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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 39
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2025-02-13 23:39:21
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 40
It was a hesitant knock at the door that really jolted Lily from a deep sleep. As her eyelids grew heavy with slumber, she opened them to experience the full weight of her body, almost feeling a thorny headache from last night. The trails of Ina's visit still lingered on her body—smudged lipstick, knotted hair, and the residual taste of liquor and defiance on her skin. But with morning sunlight seeping through windows, she sensed it.The change.The transformation.Ina dissolved.Lily was all that was left.She swallowed, automatically pulling the covers tighter around her. A voice called through the door—soft, courteous, but demanding."Madam Lily," the maid said. "Master Vandaulf and Madam Helena await your presence in the dining hall. Breakfast is served." Lily froze in her tracks on hearing the sound. Vandaulf.She squeezed her eyes shut tight. What had happened the night before washed over her-the argument, his rage, his warning, the way he had glared at her with such anger. Rel
Last Updated : 2025-02-14WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 41
Then Vandaulf leaned back in his chair, looking at her with blank eyes. "From now on," he said carelessly, taking a sip of his coffee, "you'll be going with me to every social event."Lily blinked, surprised. "What?"He set his cup down. "I'm making sure people see you as my wife. Only my wife." His lips twisted slightly. "Call it damage control."Lily's heart pounded. He wasn't asking her. He was telling her.And the worst of it?She couldn't refuse.Helena sighed long and deep, watching the tableau with a mournful stillness. "Perhaps this is a good thing," she murmured. "A new start."Lily held onto her fork rigidly, blanching her knuckles as she forced herself to contain herself. She was on the verge of emotions, and it was not easy to remain composed. A fresh beginning? That was what they were presenting? A gilded cage and suffocating expectations?Vandaulf beside her drank more of his coffee, never a care about how her entire world had been altered under his fingertips. His words
Last Updated : 2025-02-15WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 42
With a soft, airy breathe, Lily turned her gaze to the front. The lesson she had learned was that it was better to break the silence.Nevertheless, she was not going to push him.'".Then she whispered, "You are a bit quiet," with her voice rasping and barely picking up. "And you are abnormally negligent."Vandaulf didn't budge."Still, you're not anywhere," Lily smiled and waited. It's somewhat ostentatious. ".He gazed dark and cold at her, unsure of what they had done. She stroked her brow. "Hey, can you talk to me?!".While Vandaulf laughed dryly, Lily's body crawled. "Can we have a discussion about this?". "I'm wondering what you are calling her. He leaned over her, his head resting on the floor. "He said your name.". He knows something. "."Even though her coolness was masked, Lily's heart gave way.".His teeth were firmly planted. "Do not deceive me." What's the truth?I am not responsible for telling you the truth. ".Vandaulf snorted deeply, his hair all over the place. "Oh my
Last Updated : 2025-02-17WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 43
The car rolled to a stop in front of the Carlston estate, casting long shadows under the dim glow of the outdoor lights due to its towering presence. Thick silence inside the vehicle was unforgiving.Neither Lily nor Vandaulf moved for a moment because both refused to be the first to break the unspoken tension that had been simmering between them all night.With a show of dispassionate indifference, he removed his seatbelt and disembarked; slamming the door shut with an impressive bang that resounded through the dead of night.Lily inhaled through her nose, and kept her actions calm while she walked behind, the heels clicking on the cobblestones.He didn't wait for her.He never did.With his long strides, he was already halfway to the grand front entrance before she caught up with him, but something in the way he stood was different tonight—tense, controlled, angry.Lily pushed the odd burn in her chest down.Why does he care?The front doors swung open before they reached them, the s
Last Updated : 2025-02-19WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 44
Lily felt it.The crush of his regard. The strangling breath of domination.Vandaulf Carlston pervaded everywhere.Wherever she went, whatever she did, he followed. Not as a husband ought to. Not with love or tenderness.Something else entirely.Possession.Punishment.He was not shielding her. He was imprisoning her.And she despised it.The morning was chilly, sunlight streaming through the big windows of the estate. But it did nothing to melt the icy tension between them.Lily had gotten exactly five steps toward the door before she heard it."Going somewhere?"His voice was even, undisturbed—too undisturbed. Like one knife in its scabbard.Lily spun to find him filling the doorway, arms crossed, his piercing eyes watching her every step.She set her jaw. "I didn't know I required your leave to walk outside."Vandaulf stepped out of the doorway, coming forward, slow and methodical. "You don't," he yielded. "But you do need a guardian."Her fists hardened at her waist. "Since when?"
