LILY
The aroma of her cooking was delightful. When Katerine placed the bowl on the table, the shrimp stir-fried rice looked so appetizing. I scooped rice from the pot, and even the smell of the rice was fragrant.
Honestly, I had gotten used to this kind of life—simple but happy. If only my mom were with me right now. Tears began to fall, and I turned my back on Katerine so she wouldn’t see me crying. I wiped the tears from my cheeks.
“Lily, come here, dear. You’re taking too long to scoop the rice,” Katerine called out.
I placed the plate with rice in the middle of the table, but just as I did, there was a knock on the door. Katerine was about to stand, but I stopped her.
“I’ll get it, Katerine. You’ve been standing for a while,” I said and quickly headed to the door.
When I opened it, a man—likely just a few years older than Katerine—stood there. I smiled at him because it was the first time I’d seen him.
“Who’s at the door, dear?” Katerine asked.
“It’s Edward,” he replied before I could answer.
I couldn’t help but laugh when he called her “Eddy.”
“Please come in, sir. I’m Lily,” I introduced myself.
“Good morning, dear,” he greeted, and I returned the greeting.
As I was about to close the door, my eyes caught sight of a car parked in front of Amara’s house. I peeked at it, but it wasn’t Arlo’s car. I was curious about what such a luxurious car was doing there and what its purpose was with Amara.
“Edward,” Katerine softly said his name.
“Katherine, I apologize for the sudden visit,” Edward replied, his voice gentle.
There was a smile in their eyes as they looked at each other. Perhaps he was Katerine’s former sweetheart because there was definitely something in the way they looked at each other. I could feel the butterflies in my stomach just watching them. Edward couldn’t seem to take his eyes off Katerine, and she cleared her throat to break the moment.
“Lily, head back to the kitchen so we can start eating. Edward, why are you here so early? Have you eaten?” Katerine asked.
I grabbed an extra plate, spoon, and fork. I saw Katerine lead Edward inside and seat him across from her. I also poured juice into a glass for him.
“You haven’t changed a bit,” Edward said, but Katerine remained silent.
“Let’s eat before the food gets cold and loses its flavor,” Katerine said, and I listened to their conversation quietly.
“I accompanied my boss’s nephew here. They’re planning to buy some land to build a mall,” Edward explained. My jaw dropped at what he said.
“So, does the luxury car parked outside Amara’s house belong to you?” I asked.
“Yes, dear. We’re negotiating to buy their land before someone else does,” he confirmed. I nodded.
Could it be his nephew was Arlo, or was it the man I saw earlier? I wanted to ask but bit my tongue, so I continued eating instead.
After we finished eating, I offered to clean up the table and wash the dishes.
“Katerine, take your time with Edward,” I said with a smile.
“Thank you, dear.” Katerine smiled back.
Later, I planned to ask Violet about Katerine’s past. For some reason, I was curious about Edward’s history. Wow, he really suits her!
After washing the dishes, I went to my room. Katerine and Edward were sitting in the small living room. I glanced out the window and saw the luxury car still parked outside. I wanted to go out, but my feet held me back.
My phone buzzed on my bed, and I quickly picked it up. Violet was on the line.
“Hello, Violet,” I answered.
“Lily, I’m worried your Grandpa Williams might track you down. Everywhere I go, I keep seeing cars following me. Even Ben says someone’s been tailing him too. Be careful. I won’t visit you for now in case it draws attention,” Violet said, and my heart pounded.
“Thank you, Violet. I need to leave Katerine’s house too, just in case she gets caught up in this mess. You know how Grandpa is,” I replied.
“But Lily, where will you go if you leave? You have no place to stay,” Violet’s voice was full of concern.
“Anywhere far away, where no one will be affected because of me,” I said softly.
“Lily, stay where you are for now. I’m sure Grandpa won’t find you there,” Violet reassured me.
“We’ll see. I don’t want to disturb your peaceful life because of me. Alright, Violet, we’ll talk later. Katerine is calling me,” I said, joking.
“Katerine has a visitor named Edward,” I whispered, worried they might hear me. I smiled.
Violet burst into loud laughter, making my ears hurt. Her laughter was so infectious that I couldn’t help but laugh along, even without seeing her. I was sure her nose had turned red from laughing so hard.
“Seriously? OMG! Did you know that Edward was Katerine’s first love, but they weren’t destined to be together?” Violet said, making me cover my mouth in shock.
“So that’s why their gazes are so intense,” I replied.
“That’s all I know—the rest is a mystery,” Violet said, still laughing.
“Alright, bye. Aunt Katerine is calling me outside,” I said as we ended the call.
Before leaving my room, I peeked out the window again. Not seeing the man I was looking for, I closed the small window and stepped out of my room.
Sir Edward smiled at me as if he was about to leave. I smiled back.
“Are you leaving, sir?” I asked politely.
“Just call me Edward, dear,” he said.
He turned back to Katerine, holding her hand. I couldn’t help but feel giddy at the sight. Katerine looked at me, and though she didn’t say it, I could see the happiness in her eyes.
“Thank you for your brief visit, Edward,” Katerine said.
“I appreciate your warm welcome. My nephew might be looking for me now. It’s a good thing we got here first to speak with Mrs. Amara and her husband. Someone else is also planning to buy the land. My nephew acted quickly before the Davis family could get it,” Edward explained, making my eyes widen.
“Davis?” I whispered. Katerine and Edward both looked at me.
I couldn’t be mistaken—Edward mentioned that the Davis family must be my Grandpa’s family.
“Lily, are you okay?” Katerine asked.
“I’m fine, Katerine,” I said, standing up straight and smiling to hide my nervousness.
