CHAPTER FIVE

LILY'S POV

Forgiveness.

It’s funny how that word can taste so sweet on the tongue and still burn in the heart.

Everyone thinks forgiveness means peace, but sometimes, it’s just the quiet before the storm.

Three weeks had slowly passed since the night everything came crashing down.

Adira had moved back into my mother’s house, quiet and pale, avoiding me like I was a ghost.

Aiden, on the other hand, hadn’t stopped calling, texting, showing up begging for another chance.

I had a plan now.

A silent, beautifully crafted plan that even Aiden couldn’t see coming.

And at the heart of it… was Ethan.

Ethan, Adira’s ex-fiancé..the man who knew exactly how betrayal tasted.

The man who, like me, had loved and been destroyed by the same people.

Together, we had built a pact: to make them feel the sting of every wound they left on us.

And what better way to do that… than to do it with a smile?

The family dinner was my idea.

My mother had been begging for peace.

“Lily, my daughter, you and your sister can’t go on like this…we’re family. Families fight and forgive.”

So, I agreed.

I told her I’d forgiven Adira.

That I was ready to move on.

She cried, hugging me.

“You have such a good heart, Lily.”

If only she knew.

The evening came like a slow play..everyone dressed their best, pretending nothing had ever gone wrong.

Adira wore a soft pink dress, her hair curled neatly.

She avoided my eyes but smiled stiffly when I walked in.

Aiden sat at the far end of the dining table, nervous but trying to look confident.

My mother was glowing with relief.

“Ah, this is how I want my girls.. peace, not tears. Let love lead, my children.”

I smiled faintly, the perfect picture of calm.

“Of course, Mama.”

I didn’t even flinch when Aiden’s gaze met mine.

He stood, walked over, and pulled out a chair beside him.

“I saved your seat,” he said softly.

I sat.

The smell of his cologne almost made my stomach twist … it used to remind me of comfort; now it reminded me of betrayal.

He leaned closer.

“You look beautiful, Lil…I missed you.”

I smiled slightly.

“Thank you, Aiden.”

His eyes brightened, like a man who’d just been given another chance.

Dinner went on quietly.

The air was thick with forced laughter and hidden pain.

Then, when the plates were cleared and the wine glasses filled again, Mama stood up with a grin.

“Now that the storm is over,” she said,

“I want my daughters to promise me peace…Let’s start afresh as one family.”

Adira’s lips trembled.

“Mom… I’m sorry… I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again… Lily, I know I can’t undo what I did, but if you can forgive me…”

I reached across the table and took her hand gently.

“I forgive you, Adira.”

Her eyes widened, tears immediately spilling over.

“You… you do?”

I nodded.

“We’ve both been through pain…Maybe it’s time to let it go.”

Mama clapped her hands, smiling through tears.

“Ah, thank you! My daughters are one again!”

Aiden reached for my hand under the table and squeezed it.

“You have no idea how happy this makes me,” he whispered.

I turned my face slightly toward him, smiling just enough.

“I told you, Aiden. I’m done holding grudges.”

He exhaled in relief, his shoulders relaxing.

I could almost feel the weight lifting off him … he thought he had me back.

He thought my forgiveness was his redemption.

And that was the beauty of it.

Because he had no idea what was coming next.

The doorbell rang midway through dessert.

“Who could that be at this hour?” My mother asked.

I rose calmly, smoothing my dress.

“Don’t worry, Mom… I invited him.”

When I opened the door, Ethan stood there tall, composed, devastatingly confident in a dark suit.

His eyes met mine briefly, and for a second, the world felt still.

Everyone in the room went silent.

Aiden froze as Adira’s spoon dropped.

“Ethan? You came??” Mama whispered, surprised.

I was more surprised and excited that my Mother knew him…makes the whole thing easier.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said politely, his voice deep and even.

“I came because Lily asked me to.”

Aiden’s jaw tightened.

“Why would you invite him?”

I turned to him, still smiling.

“Because forgiveness, Aiden, is for everyone….Don’t you agree?”

He didn’t answer.

He just watched as Ethan walked in, greeting everyone with an easy calm that filled the room.

Adira looked like she’d seen a ghost.

Her hands were shaking.

“Ethan, I…I didn’t know you were coming.”

He smiled faintly.

“I’m sure you didn’t.”

Mama motioned for him to sit.

“Join us, son! We’re celebrating healing.”

Ethan’s eyes flicked toward me for a second before he said,

“Actually, ma’am, I came for something else.”

The air shifted.

Everyone turned to him as he stepped around the table and stopped beside me.

I felt my heart pound not in fear, but in power.

The plan was unfolding exactly as we designed it.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box.

And just like that, the room went still.

Adira stood abruptly.

“What the hell are you doing, Ethan?”

Ethan ignored her.

His voice was calm, low, and deliberate.

“Lily,” he said, kneeling down before me, “you’ve shown grace where others would have chosen vengeance…You’ve carried pain with dignity….You deserve love that heals, not love that breaks.”

My breath caught even though it was all part of our plan, hearing it aloud sent shivers down my spine.

He flipped the box open.

A diamond ring sparkled under the warm lights.

Gasps filled the room.

My mother covered her mouth and Adira’s eyes widened, trembling.

Aiden looked like he’d just been hit by a truck.

“Lily Myles," Ethan said softly, his gaze locking with mine.

“Will you marry me?”

The world went silent.

Aiden’s voice broke it.

“What…what is this? Lily, you’re mine! We’re supposed to…”

I turned slowly, my eyes meeting his.

For the first time since everything happened, I smiled… not the broken kind, but the kind that said checkmate.

“I told you I forgave you, Aiden,” I said quietly.

“I never said I’d forget.”

He stumbled back, pale, trembling.

Adira looked between us, tears streaming down her face.

“Ethan, what are you doing??”

Ethan didn’t even look at her.

His gaze stayed on me.

“Lily?”

The room was spinning with shock, gasps, and disbelief.

And I…

I looked down at the man who once belonged to my sister…the same man who now held the key to my perfect revenge.

I let my lips curve into a soft, haunting smile.

“Yes, Ethan…I will marry you.”