Chapter 42

LILY'S SINISTER PLOT:

I couldn't ignore the unpleasant feeling that had settled in my stomach since Lily returned to my life. The way she persisted in inserting herself into my daily routines, always just seeming to be in the right place at the right time, felt far too calculated, too intentional. As I sat in my office, poring over the most recent quarterly reports, the sound of heels at my door made me tense instinctively. A second later, Lily emerged in the doorway, her scarlet lips twisted into a flirtatious smile. "Arnold, darling," she murmured, entering the room with the grace of a panther. "I was in the neighborhood, and I simply couldn't resist the urge to pop in and see you." I felt the muscles in my jaw tighten as I looked at her, and my grasp on the pen in my palm tightened. "Lily, to what do I owe the pleasure?" I inquired, carefully measuring my voice. She perched on the edge of my desk, her long, delicate legs catching my attention despite my best efforts to avoid them.