**** PRESENT *****
{ Lily, 26 years old }I wake up in the middle of the night, feeling pissed off. I hate that being back in Altamira has brought up those memories from the past, when my life went from bad to worse.I try to go back to sleep, but an hour later I have to give up. I just stare at the ceiling and try to think back... did I have any friends in Altamira other than Dean? The answer is no. Not real ones, anyway.I've never been someone who makes good friends. Except Brian Lannister, apparently, even though I don't remember much about him since I only see him when I'm drinking.Still, I send him a text just to check if he still wants to be my friend and maybe visit me sometime. It's six in the morning, but he answers my text almost immediately. "Hey, of course I want to be your friend, maybe even more than that. I wasn't lying. How's it going with your daddy?" He texts back, making me chuckle."Not that bad yet. Why are you awake so early?""I'm a reporter, I guess you don't remember. I'll be live on channel 9 in just fifteen minutes," he says, and my mouth falls open. How did I end up with a reporter? In some kind of relationship with him? For two months?!"I'm reporting from the highway; there was an accident." He continues."Did someone die?" I ask, not sure what else to ask."No. That would be juicy though," he says, and I laugh. I can see why drunk me likes him. "Are you going to watch me?""I will," I say, and I get up to look for the Tv remote and put on Channel 9, the news. Lannister stops replying then and I find myself excitedly waiting for him to appear on TV.Just like he said, around fifteen minutes later, his face appears. He's holding a microphone and standing in front of a car crash. I snap a few pictures of the TV to show him I wasn't lying, and I just watch him, thinking... he's very handsome.He's also nice. He's already interested in me. So… what if I make him my boyfriend?I've only had one of those before -unofficially- but he was my stepbrother, so I never had the chance to do normal girlfriend-boyfriend stuff.Maybe I'm old enough to do it now. And maybe having a boyfriend would be helpful while I'm dealing with the Carrington boys.Brian's appearance on TV only lasts around five minutes, so I send him the photo."That's the most nervous I've been in a while, knowing you were watching me," he texts back, making me smile. Is this how a normal, healthy relationship starts?I wouldn’t know."How often are you on TV?" I ask."Honestly, not that often. Maybe once a week. Most of the time, I work in a desk.""They should show your face more often," I flirt, biting my lip nervously."That's what I keep telling them," he responds. Oh, god, he's funny too.It takes everything in me not to ask him to move in with me already and put a ring around his finger. I keep texting him for a while, but then I fall back asleep with my phone still in my hands.When I wake up again, it's past noon."Fuck me," I groan when I see the time and my mom's missed calls. I call her back and clear my throat to sound more awake, "Hi, mom. I was working out.""Sure you were," she mutters, "Harry is throwing you a welcome party tonight at seven, I'll send you the location. He's going to introduce you to some important people."I swallow nervously."Okay, mom. I'll be there.""I need you to get drunk and make a scene," she continues, making me frown, "Not horribly, just to show Harry you're definitely a lost cause. I want him to console me.""Oh," I say, realizing she's using me for her own vengeance. I guess it's fair, "How about I hook up with someone there?""Too far. Just get drunk and be flirty with the investors. That'll be enough," she says. I make an affirmative sound, "The first meeting went wonderfully, by the way. Harry said you look awful, so now he wants us to help you even more.""That's great, I guess," I mutter, trying not to feel offended. "Do I really look that bad?""Yes. Too skinny," she says, "See you later, okay?" "Okay," I sigh and end the call. She hasn't changed much. I was dumb to expect some nice comment from her.At seven pm, I walk into my welcome party wearing a slutty short dress.Harry closed a bar downtown for me and when I walk in, he’s already here, waiting for me. I hug him and my mom and I let them introduce me to a lot of people. Important people.I’m embarrassed about having to make a fool of myself, but I trust my mom. So, once I have introduced myself to everyone, I walk straight to the bar and I lean there, aware of the fact that my dress is too short for this.And considering there are way more men than women around here, I know there are more than a few pairs of eyes looking at my ass."Hi, can I have a vodka cranberry? Heavy on the vodka," I ask. The bartender looks down at my cleavage before nodding.I guess it’s show time.{ Aiden }Lily Jensen is back in my life, ten years later. I have to sit down in my bed and take a second to gather my thoughts before continuing to get dressed for the party tonight. Her welcome party. Because, apparently, she'll be staying here for good. I will admit it, I'm definitely nervous.I hated to lose her when I was eighteen but it was also a relief because Lily no longer living in my house meant I could ignore the truth: the fact that she's my step-sister. The fact that her legal name is Lilian Carrington, not Jensen. Having her back around me is going to test my morality all over again. I already failed once... will I fail again?I sigh and get up, looking at myself in the mirror while I put on my suit and then fix my hair, putting a little more thought into how I look than normally. Lily was really into me at some point in time. She would grab my face and call me handsome. She would touch all over my body as if she couldn't stop herself.What does she think about me
