The message from the previous night still haunted her, the words were still glued into her memory.
Don't even think about divorcing Adrian. You'll regret it if you do.
Her stomach twisted as her eyes fell to her engagement ring as she kept on staring at it in the morning light. The weight of her betrayal pressed down on her chest, suffocating her.
Ethan's kind smile, the way he looked at her with nothing but trust and love—it was all in her mind like a cruel reminder of what she had destroyed.
But no matter how guilty she felt, Lily was determined. This mysterious marriage that she cannot remember having with Adrian had to end.
Whatever problems lay ahead, she would face them. She couldn't keep living this nightmare anymore.
After a deep breath, she quickly dressed up, choosing a simple but professional outfit to cover the storm that's raging inside her.
She stretched down her blouse, avoiding to see herself in the mirror. Today was about closing this chapter and moving on, no matter how messy it was.
Emma, Lily's lawyer, sat across from her in the small café near Adrian's office. Her sharp eyes looking through the documents spread on the table while Lily turned her coffee without her focusing on what Emma was doing.
"Are you sure about this?" Emma asked, her voice calm but curious.
Lily looked up, her fingers holding the spoon. "Yes. It's the only way."
Emma raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. Instead, she started packing the papers into her leather briefcase.
"Let's hope Adrian is as cooperative as you think."
Lily did not respond. Deep down, she knew this wouldn't be simple. Adrian wasn't the type to let go of anything easily, and last night's message had only added to her worries.
But she pushed those thoughts aside. She had to do this.
Adrian's office was a huge difference to the different mix of emotions inside Lily. The space was furnished and modern, every detail carefully chosen to show Adrian's power and control.
Dark leather chairs surrounded a shining glass table, and the windows offered a view of the bustling city below.
Lily sat in the glass-walled conference room with Emma by her side. The silence between them is heavy. Lily's fingers tapped lightly against the table, the sound barely heard but enough to betray her anxiousness.
Emma prepared the stack of papers in front of her—divorce papers that would end Lily's marriage to Adrian Blackwood.
Neither of them spoke to each other as the weight of what they were about to do was intense.
The door opened, and Adrian walked in. He moved with an air of authority, his tailored suit clinging on to his body perfectly.
His dark eyes immediately found Lily. For a second, there was a raise of something softer in his eyes, but it vanished the moment he noticed the papers on the table.
"I take it those are the divorce papers," Adrian said, his voice calm but filled with tension he did not want to admit.
Emma nodded, maintaining her professional attitude."They are. We're here to finalize things."
Adrian's face changed as he sat down across from Lily. He leaned his back to his chair, his eyes locked on hers. "Is this what you really want?"
Lily swallowed hard, her heart beating fast, but her voice was firm when she replied. "Yes."
Adrian's eyes were locked on her for a moment longer, searching her face for a change in her decision.
When he found none, he leaned forward, picked up the pen, and was about to sign.
Then, a loud crash outside the office broke the tension.
The noise was followed by alarming shouts, and before anyone could react, the conference room door was forced open.
The impact sent it slamming into the wall, making everyone shake.
A man walked in, commanding attention with his mere presence. Marcus Dravenport. His suit was perfectly tailored , his smirk smug, and his eyes filled with that of a predator.
"Well, well," Marcus sneered, his voice smooth but filled with nothing but mockery. "Adrian Blackwood. It's been a while."
Adrian stood in a rush, his body tense with anger. "What are you doing here, Marcus?"
Marcus didn't even bother to answer the question. His eyes swept across the room, landing briefly on Emma before shifting to Lily.
His smirk intensified when he saw her, but it wasn't a kind smile—it was sharp, calculated, and mischievous.
"And who do we have here?" Marcus asked, shifting his head. "Ah, the soon-to-be ex-wife, I presume."
Adrian stepped forward, his voice sharp. "She's none of your business."
"Oh, Adrian," Marcus said, laughing. "Still so protective. How sweet."
Lily felt her stomach twist as she watched the confrontation between the both of them unfold.. She had heard about Marcus Dravenport — infamous for his ruthless business tactics. But seeing him in person was different.
His confidence was suffocating, his arrogance unavoidable.
Marcus's smile disappeared, his tone turning colder. "I just thought I'd stop by to let you know—I'm back. And this time, I'm going to destroy you."
Adrian's hands turned into fists at his sides, but he kept his composure. "Get out."
Marcus took a step closer, ignoring the warning. "I'll leave," he said with a wicked smile on his face, "but not before leaving my mark."
He turned toward the door but paused, as if he forgot something. Slowly, he walked over to Lily. He leaned down, his face so close that she could feel his breath against her ear.
"Your fiancé, Ethan," he whispered, his voice filled with so much malice, "he knows about your little marriage to Adrian. Think about that, sweetheart."
Lily could not feel her legs. Her heart pounding in her chest as his words sank in. She could not breathe, could not move.
Marcus stood straight, his smirk still in place as he looked back at Adrian. "See you soon."
With that, he walked out, leaving a dominating and wicked silence as he left.
Lily sat unable to move, her mind spinning. Marcus's devious words echoed in her head like an obsessive music.
Ethan knows.
Adrian's voice cut through the tension, sharp and demanding. "What did he say to you?"
But Lily did not respond. She couldn't. Her world had just been turned upside down, and there was no way to stop it from falling apart now.
Her life was definitely over.