Chapter 42
Keith’s POV
Lily came up to me, her expression distracted. She leaned in, lightly touching my arm. “Keith, I need to step away for a bit. There are a few important people I need to speak with.”
I nodded, though my mind was far from the evening’s events. “Sure, take your time.”
She gave me a quick smile and walked away, her heels clicking against the marble floor. But as soon as she was out of sight, my thoughts drifted back to Emily and the conversation we’d had earlier. Her words echoed in my mind, swirling around like a storm I couldn’t escape.
“Lily lied to you, Keith.”
Had Lily really lied to me? I had been completely trusting her, believing everything she said, even when it didn’t make sense. Was I so blinded by my feelings that I hadn’t seen the truth?
I started walking, not entirely sure where I was heading, but with each step, my thoughts became heavier. I needed answers, needed to find Lily and figure out what was real and what was just manipulation. I passed through the hallways, searching for her, my mind a whirl of confusion
and doubt.
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And then, in one of the smaller halls, I saw them–Lily and Emily. They were standing close, deep in conversation, completely unaware of my presence. I ducked behind a nearby column, hesitant but curious, and decided to listen. I had to know what was really going on.
Lily’s voice was cold, dripping with her usual disdain for Emily. “You might be the founder of this whole thing, and you might have all this wealth now, but it doesn’t change the fact that everyone still hates you. Look around, Emily. No one here cares about you. And as for Keith? He’s mine. Always has been, always will be. So, do us both a favor and stay the hell away.”
Emily stayed silent at first, her expression calm, almost bored. But Lily wasn’t done. She stepped closer, eyes narrowing. “You can pretend all you want, but we both know why you’re here. I saw you with Keith on the balcony, talking to him, getting into his head. Do you really think I don’t see what you’re trying to do? You want him back.”
Emily finally spoke, her voice quiet but firm. “I don’t want Keith, Lily. I’m not looking for him, and I’m certainly not interested in taking him away from you. I don’t need him.”
Lily laughed, a cruel, bitter sound. “You expect me to believe that? Please. You’re nothing but a desperate woman clinging to whatever scraps. you can get. And that’s why I had to step in, why I had to show Keith who you really are.”
Emily’s eyes darkened, a flash of anger breaking through her calm.
demeanor. “Is that why you lied? Pretended I hit you? Told Keith all those things just to make him hate me?”
Chapter 42
Lily didn’t even flinch. In fact, she looked proud. “Why shouldn’t I? It worked, didn’t it? He believed me, like he always does. You see, Emily, you’ll never win. You’ll always be second to me.”
The truth hit me like a punch to the gut. She had lied. All this time, I had believed Lily over Emily, had chosen to side with her, never once
questioning her version of events. My mind raced, guilt flooding in. How had I not seen it before?
Emily’s voice brought me back to the present. “You’ve been manipulating him from the beginning, haven’t you? Blinding him to everything that’s real. I wasn’t blinded by you, Lily. Keith was. And now, you’re just showing him how cruel you really are.”
Lily crossed her arms, a smirk playing on her lips. “Keith isn’t blinded by anything. He’s with me because he knows where he belongs. And once- we’re married, Zane will be out of the picture, too. I’ll make sure of it.”
My blood ran cold as I heard those words.
Emily stiffened, her calm slipping. “What did you just say?”
Lily smirked, her tone as sharp as ever. “Oh, did you forget already? Once Keith and I are married, Zane’s off to boarding school. That brat’s nothing but a burden, and trust me, you won’t be seeing him anymore. I mentioned you’d get to see him twice a year, didn’t I? Well, guess what? Even that’s off the table now.
The air left my lungs as the full weight of what Lily was saying sank in.
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My son… she wanted to send my son away. How could she be so cruel? My heart pounded in my chest, and I realized I had to step in.
Before Emily could respond, I stepped out from behind the column. “That‘ s enough, Lily.”
Both of them turned, startled. Lily’s face went pale as she realized I had heard everything. “K–Keith,” she stammered, “I didn’t mean—”
“Don’t,” I cut her off, my voice cold. “I heard everything.”
Emily looked at me for a moment, then turned and walked away, leaving me alone with Lily. The air between us was thick with tension. I took a step toward her, my hands clenched into fists at my sides. “Did you lie to me? About Emily hitting you? About everything?”
Lily’s eyes widened, her confidence slipping. “Keith, I-”
“Tell me the truth, Lily!” I shouted, unable to contain the anger that had been building inside me for weeks. “Did you lie?”
For a moment, she looked like she might deny it, but then her shoulders slumped. “Yes,” she whispered. “Two weeks ago, I insulted Zane. I said something terrible, and Emily slapped me. I made it seem worse than it was because… because I didn’t want to lose you.”
I felt the floor fall out from beneath me. All this time, I had been manipulated, led to believe that Emily was the problem, that she was the one who had wronged me. But it had been Lily. She had twisted
Chapter 42
everything, made me doubt the mother of my child, all because of her jealousy and spite.
“You’ve become mean,” I said, my voice trembling with emotion.
“Vicious. Selfish. And I don’t even recognize the person I once loved. We‘ re finished, Lily.”
Tears welled up in her eyes as she reached for me. “Keith, please, I didn’t mean-”
- 1.
I stepped back, avoiding her touch. “No more lies. No more manipulation. We’re done.”
And with that, I turned and walked away, leaving her standing there, shattered. But the real pain was knowing that I had allowed myself to be blinded for so long, and now I had to live with the consequences of the truth.
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