college years. Keh wanted to keep you confined at home and prevent you from going out, so he instructed me to spread rumors about you. I-I¡¯m sorry¡­¡±


    Lily remained impassive. It had pained her at the time, but she had since moved on, especially afterpleting her schooling. She was no longer as concerned about what others had to say.


    ¡°Brian, tell me honestly. D-did you and your friends victimize Carm?¡±


    He couldn¡¯t look her in the eyes and mumbled softly. ¡°Yes¡­¡±


    Danica let out a gasp. Lily wasn¡¯t really surprised by his answer, so she just clenched her fist.


    ¡°In that case, what did you do? How did Carm suddenly withdraw the case?¡± Danica inquired as she took a step forward and observed the pain in her ex-boyfriend¡¯s eyes, a result of his actions.


    ¡°Because she could no longer bear the pain!¡± Lily empathized more than anyone. ¡°She was overwhelmed by the trial, the hurtful things people said, and those who didn¡¯t believe in her!¡± She had gone through all of that, which was why she understood some of Carm¡¯s actions.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I came here, Lily,¡± Brian said as he pulled a USB from his pocket. ¡°This will assist you with the case.¡±


    They didn¡¯t anticipate the loud noise from a motorcycle, which abruptly stopped in front of Drew¡¯s house, right at their gate.


    Orion stepped forward, appearing ready to crush the man into a ball and kick him out of their house. Brian handed over the USB.


    ¡°The first video is the one we used against Carm, and the second one, it¡¯s up to you what you want to do with it. I¡¯m leaving¡­ Dan, this is-¡±


    Since the gate was currently open and not yet locked, the strange man, with his head covered by a helmet, pushed it open and then fired several bullets at them from his vantage point.


    ¡°Ahhhhh!¡± Hers and Danica¡¯s screams echoed along with the gunshots.


    Drew pulled her down. Trembling with fear, Lily¡¯s eyes widened as she went under her husband.


    Orion, always alert, managed to turn around to protect Danica and then leaped into the pool, hiding beneath the water. Vases, mirrors, and anything struck by the bullets shattered.


    After a moment, all Lily could hear was the cessation of gunfire, followed by the fading sound of a motorcycle.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Drew swore before sitting down.


    ¡°D-Drew? Are you alright?¡± Lily asked, her voice quivering, still unable to fully recover from what had just happened.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine!¡±


    ¡°D-Danica!¡± She nervously called for her sister. ¡°Orion!¡±


    The two emerged from the concealed water of the pool.


    ¡°Brother!¡± Danica eximed after noticing the blood spewing from his arm. ¡°Brother Orion!¡± She held his arm, her frightened expression clear.


    ¡°Damn! Kid, I¡¯m alive!¡± The man grumbled before inspecting their sister. ¡°What about you? Are you alright?¡±


    The young woman nodded, trembling with fear and the cold water.


    ¡°Ahhhhhh!¡± Lily screamed in terror when they saw Brian lying lifeless on the floor, with red liquid seeping onto the grass.


    Orion quickly approached and examined the man.


    ¡°Brian!¡± Danica cried, moving closer to her ex-boyfriend¡¯s lifeless body.


    ¡°Don¡¯t touch him! We need to call the police! He¡¯s dead!¡± announced Orion, gritting his teeth.

 The Evidence

    [This chapter may be unsettling for some readers due to the ufortable situations encountered while uncovering the truth in the evidence.]


    Lily has yet to recover from the assault by an unknown assant. Brian was rushed to the hospital, even though he was already lifeless. When they spoke to the investigating officers, they exined Lily had asked Brian toe over, despite a restraining order preventing him from approaching her.


    ¡°Ms. Lily, isn¡¯t Brian a suspect in the recent case involving Ms. Carm? Why did you agree to meet with him?¡± the investigator inquired of Lily.


    ¡°I know¡­ He¡¯s my sister¡¯s ex-boyfriend. He requested a meeting with us, iming he had something to share¡­ I personally chose to meet at our house because my husband and my brother Orion are here. I didn¡¯t consider the restraining order because I wanted to know what he had to offer.¡±


    ¡°And is that the USB yourpanions are referring to?¡±


    Lily nodded.


    ¡°Do you mean that Mr. Brian Mendoza came here because he had something to give you, and that something is the USB?¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir¡­ When he handed it to us, that¡¯s when the gunfire broke out.¡±


    The investigators requested the USB that was in Orion¡¯s possession.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we won¡¯t hand over the USB without knowing its contents. We¡¯ve called awyer,¡± Orion said.


    ¡°But that¡¯s evidence!¡±


    Faye Burnham was panting as she approached their house. She tried calling her but received no answer, so she sent a message instead. Kael was following the woman, diverting her attention to Danica, who seemed on the verge of tears after seeing the two together.


    ¡®Poor, Dan¡­¡¯


    Even though her sister denied it, Lily was aware that Danica had developed deep feelings for Kael.


    ¡°Lily, what happened?¡± thewyer inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to reach you since earlier, Faye,¡± she told the woman, casting a scrutinizing nce at Kael.


    ¡°Brian has passed away. We were attacked by an individual wearing a ck jacket and a helmet. We¡¯re uncertain of their identity, but I strongly suspect they are one of Keh¡¯s friends,¡± Drew reported.Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°It can¡¯t be Keh, judging from his profile. I¡¯ve seen him several times, and Keh is taller than the person who attacked us, so I¡¯m certain it wasn¡¯t him¡­ By the way, Brian gave this to us.¡± Orion handed the USB to thewyer.


    ¡°Ms. Burnham, this is one of the potential pieces of evidence connected to the recent incident. But they¡¯re reluctant to hand it over because they assert it¡¯s linked to Ms. Carm¡¯s case,¡± the investigator exined.


