Lily’s POV.
I look at Freya as I eat cookies and say, “Hey, Freya. What are you doing here?”
“I am here to talk with you,” Freya says as she enters my apartment.
I gently close the door behind her and ask, “About what?”
“About the fact that how much I can ruin your life if you don’t accept my deal, I am going to offer you now,” Freya says as she folds her arms and looks at me haughtily.
“What?” I ask as I raise my brows at her.
“I want you out of my way. I want you to go away somewhere for some time till I get married to Ryan. I will give you as much money as you want if you leave.” Freya says.
“Why should I leave? Ryan already broke up with me?” I ask.
“Because if you don’t, next morning you would be on the front page of every newspaper. Your name would be in the dirt and you would be called a gold digger for trying to trap her godfather’s rich son.” Freya says and I now understand why Ryan suddenly broke up with me.
“So you blackmailed Ryan to break up with me so he gets married to you?” I ask in disbelief.
“Yes, dear. Now name your price to leave us.” She says.
“My price. How would you pay me when you don’t have any money?” I ask Freya.
“What do you mean?” Freya asks as I see her a bit shocked at my words.
“Let me say it clearly then. If I am not wrong you are marrying Ryan for money because your father’s business is on the verge of bankruptcy and not only that but also the fact that you want money to invest in your boyfriend’s business too. Am I not right?” I ask as I smirk at her.
“Boyfriend? What boyfriend?” She asks in confusion.
“That boyfriend whose baby you are carrying right now,” I say pointing at her belly.
“I am not carrying anything. I may have some boyfriends but I make sure never to get pregnant. I don’t want to ruin my figure when I am this young.” She says as she makes a disgusted face at the mention of pregnancy.
“But you have a boyfriend?” I ask in confusion.
“No. Why would I marry Ryan if I have a boyfriend?” She asks.
“For the money,” I say.
“I may be wanting to marry him for money but I don’t keep two men in my life at the same time. It is messy and I don’t want confusion about what name to say in bed, please.” Freya says as she rolls her eyes.
“Whatever. You don’t have enough money to pay me to leave and even if you had I won’t leave. And by the way, Ryan already broke up with me so why do you need me to leave now?” I ask even though I know its answer.
I think Freya knows that Ryan has gotten stuff through which she was blackmailing him and is here to send me away before Ryan could come to explain all this to me. I only have half the information but from all these, I could get this out that Ryan broke up with me because he was trying to protect me and my reputation.
I feel love and anger both towards him right now. If he had told me I would have helped him somehow before only. We didn’t have to break up to do so. He knew all this time that what he said was fake but I didn’t. I don’t know what to do with this man.
“Just do as I say, Lily. You don’t want me to spoil your life. And Ryan has always been mine, to begin with. I spent four years with me unlike you who only have four months. I am an heiress unlike you who is nothing but an executive assistant.” Freya says.
“Well, I may be an executive assistant but as you are going on family money let me tell you something. My father used to be COO of Andersons and he is still remembered in that company with respect. Even though my brother could have his post, he didn’t take it because he wanted to reach there on his own, not on our father’s name.” I say.
“Whatever. People don’t see that. People will always compare you to me and you will always be seen as less compared to me. And do you think Ryan would marry you? I bet he broke up with you because if he had told you, you would have insisted on telling Richard about this. And guess what would have happened next?” She asks in a fit of anger.
“What?” I ask.
“He would have married you both. But Ryan doesn’t want you that way that is why he didn’t tell you and decided to solve this on his own. So, when all the proofs are gone he doesn’t have to marry either of us.” She says and for a second there her reason doesn’t seem false.
Ryan could have just told me and we would have solved it. I would not have suggested telling Richard until there was no way but did Ryan not trust me on this. Why did he do that then?
“I don’t care. It is time for you to leave, Freya.” I say and open the door for her but see Vance, Ryan and Kathy poised outside.
