Pathetic
When Lily opened her eyes, she discovered herself in a room. It was warm, smokey, and dark. She discovered Jericho’s scorching eyes as the man stood beside the window. He kept puffing smoke out of the e-cigarette he was holding.
Back in the corner, she crept to get away from him before hugging her legs. She knew he hadn’t harmed her because she was still wearing the red gown.
“W-what am I doing here?” she asked.
“You have a cunning and manipulative husband, Lily,” he muttered meaningfully, tugging his own hair. “He is pushing us one by one, for what? For you?”
“What did Drew do to you?”
“My wife is pregnant!” He took the e-cigarette closer to his mouth before having another smoke.
Shouldn’t he be happy with that news?
Lily, though, felt worried by what Jericho stated next. “I’m not the father! Since my wife was Drew Walton’s secretary, I knew that something wasn’t right with them!”
Her lips parted. Now, she gets the connection of Drew’s ex-woman with Jericho. “I-is it Jenny?”
Jericho gave a nod. “My wife is being fucked by your husband! It’s impossible that I got her pregnant because… because I know I’m incapable of having a child!”
Lily’s eyes grew wide. Can Drew really do that? Could Drew possibly be cheating on her?
“I know you are important to your husband. Brian abducted his son so we could get you away from Drew. I want to destroy you, Lily! So that your husband will realize how horrible it is!” he exclaimed.
Lily’s tears flowed. She wished she could be strong, but how? After all the mistreatment she endured, why is she now being treated like this?
“My wife is in the hospital because I beat her when I found out she was pregnant.” He tugged his hair once more, and he seemed agitated. “Jenny is everything to me; she is my life. However, she ends up in the hospital, losing a child!”
“You’re wrong; Drew would never cause your wife to become pregnant. She must have once been Drew’s woman, but I’m confident Drew isn’t the father of your child!” She has deep faith in her husband because she loves him, but does Drew love her?
“What do you know, huh?” His tone rose. “Drew Walton has totally played with your mind!”
“No! It was your wife who made the attempt to seduce him. I’m sure she did. That’s her job!”
As soon as he could, Jericho clasped Lily’s neck with his broad palm. Because everything happened so quickly, she was astonished. With his hand blocking her throat, she could barely breathe.
“What do you know?!”
His eyes were burning from rage, wanting to break her neck.
“Do you see what happened to you, Lily? What do you become? Drew Walton could easily manipulate your fucked-up mind, and you didn’t even realize you were just agreeing and believing whatever he said!”
Jericho violently freed her neck. She was nearly knocked out after being pushed into a wall. There was too much news tonight, causing her chest to tighten.
Sobbing, she said, “Drew is not controlling me! Whatever you want to say, I respect my husband, unlike you!”
She knew that everything began with her and Drew, was on paper, and nothing else. But within eleven months, they had a common understanding. Right?
Or perhaps she was trying to convince herself of that. Lily wept. The revelation that Drew had a child with his ex-girlfriend, whom he almost married, still had not made her feel better. She could not accept the secrecy it produced. She had been with Drew for months. How could anyone hold that information?
And now that Jericho was telling her that Drew had another woman impregnated, it hurt too much, even though she didn’t want it! She disliked all the accusations being leveled about her husband, and as a result, she began to wonder if her husband had betrayed her.
Lily continued to weep because she could feel her heart breaking into pieces. She loves Drew, so, so much…
Jericho’s jaw tightened. “All I know is that your husband is seeking retribution from us. After he locked Victor up in jail, he wanted me next! He wanted me to do something awful, just like Victor, so he could also lock me up! Brian will come next, followed by Keith and Kenneth!”
“You are pathetic! All of you!” Lily said, crying. “You place blame on other people for your foolishness! Just like Victor, you, Brian, Keith, and Kenneth were blaming me for what was occurring, even though you brought yourself here. It’s your decision! But for me, you simply assaulted me! I didn’t do anything to you, and I didn’t like anything you did to me!”
He sneered. “Don’t make me laugh, Lily! You liked Kenneth. He won’t play with you if you don’t like him!”