    Orion promptly rified, ¡°I apologize, but I can¡¯t simply hand this over without knowing what¡¯s on it¡­ I used to be in the business.¡±


    The investigator¡¯s expression soured.


    ¡°May we view and make copies of the files?¡± Faye inquired calmly.


    After a mutual exchange of nces and discussion, they agreed to the request.


    Orion connected the USB to therge television in the house. It took a few minutes before the video began to y.


    Faye touched her forehead. ¡°That¡¯s the video used by Keh¡¯s team when Carm dropped the case because she lied.¡±


    On the screen,ughter emanated from the men in the shadows. Lily shivered because she recognized it asing from Keith and Jericho.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe that woman! With just one call from Ken, she¡¯d reallye here,¡± Keith¡¯s voice said.


    She recognized Jericho¡¯s voice. ¡°Are you ¡®intoxicated¡¯ already?¡±


    And it was followed by Brian. ¡°Shut it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re still a pvssy! Your Danica is gone!¡± Jericho taunted.


    ¡°You should¡¯ve shared her with us too!¡± Even though the video was dark, he knew it was Keith.


    ¡°Leave me alone! Could you?!¡±


    ¡°Shhh¡­ Let¡¯s watch them! Hey, Bry! Don¡¯t turn that video off! I can use that against Ken when I want to tease him,¡± Keith¡¯s voice spoke again.


    Carm and Keh appeared on the screen. It was clearer than before, without the earlier chaos and darkness on the screen. Keh was sitting on the couch, his face obscured in the dim light. The nurse was still wearing her uniform, indicating that she had just finished her duty.


    ¡°Doc, promise that this will be your best blowjob experience,¡± murmured Carm.


    Lily trembled beneath Drew¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Are you alright, babe? I can take you out for a while if seeing this is triggering for you,¡± Drew whispered to her.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ please get me some water.¡± She swallowed hard, her throat feeling parched.


    While Drew was away, they could hear the faintughter of the men on the screen, apanying Carm¡¯s kneeling in front of the doctor and his obvious amusement. They couldn¡¯t see much of what they were doing because the view was from behind Carm, but everyone knew what might be happening, given the doctor¡¯s delighted moans.


    A few minutester, Keh joined in. He arranged the nurse on the couch, removed her underwear, and they proceeded to engage in an intimate act.


    Drew passed the water to Lily, who couldn¡¯t keep her eyes on the TV screen.


    ¡°Is this something Brian gave us to watch, like a porn video or something else?¡± Orion protested.


    Once the two on the screen had finished, the three men emerged,ughing. It was evident that Carm was caught off guard, with her face showing a look of horror.


    ¡°Carm, I never knew you had hidden talents!¡± Keith teased.


    ¡°Stop that video, bro!¡± Keh angrily eximed when he noticed that he was being recorded.


    ¡°D-Dr. Ken, you said it would just be the two of us here, right?¡± Carm said with a trembling voice.


    ¡°If it weren¡¯t for us, we wouldn¡¯t have seen how you sounded like a pig in your moans!¡± Jericho taunted.


    ¡°I mean it, Brian! Stop that video!¡±


    That¡¯s where the first video ended.


    Faye released a deep sigh. ¡°Keith and his friends used that video to coerce Carm into retracting her usation. She lied. She initially imed that Keh invited her to retrieve the phone he¡¯d left at the hospital, with the intention of returning it to him. Well, that part is true, though. But her narrative in that video is entirely different. She alleged that the doctor forcibly dragged her and engaged in inappropriate actions.¡±


    ¡°Why did they release the video sote? Why didn¡¯t they use it from the beginning? If they had disclosed it earlier, my husband wouldn¡¯t have endured such a harrowing experience!¡± Drew eximed, with his anger palpable.


    ¡°Because it¡¯s clear that they were under the influence of coke,¡± Orion exined.


    ¡°That¡¯s the argument from Keith¡¯s camp. It¡¯s clear in the initial part of the video that they were high on drugs. They¡¯re clean now, ording to the drug test. But still¡­¡± Faye sighed.


    ¡°Brian admitted they R-worded Carm,¡± Lily added, looking at thewyer.


    Faye froze, her anxiety mounting as they prepared to y the next video, which, ording to Brian, would serve as Carm¡¯s evidence. It was then that she realized Danica and Kael were not in the room.


    ¡°Please y the next video,¡± the investigator requested, redirecting Lily¡¯s attention.


    The clip continued, depicting a scene where Lily¡¯s body quivered with fear. Keith had Carm in a stranglehold, pinning her to the floor as he persisted in his advances.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to see your ugly face!¡± the man said as he pushed her face to the floor.


    ¡°Stop!!! Keh! Please stop your friend! Nooo! Please!¡± the terrified woman cried out.


    Lily clung tightly to Drew and started crying, her body trembling with fear.


    ¡°No one will help you, pig!¡± Jericho jeered.


    ¡°You better shut up! Don¡¯t you know that what¡¯s Ken¡¯s is also mine? What¡¯s mine is the same for our other friends,¡± Keith replied.


    ¡°Well, not Lily!¡±


    ¡°That fucker!¡± Drew wanted to throw a punch at that moment when her name was mentioned.


    Keh appeared on the screen, seemingly indifferent, sitting on the couch, engrossed in his phone. It seemed as if he were deaf, oblivious to his surroundings. The view returned to Carm, who appeared as if she were a rag on the floor, crying incessantly.


    ¡°It¡¯s your turn, bro! Don¡¯t even nce at her ugly face! That¡¯s the deal,¡± Keith remarked.


