Chapter 39

Lily returned home alone. The silence of the house greeted her the moment she stepped inside—the kind of heavy silence that seemed to stretch through the wide living room and echo faintly up the staircase. David hadn't come back yet. Of course, she hadn't expected him to. She had only moved back into his house yesterday, and since then, she hadn't even caught a proper glimpse of him here. The only time she saw him was at the party earlier. She knew exactly where he was—probably with Marina. The thought made something twist uncomfortably in her chest, but she shook it off, pretending not to care. Setting her bag on the couch, Lily headed upstairs. She took a hot shower, letting the steam curl around her like a shield, washing away the smell of perfume and champagne from the evening. Standing in front of the mirror afterward, she wiped away the fog and looked at herself. Her eyes looked tired, her lips still held the faintest trace of red lipstick. She forced herself to look away. By the