Last Updated : 2025-02-20WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 45
Then, in a single smooth motion, he leaned forward—And picked her up.Lily gasped as her feet were left suspended in the air, Vandaulf's grip tight as he swept her over his shoulder like she was weightless."VANDAULF—""Enough Lily," Vandaulf's growled, striding up the stairs with her.Lily-Ina beat at his back with her fists. "Put me down, you—!" A sharp slap echoed against her thigh.Her breath was stuck in her throat.Lily was stiff.Lily's face burned, a combination of anger and embarrassment for what Vandaulf's doing."You're unbearable Vandaulf," she hissed.Vandaulf's hold did not weaken. "And you Lily," he snarled, "are a goddamn headache."They arrived at her room.With measured strength, he kicked the door open and slammed her onto the bed.Lily sprang up, fury burning in her eyes. "Who the devil do you think you are—"Vandaulf leaned forward, his arms around her."Your husband," he breathed.Lily took a hard breath.For what seemed an eternity of suffocation, they just gla
Last Updated : 2025-02-21WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 46
The instant Vandaulf's steps had vanished from the corridor, anger in Ina burst out like a wildfire.She wheeled, her breath coarse and panting, her fists gripped tight enough to make nails press into the flesh of her palms. Her heart pounded against her ears.He thinks he owns me.He thinks he can order me.She took a cold gasp of air and grasped the first vase—delicate, lace-lined porcelain Helena had brought them with the wedding party—and with a rough bellow, hurled it against the wall.CRASH!The ring of metal ripped through the room, fragments trembling across the slick marble like broken vows.Lily trembled, standing there in front of the wreckage, shaking hands, overflowing with unadulterated emotion.And then, in the quiet of her mind, there was a voice speaking. A gentle voice, restrained hard behind, but firm."Calm down, Ina."Lily.Her other half. The half that still grasped reason, control."We can get past this. Don't let Vandaulf destroy you."Ina took a harsh breath,
Last Updated : 2025-02-22WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 47
The sun came up over the Carlston estate, but its rays did nothing to melt the frost in the air.Lily woke up as Lily.Ina had burned out during the middle of the night, leaving only fatigue behind.A ringing knock on her door jolted her into sitting up."Ma'am," the maid's voice was low but persistent. "Madam Helena and Mr. Vandaulf await in the dining room. Breakfast time."Lily breathed slowly, centering herself. Play the role.Stepping out of her bedroom, she was not Ina, no longer angry. She was the demure, reserved Lily—dominated, refined, submissive.Valeria twirled down the steps like a top, the thick silk floating in her wake. She fought for breath for a moment when she entered the dining room. Vandaulf stood there.Waiting for her. His wide shoulders rested indolently against the doorframe, arms crossed, but his face was anything but calm.His eyes found her at once, scanning, seeking.Lily kept her even stride."Good morning," she said, voice light, neutral.Vandaulf's lip
Last Updated : 2025-02-23
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WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 107
Her eyes lingered.Or the illusion of it, Lily guessed."To your courage," Brenna finished, lifting her glass, "and to your love—may it always be wiser than your fear."No mistaking the gravity of those words. Not for Vandaulf. Not for Lily.They lifted their glasses.And for a while, all was laughter and smooth jazz, candlelight and stolen glances. But under the table, Vandaulf grasped her hand—and when he tightened his fingers, she knew. The question he wasn't asking.Who are you, truly, Lily?For since the hospital, since the truth almost shattered the glass walls between them, he had known something lingered—unspoken. Unhealed.She leaned into him, kissed his cheek, and breathed, "Let's slip away."His eyes widened, surprised, but curious. "To where?"Vandaulf smiled as the emcee's voice boomed mock-seriously through the speakers, breaking the spell between them."Hep hep! The party isn't over yet! Get the couple out to the dance floor again!" he boomed in mock gravity. The crowd
