The Affair of Secrets

Chapter 4

The Function

Lily stood by the window, absently watching the garden staff trim the hedges outside. She couldn't hear the sound of the cars that entered the compound. She was so carried away in her thoughts. The air in the mansion felt unusually heavy, like it knew something she didn’t or probably she never just paid attention to. Her thoughts drifted to Catherine’s sudden departure earlier. One moment they were planning something personal and emotional, meeting Alexander and all of that and the next minute, Catherine had gone a bit quiet, her expression unreadable, purely trying to force their conversation.

Worry was exactly what Lily had done for the past hour. Catherine had barely stayed fifteen minutes. She never expected Catherine would leave that early. Something had shifted the moment she noticed the portrait on the wall, her and Nathan’s picture. Lily had seen the flash in her friend’s eyes, like recognition… or probably worse. But was she scared? And what could she probably be scared about?

Before she could ponder further, the sound of heavy footsteps filled the corridor. Her heart thudded knowing who it was.

Nathan

Nathan was back and it made her heart race, she only felt peaceful when he wasn't home.

The double doors to the living room swung open, and there he stood dressed in a charcoal grey suit, looking as poised and unbothered as ever. The only thing more striking than his outfit was the icy detachment in his gaze.

“I thought I’d get to meet your friend, It's barely two hours since I left..or she never showed up?” Nathan said, pulling off his watch and placing it on the side table without even looking at her. “Catherine, right?” even though Nathan never liked the sound of that name due to an experience from his past.

Lily swallowed and nodded. “Yes, Catherine. She—uh—left just a while ago. Said something urgent came up.”

Nathan arched an eyebrow, eyes narrowing slightly. “How unfortunate. Well guess she knew you would have more important matters to handle than some random female chitchat.”

He moved to the bar cabinet and poured himself a glass of scotch. The air was thick between them. It has always been that way.

“You'll need to be ready by 7:30,” he said, taking a sip without facing her. “We have a charity function at the Clarion Hotel. Wear something decent and preferably that midnight blue dress I bought for you.”

Lily became quite tense. There it was again, that tone she never liked. It was always a very commanding and emotionally vacant tone that made her feel like a possession rather than a person. He didn’t even care to ask if she wanted to go. He never did.

“And don’t be late this time,” Nathan added, turning to face her fully now. His cold eyes locked onto hers, and she felt the familiar knot in her stomach tighten. “I won’t be welcoming any excuses tonight, Lily. Is that clear?”

“Crystal clear” she muttered, and her eyes began lowering automatically.

Nathan studied her for a second longer, as if daring her to challenge him, to say something that would ignite his temper. But she didn’t. She never did. Not because she feared him, but because there was simply no point to prove with doing that. In this mansion, her voice echoed without power.

As he walked past her to head upstairs, Lily stood frozen in place, her fingers twitching by her side. She wanted to scream, to ask him why she had to keep playing this role of the perfect trophy wife. Why did he marry her only to parade her like a mannequin in front of the world and to treat her all the time without cause?

But instead, she turned back to the window, her reflection now staring back at her in the glass.

It was so empty, silent, as though she was a ghost in designer heels.

She took in a shaky breath.

Behind that cold façade, she often wondered if there was a man with a heart. A man who once loved someone deeply, maybe someone that could love her like Catherine? Her heart fluttered at the sudden thought. What if that could be the reason for her friend’s strange exit? In her past relationship she suffered a lot of hurt and men now reminded her of memories she could never forget.

Maybe Catherine was scared to get harsh treatment from Nathan just like her past. Just maybe that was all there is.

But her head began throbbing from the many questions. But there was no time for answers, neither was Catherine there to give her the answers she seeks.

Lily had just under two hours to transform herself into the image of perfection Nathan required for the event as his wife. A woman wearing the mask that everyone was blind to see but seemed to envy.

As she climbed the stairs to get ready, her heels clicking softly against the marble floor, a single thought refused to leave her mind—

What if Catherine had seen more than a portrait? There was really something about the way she stared at the picture.

What if she had seen the man who really looked like someone from her past?

And what would happen when the past finally collided with the fragile façade of Lily’s present?

She reached her bedroom door and paused, her hand hovering over the knob.

Whatever answers awaited, tonight she had to smile, let go of all that she thought about and pretended like she used to. She looked like a queen in a cage.

But regardless the show must go on.

Even when her soul was silently screaming.

______

Catherine got home feeling very sober, she never said a word to her taxi driver. Who would have thought that Nathan, her childhood friend and ex boyfriend was Lily's husband. The man she had tried to access for about two years.

“He was my first love” Catherine whispered as tears began to roll down her eyes

“He was mine not until Lily snatched him from me”

“My Nathan”

“I knew he was so wealthy, but having a mansion for him and Lily and not me is pretty evil”

She began to talk to herself, in the open air. She felt so hurt and betrayed.

“Lily, I thought I was your friend.”

“You betrayed me, Lily. Nathan has always been mine and I would do all that it takes to have him back even if it requires kicking you out of the way.”

She gently wiped off her tears as she kept a strong face.

“The battle line has just begun” she gave an evil laugh as she said those words and stared at the wall as though it was making her heart hardened.

“Lily, you would regret you took the only man I ever wanted”

“You would regret it”

She then settled in fully and went to get herself a glass of scotch while she reminisced on what to do.