Chapter 2

Lillian's POV

Stepping out of my room, I noticed Victoria walking in the hallway. When she saw me, she greeted me with a sweet smile.

"Good morning, Lillian," she said.

Returning her smile, I replied, "Good morning, Victoria."

We hadn't had a proper conversation the previous night, as we were both busy entertaining guests.

"Just call me Mom, Lillian," she suggested. I shook my head, disguising my true feelings towards her with a warm smile.

"I'd rather call you by your name. You're not yet married to my dad, so I don't see any reason to call you Mom," I politely responded. However, she seemed offended upon hearing my words.

Her smile disappeared, and she muttered, "I'm sorry."

I maintained my smile and walked away, heading towards the kitchen, leaving her bewildered in the hallway.

Entering the kitchen, I saw my father at the dining table, engrossed in reading a newspaper, oblivious to my presence.

Approaching him, I kissed him on the cheek.

"Good morning, Dad," I greeted him.

He glanced at me and replied, "Good morning. Where is your Mom?" Instead of inviting me to join him for breakfast.

"I haven't seen her," I lied, then took a seat beside my father.

"Good morning," Victoria suddenly appeared, walking towards my father and kissing him on the cheek. His smile in response was something he didn't do when I greeted him.

I clenched my utensils tightly to suppress the anger and jealousy that boiled inside me.

"Good morning, Lillian," Victoria greeted me with another smile.

I took a deep breath and forced a smile in return. "Good morning, Victoria," I replied as if we hadn't already exchanged greetings earlier.

"Lillian, your Mom will use that seat," my father said, confusing me with his statement.

Perplexed, I looked at him, wondering what he meant.

I want to let out a sarcastic laugh, but I stop myself. Instead, I put on a smile and nod before standing up and moving to a seat one chair away from my father.

Victoria took my usual seat, and it felt as if I was being pushed aside. Nonetheless, I remained composed, acting as though I was fine with everything.

"Do you have any plans today, love?" my father asked, his gaze fixed on Victoria.

She nodded. "I have a community visit later," she paused, turning her head to me.

"Do you want to come, Lillian?" she asked. They anticipated my answer, so how could I say no?

"Of course, I would love to come," I replied sweetly, concealing my annoyance toward this woman.

Throughout breakfast, they continued discussing their plans for the day. Victoria tried her best to include me in their conversation, but nothing changed—I still felt invisible, and I still despised her for intruding on my family.

After breakfast, I decided to stay in my room and paint random things. When I got bored, I gathered all my drawing materials and headed to the garden.

"Ma'am, what would you like to eat for lunch?" Rose, one of our servers, asked.

"Fettuccine Alfredo," I answered absentmindedly, my focus on the canvas before me.

"Should I bring it here, Ma'am?" Rose asked.

I looked at her and nodded. "Yes, Rose. Thank you," I replied, smiling at her before dismissing her.

When I found myself alone in the garden, I once again gazed at the canvas, contemplating what I wanted to draw.

And then, Marcus' face came to mind.

His piercing blue eyes, reminiscent of an endless ocean. His tall, perfectly sculpted nose. His strong, chiselled jawline, adorned with a hint of stubble, exuded a rugged and masculine charm. His hair flawlessly styled, giving him an air of intelligence... and his soft lips contrasted with his strong features.

As I looked back at the canvas, my eyes widened with surprise. It was no longer empty.

Unconsciously, my hand had painted Marcus' face, as if guided by a life of its own.

"What are you doing?"

His voice startled me, causing me to flinch. In a panic, I hastily threw the canvas, then spilt paint on it to hide the fact that I drew Marcus, before swiftly turning around.

"N-Nothing," I stuttered, but behind a sweet smile, I concealed the nervousness I was feeling.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his face filled with concern. I nodded my head.

"Y-Yes," I assured him.

He stared at my face intently, as if searching for something. After a moment, he took a step closer, and I stood frozen in place, watching him approach.

Lowering his head to meet my gaze, he looked directly into my eyes and gently cupped my face. At that moment, I instinctively closed my eyes, anticipating a kiss, but it never came.

"You have paint on your face," he said, and I felt his thumb softly brushing against my cheek.

Embarrassed, I opened my eyes, and as I looked at him again, I couldn't hold his gaze. I pushed him away and took a step back.

"W-Why are you here?" I asked, avoiding eye contact.

"Your father called for me to discuss his new project," he answered, but it wasn't the response I had hoped for.

I lifted my head to meet his gaze.

"No, I mean why are you here in the garden?" I clarified, eager for an answer.

"Mom's looking for you. You're leaving in an hour for a community visit," he replied, and I nodded my head.

"Okay," I replied, ready to walk away, but then he called out to me.

"Aren't you going to clean up your mess?" he asked.

"I'll ask Rose to clean it up for me," I replied, and upon hearing my response, a mocking laugh escaped from his lips.

"What?" I asked, taken aback by his laughter.

Marcus shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

"Nothing. I just forgot that you're a Hawthorne. You have people to do things for you," he said, his words laced with sarcasm.

"You'll become a Hawthorne too, and then you won't have to lift a finger because you'll have people to do things for you," I sarcastically retorted.

"No wonder there are people who would do anything to be part of this family," I added, looking at him pointedly before walking away.

I made my way to my room, feeling the stickiness of the paint, I decided to take a quick bath.

An hour later, I emerged from my room, ready to leave.

I began looking for Victoria.

In the living room, I spotted Victoria seated on a couch, engrossed in conversation with our family designer, Olivia.

"Preparing for the wedding?" I inquired.

Victoria looked at me and smiled.

"Yes, Lillian. Once we're done with the community visit, maybe you can help me choose my wedding gown," she suggested, and I nodded my head, smiling in response.

