Chapter eight: We all need friends

Lily Hart’s POV........

The moment the door shut behind me, I slumped against it and pressed a hand over my face. My heart still hadn’t slowed down.

Andrew Sterling’s words echoed in my mind like a cruel loop — that cold, dismissive tone that made me feel so small. I had seen arrogance before, but this was something else entirely. Controlled, calculating, almost... practiced.

I dropped my bag on the couch, kicked off my heels, and collapsed onto my bed. My phone screen blinked from the nightstand — Sophia's name flashing. My best friend always had perfect timing.

I hit accept.

“Hey,” I tried to sound normal, but my voice cracked.

Sophia's face filled the screen — messy bun, glasses slipping down her nose. She took one look at me and frowned.

“Ive been trying to reach you for days? Oh my God, Lil—what happened? Don’t tell me that jerk—”

“Ryan,” I whispered, already choking on the name. “He… he cheated.”

Sophia froze, her eyes softening instantly. “Oh, Lily…”

I let out a shaky breath and everything came spilling out. “I caught him. The night before our graduation trip. With some girl in our apartment. He didn’t even have the decency to look sorry. Just—just said it wasn’t serious.” My chest ached. “He was supposed to propose, Soph. Can you imagine? I thought he was the one.”

Tears welled again. I pressed my palms to my face, trying to hold myself together, but my whole body trembled.

Sophia didn’t interrupt. She just listened, nodding slowly. “That idiot didn’t deserve you. He’s a coward, Lily. You’re the kind of woman men regret losing for the rest of their lives.”

I gave a humorless laugh. “Yeah, sure. Tell that to my pillow.”

“Hey,” she scolded softly. “You survived worse. Remember the internship disaster? You didn’t let that crush you. You won’t let this either.”

“I feel so stupid,” I whispered. “I thought I knew him.”

Sophia sighed. “Sometimes we fall for the idea of who we think they are. Doesn’t mean it’s your fault.”

“I got a new job and my boss is shit” I said and cried more

There was a pause. I could hear her breathing, steady and calm. Then she added, “You need to focus on your new job. Forget Ryan. Prove to yourself that you can start over without him. And listen—if that boss of yours gives you trouble again, just tell me where he lives and I’ll throw eggs at his mansion.”

That drew a real laugh out of me, even through the tears. “You’d actually do it too.”

“Damn right I would.” She grinned. “I’ll come see you soon, okay? I’ve got a few days off next week. We’ll binge trashy rom-coms, eat too much ice cream, and roast every man in existence.”

I smiled weakly. “Deal.”

“Promise me you’ll sleep, Lil.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good girl. And remember—you’re Lily Hart. Not some side character in Ryan’s stupid love story.”

The call ended. The apartment went quiet again, too quiet.

I lay back, staring at the ceiling, my chest heavy but my mind restless. I shouldn’t have cared about Andrew Sterling’s cold dismissal earlier, not after everything with Ryan—but somehow, I did. The man unsettled me.

My hand moved on its own, reaching for the phone. I opened the browser and typed Andrew Sterling.

Dozens of results filled the screen. Articles. Business magazines. Forbes features. Photos of him at corporate galas in a sharp black suit, hand in pocket, expression unreadable.

CEO of Sterling Enterprises. Net worth: 3.1 billion.

I scrolled, stunned. He wasn’t just powerful—he was untouchable. There were photos of him beside politicians, celebrities, even royal heirs. One tabloid called him “The Billionaire Enigma.”

Then I stumbled on another article.

> Andrew Sterling’s Mysterious Love Life: From Models to Heiresses—Who Will Finally Win His Heart?

A collage of photos followed—him with stunning women, all sleek hair and red lips. None of them lasted more than a few months, apparently. Rumors of scandals, secret flings, cold breakups.

“Of course,” I muttered. “Figures.”

I shut the screen off and tossed the phone onto the bed. My chest felt tight again—not because of envy, but because for the first time, I realized just how far apart our worlds were.

To him, I was a nobody. An employee. A mistake that somehow ended up in his orbit.

Still, I couldn’t shake the memory of his voice, the way he’d looked at me that night—half fury, half desire. I hated myself for thinking about it.

I turned off the lamp and pulled the blanket over my head.

“Forget him, Lily,” I whispered into the darkness. “Forget him.”

---

The Next Morning

My alarm blared at six.

For a few seconds, I forgot where I was, until the reality of yesterday came flooding back—Ryan, Sophia’s call, the new job, Andrew Sterling’s face.

I forced myself out of bed, showered, and dressed in a crisp white blouse and beige pencil skirt. My reflection in the mirror looked tired but determined.

“New start,” I told the woman staring back. “No more tears.”

The drive to Sterling Enterprises was nerve-wracking. The glass towers of the company loomed over the city like they owned it—because they did. Everything about the building screamed power.

Inside, the lobby buzzed with morning activity. Polished floors, sleek black suits, the faint scent of expensive coffee. I showed my ID at the front desk, and the receptionist gave me a polite smile.

“Miss Hart? Welcome back. Mr. Sterling requested that all new staff report to the twelfth floor for orientation.”

Requested.

The word sent a shiver through me.

I took the elevator up, trying to steady my breathing. The doors opened to a stunning open workspace—floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the skyline.

“Hey, you must be Lily!”

A cheerful female voice pulled me from my thoughts. A petite brunette waved from a desk nearby. “I’m Grace. Welcome to the madness!”

I smiled. “Thanks. It’s… impressive here.”

“Wait till you meet everyone,” she laughed. “We’ve got the workaholics, the coffee addicts, and the gossip crew.”

I smiled and laughed along with her

***