Chapter 20

Lily felt like she was on fire and like she might spontaneously combust at any moment, like someone had set a slow and steady match beneath her center, deep in the pit of her stomach.

Her heart beats as it pumps her blood through her veins. The blood rushes to the tips of her fingers, the pulse coming in hot waves that cause everything else to pulse.

Her heart pounds with each breath, her heart pounds like a hummingbird’s wings.

The booming was furious and incessant. It was her heart, which seemed to swell into a mallet and swing against her rib cage, a drum full of dirt that might burst at any moment.

Her eyes stared at his, those precious dark eyes that sent warmth down her spine whenever she looked at them. There was nothing different about him but she felt something was different about him.

It was as if that moment seemed to stop, the time stopped to let them stare at one another. Liam wasn't looking up yet as he was busy with his phone.

Chris was shocked. Seeing Lily was the last of his wishes as he intended to move on and successfully, he had, so her thought but standing in front of her while looking into her eyes, he felt his heart beat faster than normal; a mixed feeling.

Lily's lip parted slightly as she stared at him unable to think, talk or move. She wanted to do something but nothing seemed to happen.

Liam, Atlas, finally looked up and when his eyes landed on Chris, they widened in shock. The tension between them got thicker as time passed by.

"Wow! Long time." Liam said. It seems compared to Lily and Chris, he was able to snap out of his shock quickly. Liam doesn't like Chris and the same goes for Chris too and their last encounter showed they didn't like each other.

Chris finally regained himself and his eyes swiftly glanced at Chris and back at Lily. He was expecting himself to feel less pain but somehow those feelings he thought he was over rose up and although he had told Lily to move on with Liam, he began to regret it.

He never did expect himself to fall again for Lily after a year. He thought he was over her, he thought he was fine but seeing her right in front of him proved to him that he wasn't and he has been deceiving himself all this while.

"How can I help you?" He asked, shaking the feelings off him as he tried to be as professional as possible.

Liam brows raised in amusement. Chris was acting as if he didn't know them which was fine by him as he didn't like Chris but he always felt some kind of connection between Lily and Chris. Thinking of it, his eyes moved towards Lily who was still staring at Lily with an expression he couldn't decipher and that hurt him because as much as he couldn't decipher the expression and the look she had, he knew something happened and she had just confirmed his suspicion.

Lily finally got a hold of herself as she blinked her eyes. She cleared her throat and wet her dry lips with her tongue. She looked away as she didn't want to see his face. She wasn't going to let the past affect her.

She had so much running through her mind at this moment and there was no way she'd let Chris invade her thoughts and ruin her mind after she was able to gather herself.

Liam stretched his hands on the table and held Lily's hands which didn't go unnoticed by Chris as she felt a gulp in his throat.

"Are you alright?" Liam whispered to her. She turned her face so she was looking at Liam and she smiled.

"Of course, I am." She tells him. Liam has been supportive of her and has done Moe for her than Chris ever or could ever do. He was patience and compared to Chris, Liam and her had an healthy relationship.

"What do you want to have?" He asked her.

Lily looked at Liam and then she looked at Chris. She wanted to confirm something for herself and when she did look at them she did get the confirmation. She liked Liam and she liked Chris but what she liked Liam and Chris for were different. While she liked Chris as he had saved her that day at the club, she considered him her guardian angel and thought she felt something deep for him but it was just an infatuation.

What she had with Liam was different. It wasn't lust as it started from nothing to something. Their relationship grew and blossomed and it was natural and healthy. With Chris it seemed forced but with Liam they vibe, and she refused to admit to that as she thought Chris was the one for her as he made her change a little.

Liam was actually the one who brought about the most change in her life. He made her smile more, gave her a listening ear and she was more comfortable with him than with anyone.

It had taken her this long to realise her feelings and the difference. If she had not met Chris today, she would have thought she loved him the way people loved but then she liked him and had forced herself to believe he was the one one.

"Liam," She called with a smile on her face.

"Yes Princess." He replied. He noticed the sincere smile on her face and that melted his heart. Lily never ceased to make his heart melt whenever she smiled. He considered himself one of the luckiest guys I'm the world to have her by his side.

Her sense of thinking and reasoning were something he loved. She could easily adapt and had a very beautiful personality although her mood swings were terrible but they were manageable.

"Let's leave here and go do something else. I have an idea." She tells him, peeking at his curiosity.

"Hmm." He placed his hands on his jaw.

"If you say so, my love." He said.

Chris could easily guess they had something more going between them as Liam has used endearment on her.

