Broken promises: When the smile fades

Chapter 3

William "Will" Anderson had gifted Lily Thompson a ring, which was no ordinary piece of jewelry. It contained a built-in micro-location chip newly developed by Prosperity Group, capable of accurately tracking Lily's whereabouts, even in the most hidden corners.

On this day, William sat wearily in his office, his eyes betraying a simmering anger. He took a deep breath, suppressing his inner turmoil, and spoke coldly, "Once you find her, send her out of the country and retrieve her ring. There's no need to tell me exactly where she goes. The farther away, the better. Preferably a place she can never return from." His voice was low, yet filled with an unmistakable resolve.

Special Assistant Alex Carter stood nearby, grumbling inwardly. He knew that whenever Mr. Anderson and Miss Thompson had a falling out, it fell upon the assistants to reconcile them. This time, the situation seemed more severe than ever before. He dared not be negligent and promptly replied, "Yes, Mr. Anderson! I will handle it as soon as possible."

The night deepened, but William felt no trace of sleepiness. He sat alone in his office, his mind racing. It wasn't until dawn that he reluctantly closed his eyes and rested for a mere three hours. Despite this brief respite, he awoke on time, dressed in an exquisite suit, and drove to the headquarters of Prosperity Group.

To the company's employees, William "Will" Anderson was always the epitome of perfection. From his meticulously styled hair to his carefully chosen attire, down to his shoes, socks, cuffs, and even his cologne, every detail was selected to display his unrivaled charm and sophistication. His handsomeness and charisma seemed innate; anyone who saw him couldn't help but be captivated.

The secretary often wondered, when she saw the flawless William "Will" Anderson, what emotions and secrets lay hidden within this man who was as perfect as a deity, as precise as a machine, and as cold as an iceberg. Was there anything that could make him falter or lose his composure? Yet, on William's face, she had never seen a hint of hesitation or unease.

At ten o'clock in the morning, William "Will" Anderson suddenly became agitated. He kept checking the time, as if he were waiting for some crucial news. Finally, unable to endure the torment of waiting, he summoned his secretary and asked, "Where is Special Assistant Alex Carter? Has he not returned yet?"

Though his tone was cold and hard as usual, the secretary keenly sensed the displeasure and nervousness underlying it. She trembled slightly and replied, "Special Assistant Alex Carter called just now and said he would be back later."

William's brows tightened as if deep in thought. "Tell him to come back immediately," his voice was icy and resolute, devoid of any emotion.

"Yes!" Secretary Li's voice trembled slightly. She knew that William's anger at this moment was not to be taken lightly. She didn't dare hesitate and promptly exited the president's office, quickly dialing Alex Carter's phone.

On the other end, Alex's voice sounded tense, "Hello, Secretary Li, what's the matter?"

"The boss wants you to come back immediately!" Secretary Li tried to make her voice sound steady, but her heartbeat quickened.

"Understood." Alex's voice carried an unspeakable anxiety. He was at the Public Security Bureau, facing a dire situation. He neither dared to go back to the office directly to face William's questioning, nor did he dare to disclose what he had seen last night.

He did find Lily Thompson, but what he found was a shattered Lily Thompson. The Lily who was once full of life and vitality had now turned into a cold corpse. Her body had been broken into pieces, with every inch of her skin bearing marks of violence.

The coroner had told him that Lily had fallen to her death from a high place and had suffered inhuman beatings and abuse before her death. Her legs had been broken, apparently to prevent her from escaping.

Assistant Alex Carter shakily lit a cigarette, trying to numb his nerves with nicotine. But whenever he closed his eyes, the tragic scene of Lily Thompson's death invaded his thoughts. He couldn't forget those shocking wounds or the terror and despair in Lily's eyes.

He knew he had to return to the company as soon as possible and report everything to William "Will" Anderson. But he also knew how deeply this news would devastate William. He couldn't bear to imagine how the always calm and collected William would react to learning about Lily's death.

Whenever Alex closed his eyes, the horrifying image of Lily Thompson's demise surfaced in his mind. It was as if he could see that gloomy room again, with dried brown blood and white pulp smeared on the floor, forming a grim tapestry of death. Lily's body lay limp, like a lifeless snake, devoid of vitality. Her eyes were hollow and gray, as if she were still staring ahead, hoping for salvation that never came.

The sight was so tragic and grotesque, it felt like it was tearing his heart apart. Even for Alex, a man accustomed to facing life's storms, every recollection of that scene made his legs weaken, as if all his strength had drained away. His eyes burned with unshed tears, and the nausea was so overpowering he nearly vomited.

Alex understood Lily Thompson's significance in William's life. Despite William's later feelings of disgust, resistance, and detachment towards her, Lily had always held an unbreakable emotional bond with him. If William could have truly expelled Lily from his world, he would have done so long ago. Why else would he let her linger in his life for over a decade? This all proved that Lily's place in William's heart was irreplaceable.

