FIFTY TWO

LILY’s POV

”Sometimes you must hurt in order to know, fall in order to grow, lose in order to gain because life’s greatest lessons are learnt through pain.” – Masashi Kishimoto

“Mother.”

Why is she here? She has never visited me once in all my time working for Kane.

“Lily.”

She rises from my chair behind the desk and comes over to me in long, slow strides. Her forehead is marred with lines of worry. She is here bearing bad news, I can sense it even before I ask.

I take in a deep breath and force a smile.

“What brings you here mother?” I throw my arms around her for a hug. She wraps her hands around me in return, perhaps a wee bit too tightly before letting go.

“What is it?” I ask again.

Her hands fall to her sides and she takes a look around the office, clearly trying to buy some time. “It’s a ni