Chapter 1

Ten years ago, Lily Rose Wright gave her all to Lucas Thompson. He was her only love and childhood friend. One day, Lucas vanished without a trace. He shattered her heart and left her a part of him.

Time passed, and Lily swore to have moved on with her life. Unexpectedly, Lucas returned and spared no means to force her into marrying him. With a marriage certificate, Lucas bound her relentlessly to his side and the son he left behind.

Lucas promised to give Lily and their son everything their hearts desired, but will his doting ways mend the deep wounds inflicted by the past?

Why did he leave in the first place? If Lily were to find out, would the truth bring them together, or would it tear them apart?

***

"Come back to me, Lily. I'll give you everything you want," Lucas offered.

"What I want is for you to leave me alone," Lily coldly said.

Lucas chuckled. Then, he firmly replied, "Anything but that."

Prologue

'I never imagined that my best friend would become the love of my life,' Lily mused while dancing with Lucas, her childhood friend and boyfriend of five years.

"This is the best week I have ever had. I will always remember these past few days," Lily remarked before Lucas let her make a complete turn as they danced.

Lucas grabbed her waist and leaned down to peck her lips. He softly said, "I'm glad I made you happy."

For an entire week, Lucas had been with Lily, which did not happen often since they lived cities apart and were busy with their lives.

Lucas was from Rose Hills City, while Lily was from Braeton City. Lily was a tough kind of girl and had enlisted in the military. On the other hand, Lucas was studying medicine, but despite their busy schedules, they have survived a long-distance relationship.

In the villa where they stayed for seven days, the couple shared the same bed each night, cooked meals daily, and spent endless hours kissing and recounting stories about their childhood.

Lucas would fly home the following afternoon, so they had an in-villa date. Lucas prepared a special dinner, and they had been dancing to romantic music for over an hour.

They were both dressed to impress like they were in a five-star restaurant, but the truth was they were only in a private villa Lily's parents had rented due to safety reasons.

"I miss this. I missed you so much," Lucas expressed.

Hearing his words, Lily bit her lip. She regretfully said, "I'm sorry. Because of me, we were forced to take too many security measures, and I couldn't travel to see you anymore."

Lucas shook his head. He assuringly said, "It's okay. It's not your fault, and I promise you, everything will be alright."

It was because Lily got involved with a private organization while serving in the military. It resulted in a threat to her life. The same organization was meant to save lives. However, Lily learned it was merely a front, and the leaders had ulterior motives for creating the group.

She wanted out, but that proved to be difficult. That was why she was in a house, locked down with complete security. She had to distance herself from her family for their protection, and it was also why Lily and Lucas had not seen each other for two months.

As they danced, Lucas chuckled and said, "It was always your ambition to help save the world, but you ended up working with the wrong people. Shit happens."

"Right. Shit does happen sometimes," Lily echoed, laughing with him. "Thank you for understanding, Lucas, and always having my back. I love you so much."

"I love you," Lucas declared while cupping her cheek. "I will do anything for you."

Soon, the music shifted to a familiar tune. Lily often dedicated the same piece of slow music to Lucas in high school. Lily chuckled, recalling her previous one-sided love for him.

"God, this song reminds me of when I cried over you because I thought you would never look at me as a girlfriend!" Lily expressed.

"So that's why you tried to wear a skirt and high heels?" Lucas teased.

They both laughed because Lily was not the princess type. She preferred jeans over dresses more than anything.

"I had always had my eye on you, Lily," Lucas declared. Then, his face turned serious as he revealed, "I wanted to pursue you at the right time, not when we were in high school."

"I know that now," Lily smiled and studied Lucas' intense dark eyes.

In the next few seconds, they were silent. Lucas's gaze landed on her lips, and he did not hesitate to passionately kiss her. They stilled, merely relishing in that heated kiss. They were so engrossed with the kiss that Lily felt the heat crawl to her cheek.

When Lucas pulled away, he took out a velvet box from his trouser pocket. Inside were two necklaces made of bead golden chains, and they had golden tag pendants too. Lucas said, "This is for you and me. Something to remember me by and remind me of you forever."

Lily pouted while Lucas put on her necklace. She remarked, "I have too many gifts from you to remember you forever."

Lucas chuckled. He replied, "I know. I just wanted to give you one more."

He also wore his necklace. His pendant had Lily Rose carved, while her pendant had Lucas' name on it.

Lucas held Lily's pendant and said, "When you feel sad, and I'm far away, hold on to this."

He held his pendant and suggested, "I will do the same, thinking of you."

Because of what Lucas said, Lily could not help but be sentimental. She asked, "Why are your words so emotional?"

Lucas did not answer. Instead, he held her tightly again and danced to the remaining music played in the background. Eventually, he softly said in her ear, "Lily, I - I don't know when I'll see you again. I - I don't think I can hold back tonight. I want you, Lily."

With that, Lily gasped.

Truthfully, it was hard to hold back since she loved Lucas beyond compare. Nevertheless, they had preserved their innocence because their families were good friends. They both did not want to do anything that would disappoint their parents.

However, since Lily was alone with Lucas, she figured, why not? She loved him, and she knew Lucas would never hurt her.

That night, Lily and Lucas made love for the first time. Their bare bodies were in synch through the night, tangled in white satin sheets.

It was already in the wee hours when they finally decided to rest. While Lily cuddled into Lucas' chest, she heard him say, "I will always love you, Lily. No matter what. Remember that."

In her drowsy state, Lily did not think much about it and simply answered, "I love you too."

Lily thought her life was perfect despite her current situation. With Lucas by her side, she could withstand all the trials in her life. Sadly, when Lily woke up the next day, Lucas was gone. The security said Lucas left in a rush at dawn. They all thought she knew.

Again and again, Lily called Lucas' number, but his phone was off.

"Lucas, where are you?" She murmured before calling everyone who knew Lucas.

Lily also called Lucas' parents, but to her surprise, Lucas' father said, "Isn't he with you, Lily? I received his text last night saying he would stay longer with you."

Everyone started to look for Lucas at that point, but he seemed to have disappeared. They only discovered that he had withdrawn a substantial amount of money a month ago.

In the following days, Lily escaped the villa that was supposed to protect her. She wanted to find Lucas herself. She went through panic, desperation, anger, and denial of what was going on.

"Lily, maybe you missed something. Go back to the villa and check for clues," her brother suggested during one of their trips to Lucas' medical school. Thus, she went back to the villa and turned her room upside down. Then she saw the note that had slid under her bedside table.

Lucas had apparently left her a note. Lily frantically opened it and read:

[Lily,

I'm sorry it had to be this way, but I know I would not have the courage to tell you this in person. I love you with all my heart, but I must leave.

I wish I could say that I will be back, but the truth is, I don't know what the future holds for me.

Don't wait for me. Don't look for me because you won't find me. Live your life and be happy.

Goodbye.

Your best friend,

Lucas.]

'Goodbye. Don't wait for me.' The words echoed in her head.

Lily's heart stopped beating for a second. Her eyes became muddled with tears.

She could not believe it. Her best friend and the person she entrusted her heart to, left her without giving a proper reason.

"Lucas!" Lily screamed. "Why? What did I do to deserve this?"

"Lucas!"

"Lucas, tell me why?”

That day, Lily screamed her heart out, but no matter how many times she called Lucas' name and asked the heavens, her questions remained unanswered.

