Lily POV:
Watching her now, slumped and frail in that hospital bed, was more fulfilling than I'd even imagined. How the mighty have fallen, I mused, suppressing a smirk. Once strong, confident, always so sure of herself… but look at her now. She looked weak, helpless, her skin pale and her eyes dimmed with exhaustion. All those who had adored her, who'd whispered her name with reverence, were now seeing her for what she really was—fragile, breakable, nothing more than a shadow of her former self.
I let my gaze linger on her, savoring each sign of her weakness, each mark of suffering etched into her face. The bouquet of flowers felt heavy in my hands, and I barely concealed the satisfaction thrumming beneath my skin as I placed it on the bedside table with a deliberately gentle touch.