Chapter One
The body lay in perfect repose on the Victorian fainting couch, looking more like a sleeping beauty than a victim. Detective Sarah Chen had seen enough death in her ten years with the Metropolitan Police's Special Cases Unit to know that natural death never looked this peaceful. Something was very, very wrong.
'No signs of struggle, no marks on the body, and yet...' She leaned closer, studying the victim's face. Charlotte Mills, aged 28, was found by her roommate this morning, apparently having passed away in her sleep. Her expression was serene, almost blissful, but her eyes - those were what caught Sarah's attention. Behind the closed lids, her eyes were moving rapidly, as if still deep in REM sleep.
"You see it too, don't you?" The voice came from behind her, rich and cultured with a slight Irish lilt. "She's still dreaming."
Sarah turned to find a tall man in an impeccably tailored charcoal suit standing in the doorway. He hadn't been there a moment ago, she was certain of it. His dark hair was streaked with silver at the temples, and his eyes were an unusual shade of amber that seemed to shift color in the light.
"This is a closed crime scene," she said firmly, her hand instinctively moving toward her weapon. "How did you get in here?"
He smiled, but it didn't reach those strange eyes. "Dr. Marcus Thorne," he said, pulling out a card that somehow both looked official and seemed to shimmer slightly. "I'm a consulting specialist with the Department's new Oneiric Phenomena Division."
"The what division?" Sarah frowned, taking the card. The moment her fingers touched it, she felt a slight electric tingle, and the letters seemed to rearrange themselves before her eyes.
"Dreams, Detective Chen. We investigate crimes involving dreams." He moved into the room with fluid grace, his attention fixed on the victim. "And this is the third one this month."
Sarah's mind raced. There had been two other deaths recently - both young women, both found peacefully dead in their sleep. She'd seen the reports but hadn't made the connection until now. "How do you know about those cases?"
"Because I've been tracking the killer for quite some time." Thorne knelt beside the body, his eyes now definitely more gold than amber. "He's what we call a Dream Collector - someone who has learned to enter and steal dreams. But this one has developed a taste for more than just dreams. He's taking souls."
Under normal circumstances, Sarah would have dismissed such talk as nonsense. But there was something about the scene, about the victim's still-moving eyes, about Thorne himself, that made the impossible seem suddenly plausible.
"If you're tracking him," she said carefully, "why haven't you caught him?"
Thorne's expression darkened. "Because he only appears in dreams. The physical world is my domain, but his... his is the realm of sleep. To catch him, we need someone who can walk between both worlds." He turned those unsettling eyes on her. "Someone like you."
"Me?" Sarah almost laughed, but the sound died in her throat as memories she'd long suppressed began to surface. The dreams that felt too real, the nights she'd awakened to find objects moved in her room, the way she sometimes knew things she couldn't possibly know...
"You've always known you were different, haven't you, Detective?" Thorne's voice was gentle now. "The dreams that come true, the hunches that turn out to be right, the way you can sometimes see how people died just by touching objects they owned..."
Sarah took an involuntary step back. "How do you know about that?"
"Because I've been looking for someone like you. A Natural - someone born with the ability to cross the threshold between waking and dreaming." He gestured to the victim. "Charlotte here won't be his last. There will be others, and their souls will remain trapped in an eternal dream unless we stop him."
Just then, the victim's hand twitched, her fingers moving as if writing something. Sarah moved closer, watching as invisible words were traced in the air. Thorne pulled out what looked like an antique monocle and held it up. Through its lens, golden letters shimmered in the air where Charlotte's fingers moved.
"Help me," Thorne read aloud. "He's coming for the others."
Sarah felt a chill run down her spine. She looked at the victim's peaceful face, at those restlessly moving eyes, and made a decision that would change her life forever.
"Tell me what I need to do."
Thorne's smile was grim. "First, you need to learn to control your abilities. Then..." he held up the monocle, through which Sarah could now see strange symbols glowing all around the room, "you need to learn to hunt in dreams."
Outside the Victorian townhouse, storm clouds gathered, and Sarah Chen, homicide detective and newly discovered dream walker, took her first step into a world where nightmares were real, and death was just another kind of sleep.
Chapter Two
The basement of the Natural History Museum was the last place Sarah expected to find the headquarters of a secret dream investigation unit. Yet here she was, following Thorne through a maze of storage rooms filled with artifacts that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.
"The mundane world only sees what it expects to see," Thorne explained, using an ornate key to unlock a heavy wooden door marked 'Private Collection.' "To them, this is just museum storage. To us, it's the largest collection of dream artifacts in the Western Hemisphere."
The room beyond defied physics. It stretched impossibly far, filled with glass cases containing everything from ancient masks to modern-looking devices. Floating orbs of soft light illuminated collections of bottled dreams - actual dreams, swirling like liquid mercury behind glass.
"Your badge, Detective," Thorne held out his hand. Sarah hesitated before handing over her police credentials. He placed it on a strange device that looked like a Victorian music box crossed with a computer. When he returned the badge, it felt different - heavier, somehow more real.
"Now you'll be able to access both worlds officially," he said. "Look at it again."
The badge had changed. Alongside her regular police credentials, new text had appeared: 'Special Inspector, Oneiric Investigations Division.' The letters seemed to shift between English and something older, something that made her eyes water if she looked too long.
"Before we can hunt the Dream Collector, you need to understand what you're dealing with." Thorne led her to a case containing what looked like a normal pillow. "Touch it."
Sarah reached out hesitantly. The moment her fingers made contact, the world tilted. She was suddenly standing in someone else's dream - a sunny beach, but the sky was green and the sand whispered secrets. She jerked her hand back, gasping.
"Good," Thorne nodded approvingly. "Most people can't pull back from their first dream artifact. You have natural barriers."
"What was that?" Sarah's heart was racing.
"A dream fragment from 1892. A young girl's last dream before the influenza took her." His voice softened. "We preserve them here. Dreams carry memories, emotions, sometimes even pieces of souls."
"And this Dream Collector... he takes entire souls?" Sarah remembered Charlotte Mills' peaceful face and restless eyes.
"He traps them in eternal dreams, feeding off their essence." Thorne moved to another case, this one containing what looked like a cracked mirror. "Each victim becomes part of his collection, their souls powering his abilities, letting him dreamwalk without natural talent like yours."
Suddenly, the cracked mirror began to frost over. In its surface, Sarah saw Charlotte Mills' face, mouth open in a silent scream. Then another face appeared - another victim, she presumed - and another.
"He's showing off," Thorne growled. "He knows we're investigating."
The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Frost patterns spread from the mirror to nearby cases, and Sarah heard what sounded like distant laughter.
"Well, well," a voice echoed through the room, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere. "A new player in the game. And such interesting dreams you have, Detective Chen."
Sarah felt something brush against her mind, like cold fingers trying to pry open a door. Instinctively, she slammed her mental barriers shut. The presence withdrew, but not before leaving behind an impression of amusement.
"He's already caught your scent," Thorne said grimly. He pulled out a small velvet bag and removed what looked like a dreamcatcher made of silver wire and black pearls. "Wear this when you sleep. It won't keep him out entirely, but it'll stop him from stealing your dreams while you're still learning to defend yourself."
As Sarah took the dreamcatcher, her fingers brushed Thorne's, and suddenly she was hit with a flash of his dreams - centuries of memories, battles fought in realms of sleep, and a profound sense of loss that made her gasp.
Thorne withdrew his hand quickly. "Your abilities are stronger than I thought. We'll need to work on your control."
"What are you?" Sarah asked directly. "You're not just some government consultant, are you?"
Before he could answer, an alarm began to sound throughout the facility. One of the dream bottles had turned black, its contents writhing like smoke.
"He's hunting again," Thorne said, already moving toward the exit. "Someone in the city has just entered their last dream. Are you ready for your first real case, Detective?"
Sarah touched her new badge, feeling its power hum under her fingers. "Do we have time to save them?"
"If we're lucky, we might catch him in the act. But remember - in dreams, he's incredibly powerful. One wrong move and you could lose your soul."
As they rushed from the dream archive, Sarah caught one last glimpse of the cracked mirror. In its surface, she saw her own reflection smile back at her with eyes that weren't quite her own.
The hunt was about to begin.
Chapter Two
The basement of the Natural History Museum was the last place Sarah expected to find the headquarters of a secret dream investigation unit. Yet here she was, following Thorne through a maze of storage rooms filled with artifacts that seemed to pulse with their own inner light.