***

Nine months passed.

Despite Lucas's letter, Lily and her family continued their search for Lucas. Only the heavens knew how much resources they had spent to locate the man. However, things took a complete turn when something new came into her life.

From inside her bedroom, Lily watched a sleeping baby in a crib.

Lily wept at the baby's cute face. No matter what, this baby was a gift, a new reason to keep going. Thus, Lily decided to close a chapter in her life and start anew.

She opened her bedside drawer and took out the note that Lucas had given her before evaporating in the face of the earth. She took the letter to the bathroom and flushed it down the toilet.

She said, "I accept your goodbye, Lucas."

Chapter 1: The Big Fish

10 years had passed.

"Sergeant, are you heading back? We have a big fish to protect here in Koplin. The big fish is holding a groundbreaking ceremony for a residential building," one of Lily's private said through her Bluetooth earpiece.

Lily shamelessly yawned without covering her mouth as she exited the private car that drove her to the airport. She was about to take a business flight home after a week of service at Koplin Troop Command.

She replied to the person on the phone, "Is this a Black Hawk Mission? I don't remember being notified."

Lily was talking to one of her underlings, Gunner, a National Guard like her, but of lower rank.

"Ah, No, Sergeant. It's an MVM mission, but they sought our help because of its complexity. Since we have a partnership agreement with MVM, here we are," Gunner revealed.

MVM was a local security agency in Koplin, but they had partnered with The Black Hawk in order to provide top-level security to high-end clients. In return, Black Hawk is obliged to offer their employees to MVM.

"Well, as long as they pay us good?" Lily mumbled.

"Oh, yeah. Pay is big, Sergeant. It's three times the usual," Gunner revealed.

"What? How am I not part of this mission?" Lily groaned. She clenched her jaws and claimed, "I could use the extra cash!"

Gunner laughed in response. He answered, "You are not lacking of any money, Sergeant. Sometimes, I wonder why you even enlisted for the military in the first place."

"Yeah, well, kicking ass is what I do best. I was a tomboy then, and I guess that part of me will never change," Lily said before chuckling. "Anyway, I'm about to check in for my flight. Be safe and tell the team to do the same."

Just before putting the phone down, Lily asked, "By the way, how complex is the mission?"

"Level three assassination threat," Gunner replied.

"What!" Lily screamed. Her face flushed when she heard her subordinate's reply. "Level three?"

They rarely dealt with a level-three assassination threat. This meant a private and illegal dispatch group was coming after the "big fish."

"Who the heck is this big fish?" Lily asked, still shocked by the discovery. "Is he a politician? Of royal blood? Or a prosecutor?"

"Haha!" Gunner laughed. "No, just a big businessman. He probably made a lot of enemies, but, strangely, he just took over the company three months ago."

"Must be a big business," Lily remarked.

"Yeah, it's a conglomerate, the Thompson Group of Companies," Gunner replied.

Hearing the company name, Lily stilled. It had been a long time since she heard of it. She stuttered while asking, "The - the Thompson Group of Companies. Who - who is the big fish?"

"Lucas Thompson, the new CEO. Gotta go, Sarge, duty calls," Gunner hung up the phone before Lily could react.

Lucas Thompson. How could Lily forget that name?

Her throat felt paper dry, and her face became white as a ghost. The people in line at the check-in counter overtook her, but she remained unconcerned.

"Lucas," she muttered under her breath. "So the bastard is alive after all."

Chills ran down her spine, and Lily felt her eyeballs were about to pop out of anger. She clenched her jaws, thinking of the man who shattered her heart into a million pieces.

'How long has it been?' Nine? No, ten years,' she mused. It had been ten years since Lucas Thompson vanished into thin air.

Lucas was not just any other man. This man was also her best friend.

She and Lucas were together for five years, and she used to believe they were meant to be. She gave her all to Lucas but he left. He only gave her a note that vaguely ended their relationship. He never called nor hinted if he was alive.

“So, he is back,” Lily muttered.

Lily recounted the first year of Lucas' disappearance. She went through all the stages of rejection, from hurt to denial and acceptance, but truthfully, because Lily never had the chance to confront Lucas, she never had full closure. At the back of her head, she had always wondered why he left.

"Miss, are you in line or what?" A young man distracted Lily from dwelling on the past. She ignored the man and went back in line to check in for her flight.

Through security checks and walking to the airport's VIP lounge, she was absent-minded the whole time.

It was an hour before boarding time when Lily's phone rang again. Gunner was calling.

"Sarge! We have been ambushed! We are stuck at freeway thirty-five. Are you still interested in some extra cash?" Gunner loudly asked on the phone.

Lily froze. Anger swept across her face. Why would she want to save the big fish who stomped on her heart?

Her hands turned frosty as she held the phone tightly against her ears.

On the other line, she could still make out the mechanical noise of silenced firearms. A silencer never truly eradicated the sound of gunshots; it only suppressed it.

"Gia is hit! I repeat, Gia's it!" The voice of Lily’s colleague brought her back to her senses.

She stood up abruptly and said on the phone, "I'm coming. Hold your position, private."

"S-sure, Sarge. We will try to stay alive," Gunner said nervously.

After hanging up the phone, Lily ran to the airport's exit, leaving most of her belongings in the VIP lounge. She only carried her phone, her wallet in her trouser pocket, her Bluetooth earpiece on her ear, and a Glock 22 pistol underneath her leather jacket.

As she sped, she was on the phone with her contacts in Koplin City, "I need the fastest motorcycle you can get me nearest to the airport and a clearance to freeway thirty-five."

From the airport road to the main highway, Lily's frame dashed like lightning. Her determined eyes focused on the path ahead, her long, light brown hair flying with her every step.

Finally, a police motorcycle found her along the way. The officer on it called, "Sergeant, Lily Wright? Your ride."

She hopped in without saying a word, put on the helmet, and drove off.

The motorcycle sliced through the street like an arrow in flight. As Lily maneuvered her ride, she leaned in between turns. With each throttle twist, she synchronized her response—hands gripping, fingers adjusting, and subtle weight shifting.

Lily arrived at the scene in ten minutes, cutting more than half the time. She saw two vehicles that entrapped three Lexus cars. One was a blue SUV, and the other was a ten-wheeler truck deliberately blocking the freeway exit.

All in all, she saw ten men shooting at the three Lexus cars that carried her team and the "big fish."

She targeted the truck and drove past the SUV, evading the flying bullets her way. Lily accelerated before sliding the bike down and rolled off it.

After the bike collided with the truck, the attackers came out of hiding in a panic. Lily's associates immediately covered for her as she got up in a kneeling position. She reached for her pistol, and after pointing at the assailants, she pulled the trigger.

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Five shots.

Five targets down, both alive and unknown.

When Sergeant Lily Wright would set on a prey, she would never miss.

Chapter 2: The Lion

“Sarge, thank god you came!” Gunner said while approaching Lily.

“Of course, I came,” Lily replied.

With Lily reinforcing the squad, teamwork picked up a notch. Gunner and his colleagues were more confident under Lily’s presence and command. They managed to immobilize most of the attackers, and with the police arriving for backup, the crossfire eventually ceased.

Lily studied the damage to the three bulletproof Lexus cars in the middle of the crossfire. The first car’s windshield had been shattered due to the number of shots incurred. Lily assumed that was how Gia got shot.