    ¡°My turn, princess! You should take pride in the fact that tonight, you won¡¯t just be with Ken, you¡¯ll be favored by four handsome men. Isn¡¯t this your dream?¡± Jerichoughed, delivering ps to Carm¡¯s cheeks as she wept on the floor.


    ¡°Hey, Bry! Shove your dick into her mouth! That would be one heck of a sight!¡± Keith dered, clearly the most sinister among them. ¡°Hey, pig! Do you want both of them at the same time, huh?¡±


    ¡°Screw you all! I¡¯m out!¡± Brian said, obviously the one with the cellphone, recording everything that was happening.


    ¡°Come on! Don¡¯t be a pvssy!¡±


    ¡°Are you still ying the video?¡± Jericho asked.


    The unfolding events had be intolerable. It was clear that Carm disapproved of what was happening in that ce.


    ¡°Dr. Ken¡­ this isn¡¯t what I want. Please¡­ all of you! Stay away from me!¡± The woman was soaked in tears. That marked the end of the video.


    Everyone in Lily¡¯s house was left in shock. She trembled as tears flowed, while Drew and Orion clenched their teeth in anger. Faye sat in a chair, speechless, covering her mouth in disbelief.

 Manipulator

    Danica continued to tremble with fear, sadness, and heartache, overwhelmed by everything that had unfolded that day, until Kael arrived, apanied by Faye.


    Her tears flowed even more freely because it appeared as if they were confirming what Lily had told her. She had believed the man was still in Hong Kong.


    The woman radiated unwavering confidence as if she were prepared for battle at any moment. They all entered Lily¡¯s house to inspect the contents of the USB drive provided by Brian.


    Sitting on the bench, tears welled in her eyes, and she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at Kael. In reality, she sensed something unusual in his demeanor. It was as if he was weary at that moment.


    Kael approached her while they were outside.


    ¡°Are you okay, Dan?¡±


    She shook her head as she wiped away her tears.


    ¡°Is there something bothering you?¡± Kael asked.


    She stood up; her need for the truth pressing. ¡°All I want is the truth, Kael. Did you have a rtionship with Attorney Faye?¡±


    The man hesitated, cleared his throat, and then nodded. ¡°But I don¡¯t have a rtionship with her now, Danica.¡±


    ¡°But do you still see each other?¡±


    ¡°No!¡± he immediately refuted. ¡°Dan, I don¡¯t casually see Faye!¡±Content protected by N?v/el(D)rama.Org.


    ¡°Lily said she saw you two hugging in your office.¡±


    Kael winced, seemingly concerned about what had transpired, when Faye surprised her sister in his office.


    ¡°On your mom¡¯s birthday, I saw Attorney Fayeing out of the restroom where you had also gone. D-did something happen there?¡± When Faye Burnham arrived that day, Kael appeared uneasy. Was it because she was with him? Did he not want Faye to know that she could potentially be his ¡®love interest¡¯?


    Kael turned pale, which validated her suspicions-they did something!


    She felt likeughing because it seemed to her that Kael had used her to protect the image they had.


    ¡°Dan, Faye is already a thing of the past. I had no rtionship with her when you came into my life,¡± he exined.


    Tears welled up in Danica¡¯s eyes, and it seemed as though her heart no longer wanted to pose questions. His responses pained her.


    She was poised for her next question, seeking an honest answer. ¡°Then tell me, w-was Faye the one with you in Hong Kong?¡±


    Kael locked eyes with her. When he couldn¡¯t bear the sorrow in her gaze, he lowered his head, clenched his teeth, and whispered, ¡°Yes.¡±


    How could she believe him? Everything that had transpired, all his responses to her, suggested that he had used her as a smokescreen for whatever was happening in his rtionship with Faye.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Kael cursed.


    Her emotions were swelling for a multitude of reasons: Brian¡¯s death, the events of the day where he still felt fear because the sight of that person aiming a gun at them was still fresh in her mind, and Kael¡¯s deception.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most dishonest and despicable person I¡¯ve ever encountered!¡± she eximed.


    His expression turned sour, clearly showing his disapproval of her words.


    ¡°The other night, you told me outright, after we had been intimate multiple times, that you were going to Hong Kong-just to meet with Faye? After being with me? You conversed with your ex, and then it was as if nothing had happened; you took me to your bed, and the next day, it was Faye again. Who could be more shameless than you, Kael?¡±


    She was aware her words were quite harsh, but what did he expect her to say, ¡®Thank you for hurting me?¡¯


    Her emotions were bleeding, and it was his fault! She never imagined he wouldmit such an extreme act of deception.


    ¡°Danica, please trust me. I know it sounds unbelievable. But nothing happened between Faye and me.¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You cheated right in front of my face, Kael!¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have a rtionship!¡±


    ¡°Kael, there¡¯s no need for two people to be in a rtionship just to deceive someone. The simple fact that you have feelings for her, or maybe even for me, and you¡¯re involved with both of us, makes it as clear as day that you deceived me! You made me believe for a short amount of time, and I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you made Faye feel the same way!


    ¡°I know Brian was a bit weird, but during our one-year rtionship, he never betrayed or cheated on me! Perhaps he bullied Lily or touched Carm, but those were outside our rtionship period! Before he passed away, he told me that was thest time he would see me after he asked for forgiveness!¡± Danica sobbed after saying those words.


    ¡°Are youparing me to a r*pist?¡± Kael asked, bewildered.


    ¡°Yes! Because Brian neverid a finger on me, even when our rtionship was clear-we were a couple! What am I to you, Kael? Just a casual fling?¡±


    ¡°You know you hold a more significant ce in my life!¡± he eximed with anger.