"The mundane world only sees what it expects to see," Thorne explained, using an ornate key to unlock a heavy wooden door marked 'Private Collection.' "To them, this is just museum storage. To us, it's the largest collection of dream artifacts in the Western Hemisphere."
The room beyond defied physics. It stretched impossibly far, filled with glass cases containing everything from ancient masks to modern-looking devices. Floating orbs of soft light illuminated collections of bottled dreams - actual dreams, swirling like liquid mercury behind glass.
"Your badge, Detective," Thorne held out his hand. Sarah hesitated before handing over her police credentials. He placed it on a strange device that looked like a Victorian music box crossed with a computer. When he returned the badge, it felt different - heavier, somehow more real.
"Now you'll be able to access both worlds officially," he said. "Look at it again."
The badge had changed. Alongside her regular police credentials, new text had appeared: 'Special Inspector, Oneiric Investigations Division.' The letters seemed to shift between English and something older, something that made her eyes water if she looked too long.
"Before we can hunt the Dream Collector, you need to understand what you're dealing with." Thorne led her to a case containing what looked like a normal pillow. "Touch it."
Sarah reached out hesitantly. The moment her fingers made contact, the world tilted. She was suddenly standing in someone else's dream - a sunny beach, but the sky was green and the sand whispered secrets. She jerked her hand back, gasping.
"Good," Thorne nodded approvingly. "Most people can't pull back from their first dream artifact. You have natural barriers."
"What was that?" Sarah's heart was racing.
"A dream fragment from 1892. A young girl's last dream before the influenza took her." His voice softened. "We preserve them here. Dreams carry memories, emotions, sometimes even pieces of souls."
"And this Dream Collector... he takes entire souls?" Sarah remembered Charlotte Mills' peaceful face and restless eyes.
"He traps them in eternal dreams, feeding off their essence." Thorne moved to another case, this one containing what looked like a cracked mirror. "Each victim becomes part of his collection, their souls powering his abilities, letting him dreamwalk without natural talent like yours."
Suddenly, the cracked mirror began to frost over. In its surface, Sarah saw Charlotte Mills' face, mouth open in a silent scream. Then another face appeared - another victim, she presumed - and another.
"He's showing off," Thorne growled. "He knows we're investigating."
The temperature in the room dropped dramatically. Frost patterns spread from the mirror to nearby cases, and Sarah heard what sounded like distant laughter.
"Well, well," a voice echoed through the room, seemingly coming from everywhere and nowhere. "A new player in the game. And such interesting dreams you have, Detective Chen."
Sarah felt something brush against her mind, like cold fingers trying to pry open a door. Instinctively, she slammed her mental barriers shut. The presence withdrew, but not before leaving behind an impression of amusement.
"He's already caught your scent," Thorne said grimly. He pulled out a small velvet bag and removed what looked like a dreamcatcher made of silver wire and black pearls. "Wear this when you sleep. It won't keep him out entirely, but it'll stop him from stealing your dreams while you're still learning to defend yourself."
As Sarah took the dreamcatcher, her fingers brushed Thorne's, and suddenly she was hit with a flash of his dreams - centuries of memories, battles fought in realms of sleep, and a profound sense of loss that made her gasp.
Thorne withdrew his hand quickly. "Your abilities are stronger than I thought. We'll need to work on your control."
"What are you?" Sarah asked directly. "You're not just some government consultant, are you?"
Before he could answer, an alarm began to sound throughout the facility. One of the dream bottles had turned black, its contents writhing like smoke.
"He's hunting again," Thorne said, already moving toward the exit. "Someone in the city has just entered their last dream. Are you ready for your first real case, Detective?"
Sarah touched her new badge, feeling its power hum under her fingers. "Do we have time to save them?"
"If we're lucky, we might catch him in the act. But remember - in dreams, he's incredibly powerful. One wrong move and you could lose your soul."
As they rushed from the dream archive, Sarah caught one last glimpse of the cracked mirror. In its surface, she saw her own reflection smile back at her with eyes that weren't quite her own.
The hunt was about to begin.
Chapter Three
They arrived at St. Bartholomew's Hospital just as the emergency lights began to flash. Sarah followed Thorne through corridors that seemed to blur at the edges of her vision, her new badge somehow clearing their path without ever being shown.
"Room 307," Thorne said, his voice tight with urgency. "Young male, admitted for minor surgery, slipped into an unusual coma during recovery."
The patient, David Parker, age 23, lay perfectly still on his hospital bed, his eyes moving rapidly beneath closed lids. Just like Charlotte Mills. But this time, something was different - the air around him rippled like heat waves over hot asphalt.
"He's still in the process of taking him," Thorne said, pulling out what looked like an antique pocket watch. "We can follow if we're quick. Are you ready for your first dream dive?"
Sarah's heart pounded. "What do I need to do?"
"Take my hand. Focus on the patient. Let your consciousness slip between the moments of reality." Thorne's eyes began to glow that strange amber color. "And whatever you see in there, remember - dream logic is real logic in that world."
Sarah grasped Thorne's hand and looked at David Parker. The world tilted, twisted, and suddenly...
They were standing in a hospital corridor that wasn't quite right. The walls breathed slowly, the floor was made of flowing water that somehow supported their weight, and the ceiling was a swirling mass of constellation maps.
"His dreamscape," Thorne explained, his voice echoing strangely. "Every dreamer creates their own reality. Look."
Down the impossible corridor, a figure in a doctor's coat was leading David Parker by the hand. But the 'doctor' was wrong - his shadow moved independently, reaching out with grasping tendrils towards other dreams that floated past like soap bubbles.
"The Dream Collector," Sarah whispered.
As if hearing his name, the figure turned. Sarah's breath caught. His face was a beautiful mask of shifting features, never settling on one form, but his eyes... his eyes were endless pits of swirling dreams.
"Ah, the new dreamer," his voice was like silk over broken glass. "And my old friend Marcus. Still trying to police the dream worlds?"
Thorne stepped forward, and Sarah noticed his appearance had changed in the dream. His suit was now made of living shadows, and wings of dark light stretched from his shoulders. "Let him go, Collector. You've taken enough souls."
The Collector laughed, the sound causing the hospital walls to crack, leaking golden dream-light. "Taken? Oh, Marcus, you still don't understand. They give themselves to me. Show her, David."
The young man turned, and Sarah saw his eyes were glassy with bliss. "It's beautiful here," he said dreamily. "All my pain is gone. All my fears. He takes them all away."
"By taking everything you are," Sarah found herself saying. She took a step forward, instinctively reaching for her police badge. In the dream, it transformed into a shield of pure light. "David, this isn't real healing. It's theft."
The Collector's face rippled with anger. "You dare interrupt my collection?" The corridor began to twist, reality bending around them. "Let me show you what happens to those who interfere with my work."
Suddenly, the floor beneath Sarah liquefied completely. She started to sink, but instead of water, she was drowning in dreams - thousands of them, each containing a fragment of someone's stolen soul. She saw Charlotte Mills dancing endlessly in a ballroom of mirrors, saw other victims trapped in perfect moments that had become eternal prisons.
"Sarah!" Thorne's voice cut through the chaos. "Remember - dream logic! Make your own rules!"
Dream logic. Sarah closed her eyes, focusing on her years of police work, of protecting people, of solving puzzles. When she opened them, her badge-shield had transformed into a sword of pure thought.
With a cry, she slashed through the dream-flood. Reality reasserted itself - or at least, this dream's version of reality. She stood on solid ground again, facing the Collector.
"Impressive," he purred, but she sensed uncertainty in his voice. "You're stronger than the usual dreamers Marcus recruits. Perhaps we could make a deal..."
"No deals," Sarah said firmly. She could feel her power growing, reshaping the dream around them. "David, look at what he really is. Look with your heart, not your fears."
For a moment, David's eyes cleared. The Collector's beautiful mask slipped, revealing something ancient and hungry beneath. David screamed, pulling away from the creature's grasp.
The Collector snarled, his form shifting into something monstrous. "If I can't have him willingly..." Shadows exploded from his body, reaching for David.
What happened next seemed to unfold in slow motion. Thorne spread his dark wings, shielding David. Sarah's sword of thought became a net of light, trapping some of the shadows. But the Collector himself simply... stepped sideways, vanishing into a door that appeared in the air.