Around them were police officers questioning members of her team, paramedics taking the wounded attackers to the ambulance, and crime scene investigators taking pictures and collecting pieces of evidence.

“Anyone else hurt?” Lily asked Gunner.

“Gia is already headed to the hospital. Nolan only got an abrasion. He will be fine,” Gunner reported. “Johnson and Rick are unharmed.”

“And - the client?” Lily paused, finally remembering the “big fish.”

“Mister Thompson is fine. His car’s windshields did not break, and his personal bodyguard and driver instructed him to remain inside,” Gunner said. “MVM has sent another two Lexus cars to pick him up. The ones that are here must remain for evidence collection.”

Lily tried to avert her gaze from the cars that had arrived. She knew Lucas would be moving into one of them, and she could not bear to see him. She was afraid she might end up killing the client herself.

Instead, she said to Gunner, “Then, I guess I’ll be leaving now -”

“Ah!” Gunner raised his brow, asking, “Aren’t you going to meet the client? Technically, you are our boss. Shouldn’t you talk to him?”

“I have nothing to say to him. Continue to escort him as planned. I’ll call MVM to send in more men from their side to protect the big fish until he leaves Koplin,” Lily responded before turning on her heel and approaching the detective in charge of the investigation.

Gunner had to chase after her and asked, “Wait. Wait. Wait. What’s with the rush, Sarge?”

Shifting to Gunner, Lily reminded, “I gotta get home, remember?”

Lily went ahead and gave her testimony to the lead detective. Afterward, the officer studied her identification and expressed, “An exciting job you got here, Sergeant: a part-time National Guard and a full-time private military contractor for Black Hawk. Any openings for Black Hawk?”

“You are free to apply anytime, Detective,” Lily said casually.

“I probably will do that, Sergeant. I always thought all members of Black Hawk were cool,” the detective said with a laugh. “We are all good here. You may go, but we will be in touch.”

“I’m not hard to find, Detective,” Lily responded.

Just as Lily went past the police officer, she realized that she did not have a car or a bike for that matter! She had wrecked the police motorcycle when she had let it crash against the ten-wheeler truck.

She was about to ask for a ride from one of the police officers when Gunner called from behind, “Sarge! Sarge, Mister Thompson would like to take you to the airport!”

Lily became rooted in place. It took her seconds to get back to her senses, and she continued to walk, pretending not to hear anything. However, Gunner could not take a hint and kept calling her, “Sergeant! Lily! Boss!”

A black, armored Lexus 500 pulled over and blocked her path. Gunner stepped out of the car and said, “Boss.” He leaned his head to the vehicle, saying, “Mister Thompson would like to speak with you and take you to the airport. The ground-breaking ceremony has been re-scheduled due to the attack.”

Lily saw the confusion in Gunner’s expression. He gave her that look that screamed, ‘Be professional, Boss! What the F are you doing?’

Left with no choice, Lily unwillingly entered the car and immediately felt the man’s presence from inside. The energy from Lucas seemed to be eating her whole, yet she refused to look at him as she settled in the backseat.

Gunner had taken the front seat opposite to Lucas’ driver. She noticed the other Lexus car drove past them, taking the lead. After which, they all drove away.

“Mister Thompson, this is our operations director, Sergeant Lily Wright. Like me, she is a National Guard,” Gunner introduced.

Lily remained silent and stared only at the front. Beside her, she heard the man say in a deep voice, “It’s nice to meet you, Sergeant Wright.”

Of course, what did she expect? He left her without saying anything. So now, he was practically denying their past relationship by pretending not to know her!

The truth was, it stung a little. When he disappeared, Lily cried an ocean for him, yet this was how he treated her now? Then again, Lily supposed it was better that way. She could not handle a confrontation with him right now or ever!

Lucas sucked in a deep breath. He added, “Thank you for coming to my rescue -”

“You are mistaken, Mister Thompson. I did not come for you. I came for my team,” Lily cut him off before facing him. Her tone was frosty, and her face was grim.

Finally, she had a glimpse of Lucas. She had to admit what she saw took her aback.

This was… a completely different Lucas Thompson.

The man she used to love always had a gentle expression on his face, and his build was modest. The Lucas now, however, was muscular, like he had been working out all those years he was gone. The muscles around his body were practically cramping his attire.

Additionally, his uncompromising and domineering look appeared to say he had been to hell and back. Lily thought that was really odd.

He looked more mature, and his dark eyes were sharp as if piercing through her frame. His skin was tan. His face was now slightly bearded, and she did not miss the long yet thin scar at the side of his left cheek.

For a fleeting moment, she felt concerned. She wondered what had happened to Lucas all this time and why the hell was he facing a level-three assassination threat to begin with.

A tiny part of her wanted to just throw her pride out the window, wrap her arms around him, and cry out of anger and pain. However, she held back and let her bitterness overpower her. Moreover, a lot had changed from her end. Aside from that, Lily was also in a relationship.

‘Yes, that’s right. I have Jake, my boyfriend,’ Lily convinced herself before returning to study the man next to her.

Lucas wore a black suit and a dark violet shirt underneath. His legs were crossed, and his left elbow leaned on the armrest while his fist supported his chiseled jaw.

He flaunted that latest edition Omega watch and smelled of Versace cologne. He reacted calmly to her curt words, saying, “Ah, no wonder Black Hawk holds such an impressive reputation.”

“You are a private army led by a lion.” Lucas chuckled while glancing at Gunner through the rearview mirror.

While Lucas was talking, the car was moving relatively fast, but Lily felt like everything was in slow motion. The agony of being next to Lucas was killing her composure.

“Lions have always been considered the symbol of power, bravery, courage, strength, and ferocity.” Lucas looked back at Lily, describing, “I saw how you took down those men, Sergeant. You were fearless out there.”

She responded with silence, and from the corner of her eye, she saw the panic in Gunner’s expression. The poor guy was probably afraid he would not get paid for how she treated the client.

“I’ll be sure to compensate you and your team for the hard work you have put in today. I’ll increase the pay to five times your standard rate. I’ll also pay for your colleague’s medical expenses,” Lucas assured, maintaining his stare on her.

Lily did not react. She merely looked straight and crossed her arms against her chest.

“Don’t I get a thank you?” Lucas asked.

At that point, Gunner was glaring at Lily. He seemed to have forgotten that she was above in ranks! But because she understood why Gunner reacted that way, she turned to Lucas indifferently and answered, “Thank you, Mister Thompson.”

Finally, they rode in silence. When they arrived at the airport, Lily was ready to leave the car. Lucas, however, unexpectedly asked, “Will I see you again, Sergeant Wright?”

“I think... never,” Lily said coldly.

She had just opened the car door when Lucas responded, “Really?” The man chuckled and suggested, “On the contrary, I think we will.”

Lily snapped in his direction, and their eyes met.

Chapter 3: Aiden

“Lily? My favorite daughter in the world is back!” Lily’s mother, Scarlett, exclaimed.

Lily could not help but roll her eyes at her mother’s remark. She responded, “Mom, you can’t have a favorite daughter. I am your only daughter!”

Scarlett laughed. Lily’s father, Kaleb, who was sipping tea in the living room, also laughed.

Yes, she was still living with her parents at thirty-three years old. Since her work often took her to different stations, having a place on her own was unnecessary, especially since she had Aiden.