“I was just going to ring the bell,” Ryan says when I see a key similar to mine in his hand.
“Really?” I ask in disbelief. I thought he left his key with me.
“That is mine,” Kathy says in defence of Ryan.
“So, you’re all intruding here too?” Freya asks behind me.
“What is she doing here?” Ryan asks as he gets inside than others.
I sigh and close the door again. Thank goodness, Lady is upstairs otherwise she would have taken Freya down in a second and I would be in deep trouble for sure.
“I asked something, what are you doing here?” Ryan asks again but this time to Freya.
“What are you doing here?” Freya asks too.
“I am here to tell my girlfriend the truth and now that I have found you, I will also tell you that your game is over,” Ryan says and I look at him in question at the mention of girlfriend which he completely ignores.
“What do you mean?” She asks.
“I think you know what I mean otherwise you won’t be here, Freya,” Ryan says with an arrogant look on his face.
“You… You all are nothing but thieves. You came into my house and stole things from my locker.” Freya says as her face gets red with anger.
“Fine we are thieves but you don’t have anything to prove that and you can’t even call police for us as you will also go to jail for blackmailing me and we have proof for that.” Ryan says.
“I still have your pictures with her on my phone.” Freya says with a smirk.
“Oh, Really! Why don’t you check your phone again, Freya?” Kathy says with an evil smile.
“What do you mean?” Freya says as she checks her phone, “Where the hell is everything gone? You people… What did you do?” She asks in anger.
“Nothing. But I will do something if you try to blackmail me again. If you tried to ruin mine or Lily’s or anyone’s life I would make sure that your father never comes out of bankruptcy. But as he is my father’s best friend, I know Dad would see to his welfare. Now just leave before I change my mind and tell him to not help your father.” Ryan says in a time which makes me don’t want to ever cross him.
“Fine. But let me just tell you one thing by comparison, Lily could never be better than me. Never.” Freya says as she gives me stinky eyes while I still have my cookies.
“You are right. She could never be better than you.” Ryan says and the bite that I had feels like dust in my mouth at his words while I see Freya smirking at me then at Ryan as he continues, “In cheating and blackmailing people. You know why? Because she is busy being the best at good things like caring for me, being ambitious and also a perfect person which I need in my life.”
For a minute there, I feel my heart melting at his words but then I remember Freya’s previous words and get angry again. Freya stomps her feet then goes towards the door. She looks at me for a second then twists her face in disgust as she leaves and closes the door with a loud thud.
“So can I have cookies too?” Kathy says to break the silence or maybe because she is just hungry.
“Me too.” Vance says.
“I want one too.” Ryan says sheepishly as he looks at me.
“Kathy can have it but you both can’t.” I say as I give it to Kathy.
“But why?” They ask together.
“Because you both lied to me.” I say as Kathy takes the jar and sits on the couch.
“Kathy lied too.” Ryan says.
“Well she is pregnant hence she is spared.” I say as I fold my arms around me.
“But I am your boss.” Vance says.
“Not in my apartment.” I say.
“Technically this is my apartment.” Vance says with a shrug.
“Well not anymore as I live here not you.” I say.
“But my company pays for it.” Vance argues.
“And I in return work for your company, so it is mine.” I argue back.
“But-” Vance goes to say but gets stopped by Kathy’s loud shush.
“Stop it you both. Lily, we lied for a reason. Ryan didn’t want you to be stressed about it.” Kathy says.
“Or maybe he was afraid that I would suggest he reveal our relationship to his parents.” I say as I look at Ryan.
“What? No, that was not the reason for me not telling you about all these.” Ryan defends himself.
“Yes.” So does Vance.
“I don’t want to hear about it. You both are his friends, so you are obviously going to take his side. But as I didn’t know anything about this fake break up or lies, I got really hurt because of him and I am not going to forgive him for that. Neither am I going to have any kind of relationship with him ever again.” I say.