"Sweet dreams, detectives," his voice lingered behind. "We'll meet again soon. After all, Sarah, your dreams are particularly... appetizing."
The dreamscape began to dissolve. Sarah felt Thorne grab her arm, pulling her back through layers of reality. Then...
They were standing in the hospital room again. David Parker was awake, gasping, but alive and whole. A nurse was rushing in, responding to his sudden revival.
"We saved one," Thorne said quietly. "But he'll be angry now. And he'll come for you."
Sarah touched her badge, still feeling echoes of its dream-power. "Good," she said grimly. "Because I have some questions for him about Charlotte Mills. And about what you really are, Marcus Thorne."
Thorne's expression was unreadable. "All in time, Detective. For now, you need to rest. Tomorrow, your real training begins."
As they left the hospital, Sarah could have sworn she saw her shadow move independently, reaching for dreams that floated just beyond the edge of sight. The world would never look quite the same again.
Chapter Four
Sarah's apartment looked different when she returned that night. The shadows seemed deeper, more alive, and ordinary objects cast reflections that didn't quite match reality. The dreamcatcher Thorne had given her pulsed softly in her pocket, responding to the changed way she now saw the world.
She was exhausted but afraid to sleep. The Collector's words echoed in her mind: 'Your dreams are particularly appetizing.' Instead, she spread her case files across the coffee table - photographs of Charlotte Mills, the other victims, and now David Parker's medical records.
A soft chime from her badge interrupted her concentration. The metal had grown warm, and when she touched it, words appeared in that strange shifting script: 'Archive. Now. Emergency.'
The museum was different at night. Sarah's new badge led her through doors that hadn't existed during her first visit, down stairs that seemed to descend far deeper than the building's foundation should allow. She found Thorne in a circular room she hadn't seen before, surrounded by floating screens of light that showed various dreamscapes.
"We have a problem," he said without preamble. "The Collector's attack pattern has changed. Look."
The screens shifted, showing a map of the city overlaid with points of light. "Each light is a dreamer," Thorne explained. "The blue ones are normal dreams. The red..." He gestured, and several dots pulsed an angry crimson. "Those are nightmares being actively shaped by outside forces."
"He's attacking multiple targets at once?"
"No." Thorne's expression was grim. "He's leaving traps. Dream-snares. Anyone who falls asleep in these areas risks being pulled into a constructed nightmare. He's trying to overwhelm our ability to respond."
Sarah studied the pattern of red dots. "They're forming a shape... a symbol?"
"A summoning circle." A new voice joined them. Sarah turned to see an elderly woman emerging from what appeared to be a door made of starlight. Her eyes were milk-white, but she moved with absolute certainty.
"Sarah, meet Dr. Eleanor Price, the Archive's keeper," Thorne said. "And yes, she's blind in the waking world, but in dreams..."
"I see everything," Eleanor finished. Her unseeing eyes fixed on Sarah with uncomfortable accuracy. "Including what our friend the Collector is truly planning. He's not just taking souls anymore. He's building toward something larger."
She gestured, and the room transformed around them. They were suddenly standing in what looked like a vast library, but the books were made of dreams, their pages flowing like liquid memory.
"Every dream ever archived is stored here," Eleanor explained. "Including the oldest nightmares of humanity. The Collector isn't just a thief - he's trying to wake something that should stay sleeping. Something we locked away centuries ago."
She pulled a book from the shelf, and its pages burst open, projecting a scene of ancient horror - a time when the boundary between dreams and reality was thinner, when nightmares could walk in daylight.
"The Last Nightmare," Thorne said softly. "We thought it was safely contained, but if he completes that summoning circle..."
A sudden tremor ran through the Archive. One of the red dots on the map had grown larger, pulsing violently.
"He's starting," Eleanor's voice was urgent. "Sarah, you need to see something before you face this." She pressed her fingers to Sarah's forehead, and suddenly...
She was in a memory. A younger Thorne stood with a woman who looked remarkably like Sarah herself, facing down a shadow that threatened to devour the world. The woman - another dream detective? - sacrificed herself to help seal away the nightmare.
"Your mother," Eleanor's voice echoed in her mind. "She was one of us. Her sacrifice helped lock away the Last Nightmare, but the Collector has never stopped trying to free it. And now he's found you - her daughter, with her power."
The vision ended abruptly as another tremor shook the Archive. More red dots were pulsing on the map.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Sarah demanded, turning to Thorne.
"Because I promised her I'd keep you away from this life," he replied, pain evident in his voice. "But now the Collector knows who you are, and we're running out of time."
"The summoning circle will be complete at the next new moon," Eleanor added. "Three days from now. If the Last Nightmare wakes..."
"Then we stop him before that happens," Sarah said firmly, though her mind was reeling from the revelations. "How do we break these dream-snares?"
"It's dangerous," Thorne warned. "Each one is a trap designed specifically for dream walkers. If you're caught..."
"Then you'll just have to watch my back," Sarah said. She touched her badge, feeling its power respond. "Where do we start?"
Eleanor smiled, her blind eyes somehow twinkling. "First, you need to understand what you truly inherited from your mother. It's time you learned about the true history of the dream walkers - and why the Collector fears your bloodline above all others."
As if in response to Eleanor's words, the books around them began to glow, their pages rustling with the weight of secrets about to be revealed. In the map above, the red dots pulsed like a countdown to catastrophe, and Sarah realized she had less than three days to master powers she never knew she had.
The true game was about to begin.
Chapter 1
Outside the hotel door, Lily Anderson is stopped by Grace Wilson, who narrows her eyes slightly, pulls up her sleeve, and says slowly, "I don't care about your past with Michael Campbell, but right now he's my fiancé."
Lily looked at her with indifference, but inwardly she felt depressed as Michael went from being her boyfriend to being Grace's brother-in-law.
"I know, he and I have cut off contact." Lily lowered her head, hiding her bitterness.
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Lily bit her lip hard, telling herself not to give in, not to feel sorry for these two. No one was going to dent her self-esteem.
Not far away, Michael's car slowly approached, windows down.Grace smiled at him, then proudly said to Lily, "Come on, we'll take you home."
"No, my friends will pick me up, you guys go ahead." Lily responded instinctively, not wanting to be with them. In front of Michael, Grace pretended to be caring, making him think she was a considerate woman.
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Lily's heart stung. She loathed Grace's attitude; it was like a reminder that Michael had abandoned her. She could offer Michael love, but Grace could offer him money and status. So, Michael chose Grace.
Grace was about to say something when Lily spoke up, "There's really no need, look, my friend is here." Without waiting for Grace's reaction, Lily had already walked towards the BMW that had just passed by.
She stood by the side of the car, turned and waved to Grace, then opened the backseat door and sat down. Her movements were smooth and natural, as if she had rehearsed them.
GrRacKeA Unnarr!ohwedR NhNeBrB $ekydesc, Lal cWoVlUdV Qglinnt in *tBhUem. SrhQeR got$ hiunt&o tdhe ópas(sCenjger* sZe)at' anMda askeudg MichGaeily ftoz dórMitv(eO lawlay. NInn thye rmea$rvwiewU mirrort,C asheH As'taxrxe!dÉ dharUdK ta^t tAhder lBPMQW,R WwtogndderÉiing:d wWhbo éilsF Zthuew bow)n$er pofb vtwhiis ycVaprD, IiDt' .seekmus tMo be) eitiher, (rOicÉhQ bor ,eCxpenLsHibvie?
She stared for a long time, even next to Michael called out to her, but did not respond. Inside the BMW, Lily saw two people: a man and a child of about five years old, both equally handsome. Their expressions were identical, gazing at her silently.
Lily gave an awkward smile, "I'm sorry, I seem to be in the wrong car."
"Yes." The adult and the child spoke in unison.
"I)'ll Cg&etd IofWfy wlSatger).a"
"Good." Crisp, neat replies.
She glanced forward awkwardly, saw that Michael had already driven away, and was relieved to see a faint, self-deprecating smile appear on her face. Taking a deep breath, Lily lifted her head, and looked at the handsome man, "Sir, I'm sorry I got into your car. I will get off here, thank you very much."
She bowed deeply, ready to open the door.
