Chapter 122Lily's pov It's finally happening. I’m getting married to Richard, my forever. It feels like I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this moment, and it is happening. I stood up from the seat opposite the dressing mirror and walked to the window. Lost in thoughts as I flashed back on what happened. A few weeks ago, I thought I would never see Richard or Mia again. I thought I was lost in the depths of my own despair, never to escape the nightmare that had become my reality. But here I am, standing on the edge of a new chapter in my life, and it’s all because of him.It’s hard to even begin to explain how much I’ve been through, but I’ll try. I don’t want to dwell on the darkness that surrounded me for so long, but it feels important to share, just to understand how far I’ve come. I couldn’t believe it when I learned that Mark was the one behind my abduction. I had known him for years—thought I knew him. He was charming, always attentive, always there when I needed him. Until
Chapter 121Richard's pov Two weeks had passed since that fateful night—the night everything I knew changed. I hadn't been able to get my life back on track since. Everything felt off, out of sync. At work, at home, even when I tried to focus, my mind was constantly consumed by one thought: Where is Lily?I was sitting at my desk in the office when the first call came in. Mia’s name flashed on the screen, her name appearing several times in the last few minutes, a mix of concern and urgency in her tone."Richard, I’ve been trying to reach Lily since the last time we spoke, but I keep getting her voicemail. She was supposed to be here with me over thirty minutes ago. I’m starting to get really worried. What’s going on? Have you heard from her?"I jumped to my feet immediately, my heart hammering in my chest. "What? She isn't with you?" I demanded, the dread creeping up my spine."No, Richard, she’s not here yet. I’ve called her phone over and over, but it’s switched off," Mia said, he
Chapter 120Lily's pov The soft glow of the Eiffel Tower still lingered in my mind as I looked back at our unforgettable trip to Paris. It had been everything I had ever dreamed of—romantic, magical, perfect. Richard’s proposal beneath the glowing tower was like a scene from a fairytale. The paparazzi captured every moment, and soon enough, news outlets were plastering our faces all over their platforms. The headline read: The Most Romantic Engagement of All Time at the Eiffel Tower. I had become the envy of women everywhere, and though it felt overwhelming at first, I couldn’t help but bask in the happiness of it all.A week later, after we returned to the state, everything seemed like it was finally settling down. Life was calm, and Richard and I were happy. The chaos of the past few months—Samantha’s betrayal, the near-death experiences—seemed like a distant memory. The peacefulness felt almost surreal.One afternoon, I was meeting Mia at a café for a quick catch-up. She wanted to
Chapter 119Lily's PovLife has been nothing short of peaceful for the past month. Ever since Samantha was found out and everything about her involvement in the ambush came to light, the clouds that had hung over us for so long seemed to have dissipated. We hadn’t heard anything from her or her sister. It was as if they had vanished into thin air, disappearing without a trace. Their faces, their names, were plastered everywhere now—on every “Most Wanted” poster at airports, bus stations, and news outlets.The tension in my life had finally started to ebb away. For the first time in a long while, I woke up in the morning without the weight of fear pressing on my chest. Even Richard seemed to be breathing easier. His company was thriving; the partnerships and investments he had secured since the ordeal began were more than he had ever hoped for at the start of the year.“What do you say about a weekend outing this Friday?” Richard asked as he helped me adjust my dress this morning, his
Chapter 118Richard's pov “You said she wasn’t home when you people went over there?”“Yes, Mr. Lyle,” Detective Morris responded firmly. “I sent two of my best men to her place. They knocked, waited, even looked around, but there was no sign of her. She was gone.”I frowned. “That’s strange. I was just at her place barely an hour ago—and she was home.”Morris blinked. “You sure about that?”“Absolutely,” I said. “She came out to meet me at the door.”He exchanged a quick glance with the officer standing beside him. “She must have gotten wind of something. Probably had eyes on her house and realized she was being watched. She’s making a run for it, sir—but don’t worry. We’ll track her down. Samantha won’t get far.”“See that you do,” I said, my tone low and serious.Morris gave a crisp nod. “Also, sir… Sasha has been cleared. According to our interrogation, she didn’t know Samantha’s full intent. Samantha fed her a lie, used her as a puppet.”I sighed, running a hand through my hair.
Chapter 117Richard's pov I had already drifted off to sleep when Lily’s voice pierced through the stillness of the night, soft but frantic.“Richard… Richard, wake up!”My eyes snapped open to find her sitting upright in bed, the glow of her phone lighting up her face. Her brows were furrowed, and her hand trembled as she held the device.“What’s wrong? Who was that?” I asked, instantly alert.Her voice quivered. “Another one of those calls, Richard. This time, the voice said, I’m not safe… and neither are you.”I sat up quickly, pulling her into my arms. Her body was cold, shaken. I could feel her heartbeat pounding against my chest.“You’re safe, Lily. We both are,” I said firmly, brushing her hair back. “I won't let anything happen to you. Whoever that was, they're just trying to mess with your mind. Don’t let them win.”“But Richard,” she whispered, pulling back slightly to look into my eyes. “What if she is not bluffing? What if she is serious this time? What if she … actually