“How was work, Lily?” Kaleb asked.

“Um.” Lily put down her bag on the floor. She replied, “It was a counter-drug operation. Pretty easy.”

“Did you get shot, Sweetie?” Kaleb asked while studying her.

Lily smirked. She proudly said, “I would not be here if I got shot.”

“Very good,” her mother remarked. She sat beside Kaleb and asked, “Why don’t you join us for tea?”

“I -” Lily paused. “I think I’ll go see Aiden.”

“Anything the matter, Lily?” Scarlett asked with a frown. “You seemed bothered?”

Lily had already walked to the foot of the staircase. She stopped, thinking if she should tell her parents about Lucas.

The Thompsons and the Wrights used to be good friends and business partners, but Lucas’ disappearance ten years ago created friction between their families. The Wrights blamed the Thompsons for breaking the trust they had built as friends.

It wasn’t just them, though. Back then, Lily sensed Lucas’ mother had become aloof towards her. It felt to Lily that Lucas’ mother blamed her instead.

Decades of friendship were flushed down the drain because Lily’s oldest brother found evidence suggesting the Thompsons hid their son’s whereabouts. So, given that fact, was it wise to bring up the pain of the past? She did not think so. Thus, she replied to her mother, “Nothing, Mom, I’m just tired.”

“Then, take a rest, Lily,” Kaleb said. “Your mom and I are going to enjoy our alone time.”

Her parents giggled while Lily choked. She knew exactly what that meant. Her parents were already seniors, but they still had an active sex life!

She ran up the stairs and first checked in on Aiden. It was a weekend, and he did not have school. The young man was sound asleep. So Lily went to her room and bathed. After getting changed, she called her boyfriend, Jake, and let him know she had arrived.

Jake was out of town and on a business trip. Thus, she had no other commitments and meant to spend more time with her son. She returned to Aiden’s room soon after.

Seeing that Aiden was awake, Lily called, “Hey!”

The boy turned to her, and he screamed, “Mommy! You are back!”

Lily wasn’t a crybaby. Oh, no, she wasn’t at all. However, seeing her son and how he looked so much like the man from earlier simply brought tears to her eyes.

Ten years ago, she gave herself to Lucas. She lost her purity, but that experience gave her Aiden.

Since Lucas was nowhere to be found and the relationship between her family and the Thompsons became stained, no one knew about Aiden except for the Wright family - her family.

Lily gave birth to a private clinic. Her family opted to home-school Aiden for the first few years. They finally let Aiden enroll in a regular school when they were sure the Thompsons were no longer checking on them, and all their business ties were canceled.

“Hey, Mom. Why are you crying? Did you get hurt from arresting bad guys?” Aiden asked with concern.

“No, Aiden,” Lily quickly shook her head. She sniffed her tears away and said, “I just miss you.”

Aiden embraced her and said, “I missed you too, Mom. Can you take a break from Black Hawk? Can you practice martial arts with me after school?”

Lily chuckled. She answered, “Sure, Aiden, but you know, any of your uncles can also teach you martial arts.”

“I know. I just want to learn from you!” Aiden said.

“Okay. Okay! It will be better if you learn from the best, anyway,” Lily winked at her son.

Lily and Aiden played video games for the first hour of their bonding. Next, they had dinner and watched a movie. It was supposed to be an adventure movie, but it featured a father and son thriving through obstacles. The film probably reminded Aiden of his father. He asked, “Mom? Is my real father still missing?”

Hearing her son, Lily’s body stiffened. Should she tell him about Lucas now? Right now, she did not know what to do. She wanted to give it a lot of thought. She gulped and replied, “Yes, Aiden. He is still... missing.”

That night, Lily remained by Aiden’s side. She stayed up for a few hours, acknowledging how her son needed a father figure. ‘Should I introduce him to Lucas? Or maybe Jake and I should get married.’

‘I can’t stay single forever,’ Lily thought.

***

The sun’s rays hit Lily’s face. She winced and woke up beside Aiden, hugging her tightly in bed the following day. Her phone rang, and she panickedly picked it up, hoping it would not wake her son.

“Lily Wright speaking,” she said, still in a daze.

“Sergeant Lily Wright, This is Sergeant Major Patton. I need you to report to the Fort Eagle Military Camp this Wednesday,” the officer said on the other line. “You have been called for an active duty.”

“Active duty? If I may ask, Sir, what for?” She asked with a frown. “I - I had just reported for my monthly service at Koplin Troop Command -”

“Sergeant, we all know that even serving as a part-time National Guard, you can be called for duty at any time,” the officer reminded her. “For now, I can only say that it is classified. You know the drill.”

“Yes, my apologies, Major. I will be there on Wednesday,” Lily reluctantly acknowledged.

“And Miss Wright,” the major said. “Prepare for a long assignment. You may need to put your full-time job on hold. Inform your family because we don’t know how long this secret mission will last.”

After the call, Lily fell silent. She was going on a secret mission, and the length of the job was unknown. She turned to Aiden and felt regretful because she was going away again.

“What in the world is this secret mission?” She muttered to herself. “On the bright side, Lily. This mission might help you decide what to do about Lucas, maybe even help you stop thinking about him.”

That was what Lily thought until... Wednesday came.

Chapter 4: New Mission

"Somebody has guilt written all over their face," Lily softly commented, seeing her oldest brother, Liam Wright, in the dining area of their home early that morning. If anyone knew about the arrival of one Lucas Thompson, her brother would be it. After all, Liam previously managed the joint businesses between their family and the Thompsons.

"Good morning, Lily," Scarlett greeted with a smile from the far end of the table. "Your dad and I made waffles. It's special today because you are home, and your brother Liam came to visit. It's such a wonderful surprise!"

"Take a seat, Lily," Liam urged, eyeing the chair right in front of him.

Lily narrowed her eyes at her older brother, sarcastically saying, "It is a surprise that Liam is here. Wonder why big brother flew out here early in the morning?"

She made sure to enunciate every word that left her lips.

At first, Liam did not respond. He studied their parents, and after seeing they were busy preparing for breakfast, he leaned closer from across the table and said, "I wasn't sure if we were ready for Lucas' return. I wanted answers before I could tell you. I had men follow the Thompsons, but they were cautious. I still did not get anything about ten years ago."

"Did you keep that information from coming into Braeton too?" Lily asked. Surely, something of this magnitude was aired on TV and covered in an internet article: The lost heir of the Thompson Group of Companies has returned.

"I did not have to. The Thompsons kept everything quiet, Lucas' arrival and down to his CEO appointment," Liam replied. He gave Lily a concerned look and asked, "Do you believe me?"

Lily sucked in a deep breath and thought about it. The anger and the pain felt like it was rushing back. Soon, she answered, "I believe you because I love you."

"You will always be my little sister." Liam reached for her hand and said, "I would do anything to protect you and get answers, but the Thompsons have risen into power over the years. Their influence has gone so deep that they are now very efficient at covering their tracks."

"Good morning, guys - Uncle Liam!" Aiden's scream echoed in the dining hall. He ran towards Liam and leaped in his arms.

"Easy, Buddy. You are not so young anymore," Liam laughed before making a mess of the boy's hair.

"It has been a while, Uncle," the boy said.

"It has been Aiden. And you are already nine years old. You are too heavy to be jumping into people's arms," Liam complained.