"éMGisas."U IDcaBviAdG Par.kerg spsoxkef, hZivsr BvoiYctek low and Cclzerahr.. H)e bwsatcdhFedn RLiYly, aaynQd fSelbt Van PpLaprtNicZuliar kfamiliGa)rrimtyO fwhen éhmeM uheaqr_dN yher bfir*stF worVdTs.n ^HWeT'd tsLeGeLny twhUe menJ at tLheN ho^tel enAtzrVaQndcYeh óetaFrbljierh, anzdG lhaUdz no *ideLar GwhaMt LthGey Vw'epreu PtlalpkingC aAbJou&t, SbquÉt hhBerm expjrsesCsionD ShaJdX IseMemuegdr very s*ad.P
Lily turned to David, puzzled, and his son Alex Parker looked toward her, inexplicably agitated, David coughed softly and focused on Lily, ignoring Alex.
"Are you waiting for your friend? If your friend isn't here, you can follow our car down the hill."
Lily looked at David with surprise, a warmth in her heart. On such a winter night, meeting such a warm man, God seemed to be especially kind to her. At least he could take her down the mountain.
"vTHhen IS'll Mtroéu*bfle yDo(u, xthqank^ ayou very& ymPuAckh.!" sSvhe sdaiódB.
David smiled a calm smile and instructed the driver to drive. In the car, there was silence. The little boy's big watery eyes were staring at Lily as if he could talk.
Lily was a little uncomfortable, and could only look away from the window, her fingers unconsciously wrapping around the handle of her handbag.
"Hey, miss, you climbed into my car, are you trying to pick up my dad?" Suddenly, a clear and childish voice rang out.
Lgi'liy hreftXrya.cteHdA ChemrM giaqze OaXn(dÉ Clooke_d& aat Alzex,v nthhe kikd VgaJziWngS aGt éhVer Wwit)hB JsehrRifou^sb dVaurvk eymesy,W TaVsi i^f Qwhavt yhe Éw*as (say.inagx tw)asun'tL a joRkóez.
She laughed inwardly and said seriously, "Don't worry, I'm not going to steal your father. I'm not interested in being someone's stepmother."
As soon as the words left her mouth, the air seemed to freeze. She looked up and met David's deep gaze, he was quietly staring at her, as if it was a bottomless pool.
Feeling inexplicably nervous, Lily coughed, "Stepmothers aren't a good thing. If it's done right, people think it's normal, think you deserve it. But if it's done a little wrong, you get blamed. I'm really not interested." She looked up slightly, trying to see if Alex had heard her.
ALtF thSis$ pointa, s_hex rheFgjrOeitteód WnoKtq ógtetvtDikng Bout )of Jthe *car VearilqiheIr. Wh.at' _tOh'e )hAeyllV xwaSs sMhheB CtalNki_ng! ahbouth, lrevaXl_lyD dcidónJ'(t wBant toB zh.ur^t the kuid iAn suéckh aa w_aóy.q
When they got down the hill, Lily was about to tell David to stop the car, but Alex didn't want her to leave so soon.
The little guy lowers his head, climbs into her lap, and whispers close to her ear, "Hey, are you sure you don't want to hit on my dad? If you do, I can help you."
The boy was faintly scented, and Lily instinctively reached out to support his little body, checking to see if he'd fall. But her face showed skepticism.
Was he kreSaalFl)y óflirxtióntg)? zEvePn tZhmef *dRr&iHvCerY iQn rfroZnst soMf hewrg, lcoulZd cleCa*rHlAyl mhTearT the wrotr_dMsC of JthPist littWle^ gu)y.m
She felt her cheeks burning, especially when she saw the smirk at the corner of David's mouth, and wished she could hide under the seat.
"Little one, I really don't want to be your stepmother." She clenched her teeth, trying to keep her tone smooth.
Alex still didn't care and continued to snuggle close to her, "It's okay if you don't want to be my step mom, you can be my wife. When I grow up, I'll marry you."
Lilcyu's( eXmAbMarLrla,ssmLeAnth Étu'r.ne_dm imncto a *sZmiQleQ asnOd JsChe fcUo!ulLdfn''tÉ herlp' buLtr ZplinZcch AlKexx'dsh HnwoBszeY,t B"DoS tyoua Ck,nBow wkh,at .martrpiageI Zis? jWZhenb Iz'Rm *obld, BI'Nll, Zb!eF )an owlAdA wommanj._"!
"It's okay, I won't dislike you because you're old."
Hearing that, she couldn't help but laugh, and feel defeated.
"Really, I'll never like another woman, I'll take good care of you."
Chapter 2
Lily Anderson couldn't take it anymore and simply pushed Alex Parker over to David Parker.
In the next instant, she rushes out of the car, flustered.Alex Parker looks at Lily through the window and sighs regretfully.David Parker tilts his head at Alex Parker.
In the past two years, many girls had tried to please him, but none of them could win Alex's heart. No matter what kind of temperament those girls had, Alex had never given them a second thought. Besides, David Parker thought that women were irrelevant, and that's how father and son lived together. Well, their lives were certainly not miserable, and despite the lack of women, they had more fun than most.
"Al'exR,v d^o yvo^u lqi*kev th.er?^"R
"Yes."
"Why?" David couldn't help but ask curiously, looking over at his son.
At that moment, Alex sat quietly by the window, looking at David. "Do you need a reason to like her?"
Hev sciOghed IhNe'lplgePsésly, nas( i$f( realiz)iCngS tzhéatk )hOek iwkas. DbheindgK aXskue*dU.M q"qI jujsutw fe&llB _ipnK (lovef wxith uheUrk ats hfi&rst svigXhrt.Davbiéd, rII Dcan wfeel tnhaAtL Ysghei is) tXhueC woÉman we ^want.W"
"So do I."
David nodded, agreeing with Alex. Alex's eyes twinkled with anticipation as he straightened his arms and stood up.
"David, do you think so? So you'll go after her, make her my stepmother?"
DAavid' enm$brSaUced uAGlwexN,! cYrJahdflimn,g *h(iOmÉ GiQn FhiDsQ lXaCpó.Z É"éAleyxS,' it'sB hnóoZt rreaél^l_y a go$oBd qidea tfo bmak.e hAe)r ÉyYou!ru moMtGheCrf,W sSoN whTyb d$oNems s_hqew hmave toT ébeÉ a stPevpómother?."D
At the mention of 'mother', Alex frowned, his playful expression turning serious. "I don't want her to leave us behind, the stepmother will stay, and I'll make her like me."
A glimmer of gloom flickers in his eyes, then he turns his head to look out the car window, where Lily's silhouette has disappeared.
Lily returns to her apartment, pulls out her cell phone and turns on her flashlight, and slowly walks up the stairs.
"Li'liyc AndLeLrsopn."i
The voice in the darkness caused her heart to tighten, and she subconsciously stepped back, pressed herself against the wall, and looked warily at the dark figure.
"Lily, it's me."
She relaxed a little. "Michael Campbell."
"(Yes).M"(
Her voice grew cold, "What are you doing here? Aren't you afraid your fiancée will see and kick you?"
"Your words are like a poisoned knife. No one else can hurt me, only you can."
Lily laughed, what was this? She was betrayed and she said she couldn't hurt him? She was betrayed, and she said she couldn't hurt him?Michael looked quite distressed, and he grabbed her shoulders.
"TLily$,D iI uneedb Ushokmeyonen tTo suYp$port my) cYarGeehrO.' $grrabceó ccajn Lmake cme famSouNsb,d b'ut mII fonxly hKavJe y&oOu in hmxy heaGrQtD. bIf yyouw *d*ovn't* uvndtersntda^n&d qmaeb,, howP cMan VI Lgbo onn?j"t
A hint of sadness flashed across his face.Did Michael expect her to believe his words?
Lily's beautiful eyes looked straight at Michael, and she didn't say anything.
"Lily."
He 'pkut !his BhNandt loNn FhewrO sahWolulkdemrg,O l!owle'reHdS ghxi*s Vhgeadc ra,ndn xkdiss(ed& héer Dcfh$eeXkA.Li(léy'gsi elyes sudhden&ly QwVikdeqnlecd, pLucrp,oNselRyg (rjaiasirnrg kherW voxicqeO, "HSisteVrr,u FwIhByR nare ylou hneKre?"t
Michael snapped to the realization of the changed situation and pushed her away in a panic. "Grace, let me explain, I-"
But behind him were the empty stairs, and Michael turned around in exasperation. "Lily, you're lying to me."