She made no comment. What he said made her feel even worse.
“You’re just as twisted as your stepbrother!”
No!
From beneath the apartment, they heard a loud bang. The lights eventually turned on, blinding Lily. A short while later, the room’s door swung open.
When she recognized Kenneth, she jerked back. His eyes were particularly burning when he noticed how bloody her head was. He repeatedly punched Jericho in an enraged manner.
The latter also took offense. In addition to being fearful of the two men, Lily was also terrified, since they were fighting right in front of her. Her heart beat three times as hard as usual, clenching with conflicted feelings.
“Stop it!” Lily shouted while crying.
Before Kenneth again punched Jericho on the cheek, he yelled, “You fucking moron!”
“What now, huh, Ken? Didn’t you enjoy it when we played with Lily? What now? Huh?” Jericho shouted as if he was going insane. He kicked several damaged objects.
Her brother clenched his fist.
“Please… Stop it…” Lily wailed. It hurts too much. She didn’t understand what was going on and she no longer desired to be a part of their issue. She. Had. Enough!
“Your wife becomes pregnant through her lover, and it’s not Drew Walton! So, whatever your plans are for Lily, you’ve chosen the wrong person to exact your vengeance on! Neither she nor Drew had any part in it!”
Jericho argued, “But my wife works for Drew! Jenny always explained she was leaving town for work; her justifications were always related to her job. I even caught her once sending an unpleasant message to Drew!”
“Wasn’t it an excuse for those who were cheating?”
“Your wife was a prostitute!” Lily yelled.
When he yelled, Jericho clenched his teeth and nearly groaned. “You were the whore! We may treat you any way we want after paying your brother. Because of the people you put your trust in, you are the dirty one!”
Episodes of harassment visit Lily’s memory, making her feel dirty!
Please! Stop!
“Don’t you comprehend how Drew and Jenny were once sexually involved? Along with being a model, your wife also worked at a sex club! I only learned about that after investigating Drew,” explained Kenneth.
“What?” Jericho halted his movements, taking in the information.
Lily could no longer breathe. She disagrees with what is going on in this place.
“Lily!” When he realized she kept thudding her chest, Kenneth called her name in terror.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.
“I-I can’t breathe.”
Kenneth took her pulse. “Sht!” He pushed Jericho. “If something happened to Lily-”
“What, huh? You want to own Lily now! Why?! Why have you changed? Did Lily know you were in love with your former patient-Drew’s mom? Did they know that their marriage was only a ruse? Does Lily discover that Drew’s mother has been sending her creepy letters? You’re waiting for the right moment to clutch her neck again.”
Kenneth grabbed Jericho’s collar and asked, “How did you know that?”
Jericho sneered. “Drew employed my wife. Her hearing gossip was quite normal!”
Lily could hardly breathe from crying, but she couldn’t help asking, “What do you mean by Drew’s mother writing me letters?”
“Because her mother was crazy!”
When they were having a serious chat, she recalled what Drew had said. His father was such a womanizer that Mrs. Walton lost her mind. She was certain the reason the father and son’s relationship fell apart wasn’t that simple. It must be a serious reason! She was also certain that the Waltons had picked her to wed Drew for a purpose!
“You met Drew’s mother at the hospital?” she asked Kenneth.
“Kenneth and I were both students at the time that he first met Drew’s mother because he began his training there. We were aware of his feelings for Mrs. Walton!”
Kenneth’s jaw stiffened.
Lily wanted to stop her mind from thinking. It’s too much!
“Lily!” As if she was dreaming, she heard Drew shout from the lower level. Her face was growing paler, and bitterness tightened her chest.
She was exhausted. Her body, mind, and soul. She desired a separation from reality and wished to end the suffering. When her husband and Orion entered the room, her eyes were lifeless, and she couldn’t move.
A group of police followed the two men.
“Babe… I’m sorry…” She looked at Drew’s trembling lips. A tear had formed in his eyes. “Look at me. You’re safe… Hmm?”