The dining area became filled with laughter and warm discussion after that. Aiden had so much to tell Liam about martial arts and school.

Soon, breakfast began. Aiden sat beside Lily and announced, "Mommy stayed in my room last night. We played video games and watched a movie."

"Great bonding with Mom, eh?" Liam asked before giving Lily an approving nod.

"Yep!" Aiden turned to his grandparents and asked, "Waffles, please!"

As Aiden ate, Lily glanced back to her older brother and said, "Well, the Thompsons have their secrets, and so do we. I guess we are even."

While Lily said those words, somehow, she doubted if it was truly fair for all parties, especially for Aiden, her son.

Lily knew she had a big decision to make, one that involved Lucas.

***

Wednesday.

"Do you have to go? How many years do you have to serve in the army?" Aiden complained. His brown eyes narrowed, and his face was grim as he asked, "Can't you quit?"

Lily paused. She leaned down to Aiden and explained, "I made a deal with the army. I was supposed to be in the infantry, to be deployed to another country. My contract should have already ended, but because I did not want to stay away from you, I pulled strings to be a part-time National Guard."

She pinched his cheek and added, "As a result, my contract got extended, and no, I can't pay my way out of a military contract."

"Don't worry, Aiden, my contract ends next year, and I'll only work for Black Hawk. We will have more time together," she promised with a wink.

Lily hesitated for a moment before smiling at her son. She said, "And I supposed it's time for Mom to settle down. I'll marry your uncle Jake, and you'll have a daddy -"

"What?" Aiden loudly objected. "I don't like Uncle Jake!"

Jake was Lily's boyfriend of two years. Lily never understood it. With Aiden and Jake, it was like hate at first sight! Jake did nothing to Aiden, but her son created a natural dislike for Jake.

To Lily, Jake was a very good catch. He was handsome, and he was one of a few who accepted her past and Aiden. It was never easy for a single military mom to date and find a man who was completely understanding of that fact.

"But, I thought you wanted a father?" Lily asked. "Jake adores you."

"He is a fake!" Aiden angrily growled.

"How in the world could you tell he is fake?" Lily asked, but her son did not answer. Instead, Aiden rolled his eyes.

"Then who do you want me to marry?" Lily asked.

"My real dad," Aiden responded, crossing his arms against his chest.

"That's not going to happen," Lily answered while choosing a jacket from the closet.

"Why?" Aiden asked angrily.

Lily turned to her son. She gasped and reminded him, "Because I told you he is missing. He left us, Aiden."

She turned to collect her duffle bag. Just as Lily picked it up, she heard a faint cry. Aiden sought, "He did not love us?"

His question broke Lily's heart. They had talked about Lucas before. She had always been open about the fact that Lucas had left them, but it was undoubtedly the first time he had cried about it.

"Look, I don't care if we don't find my dad, but not Jake! I don't want him!" Aiden said bitterly.

Lily embraced her son. She caressed his back and said, "Okay. I won't get married."

Sometimes, Lily felt like nobody was ever good enough for Aiden. He had such a high standard for a father, something that she could not even point out.

She pulled away to wipe the tears that stained Aiden's face and said, "Let's talk about this another time. I'll be on a mission and don't know when I'll return. I'm not sure if I can call either. You know how this works?"

"Yeah," Aiden said dryly. It took him a while to say, "Be safe, Mom. I love you."

"You know, I will," Lily responded. "I love you too."

***

Hours later, Lily discovered the full details of her new mission. She was supposed to protect a very important individual.

When she met this person, her heart sank. She silently thought, ‘No. Why didn't I see this coming?'

Chapter 5: Come Back To Me

"He is an important person who needs protection. It will be your primary responsibility to oversee his security," the major loudly said to Lily while they were on a military helicopter, flying ten thousand feet above the ground.

This was one of those odd assignments.

When Lily arrived at the military camp earlier, Sergeant Major Patton only let her sign a confidentiality contract, and then they hopped on a helicopter. It was while in the air that the major explained the mission. It seemed like she would protect a private individual from a threat, but who? Even that was kept a secret.

After some time, they ultimately arrived at their destination. Earlier, Lily thought they were closing in on a familiar city, but her senior officer often distracted her, and she had to answer many of his questions. She wasn't able to identify where they had landed.

The helicopter landed on a rooftop building. Again, it all seemed familiar to Lily; however, looking at everything several feet above the ground made it difficult to put a name to it.

Lily reluctantly followed the military officer down the building, where bodyguards escorted them. They walked through an elegant hallway and into the private office.

The man whom she was assigned to protect was sitting on a leather seat, and his back was facing them.

'Whoever this was should have heard the doors open, right? Why did he have his chair turned the opposite way?' Lily mused while studying the chair.

Eventually, a man with blond hair announced their arrival, "Sir, Major Sergeant Patton is here with Sergeant Lily Wright."

The chair slowly swiveled, and at the sight of the man she was meant to protect, Lily's hands sweat, and her heart sank.

It was Lucas Thompson, Aiden's father.

'No. Why didn't I see this coming?' Lily silently asked herself. No wonder the place was so familiar. Lily was in Rose Hills, Lucas' hometown and the location of the Thompson Group of Companies headquarters.

Major Patton walked towards Lucas and shook his hand. He said, "Mister Thompson. It's nice to see you again.”

'What? They have met before?' Lily could only wonder.

"Sergeant Wright, this is Mister Lucas Thompson. He is the new CEO of the Thompson Group of Companies, and right now, his life is in danger. He had requested the military’s help, and we have chosen you for the job," Major Patton said. "You will be reporting to Mister Thompson round the clock, which means you will be living in the same building as he is until the authorities have arrested the mastermind behind his assassination threat."

Lily was standing there like a stick. She did not know how many times she gulped. Eventually, she took a deep breath and answered, "The Military is not supposed to be used by private individuals. I refuse to accept this mission."

"Miss Wright, that is true, but if it is for the benefit of the federal state, then we will intervene," Major Patton said plainly. "And that is why you are here."

"Besides, isn't it that your family has used the military for personal protection too?" Major Patton pointed out.

Inside, Lily was fuming. How dare the major point that out?

Yes, that was true. Because Lily's great-grandfather was a former military general, her family, the Wrights, have enjoyed the benefits of military protection and service over the years. So, it was unfair to use this as an argument not to protect Lucas. Thus, she heaved a sigh and answered, "I understand, Major Patton. I'm sorry."

"Then, I shall let you be. You are to report to me every week through our dedicated private line," The Major said before giving respect to Lucas. After that, he excused himself.

Lily heard the door close behind her. When she was alone with Lucas, she lifted her chin to look him in the eye.

Fuck, he looked so good, but Lily had to remind herself that she hated this man. This was the man whom she loved, gave her everything to, and left without any explanation.

"How have you been, Lily?" Lucas finally asked. Like the last, his voice was deep and slightly raspy. "It's been a long time."

"Oh." Lily let out a sarcastic laugh. She said, "So you do know me?"

"I'm sorry about the last time we met. I wasn't entirely prepared for it," Lucas explained himself.

"And you are prepared now? Let me guess, you set this whole thing up?" Lily asked.

Lucas just smiled in his seat. He did not confirm nor deny it. He offered the chair before his desk and said, "Please, take a seat, Lily. I'd really love to catch up. What would you like to have? Coffee or tea?"