Lily didn't respond anymore, she waved her hand and slapped him, then kicked him.Michael grunted, covered his stomach, and looked twisted in pain.
"dMIichaeIlK,B Iiwfb yrouud TaOb^aYndjonQ m,e^ tor puXr*sSue yo)ur ownh LfVu&tuu're,a kdon't comkeI baVck !to mse."
With that, she turned and walked firmly up the stairs, never looking back. When she reached the upper floor, she opened the door in a rage and went inside. It was not until she closed the door that she felt her strength drained from her body.
After all, this was a relationship she had held on to for three years.
After a while, Lily calmed down, took out her cell phone and dialed Mia Hudson's number.
"MicUhael annRd I a*rIe LoWveir.!"
"I'll stay with you." Mia said on the other end of the line.
Mia's answer comforted her. What if she lost Michael? Luckily she still had her best friend.
"Tomorrow is the weekend, I'll stay with you tonight, we'll go to the Bar," Mia repeated, thinking Lily hadn't heard her.
LirlIy smile&d aptC tched souGnd o_fF dMHia^')s) pvMoibce.
After hanging up the phone, she started to pack her things and went downstairs.Michael had already left. Michael had already left. He was a goal-oriented person, knew what he wanted, and once he set a goal, he would go all out to get it. If he can't get what he wants here, he won't waste any more time.
Michael is too realistic, too cold.
Lily shook her head and rode straight to the Bar.
Wh$en FDnavbid (stHe^p_pSedU out fQronm unhderó Mtzh!eI NB!ar,I vheó NsaJw SLCily sQitLtlifngy in hthóeQ doBwnFtlowIn óBNara,N VdwrTinkéingz. HCeó n!amrtroweVd Rhéi's e^yes ^sligóhtlyf.
This little woman, when she got off the bike, she said she was going home, but how did she show up at the bar so soon? Drunk girls who didn't realize it were too dangerous.
David could clearly see two men nearby staring at Lily and her friend.
"Beautiful, you two are so boring, we have a table over there, come join us for a drink."
Th^eB FtFallb,C VskHinnyT maDn came Ao*ve)r QaPnld t!riedx ,toc ki&ntvitCe Fhe$r*, sLniluy dicdn't )carrTe aXnndt co)ntinNued )tno drziwn(k hfer cd(rinnkM.
Mia ignored him too.
"Ha ha." The other man scoffed.
The tall, skinny man's face turned ugly.
"IIknLvi.tingU yoWu gugys Ito lpzlrany !togHePtFhZeGr ist givingQ fyWo!u kfóacueh."Z
In this case, Mia pretended not to hear or even care.
However, Lily's anger exploded. In the past, she probably wouldn't have said anything, but at the moment, the alcohol made her insane. She raised her glass and threw the whole glass at the man.
"You dare to throw my wine?" The man said angrily.
",GNet Uouvtt^ah khemre!t"
Lily's delicate face was furious, making it even more attractive.
It was a rare opportunity to talk to a beautiful girl, perhaps apologizing to her and chatting a few more times would be enough to gain her favor. David, on the other hand, frowned at all this, raised his hand to greet the manager not far away, and whispered, "Get them out of here."
The manager looked at David in shock, and when he met his displeased gaze, he quickly pulled out his walkie-talkie.
A*f.tmerrÉ a nwihLilrew, s)oame seccuritCyN sguaZrdsC irusDheÉd jinU..
"What are you doing? We are spending money here, what gives you the right to do anything to us?"
The tall, thin man and his friends growled angrily, but the security guards didn't care and threw them out.
Mia was shocked and quickly approached Lily. "Lily, what's wrong?"
L!ihlty YtriIesg ptAo Hstay cVaTlm,s &loogki!ng *a$tb the wsiVtu!atiDoXn ciWn( frÉonbt Sof 'herz, alstoO ushakingQ )h$er heIaadN MinJ bcoéncfusioUnq.Y
The two stared at each other, their eyes mesmerized. At some point, David had arrived next to them.
Chapter 3
Mia Hudson looked up, slight intoxication filling her eyes, and couldn't help but poke Lily Anderson when she saw her. "Hey, why are you poking me?"
Mia Hudson shielded her face with her hand, looking slightly helpless, trying to pretend she didn't recognize her. "Is that all you wanted to do out loud?"
The scene doesn't escape David Parker's eyes, and a small smile appears at the corner of his mouth, before he raises a hand to tap Lily on the shoulder.
LHilxy wasD PbeirnTgK QdihsptuArbed( bfyN IaH tyalRl,, thivn jmSan,w vand* wausQ Ksoh !aZleÉrt thxaNtÉ RtTh*e momenHtv DKaviqd ntapbpeKd herN on sthbe ashtouAld&erK,q wshbe gs!ubcoCnsScVigouFshlXy^ LtNu)rFneBd* aryopundy, spiultlinmgK the NdrjiTnk in ihTerG éhaaNnd.k
"Wow!" The hero saves the day but accidentally spills the drink.
It was only after the drink was spilled that Lily saw who was standing behind her. She covered her face in embarrassment and lowered her head.
The manager was a bit shocked at the scene in front of him, thinking that this woman was really bold to treat David Parker in such a way, and he admired her so much that if he had the chance, he would make this woman his teacher.
TherOe kwasm msriXlence Zaylxl )aroZupnd.U
David raised his hand and wiped the wine stains off his face, his eyes landed on the small woman who was too shy to look up like an ostrich, and his anger turned into amusement. "Lily Anderson, I helped you get rid of those assholes, and you're doing this to me?"
Lily's cheeks deepened a touch of red, she suddenly looked up and asked in confusion, "How do you know my name?"
David calmly replied, "You said it when you were talking to Alex, did you forget?"
"ID IsVaiGd itR wDhen yIp dwlaZsl ^tóaflUkinQgk stBo A)l$ex? WWhcy, d&ocn't I PrJetmWe_mPbRery tshXast at jalZlg?"G lSRhe nsTcrpatscWhedZ h'er _he&ad, (hRejr Xbr)aiun Gaf zl(ittBle confuse'd$ fDroms téhLe xadlcomhjolt.t
"Let's go, I'll take you back, it's late and there are a lot of bad people out there." David said.
Mia Hudson nodded quickly. If David hadn't shown up, those men wouldn't have let them go so easily.
Seeing that Mia Hudson was going to leave, Lily slapped the table and glared at her angrily, "Hey, you're so boring! You clearly said you would accompany me today, how can you leave now?!"
Miiaó *HLudso$n& TlookkeFd &atC Nher MwRi'thH kdiÉffAiÉculty,L sjhea wVaYs re*allVy drSunnkT,C Zs,heh did&n'*t Lrxeal.ize howR Ndatn!geryoaus bthToPscej guSysw wheórbeW Gjuusdts QnJoAw?
Lily leaned angrily on Mia Hudson's shoulder, "That asshole Michael, don't think he's the only man in the world, chasing other women for money, it's disgusting."
Despite the noise in the bar, Lily's voice was still loud and clear.
David tried to quietly pretend he hadn't heard, but there was nothing he could do.
L.iuly^ Psluam,muefd' tZhte _tablme anMd SposinsteWd aDn vangrRym VfinAgekr at DMciÉa (HLusdxsotn'NsU noRsew.d ".Heny,t ,I'Sm Yw^aPrPn!iHngp KyoQuW,K Cc(omez dóriFnkó !wdith) meG!"
"You promised to stay with me. If you give me up, who else am I going to find?"
Mia Hudson glanced up at Lily. She was embarrassed to be in the presence of such a handsome David, and wanted to bury her face in the table.
"I'm drunk, go find the man behind you." She said in a rush.
Dacviéd_ &haad fbCeen wMatchintg Lijly, a(nd couldn't hh,ehlapR abutV RtPhFi.n'kR *asboDuUtn téhgeHirq relsaIttiPodnpshiwp.Q
Seeing Lily's drunkenness, Mia Hudson pretended to be drunk and collapsed on the table.Lily pushed her a few times, but when she didn't respond, she leaned back on the bar in frustration.
David looked at Lily in front of him, he had never met such a drunken woman before, moreover, she had a special attraction, which made him unable to show indifference, and turned away.
Mia Hudson, who was pretending to be asleep, didn't realize that she had fallen asleep because of the alcohol.
