THE SECRET FAMILY INHERITANCE

CHAPTER 1 ~ Lily ~ The night I discovered the truth was supposed to be the happiest night of my life. Instead, it became the night my whole world fell apart. I stood outside the dark glass doors of the private room on the top floor of the Blackwood Hotel. The bright lights of the city glowed far below us, but my focus was on the small velvet box inside my handbag. Inside that box was an expensive watch. I had worked hard and saved every dollar for three whole months just to buy it for Adrian Blackwood. I wanted to give him something special, something that would make him think of me every time he looked at his wrist. Tonight was our anniversary, and I had planned to surprise him. I took a deep breath and looked at my reflection in the shiny glass door. I had spent hours getting ready. My long hair fell over my shoulders, and I was wearing a simple, pretty dress. I smiled to myself, feeling a warm mix of nerves and happiness. I took a step forward to open the door, but a soft sound stopped me. It was a woman’s voice coming from inside the room. "Adrian, what are you going to do about Lily?" I froze instantly. My smile faded, and my heart started beating fast against my ribs. I moved closer to the door, pressing my ear near the tiny gap in the frame. Then came Adrian’s reply. "She doesn't know anything." His tone was cold and distant. It did not sound like the sweet, caring voice he always used with me. The woman laughed softly inside the room. "And you really plan to marry her while keeping her in the dark?" My mind spun. Keeping me in the dark? About what? My hand hovered over the door handle, ready to push it open and ask what was going on. But before I could move, Adrian spoke again, and his words made my whole body go cold. "I never planned to marry Lily." My fingers went numb. My handbag suddenly felt heavy in my arms. What did he just say? The woman inside sounded surprised too. "What? But you’ve been together for three years!" Adrian let out a cruel, quiet laugh. "It was all a game." I felt a sharp pain in my chest, as if someone had punched me. Game? Is that all I was to him? A tool? Three years of love, trust, and shared dreams wiped out in a single sentence. I wanted to run away, but my feet felt glued to the floor. I couldn't move. I couldn't even breathe properly. "Once I get what I need from her, I'll end everything," Adrian continued, his voice completely devoid of emotion. His words echoed inside my head over and over again. What had I ever done to him? What was he talking about? I couldn't stand there and listen anymore. Anger and pain rushed through my veins like fire. I shoved the glass door open. The door swung back with a loud sound. Adrian was standing by a big black piano near the giant window. The moment he heard the door open, his dark eyes snapped toward me. For a split second, a look of shock crossed his face, but it vanished just as quickly, replaced by a smooth, blank mask. Standing right beside him was Martha Hayes. She was a beautiful blonde woman in an expensive silver dress. Adrian had always told me Martha was just a boring business associate, someone he only talked to about work. But standing together in the private room, they looked very comfortable with each other. I stood in the doorway, my chest heaving as I looked from Adrian to Martha. "What is going on here?" my voice shook, but I tried my best to sound brave. Adrian’s jaw tightened. He took a slow step toward me. "Lily." "Don't," I snapped, holding up a hand to stop him from coming any closer. "Don't say my name." Martha looked uncomfortable. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other and checked her watch. "I think I should leave," she whispered, moving toward the side exit. "No," Adrian said. His voice was sharp and commanding. Martha stopped immediately, closing her mouth and stepping back toward the shadow of the piano. I let out a bitter, lifeless laugh. Tears filled my eyes, blurring the sight of the man I loved, but I refused to let them fall. I wouldn't cry in front of him. "Lily, you shouldn't have heard that conversation," Adrian said calmly, as if he were talking about the weather instead of breaking my heart. "You're right," I said, my voice cracking slightly. "I shouldn't have. I should have realized who you really were a long time ago." I reached into my handbag with shaking fingers and pulled out the small velvet box. I snapped the lid open, revealing the gold watch. It looked so silly now. All those extra hours at work, all those skipped meals to save money, all for a man who was just using me. I grabbed the watch out of the box and threw it straight at his feet. The metal hit the hard wooden floor with a loud snap, the glass face shattering into tiny glittering pieces. "I bought this for you," I said, staring straight into his cold, dark eyes. "I thought today was special. I wanted to celebrate our love. But there is no 'us,' is there? It was all a lie." Adrian looked down at the broken watch on the floor, then looked back up at me. His expression didn't change at all. He didn't look sorry. He didn't look sad. He just stood there, cold and tall, like a statue made of ice. "Lily, let me explain—" he began. "I don't want to hear any more explanations!" I yelled, the anger finally spilling over. "I'm done. We are done!" I turned around and the tears finally spilled down my cheeks, hot and fast. Three years of my life had been built on a giant lie. Suddenly, the phone in my jacket pocket vibrated loudly. I stopped. I wiped my eyes with the back of my sleeve and reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. There was a new text message on the screen. I tapped the message open. I read the words on the screen, and I froze.