Alex's heart brimmed with sympathy and regret for Lily. He grasped how devastating her death would be to William. He knew too well how important Lily was to him, despite William's loathing, resistance, and alienation towards her. If William could have severed ties, he would have done so long ago. But he hadn't, and their entanglement persisted for over ten years.

Therefore, Alex dreaded telling William about Lily's death. He knew it would break William. And if William broke, the entire company, employing tens of thousands, would be at risk, and even the city's economy could suffer.

It was absurdly ironic, but the person who had turned a failing business empire back on track was William "Will" Anderson. The one who had turned rot into gold was William "Will" Anderson. They couldn't afford to lose him.

Alex finally dialed Mrs. Anderson's phone. He knew how delicate this matter was, and he would never disturb her unless absolutely necessary. Her voice on the other end was clear and firm, imbuing Alex with a sense of strength and resolve.

After Anderson's mother finished listening to Assistant Alex Carter's detailed report, she calmly instructed, "Return to the company immediately. I'll handle the next steps. Tell William 'Will' Anderson that Lily Thompson has left the country as he wished. Initially, she was hesitant, but after your persuasion, she finally decided to leave. She was just a bit dissatisfied with your forceful persuasion, which caused some delay."

Alex couldn't help but admire Mother Anderson's resourcefulness and determination. He knew she was covering for him. He sighed inwardly, "Ginger is still old and hot!"

He hurriedly responded, "Miss Lily Thompson's ring is now being held by the police as evidence. Please find a way to get it back, or everything will be exposed once Mister finds out."

Mother Anderson acknowledged the situation and promised to deal with it as soon as possible. The burden in Alex's heart felt lighter, and he didn't dare delay any longer, immediately rushing back to the company.

Following Mother Anderson's instructions, Alex reported the situation to William. He exaggerated Lily Thompson's hesitation and dissatisfaction, describing how she was unwilling to leave and how he had to forcibly persuade her. This way, William had no doubts about Lily's departure.

When William asked about the ring, Alex's heart skipped a beat, but he replied calmly, "Miss Lily Thompson treasured that ring so much that she was unwilling to give it to me. In the end, she insisted on taking it with her."

William nodded slightly after hearing this, seemingly satisfied with Alex's answer. A smile curled at the corner of his mouth as he said, "It's been hard on you. Go and rest."

Alex withdrew from the office, feeling relieved. Although he had temporarily concealed the truth from William, he knew it was only a matter of time before the truth surfaced. In the following days, he lived in constant fear and anxiety.

His nights were plagued by nightmares, to the point where the secretaries teased Alex, asking if he was pregnant. Alex wailed inwardly, thinking that if his pregnancy could bring Lily Thompson back, he would rather be pregnant!

One day, William stared at Alex so intently that the latter almost thought he had leaked some secret. Tentatively, he asked, "Sir, any orders?"

William shook his head and once again focused on the documents in his hands.

Assistant Alex Carter had just breathed a sigh of relief when William "Will" Anderson suddenly spoke up: "Are you suffering from insomnia?"

Startled, Assistant Alex Carter cautiously replied, "Yes, recently work pressure has been high, so I haven't been resting well."

William "Will" Anderson frowned. "But it's just a small job, why the fuss?"

Dumbfounded by the question, Alex had to fabricate, "Yes, she's being unreasonable, giving me a bit of a headache."

William nodded while signing documents and interjected, "Girlfriends always need to be pampered. I have some essential oil here that can help with sleep. Let the assistant fetch you a bottle. It might improve your condition."

William's insomnia had always been a major nuisance in his life. During severe episodes, he felt trapped in endless darkness, accompanied by irritability, anxiety, and incomprehensible emotions.

Assistant Alex Carter had followed William for many years and understood the pain he felt. He had witnessed William tossing and turning all night due to sleeplessness and had seen him become irritable and lose control due to exhaustion. Alex had always silently watched over him.

But in the next moment, the life assistant confessed as she reported to him, "Sir, there is only one bottle of your essential oil left. If you give it to Assistant Alex Carter, you won't have any more."

Upon hearing this, Assistant Alex Carter's heart tightened. He understood the implications and knew he couldn't easily accept this last bottle of essential oil.

William "Will" Anderson set down his pen, his brow furrowing as he regarded the life assistant with a hint of doubt in his voice. "What does that mean?"

Despite the discomfort of being under his stern scrutiny, the life assistant summoned the courage to speak frankly. "That essential oil... um... it was given to me by Ms. Lily Thompson. After every use, it is Miss Lily Thompson who brings it to me."

Lily Thompson? William "Will" Anderson couldn't help but feel a surge of complex emotions at the mention of her name. There were many past events between him and Lily Thompson, memories both beautiful and painful, but all confined to the past. He hadn't expected that this essential oil, which helped alleviate his insomnia, would be connected to Lily Thompson.

Momentarily lost in thought, he quickly regained his composure, pushing the name Lily Thompson from his mind with a cold smile. He knew he couldn't be swayed by such trivial matters.