"I don't need anything. I will only sit and talk with you if you tell me why you left. Where have you been, and what on earth did you do in the past ten years that you went missing?" Lily could not help but raise her voice. "Why haven't you contacted us, not even your parents?"

"How could you throw away years of friendship, love, and brotherhood just like that!" Lily said that because Lucas was also very close to her brothers.

"If you did not want to be with me, you could have said so!" She screamed. Her emotions were taking over her so she took a deep breath and shut her eyes, trying to find her calm.

"Whoever said I did not want you, Lily? I returned solely to take you back," Lucas frankly said.

His answer stupefied Lily. Her brows raised as she asked, "Really? You want me back? After ten years of being gone?" She scoffed and said, "Are you out of your mind?"

"You left me. You made me miserable, and you made our families fight! You only left me a note to say not to wait for you!" Lily said. She could not help but be irritated by his calmness. "What makes you think I want you back, Lucas? Newsflash, I have moved on as you had requested. Also, I have a boyfriend!"

Yet again, Lucas did not answer. However, Lily saw his expression darkened. He leaned back in his chair and ran his fingers through his dark brown hair. He replied, "Do you think I care if you don't want me back? Is your boyfriend half better than me? I bet he isn't."

His answer frustrated Lily to the core. She asked, "Where have you been?"

"I can't tell you that," Lucas replied bluntly.

"Why? Why can't you?" Lily asked. "If you can't tell me, then I can't trust you!"

"The past ten years are now part of my past. Didn't they say that a person's past should not matter in relationships?" Lucas asked. He finally stood up and walked towards Lily, saying, "Come back to me, Lily. I'll give you everything you want."

"What I want is for you to leave me alone," Lily coldly said.

Lucas stood before Lily and slightly chuckled. At first, he seemed amused, but soon, he firmly replied, "Anything but that."

He held her wrist and repeated, "Come back to me, Lily."

Chapter 6: The Boyfriend

"You know what, Lucas? You are insane!" Lily yelled, pulling her arm away from him. She did it so forcefully that the necklace around Lucas' neck bounced to reveal that golden tag with her name carved on it.

Instantly, Lily stilled. Her heart skipped a beat while her eyes were glued to the pendant. This was the same necklace and pendant Lucas bought the week before he disappeared.

More questions formed in her head, ‘Why was he wearing this? Did he still care? If he cared, then why did he leave in the first place?’

Lily's eyes could not help but brim with tears as she stared at the pendant. With this discovery, she looked into his eyes and begged, "Please, Lucas. Tell me why you left, and maybe we can set aside all this misunderstanding."

Lucas maintained eye contact. He clenched his jaws and said, "I can't, Lily. I just can't."

“Then -" Lily finally snapped. "I don't want this assignment. Talk to the major about this because there is no way I can stand being in the same room as you, much more, breathe the same air as you!"

She grabbed her duffle bag and threatened, "I'm leaving. Don't you dare say a word about it to Major Patton!"

"Lily," Lucas called, but Lily was already at the door.

The bodyguards watching outside tried to reason with Lily, but Lucas said to his men, "Let her go. You'll only end up hurting yourself. She isn't a simple lion."

"Good that you know!" Lily yelled upon walking in the direction of the lift.

***

"Where are you flying to, Miss?" The ticketing agent at Rose Hills airport asked.

Where does she want to go? Lily did not know. She pursed her lips, wiping the tear that fell down her face. She told the woman before her, "Excuse me, let me make a phone call real quick."

Stepping aside and finding an isolated corner in the airport, Lily cursed, "Fuck, why am I crying? I really hate you, Lucas!"

She took out her phones. She had two: her personal phone and the one meant for the mission. She dialed Jake's number.

"Lily, what a surprise! I thought you were out on a mission?" Jake, her boyfriend, answered after two calls.

"Yes, things have changed, and I need you, Jake. I need to talk to you," Lily said. "You are in Lockwood, right? I'm in Rose Hills. Can I see you for a few hours? I won't disturb your business trip. I will go to be with Aiden after our talk."

She sighed and reiterated, "I want to see you."

"Of course, Babe. Come to see me in Lockwood. I am staying at Blue Intercontinental. Call me when you have arrived and Let's have dinner together. I missed you," Jake said, but Lily felt a lump in her throat and could not say the same words back.

Instead, Lily responded, "Thank you, Jake. I'll see you in about two hours."

The truth was, Lily hoped that seeing Jake would make her stop thinking of Lucas. Thus, she went out of her way to see him.

***

"Ah, there she is!" Jake exclaimed. His gorgeous grey eyes sparkled at the sight of Lily. He hugged her and pecked her lips. "God, I miss you so much, but this life of dating a military woman sure is tough."

"I -" Lily flushed. "I'm sorry you had to bear with that."

"It's alright, Lily. I understand. Come inside. Let's have a wonderful meal together," Jake suggested while grabbing her hand. They went to the main restaurant, and Jake quickly ordered Lily's favorite food.

As they ate, Lily studied Jake. He had dark hair and sharp features. He almost looked like Lucas in the past, except his eyes were gray. Suddenly, Lily dropped her fork. She covered her face with the realization that Jake looked somewhat like the old Lucas.

'Oh, my god,' Lily said to herself. She had probably seen this before and simply lied to herself. ‘Did I date Jake because he looked a bit like Lucas?’

"Babe, is there something bothering you?" Jake asked, interrupting Lily’s thoughts.

"Nothing," Lily quickly recovered and faked a smile. She drank her wine and poured more, gulping down three glasses in a row.

"Woah." Jake laughed. He said, "Are you sure everything is okay, Lily?"

Nodding her head, Lily answered, "Yes. I'm just pressured with work."

Jake was an heir to a known construction company in Braeton, the Bass Power Construction. He was currently the Marketing Director. Lily met him through her brother, Liam.

Liam had introduced Jake to Lily as one of their new contractors. Often, Jake traveled to other cities to make proposals, hoping to get another project for the company. That was why he was in Lockwood.

"Lily, my job here will be extended for another week," Jake revealed. "But I'll see you after that, right? Since your mission is canceled."

With a smile, Lily faintly replied, "Yes, it's fine. Do what you have to do here. Aiden wants me to spend time with him."

She continued to finish her meal, but just as she did, she saw a familiar figure walking towards them. It was her former high school classmate, Alicia Bennet.

Immediately, Lily frowned. She said, "What is Alicia doing here?"

Jake turned in shock, saying, "Alicia? Oh." He shrugged and said, "I don't know."

Alicia Bennet was obsessed with Lily's boyfriend. She flaunted her admiration towards Jake, not bothering to be discreet. She would post it on her social media and tell some of Lily's high school classmates.

This woman had long, straight blonde hair and dressed like a model. She was rather the opposite of Lily.

As expected, Alicia walked over to their table. She smiled and said, "Fancy meeting you here."

"Really? You did not stalk Jake, right?" Lily asked while gazing at her boyfriend.

"So what if I did?" Alicia rolled her eyes. She said, "I at least have the freedom to do that."

Jake sneered at Alicia's words. He appeared to be disgusted by this woman. He said to Lily, "Ignore her, Babe. Eat your food. Let’s not waste our breath on her.”

"The truth is, I'm with my friends. I guess I'll be on my way," Alicia said before joining a table where three other girls were waiting for her.

