Lily paced the length of her room, her steps uneven against the polished floor.
Back and forth.
Back and forth.
Her hands twisted together tightly in front of her, her thoughts spiraling faster than she could keep up with. Something felt wrong.
No.
Not wrong but off.
The man who had arrived earlier… the way he had looked at her… the way her father had reacted, it hadn't been normal.
Nothing about it had been normal.
Her chest tightened as she stopped abruptly near the window, her reflection staring back at her from the glass. She looked pale and uneasy.
Why did she feel like something bad was about to happen?
A knock sounded on her door and Lily froze.
Her entire body went still, her breath catching in her throat as she stared at the door without moving.
Silence followed.
Then another knock, it was sharper this time.
More impatient.
Before Lily could even take a step forward, the door opened without permission and Vivian walked in.
Her heels clicked against the floor, each step precise. A deep frown sat on her face, her sharp eyes locking onto Lily immediately.
"Why didn't you answer the door?" she asked coldly.
Lily swallowed.
"I..." She shook her head instead, unable to find the right words.
Vivian scoffed, clearly unimpressed.
"Of course," she muttered, brushing invisible lint off her sleeve as if Lily's silence had personally offended her.
Then her gaze hardened.
"Your father wants you in his study. Now."
Lily's heart dropped.
The words hit her like a physical blow.
The study.
The only place in the house she dreaded more than anywhere else.
It was never good news when she was called there.
Never.
A small knot of fear twisted in her stomach.
"What… for?" Lily asked quietly.
But Vivian had already turned away.
"don't keep him waiting," she said over her shoulder, her tone dismissive. "He has something important to tell you."
Important.
The word made Lily's unease deepen.
Without another word, Vivian walked out.
Lily stood frozen for a second longer before forcing herself to move.
Her feet felt heavy as she followed.
Each step down the hallway seemed louder than usual, echoing in the silence. She couldn't stop her mind from racing.
Had she done something wrong?
Was this about earlier?
Was it about that man?
They reached the study door.
Vivian didn't knock.
She simply pushed it open and walked in.
Lily followed hesitantly.
Her father stood by the large window, his back partially turned to them. His posture was rigid, his hands clasped behind him.
The moment he turned to look at her, Lily felt her stomach drop.
His expression was serious.
A long sigh escaped him, heavy and impatient.
"You're here," he said flatly.
Lily nodded slightly, her fingers curling into her palms.
"Yes… you called for me?"
There was a pause.
A brief, suffocating silence.
Then...
"You are getting married in a month."
The words landed like a thunderclap.
For a moment, Lily wasn't sure she had heard him correctly.
The world seemed to tilt beneath her feet.
"What…?" she whispered.
Her voice sounded distant and weak.
Her father continued as if nothing had happened, as if he hadn't just shattered her entire reality.
"The date has already been finalized. His family will handle all the wedding preparations. All you need to do is show up and behave properly."
Lily stared at him.
Her mind refused to process what he was saying.
Marriage?
In a month?
No.
No, that wasn't possible.
"You should start preparing immediately," he added, his tone businesslike. "There's no time to waste."
Lily turned slowly toward Vivian.
Her stepmother stood calmly by the side, her arms folded, her expression composed.
That was when Lily understood.
Vivian had known.
Of course she had.
Everyone knew.
Everyone except her.
The realization burned.
"You should also begin sorting your things..." her father continued.
"What do you mean I'm getting married?"
The words burst out before she could stop them.
Her voice shook, but there was anger beneath it now.
Real anger.
She took a step back, shaking her head.
"No," she said firmly. "No, I'm not doing that."
A deep frown immediately settled on her father's face.
"Your opinion doesn't matter," he said coldly.
Lily's breath hitched.
"You will marry Adrian Roth. This is an opportunity most people would beg for. You should be grateful."
Grateful?
Her hands trembled at her sides.
"I'm not..."
"It's the only thing you can be useful for," he continued harshly, cutting her off. "Since you've proven to be utterly useless otherwise."