"Of course, Mom," I replied, using the term that surprised and delighted her simultaneously.

"You two have a great relationship, I can see it," Olivia commented, and I turned my head towards her, nodding in agreement.

"Victoria has been Daddy's secretary for so long, so connecting with her wasn't difficult," I explained, glancing at Victoria. I held her hand and smiled warmly.

"She's a wonderful woman, and I'm genuinely happy that she's finally gotten what she desires—to be with my Dad," I expressed sincerely, never breaking eye contact.

Although I could sense Victoria's discomfort in my response, she chose to conceal it with a smile.

Victoria then turned to Olivia.

"I think we should be going, Olivia," she said.

Olivia graciously nodded and allowed us to depart.

Victoria and I stepped into the car, where a heavy atmosphere seemed to engulf us.

"Lillian, are you upset that I'm marrying your Dad?" Victoria asked.

I looked at her and shook my head.

"No, Victoria, I'm not," I said, offering her a sweet smile.

Victoria gazed at me intently, then reached for my hand, smiling back at me.

"I know everything has happened suddenly. I never expected your Dad to propose to me after winning the election," she explained, trying her best to clarify how things unfolded.

Smiling as if I understood her completely, I replied, "I completely understand, Victoria," and released her hand, turning my attention to the view outside.

I stared out the window, finding solace in the scenery, rather than engaging in conversation with Victoria.

After an hour of driving, we arrived at our destination. I let out a deep breath and flashed my sweetest smile before stepping out of the car. Excited kids ran towards me, and I knelt to see their faces. My fake smile turned into a genuine one when I saw them smiling warmly at me. I hugged each of the children, feeling the comfort and warmth that I longed for, a feeling I wished I could have towards my father, my only family.

"We brought gifts for all of you," I announced, and their cheerful cheers filled the air.

After a while a woman approached me, guiding me towards a hall where parents and children had gathered. Victoria and I sat at the front, smiling at everyone. Victoria delivered her speech, and then she started distributing food while I focused my attention on the kids. I taught them how to draw and played games with them. It was tiring but also fun.

When the clock struck five, we decided to leave and headed back to the White House.

"You looked happy while playing with the kids, Lillian," Victoria remarked before I enter my room.

I looked at her and simply nodded my head.

"Thank you for today," she said.

"You're welcome," I replied before stepping inside the room.

I made my way to the bathroom, feeling sticky and realizing that I smelled like sweat. A quick bath was necessary before joining them for dinner.

After finishing my shower, I headed to the kitchen, eager to have dinner. However, the meal was still being prepared.

"Do you want help, Martha?" I offered.

Martha looked at me and shook her head. "Just sit, Lillian. I'll be done soon," she said, but I didn't listen.

I joined her in preparing our dinner, lending a hand.

"How was the community visit?" Martha asked.

"It was fun. I taught the kids how to draw, and we played some games," I responded, a smile on my face.

Martha smiled at me. "I'm glad you're smiling again," she said.

I looked at her, my forehead creased with confusion at her statement.

"I'm always smiling, Martha," I replied.

Martha gazed at me intently. She knew me better than anyone. Being there for me since my mother's passing when I was seven, she had raised me as her own and understood me deeply. I couldn't lie to her.

"I just can't accept that Dad is marrying Victoria. He didn't even bother to ask me if I'm okay with it," I said, the pain evident in my voice.

Martha pulled me into a tight hug, gently caressing my back.

"I feel betrayed," I said, tears streaming down my face. Finally, I let out the emotions I had been suppressing.

Martha held me until I calmed down, then released me, looking into my eyes.

"Don't join them for dinner. I know you don't want to see their faces," she said, walking to the pantry. After a while, she returned carrying a bottle of wine.

"Your favourite," she said, offering it to me.

I kissed her on the cheek. "Thank you, Martha," I said, then stormed out of the kitchen and headed towards the pool area, clutching the wine bottle.

Sitting at the edge of the swimming pool, I dipped my feet into the cold water and opened the wine bottle. Taking a sip, I gazed at the moon, finding solace in its glow and the twinkling stars.

Martha had always told me that whenever I missed Mom, I should look at the sky because she was watching over me. I used to believe as a child, that my mom was truly watching from above. As I grew older, I slowly realized that Martha was just saying it to comfort me, but I still looked at the sky. Even though it was a lie, it brought me comfort and eased my longing.

"I was right, you're here," I flinch when I heard Alexander's voice. I turned my head and watched him approach.

Alexander removed his shoes and rolled up his slacks before sitting beside me, dipping his feet into the pool.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his voice.

Just like Martha, Alexander could read me. He could tell whether I was okay or not because he was always there by my side.

"I'm just upset about how things turned out," I replied, taking another sip of wine.

"About your father marrying Victoria?" he inquired. I looked at him and nodded.

"I hate Dad," I confessed, tears streaming down my face.

"How can he replace Mom?" I asked, my voice filled with pain and betrayal.

Alexander cupped my face, wiping away the tears gently.

Alexander looked into my eyes, and we locked gazes for a few seconds. Then he began leaning closer.

My heart pounded loudly in my chest, and when our lips met, I froze in place.

Unable to move, I watched as Alexander pulled away.

"I'm sorry," he said, then walked away, leaving me dumbfounded.

"Secret Scandal Unveiled: President's Perfect Daughter Lillian Hawthorne Engages in Illicit Affair with Vice President Alexander Montgomery," Marcus's voice startled me. I lifted my head and saw him looking at me, wearing a smile.

"Sounds like a great headline, don't you think?" he asked.

Tears continued to fall as I looked at him.

From the moment he appeared, I knew he would be my nemesis.