    ¡°So what? Just a notch above a casual fling? Brian neverid a hand on me because of his profound love for me! He respected me in that regard and never had the audacity to do the things you did to me! I gave myself to you, and I feel like a fool for trusting you. You¡¯re a damn jerk!¡±


    She had no one to me at that moment but herself.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± Orion¡¯s firm voice reached her, clearly indicating that he had heard her recent words.


    She needed him, so she approached and clung to his waist. She needed an ally at that moment. Her emotions were causing her overwhelming pain.


    Kael knew nothing about Orion¡¯s rtionship with her; all he knew was that Orion was Drew¡¯s bodyguard.


    ¡°Let go of Danica!¡± Kael snapped. ¡°We¡¯re in the middle of a conversation!¡±


    ¡°No! Orion, please ask him to leave.¡±


    Orion¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°What did he do?¡±


    ¡°He cheated on me,¡± she confessed, sounding almost like a child reporting a misdeed.


    Her brother¡¯s jaw tightened at that revtion. ¡°Leave. Now!¡±


    ¡°Ha! Who are you to tell me what to do?! It¡¯s you who should leave because you have no business being in my conversation with Danica!¡±


    Danica refused. ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you, Kael!¡±


    It was evident that he had grown frustrated, as well as she could discern the jealousy in Kael¡¯s eyes. ¡°Why? Is it Orion now? After Brian, then me, and now you¡¯re going to flirt with Orion too?¡±


    ¡°Ahhhh!¡± Her brother swiftly released her, and she let out a scream as he punched Kael in the jaw.


    Kael tumbled onto the grass. He angrily got up to retaliate and lunged at Orion. However, because of her brother¡¯s proficiency in physicalbat, he swiftly pivoted and delivered another punch to Kael¡¯s cheek.


    Blood was oozing from Kael¡¯s lips. Nearby police officers intervened and separated the two men. Lily and Drew also went outside, hearing themotion, bewildered by what they had just witnessed.


    ¡°Brother O, please stop!¡± Danica pleaded.


    ¡°You have no right to disrespect my younger sister! Never speak to my sister in that manner again! Trust me, you might end up like Brian!¡± Orion bellowed as his disgust at Kael¡¯s previousment was evident.


    ¡°O-Orion is your brother?¡± Kael asked, seemingly taken aback.


    ¡°Yeah, news sh!¡± Drew chimed in, casting a sidelong nce at her.


    ¡°He¡¯s my biological brother! And Lily is my sister! You didn¡¯t know because you were too busy rowing down two rivers! Get out of here, Kael! I don¡¯t want to see your face anymore!¡±

 Embracing New Life

    The police identified Keith, the person who attacked Drew and Lily¡¯s house, just a few dayster. Brian¡¯s car¡¯s dash cam was on, as he had thought he was only going to be at Drew¡¯s house for a few minutes, and it captured Keith on his motorcycle, including his license te. After investigating Keith, they discovered he had been sending nasty messages to Brian.


    Carm¡¯s case was reopened, and Faye apologized to the nurse after speaking rudely during theirst meeting.


    Just as Lily had suspected, Carm was under immense pressure from the public, the court, her family, and her job at the hospital. Most people didn¡¯t believe Carm, which only added to the pressure she was feeling. She had indeed been lying and sought Keh¡¯s attention, but couldn¡¯t believe she would end up being a victim.


    As Lily knew, Carm had a strong attraction to the doctor.


    Manyplicated things happened, but Lily achieved her goal. She knew that Keh¡¯s group was in trouble, especially with a new murder charge added to Keith for killing Brian and using illegal drugs.


    ***


    SIX MONTHS LATER¡­


    Lily and Drew moved to a new residence after the bloody incident in their previous home. Their new home was near to Lauren and Finn¡¯s house. A lot had happened in their previous residence, even though she didn¡¯t want to leave. She knew within herself that her battle with the past was over.


    All the pain and burden in her heart were gone.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to paint now,¡± Drew said as he applied paint to his canvas. Simultaneously, he brushed his lips against her ear, and she felt his sticky palm gently caressing her side.


    ¡°This is messy, Drew,¡± Lily whispered.


    ¡°But you like it¡­¡±


    She turned to look at her husband behind her. Hot lips weed her while his painted hand covered her bare chest. It didn¡¯t take long for her to feel his length probing her entrance. Before she knew it, she felt his thrust while holding onto the wall firmly, apanied by her moans.


    A pleasurable orgasm washed over her abdomen as she clung to him.


    ¡°We¡¯re going to paint a sexy experience on this wall,¡± Drew said, discovering a new canvas for his art.


    Lily could onlyugh. The wall in their new home that her husband had chosen to paint had been an intense and delightful experience.


    ¡°Why are youughing?¡± Drew asked, and he yfully tickled the side of her body. She turned to face him, pressing her back against the wall.


    ¡°I¡¯m certain they¡¯ll assume we¡¯re up to something. They¡¯ve been curious about why we keep changing the color of our sofa at home. I¡¯m not sure what excuse I¡¯lle up with for this canvas wall of yours,¡± she remarked while holding onto his neck,ughter in her voice.


    ¡°You know I don¡¯t care. That¡¯s what you call art!¡±


    Lilyughed with joy, moving sensually with him and listening to their emotions in perfect harmony. Her giggle eventually gave way to soft moans as he pressed himself against her. She gently caressed her husband¡¯s cheek before capturing his lips.


    After a few moments, she was panting and catching her breath on his chest. The man lifted her and carried her to the shower area by the pool. Both of them were unclothed.


    Once the paint had washed off her body, she yfully teased him before diving into the swimming pool,pletely nude. He followed her shortly after.


    ¡°Mr. Sexy, why did you change your style?¡± she asked him.


