Real love never dies.

Chapter:18

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Later that evening, after the tense meeting with Reginald, Lucas sat alone in his car just outside the Richmond estate, fingers drumming impatiently on the steering wheel. His mind was racing — he needed to move fast and quietly.

He picked up his phone and dialed a number he had memorized long ago.

It rang twice before a gruff voice answered, "Yeah?"

"It's me," Lucas said shortly. "I have a job for you."

A pause. Then, "Name it."

Lucas’s eyes narrowed as he stared out into the night.

"I want you to tail Lily Richmond. Watch where she goes, who she talks to. I want updates. Daily. If she makes contact with Ethan, I want to know immediately."

The man on the other end chuckled darkly.

"Babysitting? That's easy money."

Lucas's tone turned razor sharp.

"This isn’t babysitting. You stay out of sight. One mistake, and I'll make sure you never work again. Understood?"

The chuckle died quickly.

"Understood."

Lucas ended the call without another word. He leaned back in his seat, the faintest hint of a smile playing at his lips.

Sooner or later, Lily would lead him straight to Ethan.

And when she did... there would be no more second chances.

---

The next morning, Lily Richmond walked through the bustling city streets, a to-go coffee in hand, trying her best to act normal. But deep down, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

Every time she glanced over her shoulder, she caught a shadow moving, a figure ducking out of sight, a car lingering just a second too long.

At first, she told herself she was being paranoid — after all, after what happened with Sky and Camila, her nerves were still raw.

But by the third time she spotted the same black car parked near her usual café, her heart started hammering.

Someone’s following me.

She tightened her grip on her bag, her instincts screaming at her to be careful.

When she got home that afternoon, she pulled all the curtains shut, locked every door, and turned her phone to silent. She sat curled up on the sofa, biting her thumb nail, debating if she should call Ethan — but if she did, and someone was really spying on her, she could put him in more danger.

Instead, Lily decided she needed to act normal. Pretend she hadn't noticed anything. Maybe whoever was following her would let their guard down.

But in the back of her mind, fear gnawed at her.

If Lucas really was behind this... she might be running out of time.

---

A soft click at the door startled her. Before she could reach the lock, Sky Clay slipped inside.

“Sky, what are you doing here?” Lily’s voice trembled as she shoved at his chest, desperate to send him away.

He caught her wrists gently but firmly. “Please, just hear me out,” he pleaded, eyes full of urgency.

She wrenched free, backing against the far wall. “Don’t—don’t come near me!”

He took a tentative step forward. “I know I messed up. I should have told you everything sooner. But I need you to understand why.” He drew a shaky breath. “I never stopped thinking about you—all those days I spent pretending not to care, I was terrified of what I felt.”

Lily’s heart pounded. “Feelings don’t excuse lying to me!” she whispered, tears glinting in her eyes.

He closed the gap in a heartbeat, cupping her face. “I’m sorry. I love you, Lily. Not because our families arranged it—because I can’t imagine my life without you.”

Before she could respond, he crushed his lips to hers. The kiss was fierce, unrelenting; his arms tightened around her as if he’d never let go.

Lily tried to pull back, but Sky’s grip was too strong. His mouth moved against hers with a hungry certainty that melted her resistance. Minutes later, her protests had faded into gasps of surrender.

They tumbled onto the bed, clothes strewn aside, and gave in to a fierce, wild passion—the kind of desperate reckoning born only of raw truth. Soundproofing sealed them away; Lily’s moans rose unabashed, echoing softly into the night without fear of discovery.

Afterward, they lay entwined, sweaty and breathless. Sky brushed a strand of hair from her forehead. “I know I hurt you,” he murmured. “But I swear—I’ve never felt this way before.”

Lily pressed her cheek against his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart. Despite everything, she felt a flicker of hope.

When Sky finally dressed to leave, he paused at the door and looked back. “Give me another chance, Lily. Not as your fiancé, but as the man who loves you.”

She nodded, her voice hushed but certain. “Okay. Let’s try again.”

He vanished into the hall, leaving Lily alone in the dark—her heart thudding with the promise of something real at last.

....

The dawn light crept in through Lily’s curtains, painting her room in pale gold. She blinked awake, heart still pounding from last night’s storm of passion and confession. For a moment she lay very still, listening to the quiet house, letting the truth of Sky’s words sink in.

Her arm brushed against the cool sheet beside her, and she realized he was gone. In its place lay his neatly folded shirt—and a small, almost imperceptible note:

> Thank you for trusting me again. Meet me in the garden at noon?

– S.

Lily’s pulse quickened as she read and reread the scrawl. Despite the betrayal, despite the danger, she felt that spark of hope he’d promised. Smiling through the last of her tears, she dressed quickly in something simple and pale—something she could twirl in if she dared.

At breakfast in the main dining room, Lily’s family noticed the difference immediately. Her step was lighter; her eyes, though shadowed by last night’s hurt, held a new softness. Catherine Richmond caught her daughter’s eye across the table and gave a small, knowing nod. Reginald didn’t look up from his newspaper. Lucas, seated closest to Lily, pretended to read emails—his jaw clenched, studying her every move.

When twelve o’clock chimed, Lily slipped away from the table under the guise of fetching a book. Once out of sight, she hurried down the marble corridor and out into the walled family garden, where the magnolias were already in bloom.

Sky was waiting beneath the largest tree, hands in his pockets, looking uncharacteristically nervous. As Lily approached, his face softened.

“I meant every word,” he said, voice low. “I know I have to earn back your trust, but I will—every day if you let me.”

Lily folded her arms around herself, searching his eyes. “I need to believe you,” she admitted. “Not just with words, but with what you do.”

He nodded and reached out, brushing a loose strand of hair from her face. “Then watch me,” he whispered. “Let me show you.”

For a long moment they stood in the dappled sunlight, hope and caution entwined in their hands. Unbeknownst to them, a dark sedan idled at the edge of the garden wall—Lucas’s agent, notebook in hand, watching every intimate gesture.

But in that fragile bubble, Lily Richmond allowed herself to smile. Today, at least, her choice to give love one more chance felt worth the risk.

--

Lily and Sky met in secret—walks along the orchard path, quiet moments in the conservatory, notes slipped between book pages. There was laughter again. Hesitant, healing laughter that wrapped around Lily’s bruised heart like gauze. Sky never pushed, never demanded more than she could give. And with every soft promise, she found herself stepping closer to believing.

......