Chapter 9

The weather was changing as the wind blew aggressively. The blue sky was turning dark and the clouds were forming.

Lily knew then it was going to rain but she wasn't bothered by it as she sneakily dodged her driver and began to walk whenever her legs could take her too.

She was having so many suicidal thoughts and she couldn't help it. Growing up with a single father and no mother beside her was tough. Her father did a good job which she knew but she wished she had her mother with her as she grew up.

As she began walking, the rain began to drizzle but she wasn't bothered by it. She felt goosebumps on her skin as she shivered from the cold wind that grazed her skin.

She sighed as she stopped walking. She looked up in the sky and the rain began to beat her face, washing off her makeup. She loved the rain, it was as if the rain were her tears in disguise.

Normally, Lily wouldn't be standing under the rain. She had never done it before and she hated getting wet as she knew it'd only make her sick but considering her current situation she could care less about it.

The thunder cried out and she shivered. She was starting to feel cold. The rain was pouring down heavily now and she didn't mind it. While people ran to find shade, Lily didn't.

She was walking in the rain not caring about the consequences. A bus drove by and stopped in front of her and she panicked in fear as she was almost hit.

Two men dressed in black all through with nose masks to conceal their identity and caught her. She struggles to get off their grip. "Who are you!" She hustles to get off their hold. The big man placed his hands on her mouth to cover them from screaming and the other man grabbed her and placed her on his shoulder.

She fought hand as she hit them with her hands refusing to let them hold her again as she screamed but she wasn't able to as they successfully put her in the bus, locked the door and drove off.

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Liam has been dialing Lily's number for the umpteenth time but she was not answering. After a while her phone was switched off and he felt bad as he thought she was avoiding him or maybe she was angry with him for telling on her father for her mood.

He sighed. He was having a bad day and needed to clear things up with her or else he won't be able to focus on his job. He never thought he'd be able to move on from his first love until he met Lily. Lily had wowed him effortlessly that he had not seen himself falling.

With every moment he spent with her, affection for her grew and he loved her company. The way she laughed was like music to his ears and the way she spoke was intriguing.

He could tell she had another in his heart which was why she wanted to let him in but he wasn't going to give up. He knew he would have her and would give her as much time as she needed until she finally opened her heart to him.

He got up from his office chair and left the office in an attempt to go find Lily and speak to her. He missed her company and her vanilla smell.

Upon arriving at her house, he sees Chris coming out of the mansion. He always felt something was off about Chris but he couldn't just pick on it. When Chris and him met, Chris made no attempt to show courtesy as he wasn't working under him and asides that, he knew of Liam's affection for Lily and he wasn't comfortable with it.

"Is Lily around?" Liam asked.

"No. Is there a problem?" Chris asked. Liam didn't like Chris and he wasn't too sure if it was because Chris thought much of himself, there was more to it that made him not like Chris.

"There is no problem. Do you know where she is?" Liam asked.

Chris puts his hands inside his pants pocket. "Well, I do not." He said firm and stern.

Chris' attitude was not unnoticed by Liam. He knew Chris loved to dare people and he could wait to get enough reason to punch Chris in the face.

"Wow. So funny how you are the bodyguard but you ain't doing your job properly." Liam pointed.

Chris felt insulted by the way Liam had referred to him as a bodyguard. It was as if Liam was belittling him and he didn't like it.

"Well I might be the bodyguard but does that mean I have to go to every damn place she goes to? And if so, then should I start following her into the bathroom?" Chris asked.

"You are fucking not ready for this conversation, are you?" Liam asked rhetorically.

"You are her bodyguard and you are paid to do your job. You are meant to ensure her safety and that's your one and only job not to sit around chasing skirts or going after things that are out of reach for you." Liam spat out.

Chris moved closer to Liam, both of them standing face to face, of the same height and neither intimidated by the other. "I get paid to protect her and I've been doing it quite well, what are you paid for? To seduce heiress or to look pitiful in front of them?"

Liam wanted to punch Chris there and then but he clenched his first instead, telling himself it wasn't needed and unnecessary. He wouldn't want Lily to come and see him fighting someone.

He cracked his fingers as she stared at him. "My job is to love her because that's what she will be getting and from me alone."

"Hmm but sad. Too bad she doesn't want you in her heart and she already has someone who ain't you. So why don't you keep all your riches for yourself."