    ¡°Style?¡±


    ¡°Uhm¡­ You¡¯ve be so sweet when making love to me.¡± His way of making love to her had evolved significantlypared to the earlier days of their marriage.


    The man embraced her, and she squirmed in his arms, feeling his warm body. ¡°I don¡¯t want to push you. I¡¯m afraid it may trigger you.¡±


    He caressed her cheek.


    She smiled. ¡°No, Drew. You won¡¯t trigger anything because you are my husband. I can feel the love you have for me while making love, and that makes me feel secure.¡±


    ¡°I love you so much, Lily¡­¡±


    Drew captured her lips as she built the orgasm inside her body. Both of them were careless, which is why they were taken by surprise when they heard Danica¡¯s voice.


    ¡°Lily¡­ Drew¡­¡±


    ¡°Sht! Sht! Sht!¡± They were both rmed.


    ¡°Ahhh!¡± Her sister came to an abrupt halt when she saw them and covered her eyes.


    She clung to Drew tightly due to their nudity, causing her face to flush.


    ¡°Damn! Why are you here, kid?¡±


    After a while, Orion also emerged, grimacing upon realizing they were without clothes in the pool. ¡°Are you two having sex? And in the pool, where could someone possibly see you?¡±


    ¡°This is our home and we¡¯re a married couple! Why did you suddenly barge in here? Get Danica out first!¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, both your dad and mine are outside. I¡¯m not sure how they would react to this. Did you forget that you were the ones who invited us for a gathering this afternoon?¡±


    ¡°Furthermore, we¡¯ve brought some items for your wedding tomorrow,¡± Danica mentioned, still keeping her eyes closed.


    ¡°Damn! Wepletely forgot! Please, step outside for a moment!¡±


    Orion followed Drew¡¯sint and guided their guests out of the house. Drew quickly grabbed his robe and handed one to Lily.


    Lily, although embarrassed about being caught in the act for the first time, couldn¡¯t help butugh. After making sure they had tidied up, Drew invited their guests back inside. He seated her in front of the vanity and used the hairdryer on her hair.


    ¡°That¡¯s hrious!¡± Lily chuckled. She briefly closed her eyes to relish the attention he was showering her with.


    ¡°You two, stop teasing! You know we¡¯re the single ones here!¡± Danicained as she approached them.


    ¡°Apologies. You and Orion arrived thirty minutes early, so we weren¡¯t expecting you to walk in,¡± Lily responded. She grabbed her phone and noticed Danica¡¯s message indicating they were on their way.


    ¡°God! If they had arrived just a few minutes earlier, they would surely have discovered our secret on the wall,¡± she whispered to Drew.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. There¡¯s no reason to be ashamed of art.¡± He winked at her before nting a kiss on her forehead. ¡°It¡¯s finished!¡±


    She gently tugged his arm before he distanced himself. ¡°Love, talk to your dad. I understand you still feel embarrassed around him, but it¡¯s important to have a good rtionship.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll try¡­¡±


    Lily knew that her husband still couldn¡¯t move on, even though he was aware of the truth about what had happened to his parents, particrly Mr. Walton¡¯s involvement in infidelity with Cristina and others.


    They quickly changed their clothes as more guests would be arriving shortly.


    ¡°Hello, neighbors!¡± She heard Lauren¡¯s voice as they descended the stairs. Kori, their spouses, and their children were also present.


    She was thrilled to see them, considering them as friends.


    ¡°I¡¯m d; you look gorgeous, Lily. I¡¯m so happy for you and Drew,¡± Kori said.


    Lauren chimed in, saying, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to broach this subject, but I hope things have improved since the challenging situation.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m making progress. After Carm¡¯s case against Keh¡¯s group, I tried to move forward and put it behind me. Truth be told, Keh reached out to talk to me. I don¡¯t know what he wants, but I¡¯m no longer interested. I don¡¯t want to hear anything from him. I want a peaceful married life with Drew.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! I¡¯m proud of you, Lily. Kael also mentioned that you and Danica have been keeping busy with many clients recently.¡±


    ¡°Yeah¡­ We¡¯re both dedicating our time to that right now.¡± She didn¡¯t know the true status of Danica¡¯s and Kael¡¯s rtionship. Only they can provide rity on that.


    Meanwhile, outside Drew¡¯s house, he found his father in conversation with Mr. Arvesso, Lily¡¯s father.


    ¡°I hope you are doing well now, son. Just let me know if you and Lily need anything,¡± Mr. Walton expressed.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Lily is doing well too.¡± They remained quiet for a while before Drew mustered the courage to broach the subject. ¡°Why¡­ Why did you let me believe Mom?¡±


    ¡°Because I wasn¡¯t a good father to you, Drew, even when your mom was still alive. Furthermore, I truly loved Cristina, so there was some truth in what your mom was saying-I mourned the loss of Lily¡¯s mother. I didn¡¯t need to appear faultless in that aspect, so I had to endure it. That¡¯s why I promptly epted your grandpa¡¯s offer to leave thepany.


    ¡°I have many shorings as a father, and I would rather allow you to continue loving your mom because she needs you more. I don¡¯t want to take you away from her due to my many faults. I know I¡¯ve failed both you and your mom¡­ I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    Drew still harbored a sense of sadness about being deceived by his mother, but like Lily, he needed to put the past behind him.


    ¡°How is Grandpa?¡± Drew inquired.


