Chapter 236 Never Loved
"Lilian, have you seen the trending topics? Did Darwin get married?"
These were the messages that flooded in.
Lilian was initially dumbfounded.
Who was with Mr. Solomon at yesterday's funeral?
She opened the trending topics and panicked at the sight of those group photos.
Reading the comments, there were many not discussing her.
But the top comment was about her.
"So, the engagement mentioned before the first love, it's postponed to the next lifetime, huh?"
Most of the replies sympathized with Lilian.
But all Lilian could see were the scathing, mocking criticisms.
"Hey, Lilian is worlds away from the lady in this picture in terms of allure."
"That dream of marrying into high society shattered!"
"Five years of hype, and she still hasn't snagged the title of Mrs. Solomon!"
"Mrs. Solomon’s eyes and gaze bear a striking 70 to 80 percent resemblance to Secretary Woods. So in the end, it's Secretary Woods who's Darwin's true love. Lilian spent a good deal before badmouthing Secretary Woods in the press, and now she's getting her just desserts."
"Are they saying that the dead can't beat the living? @Lilian, only the dead are invincible."
Lilian's eyes scanned through the comment, and a tightly wound string in her mind snapped.
Darwin hadn't shown up to the office.
But finding his whereabouts wasn't a challenge for Lilian.
He had set up a memorial hall for the old lady at an ancient church in the suburbs, where he was presently.
Dropping everything, Lilian sped in her car towards the church.
Upon arrival, she found Darwin on the phone, his expression soft and tender.
Of course, Lilian knew who had been by Darwin's side at the memorial service—Chelsea!
How much time had passed since the golden wedding banquet until yesterday? And those two had already gotten together!
Watching Darwin, she was certain he was talking to Chelsea.
She felt like she was losing her mind.
She rushed over, snatched the phone from Darwin's hand, and hurled it to the ground, where it shattered into pieces. Terrified children nearby ran away.
Darwin's brows furrowed, "What are you doing?"
"Snap out of it, Darwin! That's Chelsea, not Fiona!" Lilian's eyes were blazing red. "She's not who you think she is—you've been duped! She's after the Solomon fortune, and she'll do anything to bolster the Rhoads family's power!"
"Have you lost your mind?" Darwin's face turned ashen.
In reality, he had been on the phone with Chicago.
Chicago's parents had finally acquiesced to let her talk to him for a brief moment!
"Yes! I'm losing it!" Lilian cried out in agony. "You wouldn't let me go to your grandma's memorial service, yet you have a woman, whom you've known for just half a month, standing by your side as your wife, thanking the guests!"
"Lilian, ever since you came back five years ago, I made it clear—there's nothing between us anymore! You're the one who can't let go!" Darwin spoke in a heavy tone.
"How did I end up married into royalty? How did I endure a life worse than death? Through it all, I never stopped loving you. How can you expect me to let go?" Lilian's voice broke through her tears, "Darwin, you were the one who pursued me first. You promised to protect me, to shield me from all harm! But now, the person who's hurt me the most is you! How could you, how could you stop loving me for her, for my own understudy?"
Darwin's brow furrowed deeply.
"Lilian, I've told you, it was only later that I realized my feelings for you were gratitude, not love. I made a vow to protect you, and that still stands."
"So, you've really decided to be with Chelsea?" Lilian pressed.
Without hesitation, Darwin confirmed, "Yes."
Through her tears, Lilian burst into a hollow laugh, "Do you love Fiona that much, Darwin?"
Again, without missing a beat, he asserted, "Yes, more than my own life."
"Does Chelsea know she's just a stand-in?" Lilian's face twisted with scorn. "Or will you eventually fall for this new understudy, letting your love for Fiona fade over time?"
"That question is pointless," Darwin responded.
Lilian's laugh turned hysterical as her eyes dropped. "Right, pointless. The dead are unbeatable after all." She lifted her gaze back to him, a bittersweet edge to her words, "Darwin, am I forever unbeatable in Fiona's eyes only in death?"
Her head tilted slightly, a gesture of vulnerability, as tears streamed down unchecked—she looked utterly broken.
Darwin remained silent.
He knew the answer but hesitated to provoke Lilian further. His feelings towards her had always been a debt of gratitude—for once upon a time, he had confused for love. Without truly loving her, Lilian could never compare to Fiona.
"You shouldn't waste your life waiting for someone like me, Lilian," Darwin said earnestly.
Her eyes locked onto his with intensity.
When Fiona passed away, Lilian truly believed she'd become Darwin's wife eventually. Year after year, as no other woman appeared by his side, everyone assumed it would undoubtedly be Mrs. Solomon. But then, after two more years, Chelsea appeared, shattering all her dreams.
Unbeatable in death, she thought bitterly, but how can the dead compete with the living?
All this talk about love—she scorned the idea of vying with a ghost.
Chelsea, coveting what shouldn't be desired.
You deserve death!
"I understand," Lilian choked out, brushing away tears. "If this is your final decision, then I choose to honor it."
"Alright," Darwin nodded in acknowledgment.
Lilian left without another word, turning on her heel and walking away. Darwin watched her receding figure, his mind flashing back to that night when he had been on the brink of death, the blurred face he had seen hovering over him. Over the years, Lilian had grown increasingly alien to him, and he found himself wishing more than anything that she could break free from the chains of her past and claim a future of her own.
As Darwin eyed his shattered phone, he couldn't help but worry if Chicago had been startled when it broke. To his relief, Chicago hadn't been scared at all, although she was deeply concerned for him. Frantically, she had redialed Darwin's number several times only to find it unreachable. Coincidentally, she had just finished watching a kidnapping movie with her uncle, which only heightened her anxiety.
"Hasn't Uncle been kidnapped by the bad guys?" she sobbed, clutching Janna Rhoads' sleeve, tears welling up in her eyes. "Grandma Rhoads, please save Uncle, save him, please!"
Janna was speechless. A true chip off the old block – Darwin's own daughter indeed.
Upon hearing Chicago's cries, Charles immediately put aside his book and came over. Once he grasped what had happened, an expression of speechlessness painted his face. He swiftly carried over his laptop, and within moments, located the last IP address that Darwin's phone had dialed. After swiftly hacking into the temple's surveillance system, he sifted through the myriad of tiny camera feeds, pinpointing Darwin.
Zooming in on the feed for a better view, he reassured Chicago, "See, he's fine. Nobody kidnapped him." Then he swiveled the laptop around for her to see.
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