All Chapters of THE ART OF RUIN: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

LILY'S POV“Hello? Yes, Mrs. Calloway, I’m still here…Sorry, the line cut for a second,” I said, pressing the phone between my shoulder and ear as I rummaged through a drawer for my sketchbook.The wedding planner’s voice crackled through the line, cheerful and rushed. “No problem, dear. I just wanted to confirm your floral arrangement…you mentioned wanting lilies, right?”“Yes….white lilies and maybe a touch of blush roses around the altar…. Liam loves lilies,” I said, smiling unconsciously as I balanced my coffee cup in one hand and a pen in the other.“Oh, how sweet,” she cooed. “And your dress fitting is still this weekend?”“Yes, Saturday morning…my sister will come with me.”“Adira, right?”“The one and only.” I chuckled softly. “She’s more excited than I am…If I let her, she’d probably wear the dress herself.”Mrs. Calloway laughed. “That’s what sisters are for.”I smiled, hanging up after we finalized the details. My apartment smelled faintly of vanilla candles and coffee

LILY'S POV I used to think love was the safest place in the world.I used to think that when you found someone who saw your flaws and still chose you, you could breathe freely, knowing they’d never turn their back on you.That’s what Aiden was to me.Or at least, that’s what I believed.Three years ago, before the art exhibition meeting, I met him the very first time on a rainy Tuesday.I remember because my umbrella broke, and I ran into the nearest café dripping wet and furious. He was there sitting at the corner table, tapping on his laptop, sipping black coffee. He looked up, smiled, and offered me his extra napkin.“You look like you fought the rain and lost,” he said, his voice deep and calm.I laughed, embarrassed. “I think the rain won this round.”That was how it started.He wasn’t rich. In fact, he was struggling.He told me about his dreams… how he wanted to start a tech firm, how he just needed one good break.And I… I believed in him. I helped him draft proposals, e

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 s

LILY'S POV When Ethan left my apartment, I got thinking and I mean a lot of thinking.I knew that I wanted revenge for the humiliation my sister and my ex fiance put me through but what I realized was that Ethan’s quest for revenge seemed higher than mine.I watched his words, actions and intentionality and I couldn't help but wonder if I was making the right decision by choosing to marry him.He wasn't in love with me…obviously but getting married to someone I didn't love was never a part of my plans.After spending almost two hours on my couch deep in thoughts, I decided to freshen up and allow my thoughts to rest for a while.My phone buzzed just as I stepped out of the shower.For a moment, I thought it was Ethan…he always checked on me before leaving his office but not out of concern though.But instead, I saw the name flashing on the screen:MOM.My heart sank.on one hand, my intrusive thoughts just whispered to me to leave the call and talk to her some other time but my consc

LILY'S POV Ethan’s words hung in the air like a heavy cloud.“Come with me…. Stay in my apartment.”For a few seconds, I could only stare at him, still shaken from everything that had just happened. My heart was beating too fast, but not from fear this time…more from confusion.“Ethan…” I finally whispered, taking a step back. “I can’t.”His brows pulled together. “Why not?”“It will get… awkward,” I said honestly. “We just started all this…Moving in together? It’s too fast…too sudden and definitely weird…and also after everything tonight, my head isn’t even clear.”He exhaled slowly, visibly frustrated but trying to be patient. “Lily, I’m not asking you to be my wife tomorrow…I’m just asking you to stay somewhere safe.”“I am safe,” I insisted, even though the sting on my arm said otherwise.“No, you are not,” he countered sharply. “Aiden knows where you live…that bastard has no boundaries…I can’t leave you here alone.”“I’ll lock the doors,” I muttered.“And if he forces his