CHAPTER 99
LILY’S POV
My heels went click clack as I raced into the building which was the venue for the meeting. I was almost breathless and flustered as I was running dangerously late. The meeting was scheduled to hold at 10:00 am but it was 10:30 already. In important meetings like this, every company representative needed to arrive early. I didn’t want anyone looking down on me as if I were unprofessional, and Noah wouldn’t be happy with me if I missed it.
I woke up this morning only for Liam to come complaining to me he was feeling pain around his right eye. I checked it to see a boil growing inside, under the base of his eyelids. Because of that, he couldn’t go to school which resumed for a new session today. I had to take him to the eye doctor. That was what made me arrive late.
However, upon entering the boardroom where the meeting was held, I was fortunate and relieved to see they were about to start. Everyone was taking their seats. I didn’t expect to see this many people. I had hoped for a more closed-door meeting with few people in attendance.
I spotted an empty seat on the left side of the large boardroom table. I walked to it and wanted to sit when a familiar voice called my name from behind. My heart stopped. I felt like I was caught in a deep daze. Everything around me turned dark and my mind raced. I was sure no one in this meeting knew me well enough to call my name like that. Only one person could call my name that way and I prayed it wasn’t who I was expecting.
Slowly, I turned only for my heart to drop like an anchor in my stomach on seeing him. Robert. How did he manage to find me? How is it even possible he was present at this meeting? From the file Noah gave me three days back at my office, I was sure I read that only top ad agency owners from LA would be present. Or did I read wrong because I was nervous Noah had come around that time after I abruptly ended my phone conversation with Jane?
“Lily…” Robert said softly, his voice trembling as he cautiously took a step closer to me, as though afraid I might vanish if he moved too quickly. His eyes searched mine with an intensity that made my chest tighten. “Is it really you? After all these years…I’ve looked everywhere for you, Lily. Everywhere…”
Tears involuntarily ran down my cheeks. I was too startled to say something or even think clearly. I was still reeling from the shock of seeing him. After all these years, I must say he looked older and worn out. There were dark circles under his eyes. His beard looked like he hadn’t shaved it for long. I could even see a few grey streaks on it. And his skin looked tired and dull. Unlike the polished and confident Robert, I once knew, the man in front of me seemed broken and defeated. He must be going through a lot. But I didn’t pity him at all. Whatever hell he was passing through that made him look like this, I must say he deserved it and I hoped it never ended.
“Mr. Wilson and co, please take your seats so we can begin,” a firm voice cut through the tension. I turned toward the source and saw Mr. Will Crawford, the chairman of the Association of Ad Agencies and the event’s organizer, talking to us from the head of the room. A small microphone snaked from his ear to the side of his mouth, and the projector screen behind him was on, showing he was about to begin his presentation.
I looked around the room to see everyone was seated and staring at us weirdly as though we were playing some cringe romance movie, wondering what was going on with us.
Robert called my name again, drawing back my attention to him. He was ignorant of his surroundings and what Mr. Crawford said to us. He reached out to touch me as if to confirm I was real but I instinctively pulled away.
As I stared at him, I shook my head repeatedly as if to get rid of a bad thought. My hand quickly ran up to my mouth to hold back my outburst as I ran out of the room, hearing a collective gasp from behind which came from the other representatives as I did.
I felt so embarrassed. This shouldn’t have happened. I shouldn’t have reacted this way. Noah wouldn’t be happy at all if he found out I didn’t participate in this meeting which was very important to him and the growth of the company. He entrusted me with this crucial task to handle, and I was letting him down. But it wasn’t my fault. There was no way I could be in the same room with Robert. I needed to get away from him. Fast.
Due to my disorientation from shock and how quickly I was moving, I wasn’t really watching where I was going. I nearly lost balance as I bumped into someone. But he caught me in time.
“Are you okay, Miss?” He asked, staring down at me with worry and concern.
I looked up to him but didn’t answer.
“Get your hands off her!” I heard Robert’s enraged voice from behind.
What a foolish man. Now, he was suddenly defensive of me.
Quickly, I shook away from the man’s grip and brushed him off, wobbling like I was drunk towards the door. I needed to get to the door fast and leave this place. I don’t want Robert catching up with me or finding out the kids and I stayed in this city and lived close by.
But my movements were impaired. Robert kept calling my name, his voice drawing closer and closer. Within moments, he caught up with me. He held my elbow to stop me from reaching the door. Reacting aggressively, I freed my arm from his grip and flung it around to deliver a resounding slap to the side of his face.
“Don’t you dare call that name again!” I snapped at him. “You lost the right to do that nine years ago. Stay the fuck away from me and keep pretending I don’t exist to you. I’m not the same Lily from nine years back. If you fuck around with me I’ll show you the other side of me. And if you ever think of following me, I’ll call the police on you and make sure you taste what it feels to be locked behind bars.”
I barked the warning at him, but he didn’t react. He just kept his gaze at me, soft, pleading and contrite, almost tearful with his hands on his cheek where I had slapped him. I kind of wished I hit him harder to the point of blinding him so he wouldn’t have the eyes to look at me. I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me that way without reacting. The Robert I knew would surely flare up like a raging fire if anyone dared lay a finger on him or what he cherished.
Utilizing that moment, I spun on my heels and stormed out of the building, refusing to ever look back. Once outside, I quickly flagged down a taxi and climbed in. As the car sped off, I kept glancing over my shoulder, half-expecting to see him flag down a taxi or get in his car and chase after me. But to my surprise, he didn’t. I exhaled loudly, relief washing over me. After this encounter, I know he won’t see me again and I won’t either.