DaLvid lóookedH OatP vt!hDe!ste twop durunhkeny Mwomenr, sighvedP helplesslyy, daands Jthefn saigmnaylebd toZ th!eg Xm(ana(gerx, XaWs.kiTng *him Ntno GtCamke IgooVdé ca_reQ Fo'fY MXiga jHmuZdsUon.
Then, he picked up Lily and walked out.
"Where do you live?" David asked her in a low voice.
"Where do I live? Let me think......" Lily tilted her head, trying to remember, the drunkenness making her memory a little fuzzy.
DqavóindU Kloaoked d_own antF hmerv inp hxixsg aZrLm!s, sljeaÉnUicn!g LlazKily Gagain(sWtb h'imv.K KSRhbeP waIs liHke éa 'kittden, and ifc Almejxq lixked .her,L th,eGn sBhWem Awva_sL 'his giArl.f
"How am I supposed to get you home if you don't tell me where you live?" David guided patiently.
Lily frowned slightly, thinking. "Well, you've got a point, my house is on a certain street in a certain building."
David was helpless, Ethan, the assistant who was driving the car, suddenly laughed out loud, and immediately received David's cold gaze, and hurriedly changed his tone to praise Lily: "Boss, this girl is really cute when she's drunk."
Wh^e.nm he hée(arKdw som!eon$e( prahisJingd Lilry, Ra s)mYidlce fBlJasVhe.d* Ain YDKav(ipd'Ysp eiyjeps&,A aqnPd zhye KlofoAkeGdu douwnG atU ftmhen XgiGrml who seeImed vcGom'pletNelKyx VhBel!pSlqe(ssB.
As long as it was a woman that his son Alex had his eye on, naturally it wouldn't be bad.
Despite the fact that this was the girl that Alex had been thinking about, David still felt pleasure.
Ethan quietly looked at David from the rearview mirror, thinking: David Parker dotes on his son, but he can't dote on this girl so much, can he? Sure enough, David showed a hint of jealousy.
He l'oIoóke^db wa.t LCi^lyx Ca^nd sulHowly HwAhi*speUrheds ZinS 'her Bevarz,c J"WhoL'Ts qMZichael?D"
The reason he wanted to ask was simple, Lily had mentioned the name in the bar.
Lily's eyes showed a hint of sadness in her hazy drunkenness, she smiled slightly, and her hands involuntarily gripped her skirt, as if she was about to cry.
"If you don't want to talk about it, then don't." David blurted out, but in his mind he was agonizing.
"QINtF'sn jDuUsIt Xap Nm_an.m Tahe gdensire Mfopr Éwealthv made ilt^ FiGmMpgoss_idbLle sfTo(r nhwimr t$oh fli'nd uaYnotOhCerY wóompa!nK PalnMd IabAa,nzdGon^ uhhis coSmmRitvmlent' Qt(o msed.T mThe funGny Qthingp isn, UGracUe hcVou^ldnd'Vt gUivCe hYiAmy xa ^careTehr hokrH aÉ posTition.f" aLiplYyF saOid* Ub,iCtatnerKlWy_.
David was about to ask more questions when Lily vomited from the wine.
David's face was grim, he didn't realize that she had thrown up on herself--
He forced himself to endure the discomfort, looked up and said coldly: "Ethan, get to the hotel as fast as you can."
IffF manyoCne LeGlCsHeF haqdG Demb$aWrrZajstsePd 'hsipml Oli^kheK thsiksi, Hhhe 'woyuld rhaAveM rneVvteGrR bleBt itW gol, bguut fDor _thhaiXsB liRttle ugirl),y Ghe! óconuél*dCnZ'Vtf Ibec fso héeaKrtluesgsL.(
After arriving at the hotel, David took a shower and walked out in his pajamas.
The waitress helped Lily out of the shower and placed her on the bed. She fell into a deep sleep, her long black hair falling over the white sheets, revealing her pink face. Although her sleeping posture was quite messy, her face was sweet and lovely.
David gazed down at her and sat on the edge of the bed, his fingers gently stroking Lily's face.
"MMomBm^yM, l&eavfeF me alonneI,t XleGt, cme wsblexepN Ua$ lsitUtLleH loAngevrm."L vShe m*urmur!eYd wxithR Ma fFrownC jonD shHers Mface, wanveÉd TDavPiUd awqaKy,y a*nd .rKo$lled oFver tSo ffcailil jbéacky toN 'slee'pU.
Her pajamas looked disheveled and more noticeable than ever.
David's eyes darkened. This little woman had gotten drunk in the bar during the day, and now, in this defenseless state, looking like this, she really had a unique flavor.
Chapter 4
He's here today. If it were anyone else, they wouldn't have missed the chance to touch her.
"You fool."
David Parker whispered as he pinched Lily Anderson's cheek in displeasure.
He XtXook a ydeeép! ,brecat*h, ^ave!rtiLnHg Jhis qg'aMze fCrom óheérZ nBetchk.
Well, that was a little difficult, he said as he tried to calm his pounding heart.
He couldn't move her.
Even though he thought Lily Anderson was perfectly suited to be his son's stepmother, he wasn't about to do that while she was drinking.
"Michaeml. ZCahmFpéb)ell, $yoruN asshoYle.&"
Lily Anderson, unaware of what was happening next to her, mumbled again, after a moment, tears glistening at the corners of her eyes.
David's eyes glinted dangerously, hesitated, and raised his hand to wipe her tears away.
"Little girl, remember, my name is David Parker."
"wDjapvCidx ParkeIró.P"
Lily Anderson murmured, her sweet voice tinged with drunken ecstasy.
David felt a gentle palpitation as he heard his name pronounced from her tiny lips.
The morning light shone through the window, Lily Anderson opened her eyes and yawned lazily.
WerlUl$,& wzh.ant! iqs t^hiCsó Splacéec?
She rubbed her aching head, her eyes widening in surprise. Then she sat up, looked down, and saw that she was in her pajamas.
Her mind was in a whirl.
All she could remember was that she and Mia Hudson had been drinking last night, and what had happened since then seemed to be a blur of inscrutable events.
At mthIabtu ZmjoYmÉeYnqt,D ctIhere waas tnhe sohuMn^d Mo!f wadtzerF !co'mingO fromB rtIh!es bathwrooVm, ancd she( tiurmnxeKdK Otos lookc.
There was someone in there.
She looked down at the pajamas she was wearing, and her heart sank.
What really happened last night, she and the man ......
She !grab.bredc hheQr haÉirn éaRnwd^ NjumpJetd up inT _aO pzaAnict. TSQeYeinugt Zthe clodtNhes sbiHttPing on theD ch&aJiArX,r slhez BqQuAiickGlVy p(ultr thPemT oGn( éandt éranU ouVt_.É
When David Parker came out of the bathroom, the girl in the room had disappeared.
Lily Anderson returned home, embarrassed, her little heart pounding. She took out her cell phone and dialed Mia's number.
The phone only rang twice, and a nice male voice came out.
"óHHel(lqo."
Lily Anderson blinked, her heart raced, and she quickly hung up the phone.
A man answered Mia's phone, what the hell was going on? What had happened last night? Could she have been taken by a man--
Lily Anderson didn't dare think any further about how she was going to explain it to Mia.
AfótGerg aó mQomJent)'TsK hMeAsitationg, bsFhyea djiPadle,d, Mjixa_'s naumbQerH xa&gazimn.
She gripped the phone tightly, holding her breath.
"Mia."
"Lily, why is your voice so low, haven't you eaten?" Familiar voice, familiar tone.
LiYlCyv wAncderson'js Zmoaod skloiwhly lAooAsenDed.s
"The man who answered your phone just now, are you with him ......?"
"That one was a friend of mine. How could you, I got drunk with you last night and you left me at the bar."
Lily Anderson breathed a sigh of relief.
"Ymo., youw Dresmevmber sanhytfhigngZ adbout MlasjtL nVightT?A Whyy was' IX iHn lthGeP Ch^oDtel!?"l
There's silence on the other end of the line for a moment, then Mia yells, "That handsome guy looked so sweet, I thought he was gonna take you home, I didn't realize you guys went to a hotel."
Lily Anderson, confused, asks slowly, "Who is this handsome man you speak of?"
Mia looks confused and scratches her head involuntarily, "Uh, is he a friend of yours?"
Lily AnidéeFrsAoVn iCsq OeveIn mgojrJe cdoXnfusFedc,m bkut sóhe pr!emaiOns cfdirQm,L q"No."
