Chapter 29

The next morning, Lily woke before sunrise. She’d barely slept—her head was full of his threats. For the rest of the day, Lily tried to bury herself in work—emails, sketches, a bit of cleaning. Anything to keep her mind from circling back to him. But as evening settled in, her phone rang, the screen lighting up with a name she didn’t want to see. Her father. She debated letting it ring, but she knew better. If she didn’t answer, he’d just keep calling. “Hello,” she said, her voice neutral. “Lily,” her father’s tone was unusually warm, almost smug. “I’ve been hearing things. You’ve managed to get David’s attention again. That’s good ....very good.” Lily’s brows knitted. “It’s not what you think.” “Of course it is,” he said smoothly. “You have influence over him now. You should use it. Push him in our favor, maybe even win him back. It would be… beneficial for the family.” Her stomach twisted. She could practically hear the unspoken words money, power, reputation. It was always about tha