The words struck deep.
"And just like your mother..."
Lily flinched.
Her chest tightened painfully, her vision blurring for a moment.
How could he say that?
How could he speak about her mother like that?
He was the one who had hurt her.
He was the one who had destroyed everything.
"I'm not doing it," Lily said again, her voice breaking despite her effort to stay strong. "It's my life."
Her eyes burned with unshed tears.
Across the room, Vivian watched quietly.
Amused and detached.
As if this entire situation was entertainment.
Her father's face darkened with anger.
Before he could respond, Vivian stepped forward smoothly.
"Honey," she said gently, placing a hand on his arm. "She's just in shock."
Her voice was soft and convincing.
"She'll come around," Vivian added with a small smile. "I'll make sure of it. You don't need to worry."
Lily let out a bitter scoff.
That was it.
She couldn't stand it anymore.
Not the lies.
Not the control.
Not the way they spoke about her life like it belonged to them.
Without another word, she turned and walked out.
Fast.
Her vision blurred as tears finally spilled down her cheeks.
She didn't stop walking until she reached her room.
The door slammed shut behind her.
The sound echoed loudly in the silence.
Lily pressed her back against it, breathing heavily.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest.
Married.
In a month.
To Adrian Roth.
The name echoed in her mind.
Adrian Roth.
It sounded familiar.
But she couldn't place it.
And right now, that didn't matter.
None of it mattered.
She wiped her tears quickly, forcing herself to think.
Clearly and logically.
There was only one option.
She had to leave.
A shaky breath escaped her as the decision settled in.
She should have done this a long time ago.
She couldn't stay here.
She wouldn't let them control her life like this.
Not anymore.
Moving quickly, she grabbed her phone and her purse.
Her hands trembled slightly, but she ignored it.
She just needed to get out.
Fast.
Before anyone stopped her.
Her gaze flickered briefly toward the window, then back to the door.
She would have taken one of the cars...
But Vivian had never allowed her to have one.
At the time, Lily had thought it was just control.
Now…
It felt intentional.
Like Vivian had always been preparing for this moment.
Lily walked toward the door.
Her hand hovered over the handle.
She hesitated.
Just for a second.
Where would she go?
Her father wouldn't let this go easily.
He would find her.
She knew that.
She needed somewhere safe.
Somewhere hidden.
Her grip tightened.
She couldn't think about that now.
She just had to move.
Lily opened the door slightly and peeked into the hallway, it was empty.Good.
She stepped out quietly, closing the door behind her.
Her heart pounded as she moved quickly down the hall.
She kept her head down when two maids passed by, forcing herself to walk normally.
Not too fast.
Not too slow.
They glanced at her briefly.
Then at each other.
But said nothing.
Lily didn't look back.
She kept walking.
Kept moving.
Straight toward the exit.
Behind her, the maids slowed.
"…Did you see that?" one whispered.
The other nodded.
They exchanged a look.
Then turned and hurried in the opposite direction.
Straight to the housekeeper.
—
"Should I stop her?"
Joan, the housekeeper, stood with her hands clasped neatly in front of her, waiting for instructions.
Vivian stood by the hallway window, looking out.
From her position, she could clearly see Lily walking toward the gates.
Alone, desperate.
Trying to escape.
A slow smile curved Vivian's lips.
Finally.
This was exactly what she had been waiting for.
"No," Vivian said calmly.
Joan blinked in surprise.
"Madam?"
Vivian's eyes remained fixed on Lily's retreating figure.
"Let her go," she said softly.
There was something unsettling in her tone.
"Wait a while before informing my husband."
Joan hesitated for a brief moment.
Then nodded.
"Yes, Madam."
She turned and walked away.
Vivian didn't move.
Didn't blink.
She simply watched.
As Lily stepped closer to the gates.
Closer to freedom.
Or at least…
What she thought was freedom.
"This should be fun," Vivian murmured under her breath.
Her smile deepened....