    ¡°He¡¯s as stubborn as ever, but he has no other choice but to stay with me at home. Do you have any ns to return to the office?¡±


    ¡°Thus far, I¡¯m doing well. I invested in variouspanies even while I was with the Walton Group, so I have no financial concerns. I can still provide for my wife and our soon-to-be children.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m happy for you, Drew. As your father, I still hope you¡¯ll return to the office because I don¡¯t want anyone else to benefit from your hard work. We both understand how much you¡¯ve contributed to the Walton Group.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, Dad! I¡¯m just waiting for the right moment. I know I¡¯lle back.¡±


    Mr. Andrew Walton also bid farewell shortly after. He walked him outside the house and instructed the driver to look after his father.


    ¡°Drew!¡± Lily emerged from the house, visibly anxious. She nervously bit her finger and, as she approached him, was unsure of what to do.


    ¡°What happened, babe?¡±


    Tears welled up in her eyes, causing him to be concerned.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.

 The Final Chapter

    Lily observed through the bedroom window that Drew and Mr. Walton were engaged in a serious conversation.


    Danica approached her, saying, ¡°By the way, sis, here are the items you asked me to purchase,¡± as she handed her a brown paper bag taken from her purse.


    ¡°Did you inform Orion?¡±


    Danica shook her head.


    ¡°Good! If you tell Orion, he will surely inform Drew.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to tell Drew? He¡¯s your husband, right?¡± Danica asked, furrowing her brow.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to pressure him. Besides, I want to be certain first.¡±


    Danica rolled her eyes. Lauren and Kori were upied with their child, while Orion, Finn, and Brett were by the pool, conversing with Mr. Arvesso.


    Lily quietly entered the master bedroom, with Danica following closely behind. In recent days, she has been experiencing morning sickness. There were even moments when the car¡¯s scent on her way to work made her feel nauseous, and she ended up vomiting at the office.


    She retrieved the pregnancy test kit Danica had provided and followed the instructions.


    Her sister had suggested that she might be pregnant now. She didn¡¯t know how to feel about it, especially since she and Drew had been married for two years. They were intimate, and as a woman, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she hadn¡¯t be pregnant after discontinuing her birth control pills.


    She and Drew hadn¡¯t discussed the topic of having a child, which made her think that perhaps her husband didn¡¯t want to start a family.


    ¡°Lily? Are you okay in there?¡± Danica knocked on the bathroom door, interrupting her concentration.


    ¡°W-wait!¡± Two red lines slowly appeared on the test device she was holding, causing her to start panicking.


    ¡°Lily?¡±


    Lily repeated the test, suspecting that the result it provided might be incorrect, or that there was a possible malfunction in the test kit. Shortly thereafter, she abruptly opened the door. Danica, who was seated on the bed, was taken aback. She descended the stairs and sought Drew, thest ce she had seen him. He was gazing at the road as Mr. Walton¡¯s car was departing, so she approached him.


    ¡°Drew!¡± She began to cry while panicking.


    ¡°What happened, babe?¡±


    ¡°I-I¡¯m pregnant!¡± She covered her mouth while sobbing.


    Lily gave him the two pregnancy test kits she had recently used. Her husband¡¯s lips quivered, and it seemed as if his head was spinning as he observed the two kits disying positive results. His response only deepened her tears because, to her knowledge, her husband wasn¡¯t ready to have a baby.


    What would happen now?


    ¡°D-did something happen? Why is Lily crying?¡± Orion and the others inquired as they noticed her distress from their vantage point.


    ¡°We had no idea. We were just taken by surprise when she came down the stairs,¡± Lauren exined, exchanging nces with Kori.


    Drew dered, ¡°She¡¯s pregnant, everyone! Lily is expecting!¡± with joy before giving Lily a tight hug.


    Their guests erupted in apuse.


    ¡°Wow! Congrattions, Lily!¡± Kori eximed.


    ¡°I knew it!¡± Danica added, jumping with joy.


    ¡°Are you upset?¡± Lily asked Drew, tilting her face to meet his gaze.


    ¡°Why would I be upset, babe? I¡¯m happy! I¡¯m overwhelmed and excited! God, Lily!¡± He was at a loss for words, so he kissed her on the forehead. ¡°Aren¡¯t you happy?¡±


    She held onto his waist. ¡°Of course, I am! I¡¯m happy. I¡¯m just worried that maybe you don¡¯t want to have a child. Furthermore, I¡¯m anxious about my ability to fulfill the role of a mother and provide for a child.¡±


    Drew kissed her on the lips. ¡°It¡¯s only natural, babe. Back then, you didn¡¯t know how to handle things with me either. All I could feel was your fear, but here we are, loving each other unconditionally. You will be a great mother because you are the best wife, Lily.¡±


    Her smile broadened, especially when their friends summoned them tomence their meal and celebrate on multiple asions.


    ***


    This is the second time Lily will go through the process of preparing for her wedding. However, this day is distinct from the previous one.


    There is no impending contract termination¡­


    She doesn¡¯t feel fear towards Drew, but rather an inexplicable and profound love¡­


    No tension or coercion is developing¡­


    Now, she has her family and friends with her, truly there to support and love her. It¡¯s unfortunate that Manang Puring passed away several months ago; she was a significant part of Lily¡¯s life.


    Even though that woman may no longer be a part of her life, there¡¯s another one growing inside her womb.Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org.


    Lily gently touched her small belly. She and Drew had discussed that they wouldplete the wedding before seeking medical advice.


    ¡°I hope you can help with my slightly swollen eyes,¡± she requested the makeup artist.


    ¡°Did you stay uptest night, Ms. Walton?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a bit excited,¡± she replied.


    A smile was the artist¡¯s response. A significant part of her preupied thoughts and excitement stemmed from her pregnancy.


    Lily¡¯s overall appearance was perfected by a beautiful and vibrant gown in abination of white and baby pink. She had personally requested not to wear pure white, particrly considering the events of the past. There was a knock on her door. At her first wedding, it was Mr. Martin¡¯s stern face that greeted her, but now it was Mr. Arvesso.


