Page 28 of Flames of Desire

Richard leaned back, a satisfied smile on his face. “You’ve made a very compelling case, Lily. I came here today as a favor to Alex, but I’m genuinely impressed by you. I look forward to working together.”

Lily beamed, her eyes shining with excitement. “Thank you so much, Richard. This means the world to me.”

Richard stood up with a smile, signaling the end of the meeting. “Let’s keep in touch. I’ll have my assistant send over the preliminary agreement by tomorrow.”

We shook hands again, and as Richard walked away, Lily turned to me, her face glowing with happiness. “Alex, I can’t believe it. This is incredible!”

I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. “I knew you could do it, Lil. You’re amazing.”

She looked up at me, her eyes filled with gratitude. “Thank you for believing in me, and for setting this up.”

“Always,” I whispered, kissing her forehead. “You deserve this and so much more.”

Lily’s eyes shimmered with gratitude. “I couldn’t have done it without you, Alex.”

“Don’t sell yourself short. You’re amazing all on your own,” I replied, squeezing her hand.

We left the cafe, our spirits high. As we walked back to the car, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride for Lily. She had faced something that was clearly a challenge for her and had emerged victorious. As for me, I realized that my feelings for her were only growing stronger.

As we pulled up to her store, I parked the car and turned to her, “I have to go back to my apartment and finish some things before work tomorrow. But I’ll see you later.”

She nodded, leaning in to kiss me softly. “I’ll be here.”

When we finally pulled apart, I rested my forehead against hers, savoring the moment.

“See you later, Lil,” I murmured.

“See you,” she replied. She stepped out of the car, and I watched as she walked into her store, smiling at the gentle sway of her hips.

I started the engine and began to drive away, my mind still buzzing with the excitement of the day. But just as I was about to turn onto the main road, my phone rang. I glanced at the screen, my heart sinking as I saw the name—Rachael.

I hesitated before picking up. “I told you never to call me unless I called you first.”

“I’m sorry Master Alex,” she said quickly, her voice tinged with urgency. “There’s a situation.”

“What situation?” I asked, irritation creeping into my voice.

“It’s your father. He’s requested your presence at the family villa.”

I clenched my jaw, my grip tightening on the steering wheel. “Tell him I refuse the invitation.”

There was a brief moment of silence on the other end of the line. Then Rachael’s voice came through, softer this time. “It’s about your mother.”

I tensed, my heart skipping a beat. “What about her?”

“He wants to discuss something important related to her. He specifically asked for you. It’s this weekend.”

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. The fact that it wasn’t immediate meant it wasn’t a dire emergency, but if it was about my mother, I couldn’t ignore it. “Fine. Tell him I’ll be there.”

“Thank you, Sir,” Rachael said, relief clearly evident in her voice. “I’ll let him know.”

I hung up, my mood darkening. Memories of my mother flooded my mind—her warmth, kindness, and the way she had always been my anchor. Then came the bitter memory of her death, followed by how quickly my father had remarried. It had been almost ten years since I left the Sinclair household, unable to bear the sight of him with another woman.

I gripped the wheel in annoyance, my thoughts swirling. Seeing my father again was the last thing I wanted, but I couldn’t ignore anything related to my mother. She had been my everything, and even though she was gone, her memory still held a powerful sway over me.

The drive back to my apartment was a blur. When I finally parked, I sat in the car for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside me. My life had taken such a turn since meeting Lily, and now this old wound was being reopened.

I needed to be strong. For myself, for Lily, and for whatever awaited me at the family villa. I took a deep breath and headed inside, determined to face whatever was coming with the same courage Lily had shown today.

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