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 106
The officiant smiled at the best man, who produced the rings."Those rings serve as a symbol of the unending circle of love. Let them always symbolize the pledge you have given here today."Vandaulf put the ring on Lily's finger."With this ring, I thee wed."Lily mimicked the gesture, putting the ring on Vandaulf's finger."With this ring, I thee wed."The golden ring shone as Lily's trembling fingers forced it onto Vandaulf's palm. It shone like a promise not sworn in gold but in fire, in tears, in forgiveness. In love that had clawed its way out of devastation.Their palms stayed—his bigger, balancing hers, their fingers intertwining in a grasp that felt the world narrowing to them alone.The officiant smiled, voice rich with fervor."Lily and Vandaulf, before your family and friends, before the spirits which watch over you, you have said the words and performed the rituals that are binding your hearts to each other in marriage. By virtue residing in me—" she smiled lovingly at the
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 105
In the daylight, she was not the one who wore a mask to hide secrets behind her smile.No.She was Lily James.The last of her line.And tomorrow… she would be Lily Carlston.A soft knock echoed against the door."Come in," she said.Brenna entered, bearing a silver tray with a teacup and a plate of calming herbs. "Couldn't sleep either, could you?"Lily turned to her. "No. It's as if it's all too loud. My heartbeat. The silence. The stars outside."Brenna put the tray down on the table and pulled in the chair. "That's how I felt the night before I married your grandfather. Like the entire world knew that I was on the precipice of something enormous.""Was it a good marriage?" Lily whispered, her voice soft. True.Brenna's smile weakened, then smiled again with a weight of remembering in her eyes. "It was. messy. But it was mine. We broke and we fixed. We promised and broke promises. But always we came back to one another." She took Lily's hand. "Love is never kind. Sometimes it comes
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 104
"Seriously," Helena said with a wicked grin, "we were just checking if you two had passed out hugging each other or eloped early."Brenna, stifling her giggles behind a silk handkerchief, contributed, "But this is better. You two are adorably sweet."Lily gently groaned and buried her face in Vandaulf's chest. "They were watching us?"Helena sauntered in, her hand waving. "Not watching. Observing. Appreciating. Lightly judging.""You two are impossible," Vandaulf grumbled, but his lips lifted into a helpless grin.Brenna advanced, wiping a thumb under Lily's tear-stained eye. "Darling, don't cry so much. You'll dehydrate before the ceremony even begins.""I wasn't crying," Lily whispered, obviously lying.Oh, sweetheart," Helena said, chuckling as she stood on her cane. "Don't lie to women who've cried in wedding dresses. We know the blotchy glow.""I should have locked the door," Lily growled."But then we would've missed this perfect little scene," Brenna winked. "The pendant… the v
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 103
The sun poured into the bridal suite in liquid gold, its warm, forgiving light bathed all it touched. Dust motes floated serenely in the beams of light that poured in through the high French windows. Below the chandelier, Lily stood on a minute circular dais, her breath suspended, her gaze locked on the mirror opposite her.The dress glowed as moonlight did—silk and lace embroidered into poetry. It clung to her contours with grace, flowing down her legs like a liquid and lighting up with fire in every move."Stand still, darling," panted the seamstress, bent over Lily's feet. Her fingers flew rapidly, tugging on the hem, pinching intermittently."I am trying," Lily panted, eyes fuzzy, voice quivering. "It just does not seem true."Brenna swept in without knocking, her entrance as gentle as a lullaby. She stood in the doorway, her breath caught."Oh, Lily," she said, placing a hand on her chest. "You look like. you emerged from a dream."Lily moved her head, eyes shining with unshed te