    ¡°Lily!¡± He approached her, embraced her, and nted a kiss on her cheek.


    ¡°You look just like your mother. You are gorgeous.¡±


    She smiled as tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Thanks, Dad!¡±


    He apologized for leaving her mother. She held no grudges, and it had no bearing on her rtionship with him. The man had been a good parent to her and Danica, even though she had known him for a rtively short period. Her rtionship with him, Danica, and Orion was great-and that was all that mattered.


    There was another knock on her door a few minutester, and she furrowed her brow as she was about to head to the gathering for the ceremony.


    Mr. Arvesso opened the door, and they both were surprised to see Drew¡¯s grandfather, Master Walton.


    ¡°May I speak with Lily?¡± he asked.


    ¡°Master Walton!¡± Mr. Arvesso winced.


    ¡°If you¡¯re here to advise me not to proceed with the wedding, I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that,¡± Lily said to the elderly man. She disapproved of his rtionship with Drew in recent months, but she loved her husband.


    ¡°I¡¯m not here for that, Lily. I came here to give you my blessing.¡±


    She bit her lip.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been too stubborn for the past year and was obstinate because I valued thepany¡¯s reputation too much.¡±


    ¡°It runs in your blood, I guess,¡± Mr. Arvesso whispered teasingly.


    The elderly manughed, and she couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°You are right! It runs in my blood, which is why I have a child and a grandchild, both equally impulsive. I¡¯m getting older and starting to feel various things in my body, so I want to retire and focus on other things and will leave thepany to Andrew and my grandson.¡±


    Lily expressed concern when he mentioned his health. ¡°Master Walton, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Lily, and please call me ¡®Grandpa¡¯ again.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Grandpa Walton!¡± She hugged the old man.


    The organizer appeared at the door. ¡°Ms. Lily, it¡¯s time¡­¡±


    She nodded and then held onto her father for support. The look he gave her differed from what Mr. Martin had given her before. She could feel his love as a parent, even though she had only known him for a year.


    Lily felt nervous as she stood in front of the doors of the gathering hall. Behind themy a new life that awaited her, leaving behind all the unpleasant experiences as she stepped inside.


    ¡°I¡¯m so proud of you, honey,¡± Mr. Arvesso said, his voice choked with emotion. ¡°Thank you for giving me the chance to at least escort you to your wedding, even though Cristina is no longer with us.¡±


    ¡°We have more years to look forward to, Dad.¡±


    He nodded, wiping away a tear.


    The doors swung open, and the people lined up on either side greeted her. Unlike her previous wedding, she felt nothing but happiness and love at that moment, thanks to the people supporting her now.


    The lights were bright; the tables were adorned with pink roses, and the soft music yed by the violin filled the hall.


    The movement of the people around her stopped, capturing her attention, while all of her focus remained on the man standing at the front. Tears welled up in her eyes because of the happiness that enveloped her heart. She never expected to find someone like Drew, who would offer her a future, dreams, family, and friends ¨C someone who had shown her overwhelming love.


    Drew¡¯s lips moved, expressing something, as he wiped a tear from his eye. She couldn¡¯t hear it from their distance, but because he had said it to her multiple times before, she could read his lips.


    ¡°I love you¡­¡±


    A little whileter, she closed the distance to Drew. Her heart fluttered with excitement as he reached for her hand.


    She found her match¡­


    She found her greatest love.


    She found Drew Walton¡­

 The Special Chapter

    Months before Lily and Drew¡¯s wedding,


    With Kael¡¯s assistance, Lily and Drew moved to a new home near Burnham¡¯s vi. It was more spacious than their previous residence, but Lily had already embraced the idea of living in arger home than her husband desired.


    She began the process of registering her business with Danica¡¯s help, while her sister had decided to focus on their newly opened resort on the ind.


    Drew was reluctant to utilize Kael¡¯s services, but Lily had no one else she trusted more than him, despite his issues with her sister.


    ¡°I¡¯ve epted your dad¡¯s offer to lead the engineering team for his project in Melbourne, Australia,¡± Kael informed Lily as they toured theirpleted new home.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t inquire about what transpired between you and Danica because I¡¯m also concerned about Carm and Keh¡¯s situation. What happened, Kael?¡±


    ¡°Lily, I didn¡¯t betray your sister,¡± Kael retorted.


    ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean you didn¡¯t hurt her,¡± she casually observed.This is property ? N?velDrama.Org.


    Hepsed into silence at her words.


    ¡°Kael, I ced my trust in you because we used to work in the same team. It¡¯s not out of obligation that I selected your services. I¡¯m also confident that Dad would raise questions if we didn¡¯t choose you to construct this house. Your rtionship with me differs from your rtionship with Danica, just as it does with my dad.¡±


    ¡°I love Danica,¡± he replied simply, leaving Lily surprised.


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why did you hurt her?¡±


    ¡°Lily, Faye and I shared a deeper connection,¡± Kael began, borating on his rtionship with Finn¡¯s sister. ¡°To this day, I¡¯m tormented by my conscience regarding what happened to her. When she invited me to visit her in Hong Kong, she couldn¡¯t open up to anyone or seek emotional support. Her ex-fianc¨¦ hurt her after discovering the truth about us.


    ¡°We both acknowledge Faye¡¯s strength in confronting anyone in court, but at that moment, she needed my emotional support. My mistake was not being honest with Danica.¡±


    Lily felt nothing for Kael except sympathy.