"Is she bothering you? I could ask my cousin to teach her and her family a lesson," Lily offered to Jake.

Jake merely laughed and said, "This is the first time I have seen her in Lockwood. Don't bother yourself with unimportant people, Lily. Let's just enjoy our dinner."

After their meal, Jake invited Lily to his hotel room. She agreed. Again, she wanted to convince herself that she had moved on with Jake, but she did not last a second when her boyfriend kissed her on the lips.

Lily pulled away and made an excuse, "I - I'm sorry, Jake. I wasn't expecting to stay longer. I booked a flight to Braeton at ten in the evening."

"oh, that's a shame," Jake muttered. He smiled and cupped her face. He said, "Don’t worry. I will always understand you because I love you, Lily. You know that. I will always be patient with you."

He grabbed her hand gently and said, "Let's go and get you a taxi."

***

Earlier that day.

Through a security surveillance video, Lucas watched as Lily left the Headquarters of the Thompson Group of Companies. His eyes were fixed on her slender frame, her small and cute face that had not aged over the years.

Like him, Lily was already in her early thirties, but her face looked so young.

Lucas did not want her to leave, but Lily was a force to reckon with. It wasn’t the time. He needed the right opportunity and he was determined to find it.

He glanced up at his assistant and said, "Ryan. Have someone follow her. Update me on her whereabouts.”

"Yes, Sir," a man, also well-built with blond hair, acknowledged.

Lucas returned to work for the rest of the day. He did not leave his office and wasn't planning to until nighttime.

Ryan entered his office once more to update Lucas, "Sir, Miss Wright went to Lockwood to see her boyfriend, Mister Jake Bass. They had dinner together, and she spent a few minutes in his hotel room."

"Jake?" Out of anger, the pen in Lucas' hand snapped. The veins on his neck protruded, and his jaws were clenched. He was seething as he ordered, "Find out everything you can with this man, Jake Bass. I want all his dirt in twenty-four hours. You got that, Ryan?”

"Yes, sir," Ryan replied.

Ten years ago, he left, but now he has returned. Lucas would stop at nothing to have Lily back in his life.

Chapter 7: Cheated On

"Mommy, are you okay? You have been staring into spaces lately," Aiden asked. Lily was helping her son with his homework. While Aiden wrote his answers in the book, Lily was in a daze.

"Sorry, Buddy. Was thinking of something," Lily said. "Are you done?"

"Almost. I'm so glad your mission got canceled," Aiden revealed.

Lily was unsure if Lucas had canceled the request for military protection, but since Major Sergeant Patton had not called, she assumed nothing had officially been done. She supposed she still had to make that weekly report to the major by the end of the week, even if it was fake.

These past three days, she had been thinking a lot about Lucas. She was furious that he would not tell her what happened to him over the years. She was even more angry that he wanted her back and expected everything to be the same.

When Aiden was finally done answering his homework, the mother and son pair had snacks in the kitchen. In the middle of their meal, Lily received a call.

She picked it up and heard a woman speak on the other line, "Miss Wright. This is Anna from Emerald Residential Tower. Mister Bass had arrived from a business trip and requested you join him for dinner."

The lady was referring to her boyfriend, Jake Bass. Lily was confused because Jake was meant to be on a business trip until next week. Then, if Jake wanted to have dinner with her, why ask the residential building receptionist to call her?

Still, she did not think much about it and answered, "I'll be there. Thank you, Anna."

Lily tried to call Jake, but his phone was off. Thus, she left Aiden in the care of her parents. After getting changed into something comfortable, Lily went to the Emerald Residential Tower.

When she arrived, Anna greeted her warmly and gave her a keycard, saying, "Mister Bass asked that you let yourself in, Miss Wright."

Lily accepted the keycard and took the lift to the tenth floor, where Jake's flat was. As instructed, she let herself in.

She was about to call for Jake from the living room when she heard sensual moans from the second floor of the apartment. Immediately, she frowned.

"Ah, Jake!"

"I love it!"

"More! More!"

The closer Lily walked to the staircase, the louder the moans became. Lily carefully ascended to the second floor and identified where the sounds were coming from. It was from Jake's room, and whoever was inside left the door open.

Clothes were scattered on the floor. Inside, Lily saw her boyfriend, Jake, completely naked and was on top of a woman she knew well. The woman was Alicia Bennet!

Of all the people Jake screwed around with, it just had to be her!

'Well, I guess Alicia got what she wanted.' Lily concluded, recalling how this woman had always wanted to be with Jake.

To Lily's surprise, though, it did not affect her. Shouldn't she be screaming and crying right now? However, she was unfeeling. Why? She probably already knew the answer. She never truly moved on with Jake.

Somehow, Lily was relieved. Aiden was right all along. Jake never deserved to be Aiden's father.

Lily entered the room and coldly said, "I guess this means we are over, Jake!"

Jake scrambled off Alicia. His face turned ghostly white upon seeing Lily. He stuttered, "Fuck, no. Lily, I'm sorry."

"Goodbye, Jake," Lily said before leaving.

***

Lily, wait! Lily! I'm sorry!" Jake called. He chased after Lily as soon as he found her stepping outside the lobby of the residential building. "Stop, please. Lily. I'm sorry."

"I could not hold it. I am a man with needs, and you did not want to do it with me!" Jake complained and managed to grab her wrist. "I gave in to the temptation, and I'm sorry. I promise it won't happen again. I love you -"

"You lied about your whereabouts, Jake," Lily pointed out while pulling her hand away. "You said your business trip got extended, but instead, I found you home, in bed with another woman, worst, with Alicia!"

"She had always been so frank about wanting you; she did not even care if you and I were in a relationship! Finally, I understand why," Lily gasped and said, "Because for all I know, you have been doing her for -"

"No, Lily. It hasn't been that long -"

"Oh, god," Lily shook her head. "Forget it, Jake. Just forget about you and me. I can't be with you anymore."

Jake kneeled before her and begged. He repeatedly asked for Lily's forgiveness, but he probably realized that she would not change her mind. He said, "Lily, think about this carefully. You won't find any other man who will love you when you have a baggage -"

"Stop! How dare you say that? Do you want me to kill you right now? Because we both know what I am capable of." Lily knew exactly who Jake was referring to: Aiden. So, was she meant to settle down with Jake just because she was a single mother? How long has Jake considered Aiden as a baggage?

Lily found her car. Before getting in, she said, "I wish you and Alicia the best. You deserve each other. Don't bother me anymore."

She left, driving to the nearby park to think.

At the park, Lily found a bench and sat there, reflecting on the recent events in her life. First, Lucas was back, but someone wanted him dead. Then, Lucas told her he wanted her back after ten long years. Now, she discovered her boyfriend had been cheating on her!

'What had Lucas done in the ten years that he was gone? Did he have a girlfriend in between, or maybe more, and he only realized he loved me just now?' She was asking questions that only Lucas could answer.

"What the hell is going on with my life?" Lily thought before muttering, "But then again, Lily, breaking up with Jake was for the best. Because with Lucas back, you are second-guessing your life's future decisions - oh, my god, I can't believe I just said that."

Lily face slapped herself at the thought of Lucas.

"Lucas. Lucas. Lucas." He was getting into Lily's head more often than he should.

