On the third day, Lily held the keys in front of him, confident that Cole would never be able to refuse what she was about to present him with.

"Cole, this is the key to your Porsche sedan," she said with a broad smile. "This is fresh from the showroom and has all the modern accessories." She knew that this was the ultimate gift. No child could refuse such a beautiful thing.

​​

Cole stared at the keys and then looked back at Lily. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Is something wrong with you?"

Lily stuttered, "W— why?" She stumbled back.

"Why are unnecessarily giving me these gifts?" He said angrily.

'Because I want to lure you back in.' Lily opened her mouth to say it but she swallowed her words. "I just want to show you how much I love you dear," she said softly.

"It's not needed," Cole replied curtly. "Besides, Daryn had already presented me with a Porsche sedan for my sixteenth birthday."

"What?" Lily's softness converted into bitterness. She was out of her wits completely. She stumbled back further as her head became dizzy. All those vehicles that she had bought in the past three days were very expensive, couldn't be returned and she had to spend her personal money for them. Yet what happened? The Silvers beat her to it. To say that she was shocked was an understatement. She was beyond shocked. The Silvers had taken so much care of Cole that he didn't need her. Every day he refused her gifts. She thought that by gifting him ice would break, but that wasn't working at all. For three consecutive days, he hadn't talked to her. He was hardly eating anything in their house. What more could she do? She was exasperated.

Maybe he would open up with Cecilia. She was only four years older than him.

Next day, when Dawn left him at Wyatt Manor after school, Lily and Cecilia greeted Cole.

Surprised to see Cecilia, he averted his gaze from her. And he felt that Cecilia did the same. Even she wasn't too interested in talking to him. He could sense that she was being forced to be there.

Lily knew that he loved playing video games so she had ordered the latest games for his X-box. Her next ploy rolled out. "You know Cecilia had gone with me to the market to buy these video games for you," Lily said excitedly as she followed him inside. She pointed at the center table in the living room where there were numerous discs lying one over the other. She was extremely sure that Cole would never refuse them.

Cole removed the satchel from his shoulder and sat down in front of the table with crossed legs. He scoffed. He could feel Cecilia's glare on him. He shook his head and said, "I already have original discs of all these games at home, and new ones which haven't come to the market have also been pre-ordered. So once again thanks for your efforts, but they look wasted." His glance went to Cecilia, whose lips curled. She seemed to appreciate his demeanor. As for Lily, her face darkened.

As if adding salts to her wounded pride, he said, "Please don't buy gifts for me. Even if I don't have things, I won't accept them from you. I rarely accept gifts," which was a lie. He loved them. "And if I do, they usually come from people whom I trust." He stopped and measured her. "You are at sub-zero level multiplied by hundred times when it comes to trust. So don't try to be friends with me or break the ice. When the time comes, I will do it myself."

Muscles on Lily's face became tight. She was startled, aghast and completely dismayed. She leaned back and stroked her throat stifling a grimace. All her efforts seemed futile by that rude statement. Averting her gaze from him, she looked at Cecilia for support and to say something but Cecilia was staring at Cole with… appreciation? Lily took in a deep breath to calm herself and then pressed her hand to her stomach. She rubbed her mouth and said, "I'll be right back." She had to vomit.

Cole looked away and smirked.

"That was interesting," said Cecilia as she put her feet up on the sofa. She actually grinned at him.

"Thanks!" Cole said smugly and shrugged.

"Do you smoke?" she asked outright.

"No," he said looking keenly at his elder cousin.

"Would you like to?" she asked.

"No," he said again.

Fifteen minutes later, the two of them were standing in one of Cecilia's hideouts in the garden drawing a shared cigarette and making round puffs out of it, without speaking with each other.

"You're a bad boy Cole," she said.

"Hmm… I play rugby," he replied. "But you are no good," he added.

"Yeah, I play with boys," she replied casually.

"Where's your Uncle David?" asked Cole, taking another drag.

"He is in the Bahamas with his whore."

Cole raised an eyebrow.

Without looking at him, Cecilia said, "Don't look at me like that. He has a mistress for the past eight years now. Her name is Rose," she chuckled, "with thorns."

---

It had been four days and Dawn wasn't even close to shifting back to Wyatt Manor. Anne and Helena were getting impatient. If she wasn't coming back home, then what about the lawsuit? At least she should have dropped some hint about it.

Helena was antsy. She was keen on knowing her plan. "Why don't you talk to her about it? You must dig for information," she said to Anne as they sat in her apartment. "In three days time we have to go for the next hearing. You should ask her to annul the case tomorrow. Force her!"

Anne sipped her wine. In the afternoon she received the news that David's mistress was pregnant with their child and David had sent her the divorce papers. "David has sent me divorce papers," she said to Helena, avoiding Dawn's subject.

Helena was surprised. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Finally! That's wonderful Anne. We can now celebrate."

"Hmm…" Anne replied with a smile. "Tomorrow I am going to force Dawn into withdrawing the case."

"Wonderful!" Helena was ecstatic.

---

Lily waited for Dawn and Cole the next day as usual sitting in the living room. Today she had bought a beautiful pair of gold cufflinks for him. The red box was tied with a golden ribbon. Her phone buzzed and Dawn's secretary called. "Sorry Mrs. Wyatt, today Cole won't be able to come. He will drop in tomorrow." Enraged, Lily picked up the box of cufflinks and threw it at the glass cabinet in front. Its glass shattered just like Lily's hopes.

Since Dawn wasn't staying back for an hour also at the Wyatt Manor, Anne decided to visit her. She was getting suspicious of her intentions now.

"When are you dropping the Starfish Refineries lawsuit against us?" asked Anne very softly. Dawn was sifting through a stack of papers when she received Anne.

"What?" she asked as she looked around with confusion. "Where's the folder?" she muttered.

"The lawsuit—withdraw it," Anne said, hiding her annoyance.

There was a glint of joy in her eyes. "Ah! There it is," Dawn said, fishing out the folder. She fluttered her eyes. "Don't worry, it will be dropped." She assured Anne.

Anne smiled. "Great! When are you coming home?"

"Soon," came a sweet, promising reply.

Anne left with renewed confidence.

Two days later—