Agreement Behind Her Marriage

“Brother, where do you think Drew will take Lily?” Danica asked her big brother, Orion, with a frown. He was ten years older than her. Just like their dad, Orion treated her like a princess.

“No, that’s not my question-why are you here with Drew Walton?”

“Because Drew is my boss.”

“What? Do you mean Drew is your boss? Is he the reason why you’re watching over Lily? You simply ignored me and pretended you didn’t recognize me when we first met at the bookshop! Because you pretended like that, I behaved foolishly!” Danica pouted her lips.

“Thank you for reporting anything about Lily to me these past weeks. Does she know that we’re siblings?”

Danica scratched her head. “Probably not! She might have left the resort if she had known! Also, she might think I intended to make friends with her. I’m worried this information could hurt her.”

“But it’s true! Though I’m glad that you enjoyed Lily’s company and the interior design process.” Orion patted Danica’s head.

Danica serves as Orion’s informant within their school. At first, she mistakenly thought Lily was her older brother’s girlfriend, and as a result, she kept a watchful eye on her. Becoming friends with Lily had its advantages because she received extra money from her brother Orion. She was able to achieve two goals at once by becoming a part of Lily’s life.

Danica was now hesitant to reveal the truth to Lily. “I don’t want her to think poorly of me. It’s true that I genuinely like Lily as a friend. I don’t want to scare her, brother!”

“She’ll be okay. Lily is stronger now. You can tell her. You might convince her that your relationship with her is sincere. And as for you, forget about Brian!” He playfully smacked her head with controlled force.

“Eeeh!” Danica was on the verge of tears when she felt Orion’s light punch. “Aw! Aw! I know! I’m in the process of moving on. Hello?” She responded by giving Orion’s butt a playful kick. They arrived at Arvesso Resort, playfully teasing each other. It was the first time Orion had seen Danica and Lily’s completed work.

“You did a great job, kid-you and Lily. She’s a great friend to you. By the way, how are things with the engineer? I know you have a crush on that guy. If you want Kael to be your boyfriend, I’m fully supportive!”

“Can you please stop teasing me about my love life?! I don’t even ask about yours either!” Danica scowled.

After discussing relationships, Orion shifted the conversation by asking, “Where is Dad?”

“He’s not here, he’s staying at the hotel in the city,” Danica was saddened by the thought that Orion and Mr. Arvesso’s relationship wasn’t as affectionate as it should be for a father and son. “Are you really not coming back? Are you really not going to forgive Dad?”

“I’m okay,” Orion replied plainly.

Mr. Arvesso opposes Orion’s complicated job. For years, their conflicting desires have made it difficult for Orion, who enjoys his risky work, and their father, who wants him to focus on the family business, to get along.

***

Lily was uncertain about how to handle Drew when he unexpectedly appeared on the island, declaring his love for her. It took her a few moments to realize that his words had stirred certain concerns in her mind.

“Drew…”

Drew reached out to hold her hand, and she could feel his touch sending ripples through her chest.

“Lily, I know we love each other. I regret ending our relationship. It tore me apart.”

Lily found her voice and said, “But what about your reputation? Aren’t you concerned? Drew, I’m damaged. Look at what happened earlier. Given the current situation with Carmela, my name has been dragged through the mud, and as your wife, this surely affects you. Don’t you worry? What about your family, the Walton Group?”

As Drew’s palm touched her cheek, she gasped, unable to control the intense longing welling up inside her.

“Lily, I don’t care! Who told you I’m not flawed? Many people in my social circle believe I can’t commit to one woman. My ex-girlfriend accused me of wrongdoing. How is that any different from what happened to you? Every person is meant to make mistakes, Lily, every single one of us. Can you honestly say you’ve never broken any of God’s rules?”

Drew gently kissed her hand, and it made her desire to embrace him, but she knew there were things holding her back that wouldn’t be beneficial for him.

“I will stand by your side in this battle. Life is fleeting, and I don’t want to waste it pondering whether or not to confess my love for you. I don’t want to squander my time while you face this alone. I’d rather spend my life with you, build a family, and share our love with our children.”

With a tone of resentment, she asked, “But wasn’t Kori the one you loved? Didn’t you make a commitment to yourself to love only her?”

“I cared for Kori, but I never felt the intense passion that I’ve experienced with you. Kori and I were meant to be friends. But you, Lily, we were destined to be together as husband and wife. The most sincere thing I’ve ever said, or will ever say, is my love for you. I was deeply in love with you, Lily. It feels right to love you.”

It felt like a dream when he was there, expressing his feelings. “I love you, Drew… I love you so much that I broke up with you…”

Lily couldn’t control her tears. She found herself in her husband’s warm embrace, listening to his heartbeat as he gently stroked her back.

Drew whispered, “You can’t imagine how hard it is for me to say goodbye to you. The unimaginable events that have unfolded in our family’s past have made it difficult for me to express my feelings-to my mom, my grandfather, and my parents…

“I made the decision to leave because I saw how broken you were. I was so afraid that you might end up like my mother. Do you blame me for what’s happened in our family, Lily?”

Lily shook her head. “Of course, I was angry at your mom, Drew. Isn’t that a normal reaction? It’s painful to know that your mother played a part in my parents’ passing, but I don’t want to live consumed by hatred and resentment-even though I felt irreparably damaged. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life hating those who’ve wronged me. I want to move forward. That’s why I chose to stay here.”

“Oh, babe! You’ve done amazing! Even if you say you’re damaged, I’ve never met anyone with a purer heart than you.”

As she gazed at his lovely face, it felt like a mystery was unfolding in her chest. His thumb gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks, his touch soft and comforting. A little while later, his lips met hers again, but this time the kiss was deeper and more profound, conveying a promise. He lifted her and carried her to the large chair she had been sitting in earlier.

Lily settled comfortably in Drew’s lap, her arms wrapped around his neck. It felt as if the rumors and the current reality were unreal. His hand traced a gentle path down her neck as she gazed directly into his eyes.

“When I last called you, I had this strong urge to follow you here. Orion reassured me that you were okay and that I should give you some time. So, I did. I know I need to give you space, but, God, babe, I miss you so much! There are so many things I want to do with you, but for now, I just want to hold you and feel you.”

His arms around her waist tightened, pulling her closer.

“What about Master Walton?” Lily ran her finger along Drew’s chest and murmured, “I’m sure he won’t like me.”

“You are my wife, Lily. I will fight for you. I could face any devil if necessary. What matters is whether or not you will accept me as your husband.”

“What if I didn’t accept you?”

“I’ll use every charm I have. I’ll offer you the painted couch at home until you realize you’re the perfect one for me.”

His teasing brought her comfort. “I miss you, Drew. I miss our couch, too!”

“Are you ready to go back?”

Lily nodded. “Though I want to spend more time with you here and enjoy the ocean with you.”

“Let’s rest. I stayed up for two months thinking about you.”

Lily closed her eyes. The mental fog that had clouded her thoughts for the past two months had finally lifted. She knew that being in his arms was her destiny.

***

Kenneth was browsing the news on the internet. After two months, pictures of Lily on an island in another region were spotted online. Yet, seeing a snapshot of Drew driving his wife somewhere annoyed him.

“Now that Lily was spotted, Carmela’s camp will surely find a way to talk to her,” said Jericho while puffing on a cigarette.

With Carmela’s case ongoing, Kenneth and three of his friends were gathered in a secure location after posting bail.

“Why are you so anxious?” Keith asked indifferently. “We had nothing to do with Carmela, and that’s that!”