Chapter 111
The next day, after finalizing the arrangements, Lily was scheduled to be transferred to the women’s prison. Ariana, feeling triumphant, was elated upon hearing that Lily would be held in the women's cell until the trial concluded. Eager not to miss the sight of Lily being taken to jail, Ariana disguised herself and made her way to the police station.
Seated in the back of a taxi with a scarf wrapped around her, Ariana parked across from the police station. From the taxi, she watched as Lily, handcuffed, was escorted to the prison transport vehicle. A smile of satisfaction spread across Ariana’s face—this was just the beginning. She intended to ensure that Lily remained incarcerated even after the trial. Everything had been meticulously planned, and she was confident there would be no evidence to clear Lily’s name.
Now that Lily was out of the picture, Ariana felt a sense of ease. She anticipated that Alexander, in his vulnerable state, could be easily manipulated to her advantage. As she observed the scene, she noticed Alexander standing a short distance away, watching as Lily was placed in the vehicle. With him were Lily's grandfather, father, and a few other family members. Ariana expected to see a worried expression on Alexander’s face, similar to the rest of the family, but instead, his face was devoid of emotion. She couldn’t decipher what he was feeling as he witnessed Lily being taken to prison.
Ariana wondered if he was beginning to lose faith in Lily. If that were true, it would bring her immense satisfaction. "Get me out of here," she instructed the taxi driver, who immediately drove away.
Lily’s imprisonment had quelled the protests from citizens and the families of those who had lost their lives. Despite her being in jail, Alexander ensured that she was provided with every possible luxury within her cell. When Lily was escorted inside the prison, wearing her prison uniform, she expected to be treated like any other inmate. However, she was surprised when she was placed in a lavish cell.
From the outside, the door appeared to lead to an ordinary cell, but inside was a different story. It was more like a small luxury apartment, complete with a large bed, TV, kitchen, and a spotless bathroom. Lily sighed, knowing this was Alexander’s doing. He had allowed her to go to prison as she had wanted, but he made sure she wouldn’t lack any comfort. There was even a freezer stocked with food.
After the guards locked the cell from the outside, Lily sat down on the couch and began to contemplate her plan. Ariana thought she had won, but Lily was determined to show her what would happen when this was all over. She was certain that only one person could have orchestrated this, and that person was Ariana. The woman hadn’t lost her memory; she wanted Lily out of the way and was willing to go to any lengths to achieve that, all so she could rekindle her relationship with Alexander. But what Ariana didn’t realize was that Lily was prepared for her.
With Lily now in prison, the protests had ceased. All that remained was to await the first court hearing. That evening, Alexander returned home, standing outside the door, pondering how he would explain Lily's absence to their daughter, Viola. Neither of them had returned home the previous day, and now he was coming home without Lily. Though Lily’s plan was well thought out, he wished there had been another way to handle things without her going to jail.
The thought of Lily being imprisoned made him clench his fists in frustration. While he had ensured she had all the comforts she needed in prison, he still felt like he had failed her.
“Welcome home, Mr. Kane,” Clara greeted him with a bow.
Alexander nodded. “Where’s Viola?”
“She’s in the living room. She refused to go to bed and has been waiting for both of you.”
“Did you tell her anything?”
“No, sir, I wouldn’t dare.”
“I’ll go explain things to her. You can retire for the night.”
Clara nodded and left as Alexander entered the living room. There, he found his little daughter staring up at the ceiling with wide eyes. He glanced up at the ceiling, wondering what she was looking at.
“Is there something up there?” he asked.
“Daddy!” Viola sprang up from the couch and rushed to her father, hugging his legs tightly. At five years old, she was already taller than most children her age, but she still loved hugging her father’s legs.
Alexander lifted her into his arms and hugged her tightly. “How was your day?”
Viola pouted as if she was about to cry. “It was boring. You and Mommy left me all alone.”
Alexander’s heart ached at her words. “I’m so sorry. Can you forgive me?”
“No.”
“But why don’t you want to forgive Daddy?” he asked, pretending to be sad.
“Because I want you and Mommy to apologize together since you both left me alone.”
The life drained from his face. Viola noticed her father’s expression and frowned. “Where’s Mommy?”
Alexander and the rest of the family had thought carefully about what to tell her.
“I’m sorry, sweetheart, but Mommy had to visit a distant cousin she hasn’t seen in years. The cousin is very sick and in the hospital, needing surgery. It will take weeks for her cousin to recover, so Mommy has to stay until she gets better.”
Viola blinked her long, natural lashes as she listened to her father. “I didn’t know Mommy had a distant cousin.”
“Yes, she does, my love, but she hadn’t had a chance to tell you about her.”
Viola stared at her father with a serious look. Despite being only five, her intelligence was impressive, and she wasn’t easily fooled.
“Daddy?”
“Yes, my love,” Alexander replied, aware that she wasn’t fully convinced.
“Why didn’t Mommy bring her cousin to our city?”
“Because her cousin is too sick to travel.”
Viola thought about this for a moment before nodding. “Okay, but I need to talk to Mommy. I want her to explain why she didn’t tell me she was leaving.” She was ready to give her mother a piece of her mind.
Alexander considered his next move. “I’ll let you talk to her tomorrow, but for now, you need to go to bed, Viola.”
Viola pouted again. “But I miss Mommy.”
“I know, my love, but you need to sleep. It’s already late, and it’s midnight where your mom is.”
Reluctantly, Viola nodded, though her beautiful blue eyes welled up with tears. Alexander felt a sharp pain in his heart—first because his wife was in jail, and second because his daughter was crying in his arms. Seeing the two people he cared about most in the world so upset made him feel even worse.
After making sure Viola was asleep, he went to the bedroom he shared with Lily. As soon as he walked in, he regretted it. All the memories they had shared in that room came flooding back.
He lay down on Lily’s side of the bed and held her pillow close to his chest. The pillow still carried her scent, and as he inhaled it, memories of cuddling, kissing, and making love to her filled his mind. Alexander realized he wouldn’t be able to sleep on the bed without her beside him. So instead, he moved to the couch in the room, hoping he could maintain his patience and follow Lily’s plan. If he decided to take matters into his own hands, the entire city could be thrown into chaos.
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