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 102
The post-engagement days were a fantasy woven out of strands of golden sunlight and gentle laughter. The Carlston Estate, foreboding and dark, was now radiant. It pulsed with purpose—florists dashing along hallways with arms loaded with ivory roses, tailors darting to and from with packages of silk draped over their arms, and cooks darting back and forth with taste-test plates that sent fragrant odors wafting through the air. There was laughter once more. There was music. There was hope.And in the midst of it all—Lily and Vandaulf.“You’re breathing too loud,” Lily muttered without looking up from her sketchpad, a pencil tucked behind her ear, the other in her hand, tapping against the paper.“I’m literally just existing,” Vandaulf replied from the couch, watching her from over a stack of fabric swatches. “You’re the one judging ribbon samples like they hold state secrets.”"Yes, they do keep state secrets," she told him sternly, holding two very similar champagne-colored swatches in
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 101
Morning sunlight streamed through the Carlston house windows, bathing the stone floors in a warm golden glow once filled with power, secrets, and tears. But now, the quiet was serene. The war was over. Brigs Carlston had died. The ghosts were serene. And life—sweet, still life—started to take back its space again.At the heart of the estate garden in which sorrow previously grew like weeds, now blossoming roses graced that space.Vandaulf was among them.His eyes also looked for her simultaneously. Lily sat beneath the ancient tree where she had fled from the world. Her dark black hair fell down the sides of her shoulders like ink, and a half-opened journal lay across her lap. She wasn't writing anymore—just sitting with it. Remembering, maybe. Letting go.He swallowed hard. His heart pounded harder, the moment in his chest balancing like gravity."She deserves better," he whispered.“I’d say she deserves everything,” a familiar voice teased gently behind him. Vandaulf whirled, surpr
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 100
James & Monroe Holdings, Boardroom – Friday MorningThe lift moved slowly as if delayed by frost to reach its forty-eight floor. Lily was quite alone. She wore a black turtleneck blouse, a buttoned, cream-colored placket displayed with black trousers.A blazer fit close to her, arms rolled back in a casual fashion to expose the monogrammed cufflinks belonging to her father.Her hair was pulled back in a neat, every inch of her person assembled.Her fingers were shaking.Not out of fear.Out of anticipation.The instant the elevator doors slid open with a gentle chime, the hallway fell silent, as if the building itself acknowledged who now filled its corridors. Assistants looked up from their desks. Phones ceased ringing. Men in suits halted their conversations.The heir had come home.Vandaulf moved beside her in silence, one step behind. He was not here to make speeches on her behalf.He was present to see her reclaim all that had been taken.They approached the dark mahogany doors of
WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK WHERE LIGHT MEETS DARK CHAPTER 99
The gates of the James estate slowly swung open, leading to the curved, winding driveway lined with cypress trees that reached as high as the sky. The morning sun filtered through their leaves, casting golden spangles on the pavement. It was the same. And nothing was the same.Lily stepped out of the dark car, the gravel beneath her boots grinding. Her heart pounded in her chest, loaded with memory and significance. Vandaulf stood behind her in silence, letting her take it all in. It was sixteen years ago.The house stood like a sleeping giant—regal, proud, un touched since the world shattered. Ivy crawled up its stone front, and several of the windows were shrouded in mist, but it was still beautiful. Still hers.Brenna moved out of her way, the wind whipping clumps of her silver hair. "Your father designed every aspect of this house. Every beam, every tile, every windowpane. he wanted it to last for generations."Lily felt a wave of emotions. Tears filled her eyes as she tried to s
