A Night With The Ceo

CHAPTER-THREE

The air was electric with a sense of triumph as Lily and Andrew stood in the living room of their shared apartment. Ava's marital home had become a place of deceit and betrayal. The reality of their betrayal weighed on their shoulders, but for the moment, they pushed aside any lingering guilt. They had won. Ava was out of the picture, and the path to their future together was finally clear.

Lily’s mother, Mrs. Diane, bustled around the kitchen, preparing a celebratory dinner. Her excitement was palpable, fueled by her deep-seated disdain for Ava, whom she viewed as an obstacle to her daughter’s happiness. “This is a night to remember, Lily,” she said, stirring a pot of sauce. “You and Andrew have finally taken control of your lives. We’re going to celebrate!”

Lily could hardly contain her smile. She had longed for this moment, the one where she could finally claim Andrew as hers. “I can’t believe we actually did it, Mom. I never thought it would be so easy,” she admitted, her heart racing with the thrill of their deceit.

Andrew, standing near the window with a glass of wine, watched the sunset bleed colors into the sky. “It’s almost too good to be true,” he murmured, his mind flickering back to Ava. But he shook it off; tonight was about celebrating their victory.

“Are you kidding?” Lily scoffed, coming to stand beside him. “Ava was never going to fight back. She’s too heartbroken to even think about us. Besides, we’ve won, Andrew. It’s time to enjoy our freedom!”

Lily’s confidence was infectious, and Andrew found himself grinning. “You’re right. No more looking back.” He raised his glass, and they clinked their drinks together, the sound echoing through the room as they shared a moment of camaraderie.

“Let’s toast to our new beginning,” Lily said, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “To us!”

“To us,” Andrew echoed, feeling a sense of power coursing through him. The weight of his indecision and guilt was lifted, if only temporarily. Together, they were unstoppable.

As the evening progressed, the aroma of Mrs. Diane’s cooking filled the apartment, and laughter echoed off the walls. The atmosphere was filled with a twisted sense of celebration. They feasted, drank, and talked excitedly about their plans for the future. Andrew was particularly animated as he discussed taking over Ava’s late father’s business—his father’s legacy—and transforming it into something even greater.

“Once we take over, we can finally be free to live our lives as we choose,” Andrew declared, raising his glass again.

“That’s right. Once the divorce is finalized, we’ll be able to do whatever we want,” Lily added, her voice laced with excitement. She could already envision a future where they ruled their world together, their hands intertwined.

But in the back of Andrew's mind lingered the nagging thought that their celebration was built on the ruins of someone else's life. Yet the intoxicating blend of wine and success drowned out any hesitation.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Diane couldn’t have been more pleased with the situation. She had always despised Ava, the daughter of her late husband’s first wife, and the constant reminder of what her daughter had lost. Mrs. Diane had long harbored ambitions for Lily and Andrew to be together, believing they were meant for one another. Now, with Ava out of the picture, she felt vindicated. Ava had always been late Mr. Cole Bennett's favorite child because of how ambitious and driven she was and a very intelligent child while growing up. On the other hand, Lily had always been an average student. She wasn't really as good as Ava. Ava was always willing to teach her but Mrs. Diane had always been envious of Ava. She made Lily think differently about Ava and single handedly designed this disastrous plan when Mr. Cole willed his house to Ava and fifty percent of the company shares as well. Leaving twenty five each for Lily and her brother, James.

After making Ava feel loved by Lily in deceit, Ava gave twenty five percent of her company shares to Lily. She felt she was already Into different businesses and Lily deserved more. Her kind gestures are leaving her in tears and absolute betrayal. But from the onset, Mrs. Diane had always shown her hate to Ava. She despised her because of the way her late father pampered and loved her. She had thought that he prefers his late wife's child to her children.

When she heard that Andrew and Ava were getting married, she was so bittered. Lily met Andrew first, so why was he going to be married to Ava instead. But she found her way to make the two have secret affairs and devise a way to destroy Ava's whole luxurious life. At the moment, Diane Bennett was so proud of her daughter.

“Lily, you’ve done well. You’ve taken control of your life,” she said, pride evident in her voice. “Ava never deserved your father’s legacy anyway. You’re the rightful heir.”

Lily nodded, feeling a surge of validation from her mother’s words. “Thanks, Mom. I just can’t wait for everything to fall into place.”

As the night wore on, the trio continued to toast to their victory, their laughter filling the air. But there was one person in the shadows who wasn’t celebrating: James, Lily’s younger brother. He had always looked up to Ava, admired her strength and kindness. The more he heard about his sister’s plan, the more conflicted he felt.

“Is this really what you want, Lily?” he asked, concern etched on his face as he entered the room. “Ava is our family, too. You can’t just throw that away.”

Lily turned on him, annoyance flaring in her chest. “Family? She’s not family! She’s a usurper! You don’t understand, James. You don’t know what it’s like to live in her shadow.”

“I know what it’s like to be decent,” he shot back, anger simmering beneath the surface. “Ava is a good person. You’re ruining her life for what? A selfish dream?”

Mrs. Diane intervened, her voice sharp. “James, don’t be ridiculous. You’re too young to understand the complexities of adult life. Ava never cared about our family; she only cared about herself. She had everything handed to her!”

James shook his head in disbelief. “You’re wrong, Mom. Ava loved this family. You’re just bitter because she inherited Dad’s legacy.”

With that, he stormed out, leaving Lily and their mother in stunned silence. For a moment, doubt flickered in Lily’s mind. Was she really doing the right thing? But she quickly dismissed it. This was her chance to claim what was rightfully hers, and she wouldn’t let anyone stand in her way.

The celebration continued, and the three of them clinked their glasses together, drowning their misgivings in a sea of wine and laughter. They talked excitedly about their plans, their ambitions stretching far beyond what Ava had ever envisioned. Lily could already see the headlines: “Lily Bennett Takes Over Family Business.”

In the days that followed, they worked diligently to set their plan into motion. Andrew began the process of filing for divorce, while Lily worked with their mother to strategize how to take control of the family business.

But even as they plotted, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that they were treading dangerous waters. The thought of Ava’s lingering presence loomed over them, and she knew that their actions could have consequences. They had yet to finalize the divorce, and until then, Lily’s hold on Andrew was tenuous at best.

Despite the mounting pressure, Lily and Andrew pressed on. They were determined to secure their futures and take control of everything Ava had once held dear. Every day was filled with whispered plans and secret meetings, each moment inching them closer to their goal.

As they prepared for their final push to take control, Lily's excitement began to morph into an uneasy anticipation. Could they truly pull this off? Would they be able to eliminate Ava’s influence completely?

One night, as Andrew sat at the kitchen table reviewing legal documents, Lily watched him intently. His brows furrowed as he focused on the task at hand, and for a moment, her heart softened. She wanted this to work. They could be happy together—if only they could get past Ava.

“Andrew,” she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. “Do you really think we can do this? I mean we don't know Ava's whereabouts, how do we continue the divorce process without her? And at the same time, we can't further our wedding without the completion of the divorce. I can't get married to my sister's husband. What will society think of us?”

He looked up, meeting her gaze. “Of course we can. We just need to stay focused and not let anything get in our way.”

She nodded, but a part of her still felt that weight of uncertainty. They had crossed a line that couldn’t be uncrossed, and while the thrill of their deceit was exhilarating, the fear of what lay ahead lingered in the back of her mind.

But with Andrew by her side, the fear was quickly overshadowed by the intoxicating pull of ambition and the promise of a future built on their own terms. Together, they raised their glasses once more, toasting to their dark victory, unaware of the storm brewing on the horizon.