Broken promises: When the smile fades

Chapter 4

After Lily Thompson left, he immersed himself in the tedious work of the new merger case. Although he wasn't truly focused on the merger and acquisition case, he used the opportunity to keep himself occupied and distract his mind from thoughts of Lily Thompson, who had once stirred his heart but now filled him with resentment.

"Then go buy it, what brand can't you find out?" William "Will" Anderson's voice carried a hint of impatience.

The life assistant was taken aback by his words, secretly frustrated. If they could identify the brand of the essential oil, why would they be discussing it here? With a bitter expression, the assistant carefully replied, "Sir, I've consulted a professional. That essential oil was personally blended by Miss Lily Thompson herself. We don't have the recipe, so if you want to purchase it, you may need to contact Miss Thompson."

Assistant Alex Carter's face turned pale upon hearing this. Aware of the unresolved tension between William "Will" Anderson and Lily Thompson, mentioning her now was like poking a hornet's nest. He quickly tried to defuse the situation and prevent any further provocation.

However, William "Will" Anderson merely furrowed his brow before calmly saying, "No need, no need to contact her."

"Yes, sir!" The life assistant replied, visibly relieved.

Observing this, Assistant Alex Carter hastily ushered the assistant out of the office, fearing any further remarks might trigger William "Will" Anderson's ire.

After attending to his work, William "Will" Anderson declined invitations from friends and Sarah Johnson. He couldn't explain his decision, feeling as though some unseen force guided him. Ghostly, he retrieved his car keys and drove back to Plum Garden.

Plum Garden, the home he and Lily Thompson had designed together, held memories in every blade of grass, tree, and building. Although William "Will" Anderson had moved away five years prior, Lily Thompson remained, as if the place had become a timeless prison, preserving their shared past.

With Lily Thompson now also removed by his force, the place was gradually becoming deserted. In just one month, it felt like a dead land.

Dead land...

This thought pierced William "Will" Anderson's heart, leaving him inexplicably irritable.

After a moment, William "Will" Anderson dialed Assistant Alex Carter's phone. "Arrange for someone to take care of Plum Garden. Apart from daily cleaning and maintenance, nothing inside is to be disturbed."

Assistant Alex Carter had another heart-stopping moment, quickly replying, "Yes, sir. Any other instructions?"

There was a brief silence from William "Will" Anderson before he said, "No, that's all. I'm hanging up."

As he ended the call, William "Will" Anderson remained in the car. With determination, he reversed and drove away, as if fleeing from some lurking demon at Plum Garden.

The essential oil provided by the assistant soon ran out, but without a means to contact Lily Thompson, they could only analyze a sample and attempt to replicate it.

At night, William "Will" Anderson returned to his apartment, his body weary. Despite completing all remaining tasks, sleep eluded him a rarity.

He sensed the change in the essential oil's scent. Though subtle, it unsettled him, like the quiet spinning of silk by spring silkworms, each thread entwining his heart.

This unease was fragile, easily dispelled with a gentle tug. Standing up, he drew back the curtains, greeted by the city's lights shimmering like distant stars lonely amidst the bustle, yet clear and bright, as if imparting a message.

A fleeting notion struck him a vision of a city ablaze with lights, each gleam for others, leaving none for him. Momentarily touched by despair, he quickly chuckled at his own folly, dismissing such thoughts as childish.

He rose, leaving sentiment behind, and delved into his work. Time slipped through his fingertips, and when he next looked up, dawn had already broken. Carefully reviewing and sending one email after another, he then freshened up, showered, donned a decent suit, and once again became the impeccable Mr. Anderson.

Day after day, William “Will” Anderson operated like a precise and accurate machine. His work, life, and friendships remained meticulously organized, as usual.

However, Assistant Alex Carter, who interacted with him the most, keenly detected a change in William “Will” Anderson.

The once-renowned business elite, known for his focus and efficiency, now seemed frequently distracted in his work. Once, he was fully immersed in his tasks, with his personal cell phone nearly forgotten in a corner.

But now, every so often, he couldn't resist picking up his phone to check incoming calls and messages. From an occasional glance every few hours, he now checked it almost every hour.

William “Will” Anderson himself might not have realized this shift, but Assistant Alex Carter observed it clearly. He understood what William “Will” Anderson was waiting for.

This realization left Assistant Alex Carter feeling very anxious. He knew the blow William “Will” Anderson would suffer once that secret was exposed.

Assistant Alex Carter carried this secret like a ticking time bomb. He understood that if the truth were to come out, he would be caught in an impossible situation. Therefore, he was determined to keep the secret at any cost, even if it meant risking his life.

