So close to.....

Cooking competition studio

Grand Finale

Announcement

Host : "Welcome! everyone!. Today is the grand finale. Today we will get our winner who not only get a prize money but also get to work with one of the renowned chef Mr Lee. We have three candidates left and only one will be the winner."

Host went to the jury members who after a long discussion come to a conclusion. One of the jury member nodded to other and wrote a name in a piece of paper, placing it in an envelope. Host retrieve the envelope and came infront of camera.

Host: "Now I have the envelope in which the winner name is written." She open the envelope and take out the paper.

Lily heart is thumping from excitement, yet at same time it's anxious of what could be the result?. As the time pass her anticipation grew. There are three candidates Andrew, Jasmine and Lily. Lily cross her finger as host is about to reveal the name.

Host: "And the winner is..." she glance at everyone "...Jasmine! congratulations Jasmine for not only winning the prize money bit get a chance to work with Mr Lee"

Jasmine gasp in excitement.

Suddenly Lily feet freeze 'I was so close to winning' she thought, a heavy feeling rose inside. It's not a feeling why someone else win but she didn't but it's like for her she was so close to winning but that reward didn't fall into her arms. She put on her smile and sincerely congratulate Jasmine.

But a dejected feeling set inside her.

----------------------------------

Outside the studio Leonard is waiting for her. Seeing her exiting the studio he gave her a bright smile. Lily return the smile but it didn't reach her eyes.

Leonard take out the small from from his pocket "This is for you"

Lily look at the box in puzzle. Leonard look at her puzzle state and smile brightly "It's a gift for my dear wife"

Lily blankly look at him and release a breath "But I didn't won the competition"

"So...." Leonard said raising his left brow.

"I want to go home" Lily mumble, avoiding to meet his eyes. Leonard sign, he took hold of both her hands and pull her towards him. Lily stubbornly refuses to meet her gaze, seeing her stubbornness his lip twitch "What happened? where is my wife smile?"

Lily look at Leonard, tear started to form in her eyes but she blink several times, refusing to cry, in a low voice she said "I was so close to winning but I.. I feel like I failed everyone. I wanted to win this competition because Tulip helped a lot in past few months. Isn't for her I don't know in what condition I would be in! And somehow I wanted to prove to those who thinks I am anything but a spoil..." Lily stop in between her sentence. Zachary image 'smirking at her failure' form in her mind and his words kept echoing "Told you! after all you are anything but a spoil heiress"

Leonard didn't know what exactly is going inside her head. But he understood that something must be bothering her deeply, seeing her so deep in her thoughts. He caught a glimpse of hatred in her eyes for few seconds. He cup her face "Lily..." he call her, Lily who was deep in her thoughts blink for a second and look at him who is intensely look at her.

"Lily ... You did your best. Not many people were able to reach finale but you did. Moreover one failure doesn't make you a failure. People fail and it's OK to fail!. You are not a failure if you have the determination inside you to again stand up and fight! But you are a failure if you have decided that you are anything but a failure"

Lily look at Leonard and didn't say anything but soon her face break into a beautiful and genuine smile. She place her hand on his hand which is still on her cheeks "Thank you Leonard"

Lily doesn't know what gonna come in future but maybe ....maybe something big is waiting for her. That day she learned something knew and the person who taught her was no one but her husband. Slowly she doesn't know when one broken piece of her heart place together.

Sure there is long way to go...

But it's not the end yet! She will fight!