December 19, 2023. Chapter 1-2.
At five in the morning, Lily woke up to the view of Lucas' back. They have returned to Lucas's villa. Their mega mansion would have to wait since it was not ready for them to live in. Lily embraced him from behind and rested her cheek on his bare skin. She let her fingers retrace his scars, and she found herself hurting for Lucas. Just then, she noticed something she hadn't recognized before. Lucas had whip scars on his back; in one of his scars, she noticed a diamond pattern at around one centimeter. She checked the rest of his whip scars, and sure enough, she found two other diamond patterns. Lily muttered, "A bullwhip with diamond steel edges?" Her eyes narrowed because she seemed to recall someone who owned such a whip, but thinking back, she said silently, 'But Lily, bullwhips are everywhere, and anybody could own one.' Still, she made a mental note to research on whips. She just could not get her mind off it. "Hmm. Good morning," Lucas said in his bedroom voice. He turne
Dinner was over, and they stepped out to the patio to enjoy tea. Lily and Amelia Lace had taken a seat much closer to the garden. They sat distantly from Lily and Lucas' parents. Lucas was with Aiden, engrossed in listening to his son's tales. Amelia Lace was Marcus' twin, the first daughter of Evan and Shantelle. She took a lot from Shantelle, having beautiful blonde hair, but her eyes were gray. She preferred to be called Lace instead of Amelia. Lace was teary-eyed when she turned to Lily. She touched Lily's arm and said, "When Lucas returned, his eyes were full of pain. He did not live with Mom, Dad, or in any of our penthouses. It's like he created a wall, hiding something from us." "He barely smiled, and he was always looking distantly." Lace looked down and fiddled with her fingers before revealing, "Often, he would hold his necklace pendant and just shut his eyes." Hearing that pricked Lily's heart. Thank goodness, Lace lightened up the mood by saying, "But since he intr
"Johnson and Maurice are the best in security planning within Black Hawk. Include them in your security team if you will get involved in this. And please switch all your cars to armored ones," Lily said while speaking to Liam during their phone call on a Monday morning. Liam responded, "Yes, I am switching. Everyone in Braeton is doing the same." "I have asked Major Patton to send two snipers to Swaxon and stakeout near your office and your house," Lily revealed. "That's a little too much, don't you think?" Liam asked. "The borders are already secured." "We'll never know," Lily insisted. She looked out the window of Lucas' office. She already knew where the sniper was in place. "Even here, in Lucas' office, one is constantly on the lookout." "Oh, and if anything urgent comes up, don't forget to call me in my military line," Lily said. "Then, I don't know if your connections in Swaxon reach the mayor, but like here in Rose Hills, you could ask them to impose a temporary gun ban."
"It's been two days, and there is no sign of him," Lucas said in front of his office table. He glanced at Lily and asked, "Lily, are you sure that none of the soldiers or the police have caught and hurt him?" "Positive," Lily responded. She frowned and asked, "Lucas, if he came here for you, then why haven't he come to the office?" Lucas clenched his jaws. He shook his head and responded, "I'm not sure either." He looked at Ryan, who had been standing behind Lily. Ryan shrugged, which meant Axel had not gone to him either. Then, again, it would not make sense for Axel to seek out Ryan first. Compared to Ryan, Lucas was easier to find. Axel knew that Lucas was the heir of the Thompson Group of Companies. All he needed to do was visit the office, and a meeting can be easily arranged. After discovering that Axel had entered Rose Hills, Lucas has ordered not to apprehend him. He wanted Axel to come to him without fear or worry. "So, how do you know him again, Lucas?" Lily asked.
Axel delivered uninterrupted kicks. He went at it so strongly that Lucas scrambled to find something better to protect him. With a swift motion, he grabbed a chair, wielding it as both a shield and weapon. Lucas fought but with hesitation. He didn't intend to harm Axel, but he also needed to protect himself. Papers scattered, and chairs toppled as the room transformed into an impromptu battleground. Lucas groaned and said, "Axel, listen to me! Whatever is going on, you have it all wrong!" Lucas swung his body from side to side to evade Axel's punches. At one point, he managed to grab his arm, gripping it with both hands. He said, "I'm your friend, Axel! I would not kill you!" "Liar! You sent men to have me killed!" Axel snapped. He rotated his arm, forcing Lucas to free it, and Axel threw in a decisive kick! Lucas found himself forced backward until his back hit the wall of the conference room. Before he could regain a fighting stance, Axel swiftly grabbed the office extension
Lucas was holding Lily like he was afraid of losing her. He was kneeling in front of her while she waited on the bed. He had his arms wrapped around her, and it felt like his hold strengthened in each second that passed. "Lucas," Lily repeated. Her voice trembled in suspense. "I opened the door so you could tell me the truth. I want the truth, Lucas. I can't bear it any longer with what I have heard. The Mullins also said Vice President Wallace was involved with the Alpha Vipers. So what is it really? What was your involvement with the Alpha Vipers?" "And why!" Lily's voice strengthened as she said, "Why get involved with them in the first place?" "Lily, I -" Lucas stared into Lily's blue eyes. He said, "I did what I had to do to ensure your safety." "What?" Lily's heart sprinted. Fear crept into her soul, and her head imagined all the possibilities of what Lucas meant. She said in frustration, "What do you mean, Lucas? Tell me? Please, I have to know!' "About ten years ago." L
"How long have you been awake?" Lucas inquired upon observing Lily lying on her back, lost in thought. Her eyes were swollen, and the corners of her eyes were moist. 'She cried again,' he assumed. Lily blinked. She didn't face him. Instead, she remained staring at the ceiling, asking, "Lucas, I want to know more." Rather than responding, Lucas gently held her cheek and drew her closer. He kissed her face and inhaled her scent. He genuinely didn't want her to feel any more guilt about his past choices, but it was also in Lily's nature to probe. He said in a hushed tone, "What - what do you want to know?" "Is Axel part of the Alpha Vipers?" Lily asked. "And so is Ryan?" 'Oh, no,' Lucas thought. 'She would never stop bothering Ryan after this.' "Lucas?" She asked again. Seeing her frown, Lucas acknowledged, saying, "Yes." He told her about Axel and how the Alpha Vipers leaders had planned to eliminate him after accomplishing his mission. He explained, "The organization had mis
After Lucas left the room, Lily refreshed her mind as to what she knew about the Alpha Vipers. She had files about them on her laptop when the organization ceased operation. Lily read parts of the company's official statement: [Dear Clients and Partners, With regret, we write to inform you of the closure of Alpha Vipers, effective November 20XX. Over the years, we have valued your partnership and trust in our services. However, due to discontinued support from our investors, we find it necessary to cease operations...] Lily put two and two together. Lucas had brought down the leaders of the Alpha Vipers, so it was natural for the organization to lose its backbone. She made a phone call to her contact with the FBI. When the person on the other line picked up, she requested, "I want all information about Bane Emerson, his prison, and the charges against him. Also, I know we have stopped looking into the Alpha Vipers, but can you see if you have named the investors and all the le