Chapter 38

Ethan’s heart raced as he processed Jack’s words. He glanced at Sarah, whose expression was a mixture of anger and desperation. She was right; they were about to bring a child into the world, and he couldn’t let them be left with nothing. But how could he confront his father without causing more chaos?

“Ethan, you need to make a choice,” Sarah pressed, her voice softer but still laced with urgency. “Are you going to let them dictate your future and your child’s future? Or are you going to fight for what’s right?”

The gravity of the situation weighed heavily on him. He felt torn between his family and the woman he loved, the mother of his child. “I don’t know how to fight them,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “They’re my family…”

“Then you need to find a way,” Sarah urged, her eyes locking onto his. “For us. For our baby. You can’t let them take everything from you without a fight.”

Just then, Lily walked into the room, her presence commanding immediate attention. Every eye turned to her, and the air thickened with tension. Sarah, still fuming from her earlier confrontation with Ethan, narrowed her eyes at Lily as she approached.

“What are you doing here?” Sarah spat, her voice laced with hostility. The anger radiating from her was palpable, and she stepped forward, ready to defend her territory.

But Lily, undeterred, brushed past Sarah without acknowledging her. She walked straight toward Ethan, her expression serious. “Can we talk in private for a moment?” she asked, her tone firm yet calm.

Before Ethan could respond, Jack jumped in, his voice dripping with disdain. “What do you want now? Showing fake concern or just begging him to marry you again? Gold digger woman, you got what you wanted. You've ruined my friend and his girlfriend’s lives since childhood, and now you’re ruining his child’s life too. Such a pathetic bitch. Like a child, you’re still clinging to him, throwing yourself at Ethan to get him back. You never deserved him.”

Lily felt the heat of Jack’s words wash over her, a mix of anger and disbelief coursing through her veins. She had heard enough. The memories of their shared past flashed in her mind, and she felt a surge of defiance swelling within her.

Without a word, she turned and walked toward the display cabinet where Robert kept his gun collection. Her heart raced, but she was resolute. She opened the cabinet and pulled out a shotgun, the weight of it feeling both foreign and empowering in her hands.

“Look who’s talking about being a friend,” Lily shot back, her voice steady and cold. “The one who’s been using Ethan’s kindness for your own gain since the beginning.” She leveled her gaze at Jack, her eyes blazing with intensity. “Friendships shouldn’t come with conditions. You’ve always tried to bully me, and I’ve had enough. I saved Ethan so many times from you, and I won’t let you do that again.”

Jack’s bravado faltered as he took a step back, his expression shifting from anger to fear. “What are you doing?” he stammered, his confidence evaporating.

Lily took a step closer, the shotgun firmly in her grip. “You’re standing on my property now, Jack,” she declared, her voice cold and commanding. “If you don’t get out, I swear I’ll shoot you and bury you in the backyard. You think you can bully me and walk away unscathed? Not anymore.”

Jack’s eyes widened in shock, his bravado completely shattered. “You’re insane!” he spat, his voice trembling as he looked at the weapon in her hands. “You can’t do this!”

“Watch me,” Lily replied, her voice unwavering. “You’ve crossed too many lines, and I won’t let you hurt me or our child again. Get out before I make you regret ever stepping foot in here.”

As chaos erupted around them, Ethan finally found his voice. “Lily, put the gun down,” he angrily demanded.

“This is the only way you’ll understand that I need to stand up for myself. I won’t let anyone—especially him—bully me any longer,” she retorted, her grip on the weapon steady.

“Lily, you’re trying to hurt my friend!” His voice was sharp, filled with frustration.

“Ethan, you know me. You know I would never do anything to get this property,” she shot back, her eyes blazing with a fierce determination. “You should have told them, at least once! You should have taken my side; you should have stood up for me!” Her voice rose, filled with a mix of hurt and indignation. The weight of her words hung in the air, heavy with the unspoken history between them.

Ethan's expression twisted with conflict, his loyalty to his friend clashing with the undeniable truth of Lily's words. He could see the pain etched on her face, the years of feeling sidelined and unappreciated flooding back into his memory. But the gun in her hands made it difficult to reconcile those feelings.

“I’m here to tell you that I’m done,” Lily continued, her voice steady despite the turmoil inside her. “I’ve given you everything, but now I won’t give you a single penny. You need to get out—both you and your friends, including your mistress.” The finality in her tone was unmistakable, a declaration of her intent that reverberated through the room.

Ethan's heart raced as he processed her words. The mention of "mistress" struck a chord, a reminder of the choices he had made and the consequences that followed. He felt the walls closing in around him, the weight of the situation pressing down on his chest.

“Lily, this isn’t just about you and me anymore,” he said, his voice softer now, tinged with desperation. “You’re making this a war, and I don’t want that.

“No, Ethan. You’ve had your chance to stand with me, and you chose to remain silent. Now, it’s time for you to face the reality of your choices. I won’t be a victim any longer.”

Lily stood firm, the gun still in her grasp. Ethan realized that this was not just a fight for property or pride; it was a fight for respect, for identity, and for the right to be heard.

“Get out, Ethan,” she repeated, her voice unwavering. “This is your last chance.”

****