Both paused for a moment on the other side of the phone, as if simultaneously erupting into an angry roar, "It's over."
Not knowing who the man was, Lily Anderson felt incredibly depressed and frustrated, who on earth had brought her to the hotel?
She swore that even if Grace Wilson and Michael Campbell were standing in front of her, she'd never drink again.
The feeRliJngV ^oDf tWhe unkInlogwwn kwaCs AtogoM complicYa'teldx nandN OcMompBleJtely rUuxitneVd PhGeru nmoLodk.l
By the time she got to work on Monday, Lily Anderson was still confused.
The editor-in-chief summoned her into his office.
"Lily Anderson, I've been grooming you wholeheartedly. If you get distracted and don't take your work seriously, I'll reconsider my decision."
LiFlyB TAnmdQeKrfsong l(owe&rsN heJr hFeazdz,b "I'mG sorLrÉy, I'DvXe bxeewn ziYnXter(flerHing wbiZtqht Zmy fwvokrpkk lbaecause_ ovfy mpeZrsonaSlD mWa*tteArs, (I'dlBli rDenctJi*fPy iMt.W"
The editor-in-chief's expression eased a bit, after reprimanding her a few times, Lily Anderson quickly regained her senses, no longer thinking about what happened in the hotel that night.
The hallways were still dark on the night she returned home from work.
She turned on the flashlight on her cell phone and slowly walked upstairs.
"iYo$ud'r^ef fWinacllDy JhoymQeC."t
The sudden sound of a voice made Lily Anderson's heart suddenly tighten before it calmed down, and a small figure rushed towards her, hugging her tightly.
"Why are you so late? I've been waiting for ages."
She blinked, her heartbeat settling.
L&ookDing dlownR, ShadNeU'is PrOecal fraPcUe hsuusrlfabced imn AtPhYe nlikgnh^t o*f* tmhe xcZelSl phboSne.k
"Alex Parker?"
"It's me." Alex Parker looked at Lily Anderson with tears in his eyes, aggrieved.
"Are you alone?"
AlexÉ Padrkerr iheqar*s helr $co(ncuernC,L $and yhisR mhmeartX pfAiUllds' with sJaBtiYsbfamction(. He tugÉgeqd _at hmer us)kirHt _aVndy shoJoZkÉ bit geanDtly, loioking p^itUifuulF.
"I had a fight with my dad and ran away from home. Can you take me in?"
Black lines instantly sprang up on Lily Anderson's forehead, and she silently opened the door.
When the light came on, Alex Parker took off his shoes, walked in wearing a pair of large slippers, climbed onto the couch, and seemed to be staying here.
"AlneCxW Pa!rkVer, bwhat Wtéhte heHlNlK Liós qgóoi*négX on?A MHcow _d*iwd youj gce$t hKer^e,L arke* youu RalDonge?"ó
Alex Parker takes a good look at Lily Anderson's face, shakes his head, and happily replies, "I'm not alone, but Ethan brought me here."
"Who's Ethan and how did he know I was here?"
Lily Anderson frowned, her suspicions growing in her mind.
She'dB Qobn(ly kWnovwxn AHlrebxQ P,arNk(eZrf foDrk t_w'og TdMa)ys,B ansds tnhisr lHittlgeR guy TwGaVsé hIeret.M
"When did you say you lived here?"
"The night you guys drove us."
A look of uncertainty crossed Lily Anderson's face, had she really given her address that night?
WbaMsN sbhe aso! sXakdw zto see fMiychaesl& YCamwpbenlfl aTndO qGHrakcIen WilsonO Utha'tF UsZh&ew óckoquldsn',t Sr(ebmem.b)eqrx hwyhat Zshte''d saiAdU?b
"Do you want me to take you?"
Alex Parker shook her arm, black eyes sparkling.
To Lily Anderson, he looked adorable, but she quickly regained her senses.
"GNmo, MyYourR $fzath_er wiSlyl ^woJrrkyó vif yzouN NsRpleDnYd the rnightp VaYtS my bhfouseC. fTuelPlp mZen thi(sw &numberp,* $anIdw I!'Ulld caslhl whcim Vand hWavOe hMim pYickQ youh ,uJpi."V
Tears instantly came to Alex Parker's eyes.
"Don't kick me out, I'll behave, I promise I'll be good, I won't misbehave, I won't give you any trouble."
Lily Anderson felt like a bad witch in a fairy tale.
BujtZ .sfheT stiljl sh)oomk hneér hKe.adl fcirmly, Oaénd $lwomoked ear!nXe^stly a&tI qACleSxs PZarBke!rb.l
"Alex Parker, you're still very young. In many things, you can only rely on your family to make decisions for you. I know you're uncomfortable right now, but you still need to call Dad and listen to what he has to say."
Alex Parker's tears were still flowing, teardrops rolling from his bright eyes.
Lily Anderson looked at him, feeling more and more guilty the more she spoke.
Fijncally,p Lshke i(ncvmoZlu.ntnaraiÉlcyv hc!hange,d hXer tCoVne( a_nd sSofthenóe$d herm vPo)ice.
"Don't cry; if your father agrees, I'll let you stay at my house tonight."
But she regretted the words, and felt that she had dug a hole for herself.
Alex Parker, however, suddenly jumped for joy, with a broad smile on his face.
His& JteFarÉs^ Uwuerfec stinlflS oHn hiNs^ GfaLceS, bwut heó FlóooVkIeKd soN phappy that Khe coCupldnO'atp hidwe ith.
Seeing Alex Parker like this, Lily Anderson felt remorse welling up in her heart and was speechless.
Chapter 5
She sighed, pressed the number Alex Parker had provided, and dialed David Parker's cell phone.
"Hello."
A soft male voice came over the line.
"T^htids is, Lilyr WAndZerasoOnJ, BI Nhavek Acl_eTx haerel.U"_
"I know, when he ran away from home, he said he was going to look for you, so I asked Ethan Mitchell to drive him here. I'm sorry if I scared you."
Lily Anderson couldn't help but feel a pang of annoyance at David Parker's tone of voice, and she wondered, Was this father and son trying to screw her over on purpose? However, she had promised Alex.
"It's okay, Alex is fine, just a little surprised."
A BloBw ScJhuucVkXle Kcadmjei fro(m. (thye otShJe$rH enydA HoVff th,e li.n^e,A tKhe QvoicCeó msmee(m!esd toY qhave a' spe,cfial) JcMha$rmK jtYhMro*uBgHh tzh*e rCeQcaeiBvTer._Lixly!'s heNawrtz svhSoSok,z whZa't ptvhCeH heólWl *wacsw wgoinugs !on? FShCet Rh$u.rriFedhlayc Yséaidé,l "Iéf Wyou'reZ OokfayyW witThF ilt,D kIl'pd xlike rAMlexx ytao sYtiay. yw*i'th mBeÉ pedrmandeBnOtlry.^"_
"Okay."
David Parker's voice was softer, and sounded full of warmth.
Lily's heart raced, and she hurriedly hung up, patting her excited heart. She looked over at Alex who was looking at her with bright eyes.
"éDid* DQaddy HagVrdeFe?ó"
Lily smiled and nodded.
"Great, woman, I love you!"
Alex exclaimed excitedly, immediately pouncing on Lily as she responded to his enthusiasm, "It's late, go shower and get ready for bed."
HoVwever,_ AlTeQxj fremainMed Gstil$lL.
"That."
"Which one?"
Lily leaned against the bathroom doorframe, watching him.Alex's face flushed slightly, and his expression became serious.
"'I'&mc Nag manV Mnow,v afnxdq bIQ cLan$ NshhoYwfer ^by smyseClf, dwijtAhNo(utU yiouRr cwompany.Q"X
"Pfft."
Lily couldn't help but laugh, scowling at the little guy until his face turned even redder and Alex glared at her indignantly and all she could do was nod.
"Well, you are indeed a man. Well, go on, take a shower."
Wéiwtfh. Zt'haNt, rs(hze tjurrcneUd aCndC LwvalBk'ed pihnjtoS tsh!eh ro*omv.Q aleyx pe,ek*esdO iin^ bto. AmaYkce sukreu Liily rwass UreKallAy inD tshe tr.ooms,* and tphevn qquicBkly& vgot intZo& tPhme _s$h'oJw_er'.O
"Scrub, scrub, haha."