{ Lily }"Wake up, dear. The day has finally come," my mother says, out of nowhere.Literally, out of nowhere. I haven't seen this woman in TWO years. I haven't spoken to her in... months. I almost don't understand what she means because I'm hangover and she just woke me up, but then I realize what she means.The day.I think she means 'the day' she promised me ten fucking years ago. The day when my revenge against my stepbrothers will begin. I guess we’re powerful enough to actually take them down now."How did you find me?" I ask, groaning as I get up. Then I look down at the guy in my bed… I don't know who he is, "How did you get inside my house?”"This is my house, smartypants," she laughs, looking momentarily at my naked form before I grab my robe and cover myself up, "I can explain later. The day has come, just like I promised. Today, we will start the downfall of those sick boys.""How?" I ask, blinking and trying to keep up. My mother is not a jokester and she doesn't waste
The building is icy cold and I shiver as soon as I step foot inside but my mother walks in front of me with all the confidence in the world. I try to mimic her, but I’m too hungover for that. My head hurts every time her heels go clack-clack.And much sooner than I’m ready for, we arrive at a glass-walled boardroom. I can see three men inside. Men I know very well.“You can do it,” my mother says without looking at me before opening the door for me. I swallow my fear down and walk inside, repeating her words: you can do it, you can do it.Damon and Aiden are seated at the table and I can feel their eyes on me as soon as I enter, but I don’t pay attention to them yet. My eyes land on the man who stands up with a smile to greet me.Harry. Forty-five years old. A tall and athletic body, warm amber eyes, neatly styled light hair and a face that belongs in an action or superhero movie. Harry is still as handsome as the last time I saw him, but that’s no surprise. This family’s genes ar
I walk out of the building like something is chasing me. I’m very overwhelmed by seeing the two guys that ruined me, but also because… what in the fuck am I going to do as the CEO of a company? I've never had a job. I dropped out of college. I don't know anything about math. Or finances. Or business. Or science. Or anything, really. "Mom, what the hell?" I say when she finally gets in the back of the Escalade next to me, "I can't be the CEO of anything.""Of course you can. Horizon is the smallest company we have and it's easy stuff. Think of yourself as the manager, you’ll just make sure everything is running correctly. You don't have to handle finances or legalities or technicalities, just overseeing production and making sure they deliver what they need to deliver to those three stores. That is literally it."I know it sounds easy, but that's still to much responsibility for someone like me. And I kind of liked being unemployed. Think I said that last part out loud because my mo
**** 11 YEARS AGO ****{ Lily, 15 years old }I don't think my mom knows what the hell she's doing. She got married to her boss after only dating him for five months. Mom said she got into this relationship solely for the money, but Harry is very handsome, not a wrinkled old man, and I've seen them kiss each other. I don't think money can buy that type of chemistry. I think she actually likes him. And to be honest, he has been nice to me so far, so I like him too. And he’s the reason why I'm here. Living in the rich side of Altamira, in a HUGE mansion by the beach with three random boys around my age. One of them is sweet: Dean. One of them is terrifying: Damon. And the other one is... I don't know yet. Aiden is an enigma.I haven't been able to really get a read on him. I think he wears a mask most of the time. But the worst part is how insanely hot all three of them are. Tall, built and beautiful, they all look a lot like their father. Brown hair, olive skin, amber eyes, thic
**** 11 YEARS AGO ****The drive to school is painfully awkward because Dean is still mad at Aiden. I'm riding in the passenger seat next to the driver and the three boys are sitting together in the backseat. I look over my shoulder. "What happened?" Damon asks in a bored tone when Aiden tries to touch Dean but he slaps his hand away. Dean is sitting in the middle, "Why are you sulking?""Aiden hurt me," Dean complains, his arms crossed tightly across his chest. Knowing what I know about Damon I think he might just punch Dean or something evil, but he actually laughs and wraps his arms around Dean’s neck to pull him to his chest and hug him."Poor little Bean boy," he says in a baby voice, making Dean growl and try to get away, but Damon doesn't let him, "Don't be a pussy, man.""I'm not! But it hurts," Dean complains and finally sets himself free, "Look, my cheeks are still red! Everyone is going to ask what happened to my pretty face.""So? Tell the truth. I did it," Aiden shrugs,