    ¡°The issue, Kael, is that you also failed tomunicate the depth of your rtionship to Danica.¡±


    He addressed that concern, saying, ¡°I couldn¡¯t disclose my feelings for her to your dad, because how would Mr. Arvesso react if he found out I was sleeping with his princess? I was afraid. Your Dad is the one who deposits millions into my bank ount, and Imitted a serious offense, touching Danica. I recognize that I acted foolishly.¡±


    ¡°Give Danica some time to heal. Brian has passed away, and what you did to her was deeply painful. Considering going abroad for a while to give her space was the best option. Take the time to figure out what you truly want, whether it¡¯s Faye or Danica.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± Kael replied with a heavy sigh. ¡°How about you? Last week, Keh and Keith received life sentences, and Jericho got twenty years in prison. How are you feeling now?¡± Kael inquired.


    ¡°I can¡¯t say that I¡¯m happy. There¡¯s probably no victim who would smile orugh after receiving justice. What I feel right now is relief. Mrs. Martin called me yesterday, asking me to speak with her son, but I declined.¡±


    ¡°You declined?¡± Kael repeated.


    ¡°I have no interest in hearing what Keh has to say to me. What drives people tomit such heinous acts against others? Was he nning to apologize to me, which is why he wanted to talk to me? Would he rify why he did what he did? Did he expect me to forgive him? None of that adds up to me, and I have no desire to converse with him. I¡¯d rather seek the peace I deserve after enduring all the pain he caused me.¡±


    ¡°I admire you, Lily! This isn¡¯t goodbye.¡± They shared a hug before Kael left their home.


    Lily noticed the colorful couch ced in the middle of their spacious living area.


    Her hands gently touched it before two strong arms were wrapped around her waist.


    She nced up at Drew and then giggled.


    ¡°Why are you eyeing the couch?¡± he teased. ¡°Do you have any naughty thoughts, perhaps?¡±


    Lilyughed. ¡°Clearly, you¡¯re the one with those thoughts, babe.¡±


    She giggled when he pulled her closer and yfully threw her onto the couch.


    ***


    A yearter¡­


    Drew was presently in the conference hall. The American investor had arrived tounch a major project that day. Several reporters and business partners were in attendance in an opulent hall, ready to pose their inquiries.


    He was aware that his wife was nearing her delivery, but he needed to fulfill his professional duties. Lily had insisted that he attend because he couldn¡¯t delegate it to someone else to prevent anyplications.


    He had just concluded his presentation on therge screen. ¡°Now, we can begin taking your questions and addressing your concerns.¡±


    He spotted Sarah, who appeared visibly perturbed in the crowd, raising her hand. He was currently on the stage, and it was unlikely that anyone would approach him to disrupt the presentation and make a scene.


    ¡°Yes? It appears that even my assistant has her own questions about this?¡±


    The audienceughed at hisment.


    Sarah took hold of the microphone and stated, ¡°Um, it¡¯s regarding your most ¡®special project,¡¯ boss; it¡¯s now in the process of being ¡®delivered.''¡±


    The people couldn¡¯t quite grasp Sarah¡¯sment. They assumed it was still rted to the project, but Drew began to quiver. He pressed his lips together, attempting topose himself.


    ¡°Thank you for that information, Ms. Sarah. Um, I¡¯m sorry; she mentioned that my wife is currently at the hospital, giving birth to our first baby daughter.¡±


    The audience gasped.


    ¡°Um, I suppose we can now move on to the next question,¡± Drew said,posing himself.


    ¡°Mr. Walton, aren¡¯t you going to your wife?¡± the man next to Sarah inquired.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading to the hospital after this event, so we can proceed for now.¡±


    ¡°Mr. Walton, congrattions! Um, we doprehend all the information and the presentation you¡¯ve provided, but I believe you should go to your wife,¡± suggested his primary investor.


    This is a significant project; he has already invested millions. Taking a couple of minutes for questioning wouldn¡¯t be a problem, and then he would rush to the hospital.


    Mr. Andrew Walton, his father, couldn¡¯t bear it any longer. He stood beside Drew.


    ¡°Son, congrattions! I think it¡¯s best for you to hurry to your wife. I¡¯ll handle their inquiries.¡±


    Drew trembled. He tried to conceal in his voice that he wanted to cry. His dad hugged him.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be there after this event,¡± Mr. Walton Sr. said.


    ¡°Alright!¡± He yielded the microphone to his father.


    Afterward, he hastened to the side and nearly ran to his car to visit Lily.


    While in the car, he immediately called Orion and Mr. Arvesso, unable to sit still.


    After a brief wait, he stood outside the delivery room, his body trembling and restless. Orion and their fathers had arrived, while Danica, who was on the ind, hurried to get a ticket to join them.


    They waited until midnight before the door finally opened, and the sound of the baby¡¯s cry filled the air.


    ¡°Mr. Drew Walton, you should now go inside to see your wife,¡± the nurse said.


    He entered and found Lily, drenched in sweat, cradling their baby. Tears welled up in his eyes as the joy enveloped him.


    ¡°Drew, she¡¯s beautiful¡­¡± Lily whispered.


    He had never imagined that he and Lily would create such a beautiful family. Years ago, he had done nothing but engage in frivolous activities, sleeping around, and partying, with no intention of starting a family, let alone having a baby.


    Now, it was the most profound and beautiful feeling he had ever experienced. He gently kissed Lily¡¯s forehead and held the baby¡¯s delicate hand.


    ¡°Thank you so much, babe!¡± he said, gazing at his mother and daughter. ¡°What shall we name her?¡±


    ¡°Nove,¡± Lily replied.


    ¡°Our life has been like a novel, hasn¡¯t it? She¡¯s a living dream. So, Nove.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Nove, I promise my love to you and your mother.¡±


    Shortly after, they introduced the baby to the family.


    -End-


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