Chapter 81Lily's povIt’s Monday morning, and I woke up to an empty bed once again. I should have felt used to it by now, but I didn’t. I stood up slowly, the weight of the weekend still pressing down on me. The sun was just beginning to creep through the curtains, but even that didn’t bring me the usual peace. Instead, it only reminded me of the battle that awaited me outside this room. The world outside had become so much harsher in just the span of one day.I wasn’t feeling up to the task of going to the office today. Not after the public embarrassment I’d suffered yesterday. No one had warned me that the simple act of being with Richard—being in love with him—would turn me into a spectacle for the world to watch, dissect, and criticize. I had always imagined the worst scenarios, but the reality had surpassed even my most dramatic fears.I could still hear the laughter, the sneering comments, the flashes of cameras from yesterday. The entire day had felt like I was under a microsc
Chapter 80Lily's pov“"That's strange," I said out loud, still staring at my phone screen."What happened?" Mia asked, shifting beside me on the garden bench."The call just… went dead," I replied, frowning. "Could it be bad reception?"“There’s only one way to find out. Why don’t you call him back?” she suggested gently.Without hesitating, I redialed Richard’s number. My heart gave a tiny leap when it rang again—and then he picked up.“Lily, are you okay?” His voice came through, slightly muffled but clear enough to hear the concern.“Richard, is everything alright?”“Yeah. Don’t worry, there’s just really poor reception where I am right now.” He paused for a moment. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”“You didn’t scare me,” I lied.There was a pause. “Listen,” he said softly, “don’t let the news get to you.”“So you’ve seen it?” I asked, my voice quieter now.“Yes. I’ve seen it,” he confirmed. “But honestly? I don’t care what they say. They don’t know anything about us. You’re with me,
Chapter 79Lily's Pov.The week went by so fast it felt like a blur—mostly because Richard was hardly ever home. He came back late and exhausted almost every night, the weight of something unseen pressing down on him. Some mornings, he was already gone before I even opened my eyes. Still, he never left without a note—short, handwritten ones with “I love you” tucked in like a whisper of reassurance. I clung to them, needing the reminder more than I liked to admit.Something about him had changed lately. It wasn’t just the long hours or his silence. It was the look in his eyes when he thought I wasn’t watching—distant, preoccupied. And though he claimed everything was fine, deep down I knew he wasn’t telling me everything about the situation with the stolen materials from the company. I could feel it in my bones.Today was Saturday, and I had hoped we’d finally have a few quiet hours together. Maybe brunch in the garden, laughter in the kitchen, or just lying on the couch like we used t
Chapter 78Richard's Pov “What the heck just happened?” I asked Max in frustration, staring at the now-blank screen of his laptop.“The son of a bitch just shot me off,” he muttered, rubbing his temples as his fingers hovered above the dead keyboard.“Damn!” I hissed, slamming my palm on the table. The metallic clang echoed through the warehouse like a judge’s gavel.“These guys are crazy good,” Max muttered, shaking his head. “This is my second encounter with them. Same pattern, same tricks. Instant shutdown, clean cut, zero trace.”“So, you're seriously telling me that after nearly three hours of decoding, tracing, and narrowing it all down… we’re back to square one?”“Seems like it, Richie.”I clenched my jaw. The silence that followed felt like it was pressing in on all sides. The warehouse, once filled with the hopeful hum of machines, was now dead quiet.“Come on, let’s take a walk,” Max said suddenly, grabbing his jacket.I frowned. “A walk?”He didn’t respond—just shot me a l
Chapter 77Richard's Pov By the time I got home, it was almost 11:30 p.m. I expected Lily to be fast asleep. As usual, my security guards were alert, standing firmly at their posts. I motioned for them to gather around as I stepped out of the car.“I need all eyes open,” I said in a firm tone. “With the recent developments, I don’t want any surprises. Inform me immediately if there’s even the slightest suspicious movement around here.”“Yes, sir,” they echoed in unison.I gave them a curt nod and headed inside.The house was quiet. When I reached the bedroom, I opened the door gently, expecting to find Lily asleep—but she wasn’t. She was sitting up, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes instantly lighting up when she saw me.“My love, you’re back?”Her voice was soft, filled with relief.“Hey, love,” I smiled, and opened my arms for her. she walked into my arms and leaned into me without hesitation, and for a moment, I allowed myself to forget everything—the stress, the danger, the unknown
Chapter 76Richard's Pov Before I could press him further—who sent him, who he was working for—he was gone.He didn’t run. He vanished. Smooth, practiced. It was the kind of exit that said everything without saying a word.I remained seated, calm on the surface, but mentally filing every detail—his voice, build, tone, the way he scanned the area before delivering his message. He wasn’t a common thug. No, this was someone trained. Controlled. He was delivering a warning on behalf of someone who wanted to stay hidden. And that made this personal.“Hey man,” Max’s voice cut into my thoughts.I looked up. He was already sitting across from me, casual as ever, like he’d been there for minutes. I hadn’t even noticed him walk in. Not ideal. I gave him a nod and sat straighter.“You alright? You look like you’ve just seen a ghost.”“Something like that,” I said coolly, gesturing for the waiter. “Glad you’re here. We’ve got a situation.”Max raised a brow. “What kind of situation?”I leaned f