Chapter 3: My Only One

"Oh my God, Lillian!”

Isabella’s voice cut through the haze just before I hit the ground. Strong arms wrapped around me, steadying my weight.

“Lillian, look at me.”

I blinked slowly, trying to clear the black spots clouding my vision.

“Isa…”

“Thank goodness,” she breathed.

She lowered me gently onto the grass and grabbed the water bottle she’d brought.

“Small sips, okay? Don’t rush it.”

My hands shook as I took the bottle. Behind us, the sharp click of heels walked closer.

“You!” Mom’s shrill voice boomed across the training field. “What are you doing here?”

I looked up. She was glaring daggers at Isabella.

“Didn’t I warn you never to set foot in this house again?”

Isa didn’t even glance at her. She brushed the sweaty strands of hair off my face, her touch gentle. “How are you feeling?”

I shook my head. “My legs…”

“I know,” she said softly. “Just breathe for me.”

“Lady!” Mom’s voice rose. “I’m talking to you!”

Isa finally stood up and turned to face her.

“I’m here to save my best friend from her wicked mother,” she said, rolling her eyes.

Mom gasped. “How dare you!”

She jabbed a finger toward Isabella. “You’ve always been a terrible influence on Lillian. Filling her head with nonsense. If she had listened to me instead of you, maybe she wouldn’t have turned out like… this.”

Her eyes swept over my body with clear disgust.

Isa folded her arms. “Mrs. Smith, please. I’m not here for your daily lecture.” She gestured at me. “What exactly do you think you’re doing? She should be resting for tomorrow’s ceremony, not skipping until she collapses.”

“And what does it look like I’m preparing her for?” Mom shot back, lifting her chin. “The ceremony.”

Isa let out a dry laugh. “No. I’ll take care of her.”

Mom’s eyes narrowed. “And who do you think you are? If I see you near this house again, I’ll get a restraining order.”

Fear gripped me. “Mom… please.” I struggled to my feet. “Isa… just go.”

She stared at me like I’d lost my mind. “Lily…”

“Please,” I whispered.

Isa was the one person I couldn’t afford to lose. We’d been best friends since college, when I’d accidentally walked into the wrong lecture hall on orientation day. While everyone else laughed at me, Isa laughed with me. She was loud, fearless, the captain of the women’s football team, the kind of person who lit up every room. I was the complete opposite: shy, quiet, always second-guessing myself.

She never let me give up. She’d drag me into empty classrooms and make me practice presentations until I could speak without my voice shaking. She saw strength in me long before I ever did.

To my parents, though, she was just a loud-mouthed troublemaker.

“Lily,” Isa said, reaching for my hand. “You can’t keep letting them treat you like this. You’re twenty-five years old.”

“Leave my house!” Mom shouted.

Isa ignored her and looked straight at me. “I came because I knew they’d be working you to death just to impress that Jake guy.”

Mom’s face darkened. “That Jake guy?”

“Yeah,” Isa said flatly. “That jerk.”

I closed my eyes. Isa used to like Jake, she also thought we were the perfect match. But after he started picking at my weight, she hated him. She’d begged me for months to leave him. She didn’t understand that I couldn’t picture my life without him.

“Isa… please,” I begged. “Just go. They’ll be fine.”

“They won’t,” she muttered. But the desperation in my face finally got through.

She sighed. “Fine.”

She pointed a finger at my mother. “But hear me clearly, if anything happens to my best friend, I’ll call the police. Every single one of you will answer for it.”

She gave me one last worried look. “Call me. No matter what time.”

Then she walked away. The second the gate closed behind her, Mom turned on me.

“Didn’t I tell you to stay away from that loud-mouthed girl? She’s always sticking her nose where it doesn’t belong.” She shook her head. “And look at her; so fit, so strong. Yet she refuses to tell you the truth about yourself.”

Tears slipped down my cheeks. “I’m sorry, Mom.”

She crossed her arms. “Fine. I’ll leave you alone. But if Jake chooses one of those skinny girls tomorrow… you’ll answer to me and your father. We will never forgive you if you ruin this.”

The house felt suffocating after she stormed off. I slipped out the back door and headed to the only place that ever brought me any peace; my little garden.

It wasn’t much. Just a few rose bushes along the fence, pots of lavender and jasmine, and bright marigolds and daisies swaying in the evening breeze. I picked up the watering can and slowly watered the flowers. A small smile tugged at my lips.

No matter how broken I felt, this place always quieted the storm in my head.

I’ve loved plants and animals for as long as I can remember. When I was eight, I found a half-dead aloe vera on the side of the road. Everyone else would’ve walked past it, but I noticed the roots were still alive. I took it home, planted it in an old bucket, and watered it every day. Months later, tiny green shoots appeared. That little plant taught me that nothing is truly hopeless. With enough care, even the most withered things can bloom again.

My family never understood. They called it a childish hobby. While I dreamed of opening a sanctuary for rare plants and injured animals, they pushed me to study business administration. “Passions don’t pay bills,” they’d say.

So I buried the dream. Thanks to Jake, I got a job as a project coordinator at one of the Denzel Group companies. It wasn’t what I wanted, but Jake used to smile and promise me, “When I become Alpha, you won’t have to work unless you want to. I’ll build you the biggest greenhouse you’ve ever seen.”

I believed him back then. Now I wasn’t so sure any of it had been real.

I set the watering can down and looked around my little garden. Everything I’d believed in was slowly falling apart.

Tomorrow would decide everything.

Would the Moon Goddess finally bind Jake and me together? Or would tomorrow be the day I lost him for good?

I closed my eyes and whispered into the cool evening air, “Please… don’t take him away from me.”