Chapter -6

Ian's Pov

As usual, I was on my way to the office, scrolling through the information Lily had given me. My grip on the tablet tightened as I read through the reports.

Evelyn had been bullied at her workplace. Repeatedly. And her family? They did nothing. Her father dismissed her completely, claiming she was mentally ill and that her actions were her own choice. According to him, her company had nothing to do with her death. Everyone faces hardships in their career, he had said. She was just lazy—too weak to handle work stress.

What the fuck? My jaw clenched as I stared at the words. Is he even her father?

And then there was her so-called friends. They pinned it all on her ex—Lucas Masterson.

I exhaled sharply, my mind spiraling. Lucas. So, it was because of that bastard. That name alone sent a bitter taste through me.

Frustration burned beneath my skin. I tossed the tablet onto the seat beside me and rolled down the car window, letting the cold air hit my face. I needed to breathe, to clear my head.

Somehow, I got through the day, burying myself in work. But even when I sat in my office later that evening, watching random videos to distract myself, my mind refused to settle.

Should I see a therapist? The thought crept in, unwelcome yet persistent. Because believing in God, the white abyss—hallucinating entire conversations? I must be going insane.

I turned off the video. I wasn't even watching it at this point. Without thinking much, I grabbed my phone and called Lily.

She arrived a few minutes later, pushing the office door open with a raised brow. "Yes, sir?" She glanced at her watch and let out a dramatic sigh. "It's past 7 PM, and I don't think this is within my working hours." Crossing her arms, she smirked. "If you keep doing this to me, Joseph is going to beat you up."

I leaned back in my chair, unimpressed. "You think he can touch me?" My voice was calm, firm.

Lily didn't miss a beat. "Oh, he can." She stepped closer, her eyes holding an easy confidence. "And he knows that'll be the last time he touches you. But he'd still do it—just for me."

I was taken aback for a moment. How? How did she have that kind of trust in him? How could she be so sure?

I could never trust Evelyn like that.

No. That wasn't true. I did trust her. But she—

"Sir?" Lily's voice cut through my thoughts. "What exactly did you call me here for?"

I took a slow breath. "A therapist. I need one."

Lily let out a long, exaggerated sigh and shook her head. "Fine. I'll find one. Tomorrow. For both of us, apparently."

"I need one now."

She blinked at me, then scoffed. "Yeah, well, I can't magically summon one at this hour. Unless you want a fraud from some shady website?" She rolled her eyes. "Just tell me what's wrong. Is it Evelyn?" She narrowed her gaze slightly. "What was she, anyway? Your crush? Your ex?"

Lily watched me carefully, waiting for an answer. I exhaled, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my desk. I could feel the weight of my own silence pressing down on me.

"What does it matter?" I muttered, rubbing my temples.

Lily scoffed, crossing her arms. "Oh, it matters, Mr. Sinclair. Because you don't randomly summon your poor secretary past working hours unless you're losing your damn mind over something." She tilted her head, studying me. "And from what I guess, it's a woman problem."

I gave her a dry look. "That's your professional diagnosis?"

She smirked. "Well, you're definitely not this emotionally constipated over a business deal."

I sighed, rolling my shoulders. "It's just… complicated."

Lily let out a low chuckle. "Love always is. But you? You don't even try to understand it." She sat down on the chair across from me, leaning forward like she was about to deliver a lecture. "Let me guess—when things got tough, you just let it fall apart, huh?"

I clenched my jaw. "Not exactly."

She raised a brow. "Then what, exactly?"

I didn't respond.

Lily exhaled sharply. "Look, I get it. You're the 'logical' type. Everything has to make sense, be predictable, be under your control." She gave me a knowing look. "But love? Love is not logical, sir. It's messy, unfair, and painfully unpredictable. And if you expect it to be anything else, you're going to be miserable."

I stared at her, unsure if I should feel annoyed or impressed.

She smirked at my silence. "See? You hate that I'm right."

I exhaled, shaking my head. "It's not that simple for me, Lily."

She shrugged. "It never is. But here's the thing—if you actually love someone, you fight for them. You don't overthink every damn step, you don't let pride or logic stop you. And you definitely don't push them away just because you're scared."

Her words hit something deep inside me.

I wasn't talking about Evelyn. I couldn't talk about Evelyn. But somehow, I was still talking about her. About everything I had buried.

"Maybe," I muttered, glancing away. "Maybe some people just… weren't meant to stay."

Lily hummed, tapping her fingers on the desk. "Or maybe some people just weren't given a reason to."

I swallowed hard, gripping the edge of my desk. The weight in my chest tightened.

"Well," she said, standing up with a stretch. "That's enough free therapy for today. You can keep sulking. I have a boyfriend who actually knows how to appreciate me."

I scoffed. "So, Joseph's your reward for dealing with my shit?"

She grinned. "Exactly. Now go home, sir. Or at least try to act like a human being."

With that, she walked out, leaving me alone with thoughts I didn't want to face.

Lily didn't leave. Instead, she leaned against the desk, arms crossed, watching me like she was deciding whether I was even worth the effort of an answer.