Chapter 18

Lily hated that her pain was so visible in front of Jade who revelled in the hurt she had caused the female in front of her. So, she faked a sad expression and took the crying girl's hand in hers causing Lily to flinch at the sudden contact.

"I think I'm going to go, I just thought you needed to know before he hurts you even more. Here is my number if you want to know more and Lily, I could help if you do decide to contact me. Don't you think Christopher deserves to truly be happy? If you really love him, you'll let him go," Jade said as she slid over a small piece of paper before getting up and leaving the cafe as if nothing just happened.

As if she didn't just ruin a perfectly innocent girl's happiness. Lily couldn't believe it. She didn't want to, but everything made sense. The awkward kiss at the restaurant and Chris not really telling her who Jade was.

The constant cancelled appointments and tons of excuses as to why he couldn't make their dates. Why couldn't she see it herself?

How could she be so dumb!? She got up from her seat and left the cafe as tears clouded her hazel eyes.

She didn't reply to Chris' texts or calls for two weeks. She just sat on her bed, holding the piece of paper with Jade's number in her small hands as she debated whether or not to call the other woman.

She sighed shakily as she finally decided to throw her pride out the window and dialled the number, the other female immediately picking up the phone almost instantly.

"I was wondering when you'd call," Jade remarked with a smirk on her face. A smirk that you could hear through the phone. This made Lily very uneasy. "Why do you want to help me?" Lily asked, not caring about anything anymore. Her whole life with Chris was a lie. He meant everything to her and he was fooling her, so did that mean that her life was nothing more than a joke?

"I'm glad you asked. I will offer you one million dollars as well as a very nice apartment far away from Chris and his lies. You would be able to start a new life, away from all your current problems and start a new chapter, with new people that would actually care for you. That is the least I can do after everything. All you need to do is break up with him," Jade said nonchalantly as Lily felt her heart quicken at the mention of the money.

She gulped audibly. This was a very generous opportunity. She could get out of her house and start a new life, a good life. She had to do this.

"Fine, I'll do it," Lily said as she agreed to all the terms of the agreement.

Back in the present day, Mia was astonished at the story Chris had told her. "How do you know about everything that happened between Lily And Jade?" Mia asked in disbelief as she stared at the male, her mouth ajar and her eyes wide.

"When she broke up with me that very day and disappeared, I had so many questions, but I wanted her to be happy, even if it wasn't with me. so. I let her go. She moved to New York, where she got married and eventually had two beautiful kids. I wanted to look for her after we broke up and when I couldn't find her, I ended up marrying Jade just to keep my father happy. Jade eventually came out with the whole story when I found some documents relating to Lily in her possession. When I found Lily, she seemed happy. I didn't want to up-end her life again so I left her alone but I always regretted the fact that I never even got the chance to ask her to marry me," Chris said with a deeply guilty sigh as tears filled his eyes at the thought that he lost Lily to someone as devilish and evil as Jade.

"But how does your father play into all of this? Why did you marry Jade to keep him happy," Mia asked the saddened male as he wiped his tears and looked at her.

"Jade and my father took advantage of my grief after I lost Lily and told me that if I were to marry Jade, I could make my future company stronger and in the process, we could produce an heir to inherit the company from me. I fell for their manipulative tricks and that's how I ended up marrying Jade. I no longer cared what happened in my life since Lily wasn't in it anymore, it was all just meaningless," Chris said with a scowl as he thought about his deep-rooted hate for his father and his wife.

"Did you ever try to explain the situation to Lily? I'm sure she would understand if you told her the truth," Mia said as the male looked at her curiously.

"I tried to get in contact with Lily since I found out about what Jade did, but she has been avoiding my calls and texts for four years now and I do not know what to do anymore, that's why I called you here. You look like you have a good head on your shoulders so if there is anyone who could give me the right advice, it's you," He told a slightly shocked Mia.

"Well, in my opinion, I would do one of two things.

Either, you go to her and try to explain to her what really happened or you leave her be. But If I were her, I would want to know the truth.  She has probably believed this lie for all these years now and I'm sure she would want to know the truth.

Of course, it would reopen old wounds but, that's the only way both of you can heal and try to move on from this whole situation. Together or apart," Mia said as truthfully as she could, hoping that she gave him the right advice.

"But what if she still doesn't want to see me?" Chris asked as sadness laced his tone.

"Then you try again or decide to move on for good," Mia said straightforwardly.

"Okay, I will try. Thank you for your advice Mia," Chris said as he gave her a grateful smile.

"You're welcome, but I have just one more question, why haven't you divorced Jade if you hate her this much?" Mia asked the man.

"I tried once after I found out about Lily, but our marriage contract stated that we needed to stay married until I took over the company as CEO, and that would be now since my father passed away. That was the only way I would've been able to get rid of Jade, forever," Chris said with an expression Mia couldn't completely decipher.

"Oh, I hope you succeed this time around then," Mia said as she tried to convey encouragement, but something in her mind not seeming to completely click.

"I'm sure I will," Chris said with a dimpled smile. "I'll be going then. It's getting late. I'll see you soon. Stay well and good luck with the whole Jade situation," Mia said as she made her way out of the door and out of the manor.

Once she made her way out of the front door and all the way back to her car, she breathed out a shaky breath. Did Chris just give her a possible motive for murder?