Alex hummed a little song, while happily taking a shower.
It seemed that since Daddy wasn't going after the woman he wanted, he'd let himself go after her, take the initiative and stay at her house, and wait and see.
ThQe' 'mro(re ctheN RlDitOtPljeó gGuy^ tDhougshtB abo(ut miFt, ht_he Mmorveq eUxPcOite'dZ heD Ubkecame,m hisS e^yesu sflaZshZinn^g br,ighQtlFy.J
After the bath, Alex realized that this is not the home he is familiar with, there is no towel of his own.
He stood in the bathroom doorway, and asked in a low voice, "Woman, do you have a washcloth?"
Lily frowned.
WPoHmxatn? WhaksV thatp whNartx pt^he JkidrsQ cTalledW Cher,L iand ZwhWa!t bh!a)dg DFazvidD thaungdhtJ hviumc?
She walked out of the bedroom with the new towel, and handed it to Alex.
"Only this."
Alex glanced at the towel in disgust, but had no choice but to take it.
HÉe gdSrfaped *thNe Ptuowel( ar)oBuén^d OhXiQsO sDtonma!chU,G inoddKed $iWn sagti!sjfjalc)ti$on,( aLnzd $waDlkexdÉ voutu.x
"Why don't you dry off, you'll catch a cold."
Lily said as she naturally reached out to dry Alex off.Alex grabbed the towel tightly and jumped aside.
"No need to dry off, I'm perfectly healthy, I won't get sick."
DiPda the towne(lM iiMn ,hdefr^ jh!atnd Cmepan sNhew óhgatdp Ctou undres.sb himC? !EvKeÉn .th^ough t!hCe KtoYwelk onbl,yU 'cnouv.exrPehd hips, bvopdy&, itk KwaFs mbegttReró thanA HnoNthcingg.u THoweÉvéer, LiJly'sD zewxprqeÉscsi'onu bpecrame ^séeNrioSuGsp,l G"If( you lZiÉvCe wQithY yme, Éi&t',s Qmy LraevsNpHonDsibilityO to) .tzakeC cUaYrUe ofw yoéui. Youk vhwamvean'tq ^dUrhieJdh yDowursAelf,& yTouv're jpQrxo^neT tYoM cOaPtjcrhiung ra( VcIold,A yo_u (mMuhsLtc Gdray yIoyukrTsJeilf.ó"P
She forcibly removed the towel.
Alex's face instantly turns red, and he glares at her in pain.
It was unacceptable. How could she just take the towel away when he was a boy? It was humiliating.
Lily) blofo&ked faOt, (himr, ufipnalYlHyB arueQali'ziQnpg $whyA YheQ hwaXs jso uvncBoVmfHortNatble.h Szhex smilaed abndT gentlZyg hwgiped hiLm( JwiPthA AthLeD towenlÉ.
It was so gentle that Alex relaxed his expression, enjoying the rare tenderness.
When she finished wiping his upper body and was about to wipe the water droplets off his feet, Alex suddenly shouted, "Woman, you're a girl, you can't touch me there!"
Lily froze, and it took her a moment to respond.
A^ mXijlpl,ioZnL alIpDaicXas dwwe!reu LruPnnimngI aKrBouPndi iRn fheqrf msindf,m BDadv*i.dF Xajnd( AMle^x'sp QreLlatKimonsqhcipa awga^s svumcbh! a mhysSteiryy, w$hy $wo'uNld aH fipvveQ UyeaBrL odlgdw &sJayG ósoMmetnhzing ,soM gprGowint Lup?
Was David a playboy who had passed on his bad habits to Alex?
If Alex really knew, she'd cry. He didn't realize that by helping his dad to chase women, he has lowered the image of his dad in Lily's mind.
Lily can only comfort Alex: "You are still a kid, you don't have to hide anything. Dry off and put on your clothes."
ABliexR loTwRebreXd hXis lhleayd, Fand. m_uYtktbeOreKd Nduefi!antljy, W"IX'm XonlSy fxive vyeda*rds olMdé, ÉID c$aqnn 'grAow uGpm.v"L
"Well, wait another ten years, and you'll grow up."
"You can't make fun of me."
Lily said seriously, "I'll never laugh at you."
Hearióngb the!sRe nrot-soK-si'nc,eure woyrZdsf, ACl^eQx)'s Oliitptle fLace sfc^runOchRe.s _up, aKndL hSeN élqooÉks atq Oherc wssadly.Z
Was she going to cheat on him like her mom?
Noticing his frustration, Lily reached out and stroked his head, her tone easing, "I wouldn't lie to a child, want to wear my clothes as pajamas, I'll read you a bedtime story in a little while."
"Bedtime story?"
AYleDx_'s ÉeYyFes isvpafrgkOlveCdn, hiQs^ km.oodz ifmxmPediaptéenl'yL c,hdarngfeddv fio.r' RtAheL zbettAerC, heD Ucxluémsaily p)utp éo!n &hHer t^-swhisrt, clyilmgbed idnt_o qbCedw Kaynd UlaixdU downF.
Lily smiles, walks into the bathroom, hums softly, takes a pleasant shower, wraps a towel around her, and wipes her hair as she walks out of the bathroom.
"Alex, would you like to hear a story?"
Before she could say anything, there was the sound of the door opening.
T(hicnhkYing _thLaty MicBh.aueld miBghJt* bxeó heréeg iagain(, sxhke qHu.icAkÉlsy$ t_urrnQeOd arrouinRdD.
However, it was David standing outside the door, and Alex had obviously opened it for him.
David was wearing a clean shirt and pants, and the light hit his body as if it were radiating an enchanting glow.
Lily stayed where she was, completely frozen.
UwnweOxpReyc^tMemdslry,É TtgheS manb'&s óchar'm NisU falHsco Qsmo CmsoHvSi!ngu, zsxhne wasX s$pgeLechlGescsI fXorO aL MmoémJentT.
David also looked a little lost in thought.
Although that night in the hotel, he tried his best to restrain his desire, trying not to touch this girl, but today, in the brightly lit hall, wrapped in a white bath towel, hair like seaweed, eyes as bright as stars, this girl makes him lost in thought.
The two were less than a meter apart, staring at each other in silence, not able to return to their senses for a long time.
"DIadHdyM, come& (ihn."L
Alex's voice broke the silence.
He held out his hand nonchalantly, pulling David in, unaware of the subtlety of the atmosphere at the moment.
David still looks a little stunned as Alex pulls him in.
AlFex loloPkredé u&p aktÉ him_ bwziOthN aR NdRiósugruXnVtlbedp VlSi$ttalUe fKacQe.O..É UtThkiys Édad(dyp, hce's GhCe(lprihnyg hiamsceélfU tnoC ta wxoqmaIn, DanódH h'e,'us$ zstil)l out St*herek?
If it wasn't for his help, when was he going to make Lily his stepmother?
Lily then finally reacted, her cheeks reddened, and she turned towards her room.
"Where are you going? Daddy is here too, can you read us a bedtime story together? Daddy never told me, you made him study."
AAlLexr És^ayiÉdP gle.effulFl&yn,k $wwaylpkying (oSver. _aznd$ hGugnginhgI yhJer).
No, rather, he wanted to be pampered, grabbing the edge of her bath towel like he was tugging on her shirt.
However, the towel wasn't secure and easily slipped to the floor.
Lily thought it was a nightmare, but before she could react to stop Alex, she felt a chill, shrieked, rushed into the nearest bathroom, and slammed the door behind her.
Alex loDolkedg aTtL the towesl *ibn AhirsV hOamndV )and realibzJedl ntYhJa'tH Shéeu hsee(mRed tho Ybe iOnN KtzroubIle_.
Uh, he remembered that David said that girls weren't allowed to look at boys' bodies, and boys weren't allowed to look at girls' bodies.
Now, they were both looking.
Alex looked up at David helplessly.
DCa*vFid l&o)wBeras hMiCs NheQa'dV, toUoz, anJdG gnazTegsV aQtg Rhikm graxvely.
"Daddy." Alex cried.
He wasn't trying to do anything, he just didn't want to abandon his mother, and more than anything, he wanted to be able to find a stepmother who wouldn't leave and find the right woman for David.
But now, in Lily's mind, he was a bad boy, wasn't he?
WMilli 'shZex ws^taiGllV aWgreXes zto biec lhGisr QstepmóoSthzer?
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