Lily and Liam got on their feet, ready to leave the Diner. Just as Lily was about to walk past Chris, she halted then turned around to look at him. "Have a good life Chris." She said with a genuine smile on her face.

She was over him and it felt nice having to stay around go with it having mixed feelings. Chris knew her smile was coming from a good place and as much as he regrets not having her, he was glad she was happy as she deserved it.

She deserves someone better and he looked forward to finding his partner soon.

It's been over six months since Lily and Liam made it official. Their relationship blossomed and everyday they showered each other with love, never forgetting to let each other know how they felt.

They informed each other about their plans and next move and stood by each other. They supported one another and were there to cheer up the other.

Lily couldn't ask for any better as Liam turned out to be that perfect man for her. The man she didn't need to say anything to for him to understand how she felt. The man who understood her body language more than anyone. The man who would be up late at night making sure she is okay and happy before going to bed.

He made her smile more and gave her more reasons to love him than any reason to doubt or regret her actions.

Her father was happy when he found out about her relationship with Liam. It has always been a part of his prayer that Lily ends up with Liam. Liam is hardworking and intelligent and he does well in the business world.

He was well known by many and the fact that he was dating Anthony's Damien daughter was a plus for both his father and Anthony Damien.

Lily and Liam were completely inseparable as they wouldn't go a day without seeing each other. Whenever he went for business trips, she followed him and luckily for her, she was able to juggle school and her dating life.

Liam wouldn't go a day without hearing her voice as it was that melody he needed in his life. Whenever he called her twice and she didn't answer, he'd leave a voicemail for her and immediately she got it, she was sure to call him back.

Their relationship was known by few as they didn't want attention and considering the dangers that could happen, their relationship was kept private.

"Do you want me to get the cake or not?" Liam asked Lily for the umpteenth time. She has been talking about wanting several things and when he asks to confirm, she would change her mind and tell him to get another. He wasn't tired of her hearing her speaking, in fact he had all the time in this world when it came to Lily.

He didn't want to know if she was right or wrong, all he knew was that she was right and he wouldn't do anything to upset her.

"Okay get me the cake. Could you also come with ice cream too?" She pleaded.

He smiled. She was very respectful and she never failed to use the magic words on him even if she knew it was unnecessary and he would get it for her with or without it.

"No problem. Is that all?" He asked.

"Yes Baby." She said and he could imagine her pouting.

"What flavor? Red Velvet cake or chocolate or vanilla?" He asked.

Lily placed her index finger on her chin as she thought of the flavor that would be palatable for her mouth. Liam waited patiently for her to speak.

"Red Velvet cake please. Also for ice cream, coconut and vanilla," she tells him.

"Okay dear." He said.

"Thanks so much and I love you!" She exclaimed as she made kisses sound with her mouth.

He chuckled. "I love you too, my love." He said before ending the call to buy her what she had asked him to get.

Later that evening, Liam finally arrived with the cake and ice cream Lily asked for in his hands. Lily had seen his car come in from her balcony and a smile crept her face.

It's been over six months since they got into a relationship yet she never failed to blush whenever she saw him and felt those same butterflies when they first kissed.

After a while, Liam knocked on Lily's door and she opened it with a smile on her face. "My baby's looking cute," He said to him before standing on her tippy toes to kiss him on the forehead.

She kissed his cheek afterwards and then his lips before taking the cakes and ice cream from his hands. "I guess this is mine, thanks lollipop." She said to him.

Liam has tried to get used to her using endearment with him but he could never as she changed them everytime.

Lily invited Liam into her room and then she closed the door. She placed the cakes and ice cream on the table before squatting down to open it so she could eat. She has been craving them for no reason.

Liam chuckled at her action. "You sure have been waiting for that a long time." He said.

She had not replied to him as she cut the cake and put a piece in her mouth. She moans in delight. "Thanks so much babe! I love it." She exclaimed and she smiled.

"I'm glad you love it. As long as you are happy, that's all I want." He said.

She kept eating until she felt something cold in her mouth. She choked from the iron she felt in her mouth.

Liam watched her closely as she brought out the thing from her mouth that had choked her.

Her eyes widened in shock as she brought the gold ring out of her mouth. She wasn't expecting anything like this and she was speechless. She raised her face so she was staring at Liam. Liam was already on his knees and ready to proceed.

"You are the woman I've been searching for a long time and now that I've got you, I am not letting you go. Will you please make me the happiest man on earth by being my wife?"

The End!

I leave the rest of the imagination in your hands.