Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier)

7

Meanwhile, Lily was struggling at work. Over the past few days, Xavier's work had been disrupting her focus.

She wore a scarf to cover the hickeys, but every time she looked down, it felt tight and uncomfortable-yet she couldn't take it off. By Friday evening, the hickeys had faded enough that she finally removed the scarf. Nadia decided to accompany her to take the measurements for Sarah, worried that sending her alone might look bad. Since Lily didn't have a car, Nadia drove. Sarah had sent the address directly to Nadia's WhatsApp.

Nadia didn't like Lily, and Lily had no intention of breaking the silence, so the atmosphere in the car was icy. She sat in the back, opening Hazel's WhatsApp messages from the past few days. "Lily, how can you not let your father lecture you? He was furious with me and blamed me for not raising you right. You were never truly welcomed in the Joyner family. I pitied you, spoiled you, and now it's my fault you've turned out this way..."

Lily could sense Hazel's guilt, which left a chill in her heart. Had Hazel ever truly "spoiled" her? Not really.

She could recall Hazel's words since her earliest memories. "Lily, you must be good so your father and grandmother will like you."

"Lily, listen, and don't talk back."

"Lily, if you don't do this, your father will get angry."

Hazel had also left numerous voice messages and calls, which Lily had missed due to her phone being on do not disturb.

"Lily, I'm disappointed in you!"

The last message, sent around midnight, was brief but stung her deeply. Yet she still chose not to reply.

Giving in now would only mean returning to how things were, letting Bobby decide for her. And with that, she would inevitably end up pleading with Xavier, forever playing the role of his lowly, humiliated wife. Just the thought of the look in Xavier's eyes made her feel like she were being stabbed.

Pressing her fingertips to her forehead, she let herself process the negativity Hazel's messages had stirred.

Though her parents had left her disillusioned, she still had Hayden; she didn't want to cut them off completely. But if she had given in before her divorce from Xavier was final, things would only have been messier. Yet, despite her sending him the divorce agreement, he hadn't responded. She couldn't figure out what he wanted or how she could finalize this divorce.

She didn't even realize when the car stopped.

"We're here," Nadia muttered, unbuckling her seatbelt and stepping out.

Nadia moved so quickly that by the time Lily snapped out of her thoughts, she was alone in the car. Quickly, she grabbed her bag and electronic measuring tool and followed Nadia.

Nadia was already several steps ahead. Lily hurried to catch up, only to freeze when she saw the grand villa in front of her. Glenview Villa?

She was in disbelief as she turned and looked around.

Nestled on a hillside, this villa was one of eight in the neighborhood. After carefully taking in the surroundings, she realized that this was her and Xavier's marital home-she had designed every detail of it herself. How could this be Sarah's house? Why would it need renovations?

"What are you waiting for? Hurry up and knock," Nadia said impatiently, standing at the villa's entrance.noveldrama

Lily clung to a sliver of hope.

She thought, "Maybe she just decided to meet here, or maybe Xavier bought her a villa next door instead." Any possibility was better than him actually letting Sarah move into their marital home.