Unexpectedly, her phone rang. She picked it up and heard her mother's voice. Her mother was crying on the other line when she revealed, "Lily, your father was rushed to the hospital. He suddenly fainted. The doctors rushed him to surgery. Aiden is with your Aunt Gaby now."

"Oh, god. I'll be there," Lily said in a panic.

When Lily arrived at the hospital, all her brothers were present, including her uncle. The doctor walked up to them and revealed her father's condition.

Chapter 8: Doctor Thompson?

"The aortic stent graft collapse," Doctor Steven reported to the Wright family. "That caused him to faint. So, earlier, we inserted another stent, and he is under observation."

"I feel that there is a but coming," Lily's oldest brother, Liam, predicted. Behind him, all of Lily's brothers were giving the doctors murderous looks.

The doctor sighed and admitted, "There is an endoleak. Despite the new stent, we still see blood flowing outside the graft. This continues to put pressure on the aneurysm."

Lily’s family gathered outside the recovery room to listen to Doctor Steven. Her mother, her uncle, and all five brothers were naturally there. Lily's father, Kaleb Wright, was still under observation and would be moved to his private room later.

"You said you were the best at this!" Lewis, Lily's other brother, yelled. From there, everyone was nagging the doctor.

"I specialize in aortic repair via stent grafts! Yes, I am the best at this," the doctor claimed.

Last year, Kaleb Wright caught an infection that resulted in an ascending aortic aneurysm. They hired the best doctors in the state for their father’s treatment. The solution offered was a stent graft insertion. They said it was less invasive and safer, but what happened now?

"Stent grafts are still the best options with higher chances of survival after the procedure," Doctor Steven asserted. "Going for an open surgery has its risks and requires a very skillful surgeon.”

"So what happens if this endoleak continues?" Lily questioned.

The doctor paused and weakly answered, "He will need an ascending aortic replacement - an open surgery -"

"So we end up with an open heart surgery, still!" Lewis barked.

"Why did we have to go through the other procedure if an open-heart surgery was the best solution?" Another brother of Lily bitterly asked.

"This is not acceptable!" Another one exclaimed. "Doctor, it seems you are doing a trial and error with our father's condition!"

Lily's brothers were bombarding the doctor with their comments and questions while Lily’s mother kept crying, afraid for Kaleb’s health.

Kyle Wright, Lily's uncle, pointed a finger at the doctor and said, "Let me guess, your name is Doctor Quack."

"No, I swear to you, I did my best," the doctor reasoned. "All doctors in my team offered Mister Wright the best solution for his condition."

"Okay, let's say my father ends up needing that open-heart surgery," Liam frigidly asked, "Who is the best doctor who can perform this? Because we will not accept an unskilled surgeon. He or she has to be the best in heart or thoracic surgery!”

The doctor froze. He looked at the family and remarked, "You did not want to go to the best facility for heart and lung treatment -"

"Do we need to if we get the best doctor to come to us?" Liam shot back. "We can pay the doctor any amount to come to Braeton City! Remember that was how you ended up relocating here, Doctor Steven."

"Well, just so happens the best doctor for thoracic surgery right now is exclusively treating patients at Saint Dominique's Heart and Lung Center, Rose Hills," the doctor revealed.

Lily immediately frowned. The Thompson Group of Companies owned Saint Dominique’s Heart and Lung Center. In the past, Lucas's mother was known to be the best thoracic surgeon.

"But Doctor Shantelle Thompson is no longer performing surgeries. Is she?" Lily asked, referring to Lucas' mother.

"Oh, I am not talking about the famous Doctor Shantelle Thompson. I know she is already retired." The doctor gulped and explained, "Look, I had signed a confidentiality agreement. I'm not supposed to say this, but I trust you won't say anything."

"I'm talking about her son, Lucas Thompson. He earned his license abroad and had operated on five of the most complicated heart surgeries referred to their center over the past three months," the doctor revealed.

"I had already referred two of my patients there," Doctor Steven added. "They say he is the next big thing in thoracic surgery, but he chose to run his father's company more than actively practicing surgery. He only accepts patients requiring complicated procedures and does not take clients outside Saint Dominque's."

"Fuck. Lucas is back?" Lewis indignantly turned to Lily and asked, "Do you know about this?"

"Is Lucas really back, Lily?" Lily's mother also asked in shock. All her brothers, except for Liam, asked the same thing.

Lily helplessly looked at Liam, and seeing her brother wasn't going to spill either, she chose a safer answer and said, "No. This is the first time I have heard of this."

"I'm going to kill him!" Lewis declared.

"I second that!" Kristoff, another brother of Lily, said the same thing.

"Wait!" The doctor called everyone's attention. He suggested, "You know, Doctor Lucas Thompson?"

"Yes!" All four of Lily's brothers said.

"Then." The doctor pursed his lips and suggested, "Perhaps you can kill him after he operates on your father?"

"That's a good point," Lewis said. "but after the surgery, I'm going to do whatever I want with him!"

"Me too!"

"Count me in!"

Lily’s brothers were getting rowdy, so she called everyone's attention, "Okay, stop! Before you think about what you want to do, let's say Lucas agrees; remember that our father will still need postoperative care."

Seeing everyone in her family was listening to her, Lily suggested, "I'll talk to Lucas. You all stay here with Mom and Dad."

***

Hours later, Lily was back in Rose Hills, standing before the Thompson Group of Companies Headquarters. She sighed because she had never expected to be back.

Lily did not have to introduce herself. She did not know why or how, but the security guard around the building knew her. She had clearance to go to Lucas's office without any hassle.

When Lily entered Lucas' office, he was already expecting her.

"Lily, what brings you back?" Lucas calmly asked while leaning back in his seat.

"How did you get your medical license?" Lily asked outright.

Lucas frowned. He cleared his throat and replied, "I don't know how you knew that -"

"A doctor from Braeton slipped," Lily explained.

"I see," Lucas casually responded. "He should not have done that, but what does it have to do with your visit?"

Lily gasped profoundly before looking at Lucas with pleading eyes. She revealed, "Dad, he - he underwent an aortic stent graft procedure last year, and earlier today, it collapsed. Apparently, there was an endoleak, and even after the stent was replaced, there was still an endoleak."

"It looked like he will need an operation in the end. We want to ensure that whoever operates on him is the best. Are you the best one out there?" Lily asked.

"I am. I may not have practiced it here in the country, but I have performed many of the same procedures abroad," Lucas confirmed. He got up from his seat and asked, "What kind of condition does Uncle Kaleb have?"

"Ascending aortic aneurysm. Dad had an infection that caused a blood clot, and it traveled to his heart. This happened last year," Lily explained.

"Hmmm." Lucas calmly said while walking towards Lily. He asked, "Do you want me to operate on Uncle Kaleb?"

"Can you promise that you won't make mistakes?" Lily asked.

"I won't make mistakes," Lucas replied.

"Then, can you?" Lily asked. It seemed to her that Lucas was open about it. Asking him wasn't that hard after all.

"I will operate on Uncle Kaleb in exchange for one thing," Lucas suggested.

In a trembling voice, Lily inquired, "What is it?"

Lucas' dark-colored eyes seriously looked straight into her blue orbs and said, "Marry me, tomorrow."

'Wait, what?' Lily could not believe it. Days ago, Lucas said he wanted her back. 'How did it escalate to marriage now?'