Chapter:16
1511 Words
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Later that evening, the Richmond family gathered around the long, polished dining table. The chandelier above cast a warm glow over the room, reflecting off the silverware and crystal glasses. It was a rare full-house dinner — except for Ethan, whose absence hung heavily in the air.
Catherine, the elegant matriarch, sat at the head of the table, chatting softly with her husband, Reginald, while Lucas and Julian exchanged muted conversation. Ava sat stiffly at the side, sneaking glances at Lily, who was quietly picking at her plate.
But Lily wasn't as clueless as Ava thought.
She had noticed Ava's little games all day — the way she "accidentally" bumped into her, eavesdropped on her phone calls, and even followed her around the house like a clumsy shadow. It was insulting, really.
Lily decided enough was enough.
Halfway through dinner, with the conversation flowing lightly about business and upcoming events, Lily set down her fork with a delicate clink, dabbing her mouth with her napkin.
"Mother," she said sweetly, drawing the attention of everyone at the table. "I think we should talk about privacy in this house."
Catherine arched an eyebrow. "Privacy?"
"Yes," Lily said, flashing a sugary smile. "It seems some people have taken it upon themselves to spy on family members. Eavesdropping. Following them around. Rather pathetic, don’t you think?"
The table fell silent. All eyes turned toward her — and then instinctively toward Ava, whose face immediately flushed red.
"Ava," Reginald said sharply, his voice cold. "Is this true?"
Ava opened her mouth to protest, but Lily beat her to it.
"She’s been stalking me all day," Lily said calmly. "And not very discreetly, I might add. Honestly, if you're going to spy, you should at least do it properly."
A ripple of shock — and a flicker of amusement — moved through the room. Even Julian smirked behind his glass.
Catherine frowned deeply, setting her wine down. "Ava, explain yourself."
Ava squirmed under everyone's gaze. She glanced quickly at Lucas, who gave her a cold, warning look. She knew she couldn't say the real reason — that Lucas had ordered her to spy.
"I—I was just... concerned," Ava stammered lamely. "With everything going on, I thought maybe Lily needed...watching."
Catherine’s expression hardened. "You overstepped."
Reginald, never one for patience, added, "This family has enough problems without you creating new ones."
Lily sat back, victorious but composed, while Ava shrank in her seat, humiliated. Lucas clenched his jaw, seething silently. His plan had backfired — badly.
And Ethan, wherever he was, had no idea that the storm around his name was only getting worse.
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After dinner at the Richmond mansion, the family slowly dispersed to their rooms. Only Ethan was absent, his whereabouts still unknown.
Lily, curled up on her bed, startled when her phone buzzed. Sky's name lit up the screen. She hesitated for a heartbeat before answering.
"Come outside," his voice said, low and unreadable.
A few minutes later, Lily slipped into the night, finding Sky leaning against his car, hands stuffed in his pockets, eyes shadowed under the dim porch lights.
"You up for a drive?" he asked, almost casual — almost.
Without thinking too much, Lily nodded and climbed in.
The city blurred past them as they drove. Neither spoke much at first, but the silence between them wasn’t uncomfortable. It buzzed with a quiet tension they both pretended not to notice.
Eventually, Sky pulled into the underground parking of his penthouse building.
"I figured we could use a drink," he said, leading her upstairs.
Inside, the space was modern, sleek, and surprisingly personal — not at all the cold bachelor pad she had imagined.
He handed her a glass of wine. She took it gratefully, the alcohol warming her nerves.
One drink became two... then three.
They sat close on the couch, laughter spilling out of them as the stiffness melted away. At some point, Sky started telling her stories from his childhood — things he never shared with anyone — and Lily, emboldened by the wine, confessed how lost she sometimes felt in this new life she was forced into.
The vulnerability hung between them, raw and real.
Then... it just happened.
Neither knew who leaned in first, but suddenly their lips brushed. The kiss was hesitant, questioning. When Lily didn't pull away, Sky deepened it, his hand threading into her hair.
