Chapter 140
Lily stared at her phone, a sense of warmth filling her chest. Alexander knew she was alive. The relief in his message was palpable, and for the first time in days, she allowed herself to feel something other than the tension of survival. But she couldn’t dwell on that just yet—there was still work to be done. Ariana might be gone for now, but Lily knew that shadows from the past never fully disappeared.
Jacob approached, his face lined with concern. "Are you sure you’re alright? That was close."
Lily nodded, her gaze still fixed on the direction they had dragged Ariana. "I’m fine. This had to happen. It was the only way to end this once and for all."
Jacob didn’t look convinced, but he knew better than to push her. "Michael and the others are securing the perimeter. We’ll make sure no one gets near you."
Lily sighed, her exhaustion catching up with her. "Thanks, but I don’t think she’ll be able to come after me for a long time." She glanced at the rising sun, the light cutting through the trees. "But we can’t relax yet. Ariana isn’t the only enemy out there."
Jacob’s brow furrowed. "You think there’s more to come?"
Lily turned to face him, her expression hardening. "Ariana had help. She wasn’t doing this alone. We need to find out who else is involved and stop them before they make their next move."
Jacob nodded, the weight of the task ahead clear in his eyes. "We’ll keep digging. But for now, you need rest."
Lily chuckled, though it was humorless. "Rest can wait. I need to see Viola. And Alexander."
Jacob opened his mouth to protest, but then closed it. He knew better than to argue when Lily was in this state—determined and unwavering. He gestured toward the car waiting for them. "Let’s get you back."
As they drove away from the forest, the tension in Lily’s muscles began to ease. Her mind, however, remained sharp, running through all the loose ends that still needed tying up. Ariana might be out of the picture, but she could feel in her gut that something bigger was still looming.
The car pulled up to the mansion, and the moment Lily stepped out, the weight of what had happened hit her. The media had been relentless, circling around the news of the car crash like vultures. But now that it had been revealed that no one had died, there was a new wave of curiosity. Reporters were eager to know who had set up the crash, and more importantly, why.
She was greeted by Victor at the entrance. His face was serious, but there was a glimmer of relief in his eyes. "The media’s all over it, just like you expected," he said. "They’ve confirmed no one was in the car."
"I know," Lily replied. "Alexander will know soon too."
Victor looked her up and down, concern in his voice. "You look like you’ve been through hell."
"I have," Lily said, offering a tired smile. "But I’m still standing."
They entered the house, and the moment Lily crossed the threshold, her heart leapt at the sight of Viola. Her little girl was sitting on the couch, playing with her dolls, oblivious to the chaos that had surrounded her mother’s life.
"Mommy!" Viola cried, jumping up and running to her.
Lily knelt down and scooped Viola into her arms, holding her tight. She buried her face in her daughter’s hair, letting the warmth of the moment wash over her. "I missed you, sweetheart," she whispered.
"I missed you too, Mommy," Viola said, her small hands gripping Lily’s shirt. "Where were you?"
"I was taking care of something," Lily said softly. "But I’m here now."
As she held her daughter, the exhaustion of the last few days began to hit her like a wave. But she couldn’t let herself collapse just yet. There was still one more person she needed to see.
"Where’s Alexander?" she asked, standing up and looking around.
Victor shifted uncomfortably. "He... he went looking for you. He saw the news about the crash before they reported that no one was inside. He didn’t take it well."
Lily’s stomach tightened. "Where did he go?"
"We don’t know for sure," Victor said, shaking his head. "But he was in a bad state when he left."
Lily’s heart raced. She had been so focused on Ariana that she hadn’t considered how deeply Alexander would be affected by thinking she had died. The look in his eyes when he thought she was gone—she couldn’t bear it.
"I need to find him," she said, her voice firm.
Victor glanced at Jacob, who had just entered the room. "We can send people out, track him down."
"No," Lily interrupted. "I need to do this myself."
Jacob started to object, but Lily silenced him with a look. "You’ve done enough for me, Jacob. This is something I have to handle on my own."
With a quick kiss on Viola’s forehead and a promise that she’d be back soon, Lily headed toward the door. She could feel the weight of everyone’s eyes on her, but there was only one person she was focused on now.
As she drove through the city, her mind raced, trying to think of where Alexander might have gone. She knew him better than anyone—he would go somewhere they had shared, somewhere that held meaning. And then it hit her.
The lake.
It was where they had gone after their first real fight, the place they went to whenever the world felt too heavy. It was their refuge. And if he thought she was dead, that’s where he’d be.
She sped up, her heart pounding in her chest. The thought of Alexander sitting by the water, grieving for her, broke something inside of her. She needed to get to him, to let him know she was still here, that they still had time.
When she arrived at the lake, the sun was setting, casting an orange glow over the water. And there, just as she had thought, was Alexander. He was sitting on the dock, his shoulders slumped, his head in his hands. The sight of him like that made her chest tighten.
Lily stepped out of the car and walked slowly toward him, the sound of her footsteps muted by the soft earth. She stopped a few feet away, her heart in her throat.
"Alexander," she called softly.
He didn’t move at first, but then, slowly, he lifted his head. His eyes were red, his face pale, but when he saw her standing there, alive, his entire expression changed. Disbelief, shock, and then overwhelming relief washed over him.
"Lily," he whispered, standing up, his voice cracking. "You're... you're alive?"
She nodded, tears filling her eyes. "I’m alive."
In an instant, Alexander was across the dock, pulling her into his arms, holding her so tightly it was as if he were afraid she might disappear again.
"I thought I lost you," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I thought you were gone."
"I’m here," Lily murmured into his chest. "I’m not going anywhere."
They stood there for what felt like hours, wrapped in each other, the world falling away around them. For the first time in a long time, they both felt safe.
"I knew it," Alexander said after a long silence, his voice barely above a whisper. "I knew you weren’t in that car."
Lily smiled against his chest. "You always know."
As the sun set behind them, casting the world in a warm glow, they stayed there, holding on to each other, knowing that no matter what came next, they would face it together.
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