After a cross-continental video conference, William “Will” Anderson appeared exhausted.

Rubbing his brow in an attempt to dispel his weariness, William “Will” Anderson's heavy auburn eyes betrayed his fatigue. Observing this, Assistant Alex Carter spoke cautiously, "Sir, the dark circles under your eyes are quite pronounced, and you seem very tired. Why not take a two-day break to rest and recuperate?"

William “Will” Anderson looked up at him and responded lightly, "No need, I feel fine now."

"But you ..." Assistant Alex Carter wanted to offer further advice, but William “Will” Anderson raised his hand to interrupt him.

"No buts." William “Will” Anderson's voice was firm and strong. "I said I feel fine."

Although William “Will” Anderson still appeared competent and refined on the surface, Assistant Alex Carter could see the exhaustion and heaviness behind the facade.

His hair remained dark and neat, his collar buttoned up in a disciplined manner, and his sapphire cuffs gleamed in the light. However, his face was pallid to the point of blueness, with a darkness and obscurity seemingly frozen between his brows.

Those creases, once vanished, had reappeared on his brow, as deep and heavy as if etched with a steel knife.

Where was the good in that?

William “Will” Anderson must not have slept for several days in a row, and the oppressive atmosphere around him was almost suffocating.

Assistant Alex Carter gritted his teeth and reluctantly decided to call Sarah Johnson.

In his view, Sarah Johnson was indeed special.

Not only did she bear a resemblance to Lily Thompson from back then, but her character was also vibrant, sweet, lively, and cheerful.

It was this that made William “Will” Anderson unusually tolerant towards her.

Perhaps such a "former Lily Thompson" could allow William “Will” Anderson to find solace from his troubles, at least temporarily escaping the haze of Lily Thompson.

If Sarah Johnson could capture William “Will” Anderson's heart, even better! But ... was there truly such a possibility?

Assistant Alex Carter smiled bitterly and ended the call, feeling weighed down and exhausted to the extreme.

On the other end, Sarah Johnson was ecstatic to receive Assistant Alex Carter's call. Since the engagement, William “Will” Anderson had completely ignored her, leading her to wonder if he had forgotten her as his fiancée.

She had waited eagerly for Lily Thompson's departure, determined to seize this opportunity and win back William “Will” Anderson's heart before Lily Thompson returned.

Yes, whether it was William “Will” Anderson, Sarah Johnson, or even a few secretaries and life assistants, or even the driver by William “Will” Anderson's side, all believed that Lily Thompson would come back.

Lily Thompson, a woman so stubborn that she was almost close to madness, had only one dream in her heart, and that was William “Will” Anderson. She regarded him as everything in her life, an obsession and deep love almost impossible to describe in words. For her, leaving William “Will” Anderson and her dream was almost equivalent to cutting off her life.

However, in this complicated and disturbed world, there was another person who harbored a deep loathing for Lily Thompson - Sarah Johnson. She couldn't stand Lily Thompson's position in William “Will” Anderson's heart, and that jealousy and hatred made her almost lose her mind.

But interestingly, Sarah Johnson tried to imitate Lily Thompson's demeanor and dress when she was young, even wearing the same makeup as her.

She knew that only then would William “Will” Anderson's gaze briefly fall on her, as if searching for the shadow of the Lily Thompson that had disappeared from real life.

At a certain moment, Sarah Johnson once again appeared in front of William “Will” Anderson in such a posture. William “Will” Anderson was indeed stunned the moment he saw her.

The deep crease in his brow seemed to have eased at this moment. Assistant Alex Carter stood by the side, observing this scene, and couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart, as if he had seen hope.

"Sir, Miss Johnson is here," Assistant Alex Carter gently reminded.

William “Will” Anderson nodded gently and walked towards Sarah Johnson with steady steps. He scrutinized her attire carefully, as if searching for any clues from it.

His voice was gentle and low as he asked softly, "Why are you here?"

This gentle tone caused Sarah Johnson's heartbeat to instantly accelerate. She almost wanted to believe that William “Will” Anderson was really paying attention to her, really doting on her.

She raised her head quickly and met William “Will” Anderson's deep eyes, hoping to see a hint of affection for her in them.

However, reality was cruel. There was no shadow of her in William “Will” Anderson's eyes. He was only looking through her at the "past Lily Thompson" who had already disappeared from real life.

Sarah Johnson's enthusiasm and anticipation were crushed by this moment of coldness. She finally realized that no matter how much she imitated and tried, she could not replace Lily Thompson's position in William “Will” Anderson's heart.