The world outside faded.
It wasn’t rushed — it wasn’t planned.
It was the kind of kiss that tasted like secrets finally breaking free.
One thing led to another, and without realising it, they found themselves making love — not wild and frantic, but slow, almost reverent. It was Lily’s first time, but she wasn’t afraid. With Sky, in that moment, she felt safe.
Afterwards, they lay tangled in each other, the weight of unspoken feelings finally finding a voice in their touch.
---
Morning:
A harsh knock shattered the peace.
Sky stirred, swearing under his breath. He threw on a pair of pants and stumbled to the door, while Lily, groggy and disoriented, sat up, clutching the sheet to her chest.
The door swung open — and there stood Camila.
Beautiful. Furious.
"Really, Sky?" she snapped, storming inside, her heels clicking on the floor. "You couldn’t even wait a week before bringing someone else here?"
Sky’s face drained of color.
Lily froze, the pieces clicking together too fast.
Without a word, she scrambled to dress, grabbing her clothes and slipping past Sky and Camila as quickly as she could. Sky tried to call after her, but Camila grabbed his arm roughly.
"Lily, wait—!" he shouted, breaking free.
But it was too late.
Heart shattering, Lily ran out into the cold morning streets.
---
As she wandered, lost in thought, a black car pulled up beside her.
The window rolled down, revealing Liam’s concerned face.
"Lily?" he said softly.
She didn’t hesitate — she climbed into the passenger seat.
Liam didn’t ask questions. He just drove, quietly taking her to a secluded park where she could breathe again, where the world could slow down long enough for her to figure out how badly her heart had just been broken.
---
The Park
The early morning air was crisp, the park nearly deserted except for the faint sound of birds waking up.
Liam parked under a tree and turned off the engine. Silence settled between them.
Lily sat rigidly, staring out the windshield, her fists clenched in her lap.
"You don't have to talk," Liam said gently. "But... I'm here. If you want to."
The kindness in his voice — the absence of pressure — undid her more than anything else. Her throat tightened painfully.
"I was so stupid," she whispered finally, voice trembling. "I thought... I thought he cared."
Liam said nothing, but the way his jaw tightened said enough.
Lily wiped at her cheeks, furious at herself for crying. She hated feeling weak — especially in front of him.
"You’re not stupid," Liam said firmly. "You trusted someone you cared about. That doesn’t make you weak."
She turned to look at him, really look, and for a moment their eyes locked — something unspoken flickering between them.
Liam reached out instinctively, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. His fingers lingered for just a second longer than necessary before he pulled back.
"You deserve better," he said roughly, voice low.
Lily swallowed hard. She felt like she was teetering on the edge of something dangerous — something she wasn’t ready to name yet.
Before either could say anything more, Liam cleared his throat and looked away, giving her space.
"Come on," he said after a beat. "Let’s get you some coffee."
And just like that, the heavy moment passed, replaced with a gentle, protective calm.
---
Scene Shift: Sky's Penthouse
Sky slammed the door shut behind Camila, his entire body vibrating with frustration.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" he barked, running a hand through his hair.
Camila, unfazed, crossed her arms, her lipstick smeared slightly from her earlier rage.
"You were mine," she snapped. "You don’t just throw me away for some naive little girl!"
"I was never yours," Sky said coldly. "And whatever you think you had with me — it’s over."
Camila’s face crumpled with anger and something that looked suspiciously like heartbreak. Without another word, she stormed out, slamming the door so hard the walls shook.
Sky stood there, breathing heavily.
The place still smelled like Lily — sweet, warm, real.
And she was gone.
Because of him.
He sank onto the couch, burying his face in his hands, a hollow ache blooming in his chest.
He never should've let her leave like that. He never should've let Camila anywhere near her.
For the first time in years, Sky Clay — cold, untouchable Sky — felt fear.
Not for his reputation.
Not for his family's expectations.
For her.
For losing Lily before he even had the courage to tell her how much she meant to him.
---
- Writer