“What? That is unfair. You have to hear me out once.” Ryan says.
“No, you listen to me now. That day when you told me that you are breaking up with me, broke my heart. Did you ask me what I was going to say that day? No you didn’t. Ask me today what I was going to say. Ask me.” I say and Ryan’s flinches.
“Maybe we should leave Kathy.” Vance says.
“No, let me see it.” Kathy says.
“Lily-” Ryan says.
“Ask me.” I repeat again cutting him.
“Fine. What were you going to say that day?” He finally asks.
“That I love you.” I say and I hear gasps and sniffles form behind me.
“What?” Ryan asks in shock.
“Yes. I was so happy. I specifically wore that dress that day. I made your favourite dishes. But we both know how that night ended, didn’t we?” I ask with hurt still fresh in my heart.
“Lily, I am sorry. If I had known I would never have said those words to you.” Ryan says.
“If you had known, like that could ever happen. If you really had known me you would not have hidden all of these from me. You would not have doubted me.” I say.
“But I didn’t.” Ryan says as he comes near and puts his hand on my arm but I push his hand away.
“Liar.” I say with anger.
“I am not lying.” He says.
“Fine. I said that I love you, do you love me?” I ask.
“I don’t know.” He says.
“Then what is the point of pursuing this relationship now.” I say even though my heart is breaking.
“Well not now but I know I will be in love with you.” He says.
“I think we all have come to the conclusion that knowing something is not your power.” I taunt him.
“Lily, you are not giving it a chance. I still want you.” Ryan says.
“But I don’t.” I say.
“Don’t lie.” Ryan warns.
“Fine. Maybe I do want you but I don’t want my heart broken again.” I say.
“But that would not happen.” Ryan insists.
“How can you be sure? Because I am not, not after that day you said that you don’t have feelings for me.” I say.
“That was all a lie.” Ryan says as he runs his fingers through his hairs.
“I know now but not then. You don’t know what kind of hell I have been through this week. Every night I would try to find you beside me and when I don’t, I wake up and cry over the fact that you are gone. Every morning I waited maybe you would be back and say this is all just a stupid prank. I used to wait for you all day and go through this agony of not having you there by my side. You don’t know how that felt but I did and I realised how much I love you.” I say.
“Then why don’t you want to give it a second chance? I promise nothing like this will ever happen again. I promise to never hide anything from you.” Ryan says.
“No. I can’t.” I say as I shake my head.
“Why?” Ryan asks and I see a hurt look in his eyes.
“Because even if that break up was fake, I can’t stop thinking what if the next one would be real. And I know that I won’t be able to take that kind of pain again. There was a time when I loved having private moments with you but this secrecy is not what I want anymore. There used to be times when I wanted to let the world know you are my boyfriend and I am the only one who has the right to you. But I didn’t want you to be forced into it. But not anymore. We girls always start weaving dreams when we fall for someone and I did that too. I weaved so many of those dreams that day and it got shattered by your words. So now there is only one way for us.” I say as I make a decision.
“What is that?” Ryan asks with hope in his eyes.
“That we break up. It would be better this way.” I say.
“But I don’t want to break up.” Ryan says.
“Why?” I ask.
“Because… because…” Ryan says but can’t complete his words.
“You are not even sure about your feelings for me, Ryan. Please don’t drag this and make it more difficult for me. It is not easy for me either. Please just go.” I say as I finally let the tears go which I held back.
“Lily.” Ryan starts to say but gets interrupted by Kathy.
“Ryan, we should go. Lily looks tired. You could talk about this later when she has calmed down.” Kathy says.
“Okay. But this is not over yet.” Ryan says after a few seconds and looks at me with unknown emotions in his eyes.
As soon as they are out of the apartment, I wipe my tears away and take shower then go to sleep. A thought comes to mind that if only Ryan would have said he loves me, I would have forgotten everything else but he doesn’t.
So, there is no hope for us in the future.