Liam was offended. He was really offended because Chris had pointed out he wasn't in Lily's heart. He knew he wasn't but he knew he would soon. He wanted to know who the man in her heart was and although he was making guesses, he refused to believe his guesses as he wouldn't want to lose to someone lower than him when it comes to status, power, money and fame.

He had always seen the way Lily looked at Chris and many times he wanted to confront her about it but he decided to let it go as he wasn't ready for the heartbreak yet.

"You think I'm not in her heart?" Liam hmph. "You must definitely know nothing at all. I'm not in her heart you say? Then who else is? You perhaps?" He chuckled.

"Keep dreaming man, or should I say boy because that is so impossible especially for someone of your status." Liam spat out emphasizing on every word.

Liam did strike a nerve on Chris as Chris took his hands from his pocket clenching them. He wanted to hit Liam, hit him so bad till his anger was satisfied but he restricted himself from doing so.

Liam forced a smile to his face. "What if I say I am, how would you deal with it?" He retorted.

"You wish. You think I do not see the way you look at her? I see it but boy all your imagination would only be an imagination as nothing would ever happen or come out of your imagination!" Liam declared.

Liam had noticed the way Chris looks at Lily everytime and he could tell what that look was because he also looks at Lily that way. At first he thought it was a little feeling as anyone would easily fall for Lily and her beauty but with time, he started to suspect it as Lily also looked at Chris that way too.

Chris laughed hysterically, confusing Liam. "You have got to be kidding me. Imagination you say? Sad. I feel so sad for you."

"You know nothing at all. All you know is how to wear nice outfits and eat good food. You know nothing about the heart of a woman." Chris said.

"Wow! Wow!" Liam clapped

"I know nothing about the hearts of women but you do?" Liam scoffed. "you have got to be kidding me. I guess I should come for lessons to learn from you since you have a very broad knowledge."

"I guess you should. Maybe you would know how to give up when someone doesn't want you or you would know how to stay the fuck off when a girl doesn't want you." Chris spat out.

They both glared at each other, no one wanting to back down as their nose flared up and down. "This would be the last time I would have an exchange of words with you. Next time, I will be punching you." Liam warned and Chris smirked.

"I would love to see you try and end up in the hospital," Chris fired back.

Just as both men stood face-to-face with one another, one of them waiting for the other to back down, Lily's father, Anthony, drove in.

Immediately the car parked, Mr Anthony came out and sees the face off between both men. He wondered what couldn't have happened as Chris and Liam both have the same facial expression on.

"Is there a problem?" He asked, ending the face off between both men.

Chris bowed his head as he greeted Mr Anthony while Liam smirked. "It seems he still is a boy." Liam muttered but Chris heard him very well and that made him offended.

"No sir." Liam smiles at Mr Anthony.

"Liam my boy, you came to see Lily?" Mr Anthony asked with a smile on his face. He looked forward to seeing Liam and his daughter as he thought Liam was the perfect one for her.

"Yes sir." Liam replied.

"Let's go in then." Mr Anthony said.

"I heard Lily is not around. I asked her bodyguard over here where she is and he seemed unaware." Liam lamented.

The skin between Mr Anthony brows creased. "Unaware of her location?" He asked, turning his attention to Chris.

"What do you mean by that?"

Chris cleared his throat, "She asked not to, he followed and although I protested she threatened to fire me and I refused but before I knew it, she tricked me and went away." He lied.

"Foolish boy!" Mr Anthony spat out. I paid you to watch her and she outsmarted you? Are you for real?" He scoffed.

"Do you know the dangers out there and what my enemies want to do to me? Are you stupid!" He spat out.

"Your only job was to protect her but what did you do? You literally let her outsmart you and you tell me that to my face?" He scoffed.

"She must have gone to see that bastard!" Mr Anthony spat out making Liam and Chris wonder what he meant. What Mr Anthony meant was that she must have gone to see the man who she had fallen for and the man he was never going to approve of her.

"Excuse me sir but what man?" Liam asked, making Mr Anthony realise what he had just said.

"It's nothing." He said.

"Better pray she is safe because if she is not, I will definitely have your head." He warned. Mr Anthony wasn't a man of empty words, he would do whatever he had promised to do and would never let go. It was hard to persuade him.