“It’s because he’s the only one who can’t accept Lily,” Arlo retorted.
“Arlo, even if your grandfather has his flaws, I don’t think he would do something like this. The main issue here is finding out who Lily really is and where she went. Didn’t someone say she’s hiding? First, we need to locate her, and then we’ll discover the truth.”
“If my grandfather is involved, I’ll never forgive him!” Arlo declared firmly.
Moments later, Arlo’s parents arrived. After hearing what had happened, they immediately went to see their son. The news of Arlo’s ex-girlfriend Claire’s passing had also reached the public. Arlo’s mother embraced him tightly, feeling immense sympathy for her grieving son.
“Son, what really happened? Your grandfather was deeply concerned when he heard about this. He even sent his men to look for Lily,” Arlo’s father said.
Arlo didn’t know how to tell his parents that Lily wasn’t her real name—the woman he had defended to his grandfather and promised to marry.
If his grandfather was actively helping to find Lily, it meant he wasn’t involved. Arlo glanced at his friends, feeling conflicted.
Meanwhile, Lily’s hands trembled as she dialed Arlo’s number. It hurt her deeply to do this, but she had no choice. Her mind was filled with thoughts of her mother and Arlo’s safety.
“Forgive me, Arlo. Please forgive me. I’m only doing this for your safety and Mom’s. This goes against everything I feel, but I can’t bear the thought of anything bad happening to you. I promise you’ll be the only one I’ll ever love. Please find it in your heart to forgive me,” Lily thought to herself as tears streamed uncontrollably down her face, her eyes swollen from crying.
“Call him now, dear. You still have a lot to prepare, and I don’t want the grandson of my friend to see you in such a state,” her grandfather ordered.
Davis sat on the edge of Lily’s bed. Lily’s eyes burned with anger as she glared at her grandfather.
Slowly, Lily put the phone to her ear and waited for Arlo to answer.
“Lily is calling!” Arlo exclaimed happily. The sadness on his face was replaced with joy as he saw her name on the screen. He laughed and cried simultaneously out of relief.
“I knew it! Lily would never leave me. She’s reaching out to me!” Arlo said, smiling.
“Answer it, son,” his mother urged.
“Hello, babe! Where are you? I’ve been so worried about you. Where are you now? If there’s a problem, we’ll fix it together. If you’re hiding something, we’ll talk about it calmly…” Arlo’s words were cut off as Lily stopped him.
For Arlo, it didn’t matter if Lily’s name was fake. What mattered was that she came back to him. The thought of losing Lily terrified him; he didn’t know how he would go on without her. He was afraid of being hurt by love again.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” Arlo asked weakly.
Lily’s throat felt dry, and she struggled to speak. Hearing Arlo’s voice on the line eased her pain momentarily. She could feel how much he cared for her.
“Arlo, I’m sorry if this will hurt you. The truth is, I never loved you. Everything I showed you was a lie. Forget about me because I did not love you once. I love someone else, and I’ve realized that he’s the one who deserves me, not you. From now on, let’s forget about each other. I’m sorry for using you as a way to figure things out. Thank you for the temporary happiness you gave me,” Lily said, her words cutting deeply.
Lily’s heart shattered as she spoke. She wished the ground would swallow her whole at that moment.
Arlo felt like a massive bomb had exploded in front of him. The words Lily spoke crushed him.
“That’s not true, babe. What you’re saying isn’t true,” Arlo said, desperately trying to hold onto the line.
“Forget about me, Arlo. I don’t want to see you again. I don’t love you.”
Lily ended the call. Arlo froze in place, his friends and parents watching him in shock. His face turned red, his body stiffened, and the veins in his neck bulged.
