Agreement Behind Her Marriage

Lily, Danica, and Kael were picked up by a shuttle service and driven to the resort area from the island’s dock. Danica’s true identity still puzzled her.

“Miss Danica!” gasped the staff member who came to pick them up.

Her friend replied, having forgotten the teen’s name. “I told my dad I would come back today.”

“Ah, yes. I just didn’t expect you and Sir Kael to know each other.”

Kael had been a regular presence there, so he was acquainted with all the staff. The young man instructed them to board the vehicle.

“Ugh!” Danica muttered, biting her fingernail.

Lily sensed an unexplained source of anxiety in her friend. She didn’t inquire about the young woman’s family situation and only knew that her friend was carefree and acted as she pleased. In her eyes, Danica was, at least, a carefree young woman.

“Don’t your family know you’re an interior designer?” Kael questioned Danica, who was clearly distraught. They both could see that Danica had been restless since the airport.

“No. My dad thinks I’m studying business. Although my brother knew I was studying design,” she replied before looking at Lily and saying, “Once my dad finds out about this, I’m done!”

Lily didn’t know how to console her friend. She didn’t have a good relationship with Mr. Martin or anyone in her family, either. So, she wasn’t the right person to say to Danica, “It’s okay, your dad will understand you.”

“I have spoken with Mr. Arvesso many times, and I think you’ll be fine,” said Kael.

“I don’t know what to do. If only you were aware of my dad’s strict rules for me. He has often scolded me, thinking I had taken too many classes, but what could I do? I lack a business mindset.”

Lily held Danica’s hand. “Being an interior designer is also business-minded. We were considering forming a partnership, were we not?”

“Oh, Lily…” Danica chose to lean against her when they were seated next to each other and hugged her arm. Lily might have been more positive about things because she was two years older than Danica. She had never once offered a friend a word of encouragement, which made her believe she had changed over the months.

On an island known for its beach resorts, Danica’s place is situated several kilometers from the port area. The shuttle service passed through an alley and arrived at a stunning and spacious building.

“Oh, oh! Please pray for me!” uttered Danica.

Before Lily could enter the building, she felt her phone vibrating and saw Orion’s name flashing on the screen. She answered the call because she figured the man would be worried, knowing she wasn’t at home.

“Hello!”ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“Lily, where are you?” he said on the other line with a concerned tone.

“Orion, I’m fine. You don’t need to worry. I told you I needed to be brave because I can’t always rely on you, which is why I accepted a position to work with Kael Escarrer.”

But as she finished speaking, Lily heard another voice.

“Lily…”

It was Drew. Lily gasped. Hearing his voice made her heart ache with longing.

“I came home immediately after knowing you’re not here, and I’m worried about you, Lily. I don’t mind if you have a job; what I want to know is if you’re okay where you are right now.”

“So far, I’m good.” Talking with Drew felt like he was just inches away.

“But Lily… we appeared on the news and in a few social media posts.”

Hearing this, she furrowed her brow and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Lily, when I visited your school, some students who were curious about our relationship discovered that we were married. The thing is… they delved into the past. Lily, these students can be quite invasive. They found untrue rumors that were circulated in your former school. Not only that, but another woman who claims to be the most recent victim of Kenneth and his friends apparently submitted a case report to them. She implicated you as one of their victims.”

“Ohhh…” uttered Lily, leaning against the car before covering her mouth.

She wanted to keep her past hidden and move on, which is why she declined Master Walton’s offer to help her prosecute Kenneth and his friends. What she desired most was peace of mind.

She knew her chances of success in a legal battle against Kenneth and his friends were very slim. What happened to her had occurred a long time ago. What evidence did she have? Reliving her suffering, hardships, and painful memories would only make her feel worse. She feared that the wounds she thought had already healed would reopen.

“I’m going to you, Lily!” said Drew.

No! Her chest rumbled. Once she saw him, she would only experience more pain.

“Lily?”

“Drew, I’m fine. This job is what I need. I’ll call you if ever I encounter problems. Right now, everything is fine.”

“But I’m not fine, Lily… I’m not okay.”

Lily gulped when she detected the sadness in Drew’s voice. “Why? Are you sick?”

On the other end, Drew remained silent. Lily understood that her husband was concerned about her.

He and Orion might both be used to taking care of all her needs or solving her problems.

Her husband…

“Drew, I need this job. You know we’ve separated, right? I need this for myself. I know you’re probably worried, but I’m alright. I’m with Lauren’s brother, Kael… Drew, for two months… During that time, I need to be on my own, and I hope Orion will allow me to be alone around this period as well.”

Lily heard his slow breathing on the other end. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”

“If it’s true that someone used my name in Kenneth’s trouble, it would be even more difficult for both of us if I ever returned to the city. Being here makes me feel safer.”

“Alright. If you’re really fine, I’ll let you do what you want.”

“Thank you…” She felt like crying after their conversation.

This is just a start, Lily.

“Bye, Lily!” Drew muttered on the other line before she pressed the end button.

“Lily?” Kael called. “Are you alright? Mr. Arvesso is waiting.”

She nodded, forcing a simple smile.

Kael may not be aware of the recent issues she has, she thought. She will make an effort to keep her personal problems out of her mind while staying on this island and will check the internet once the meeting with Danica’s father is over.

“Sorry, Drew called me.”

Kael was slightly taken aback, then grimaced. “Is your husband looking for you right now?”

“It’s okay. Drew was just worried about me because I didn’t inform Orion about my plans, either. In order to convince Orion to let me stay home so he could meet his father, who had traveled from abroad, I promised him I’d call him if I ever had intentions of leaving the house-which, of course, I didn’t.”

Kael chuckled, shaking his head, and said, “It’s tough being the wife of one of the three musketeers, eh?”

If only Kael knew it was her who was continuously causing trouble for Drew and not the other way around.

Following Kael inside, she heard a man’s deep voice scolding Danica.

Lily couldn’t anticipate how her life would change completely the moment she stepped foot inside that resort.