"Lily!!"

Wendy cried as she came running towards me, her arms wrapped around my legs. My hand was placed on top her head protectively as she cried into my dress. My eyes stay locked with a shocked and taken back Noah, as he equally stared back.

It was as if the world came to a pause. All I could hear was his heavy breathing from where I stood as he blinked rapidly. I break eye contact first as I crouch down trying to get Wendy to look at me. When she does her eyes are now puffy and a little red she sniffs a couple times.

My heart swelled at the sight of her, I could still feel Noah's eyes on me not leaving once. I part my lips, trying to get words out of my mouth but failed as if someone had ripped out my voice box. I suck my lips in as I took in a deep breath before breathing out my nose.

I reopen my eyes and I lift my hand, pushing her hair away from her face. I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. I tried once more, this time speaking brokenly; my words trapped in a whisper,

"Hey cupcake why you crying?"

Instantly at my words she cries harder. She wiped her tears with the back of her hand. She hiccuped as she tried to answer me,

"Uncle... Nono... d- didn't... didn't believe m- me"

My eyebrows frown together in confusion,

"About what cupcake?"

She looks at me from her eyelashes before facing her upper body towards everyone... more specifically someone; Noah. My eyes trail to him, coming to still see him taken back. Looking away from him, Wendy looks back at me, leaning forward to my ear whispering,

"You"

A shiver ran through my body, my heart accelerating fast at her single word. She moves her head back only for me to see more tears. A shaky breath leaves my mouth as my eyes also become a little fuzzy, from the unplanned tears.

I squeezed my eyes shut as I tried to get him out of my head but it was impossible as I could still feel his eyes on me. I open my eyes and tried to keep my gaze locked on Wendy. I lift a hand to her warm face and use the pads of my thumb to wipe away the stray tears,

"Uncle Nono got angry when I said your name"

She tried to continue,

"Wendy darling"

Joshua spoke,

"He... he broke the flowers and shouted at me"

I pout as my eyes fall on the flowers as they lay all over the floor. My eyes quickly lock with his before I looked back down at Wendy. A thought ran through my mind as I tried distracting her,

"Hey cupcake, have you ever seen a cupcake cry?"

Momentarily, she stopped crying for a second and thought long and hard before shaking her head no. I give her a hidden, pained smile as I spoke,

"If you've never seen cupcakes cry then why are you crying? I'm sure your uncle Nono just had a bad day which may have been lilies"

I moved a little closer using my thumbs once more to wipe her tears,

"If I see my cupcake cry again, I'll cry too,"

I bring my lips close to her ear as I whisper,

"And I've cried a lot before"

Pulling away I see Wendy give me a sad pout meeting my eyes, using this chance I question her,

"Do you want to see me cry too?"

Wendy quickly wipes away her tears shaking her head no multiple times, a weak smile playing on my lips,

"That's my favourite cupcake, your mummy and daddy are worried look"

I say as I point towards them both as they hold each other in their arms. She looks at me as I push her,

"Go on; I won't stop you"

Instantly she runs towards them both. Mia picks her up and she buries her head in the crook of her neck. Seconds later, I suck in a breath as I stand tall. I tried my hardest not to catch Noah so instead my eyes land on Callum since he looked between us both with a confused look.

Swallowing my pride, I walk forward towards everyone. I pass Noah who still kept his eyes on me. I came to a pause in front of Callum as I questioned,

"Callum King?"

My voice came out strained. Callum nods his head wearily, unable what predict what was going to happen. I lift my hand for a handshake. My action only left Callum even more confused but nevertheless, he shook my hand. I give a pained smile as I speak,

"We clearly haven't introduced ourselves properly apart from knowing first names. To clear confusion, I'm Noah's personal- well ex-personal assistant"

"See I told you! I thought she looked familiar from somewhere! She's the one who left the building crying that day"

Joshua said in a confident and serious voice. I winced as if someone had shot a bullet in my empty heart. From behind, a demanding voice breaks the silence,

"What do you mean by ex?"

Noah demands as he comes and stands right next to me. His father's eyes now following his movements. I refuse to look at him only keeping my eyes on Callum,

"Look at me dammit!"

He exclaims making me visibly shake on the spot taken back by his volume as he was unable to be patient. I can feel everyone watching me as they all kept quiet. Pushing the growing lump in my throat I speak,

"Um it was nice meeting you Mr and Mrs King I should go"

I say as I turn on my heel. I tried dodging him, trying to escape, but it was hard since he was here... right next to me,

"Don't you dare walk away from me Lily"

Noah seethes his words coldly. He grabs onto my wrist sending flights of electricity through my veins, an inaudible gasp leaves my mouth as I only stare straight ahead refusing to look back at him,

"Let go of my arm Mr. King"

My words come out unconfident and small. I try to shake my arm out of his grip but he only tightens his grip, his voice dropping an octave lower,

"Look at me"

I stay mute, refusing to listen to his words. When he realises that he doesn't get a response he states again,

"Look at me for fuck s-"

Without wasting another second, I heed his words and turn quickly to face him straight in the eye. Since my action was unexpected and uncalled for, I was now just millimetres away from him as I took in his face and gasped softly.

His eyes no longer held the fire and life that it always had, instead it was dull and lifeless that screamed that he was lacking on sleep. His lips were chapped a little, a light stubble growing and his hair was not perfected back like it usually was.

Just looking at the state of him broke my heart. I no longer wanted to be close to him as I felt my body heat up. I looked down, unable to hold his lifeless, emerald eyes. I placed my free hand on top of his, removing his grip as I spoke in a monotone voice,

"Mr. King may I remind you that there are two young children present in the room and your family, please do not swear. Also try to refrain from holding onto me"

I say as I look around the room from the corner of my eye, seeing everyone watch taken back at our encounter. My eyes somehow find the scattered flowers on the floor. My hand slips away from him and I head towards the flower. Using my heel I push the broken glass out of the way,

"Lily..."

I could hear my father's voice approach closer. I don't listen as I crouch down and pick up the white flowers, holding them in my hand,

"Lily..."

Mia speaks but I don't listen. My mind becomes numb and all voices around me disappear slowly becoming distant and quiet. I lift the white flowers, looking at each petal, each one of them looked so innocent, so fragile.

I move my feet a little but made a wrong move. My heel slipped a little under the glass and on reflex I place my hand on the floor, the aftermath making me hiss in pain as glass particle dig into my skin,

"Lily!"

So many voices called out all at once. In the quick silence, I hear footsteps become louder and louder and soon enough, someone comes in level with me. They hold onto my sparred hand, trying to get rid of the bigger pieces of glass from my skin.

I felt numb. My hand felt numb. The pain was like a prick and then it vanished. I felt myself lean against someone who was behind me, my eyes trained on my palm as the colour red oozed out. I look to the side, seeing who it was.

My heart thumped louder than I could image. It was so loud that I could hear it in my ears. If people were speaking, I knew for a fact that I couldn't hear anything. I come face to face with Noah.

Even though my hearing was fuzzy from the constant beating of my heart, I felt it dim down a little as my mind slowly, like a charm, focused on the voice of Noah. I blinked a few times, now fully being able to hear him loud and clear,

"Dammit Lily, why did you have to get those stupid flowers"

My lips part as I proceed to look at the flowers, this time seeing them blotched in red. My head when on overload as the white flowers were now red. Before I knew it, I blocked out all the voices, including Noah.

I slowly began to panic, my breathing becoming a little heavy. I remove my hand from Noah and stare that them. My hands visibly shake, I swallow down the lump and fisted my hands together as the words leave my mouth is slow and weak; like I had already given up the fight,

"Why... why are you here?"

I could feel Noah tense under my touch as he looks straight at me, into my eyes. My eyes roam his as I take note of the emotion he had. Shakily and hesitantly, I lift my red hand and place it on his rough, prickled cheek.

At my action, he leans into my touch ever so faintly that I don't recognise it myself. I lips begin to quaver as I blink away the tears that were threatening to spill. I couldn't help it as a few escaped. Warning bells ran in my head as I parted my lips to speak brokenly. Now realising the situation,

"You... you can't be here... g- go away... why are you here... I don't want... I can't... I can't... I can't do this anymore... leave... please"

I spoke as I moved away from Noah. I pulled my legs close to my chest and wrapped my arms around them. I probably looked crazy to them but I couldn't handle it. It was too much for me to even handle. I shook my head as I mumbled to myself,

"Lily..."

The clicks and clacks of heels approached me and I looked up when black Chimmy Choo's stopped in front of me. I look up seeing a worried Zoe as she bent down to my level. I felt like a scared child waiting for a special miracle to happen. I whisper as tears stream down my face,

"This is a dream isn't it? Please tell me it's a dream... I don't want it to happen again, not with Noah; I can't... I don't deserve him, I don't. Make it stop... please... anyone"

I say as I rock back and forth. I grab fistfuls of my hair as I hide my face in my knees, my body shaking in fear as endless options ran in circles in my head,

"Sweetheart..."

I hear dad's voice, my tears fall freely as I look up. I blink the tears away as I try an focus on his voice. He turns his face towards Noah's family has he spoke apologetically,

"I'm so sorry for how the day has ended, we- I mean I didn't mean for this to happen, I thought it would be a good idea if Lily came also but I guess fate has other plans..."

"You knew..."

I whispered, betrayal coursed through me as I watch dad look my way as he gave me a sad smile,

"Sweetheart"

Dad starts but I shake my head, my eyes look everywhere as they fall on each member. I find mum watching me as her eyes also look sad and heartbroken. I soon find myself standing up on my feet, Noah mirroring my action.

Feeling numb to the core, I walk past dad, wiping a tear which escaped. I was a few steps away fro the door before Leo jogs into scene. He manages to hold onto my arm, making me look at him. He sighs as he tries to form a sentence,

"Hey sis, look I'm-"

My face fell as it fell into place. When we were back at the house, he was texting someone... it must've been someone here... I jerk my hand away from him as I whisper out,

"Did you know about this?"

The tears fall silently as I look at my brother as he didn't say a word. His hand drops from my arm and I watch him hang his head low, avoiding eye contact. He sighs in defeat. So I was right. My voice comes out as a shaken whisper,

"You knew, you all knew"

"Lily we didn't I assure you"

My eyes fall on Callum as he speaks in a quiet manner taking a few steps forward. I retreat my steps, my head shaking ever so slightly. I could feel so many eyes on me, watching me like I was a prey.

Realisation baffles me as everything played in slow motion. I lift my eyes, directly meeting emerald eyes. I hold into his stare, one last time, I told myself,

"Just one last time of seeing emerald"

I spoke barely above a whisper. My eyes caught everyone as they kept their eyes on me watching... waiting for my reaction. My eyes find Noah's once more and before I knew it, the word leaves my mouth in a silent breath, loud enough for me hear,

"Goodbye..."

Not waiting any second later, I turn on my heel running out of the room, my hair flying against the air, tears now falling endlessly. My hands grasp a fistful of the silk material as I ran out of the room and out of the building, the last words loud and clear as I ran leaving,

"NO!"

"LILY!"