Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 52 RYAN "You've found a place already? I inquired of Sebastien, my trusted aide whom I had tasked with finding the ideal residence for me. "Send me some pictures. If it looks good. 111 wire the money to you" "Yes, sir" came his prompt response before the call disconnected. Moments later, the images of the prospective residence popped up on my phone screen, and upon seeing its perfection, I wasted no time in transferring the payment to Sebastien Before I could fully immerse myself in the excitement of securing a new home, a knock on my office door interrupted my thoughts With a sigh, I watched as my mother entered, her expression somewhat troubled. "What's this I'm hearing?" she demanded, her tone betraying a hint of concern. "It's nice to see you too. Mum," I replied dryly, rolling my eyes in exasperation. Rising from behind my desk. I made my way over to join her on the sofa. "What brings you to the office? You hardly ever come here." "I heard Lily had three babies for you and didn't tell you anything about it!" She blurted out, her tone laced with disbelief and disapproval I nodded, bracing myself for the onslaught of judgment that was sure to follow. "And:" I prompted, steeling myself for her reaction. "And we should be discussing seeking full custody," she declared, her voice sharp with conviction. "After what she's done, she doesn't deserve to have those kids at all" Raising an eyebrow at her audacious suggestion, I couldn't help but feel a surge of anger. "And you think we do?" I countered, my tone tinged with frustration. "After everything we've put her through, what right do we have to claim a role in those kids' lives?" Before my mother could interject with more of her unwelcome opinions, I held up a hand to silence her. Tm fairly certain that if Lily had been under any more stress from us, she would have lost those babies before she even knew she was pregnant," I asserted, refusing to entertain any further discussion on the matter. Her frown deepened, her eyes sparking with defiance. "And who gave you that ridiculous notion that I was putting her through so much stress?" the demanded, her voice edged with frustration. Tilting my head slightly in response to her question, I allowed my expression to convey my disbelief at her denial, though it seemed to have linde effect on her determination to defend her actions. "Whatever she did back then was her way of showing gratitude for being accepted into the Willians family," she continued, her tone dripping with condescension. "Accepted?" I scoffed incredulously, shaking my head in disbelief. "Do you even know the meaning of that word? Because you and Dad never accepted Lily! Not once!" Her nostrils flared with indignation, her gaze piercing as she fired back, "And you? Did you accept her?" With a sharp gesture, she punctuated her question, her manicured finger drumming against her knee. "You didn't accept her either, despite being married to her. That's why you always sent her off to our house." Pointing an accusatory finger at me, she pressed on, "No man who truly loves his wife would be so eager to send her away like that." Licking my lips nervously, I allowed her words to sink in, painfully aware of the truth in her accusations. "You're right, I admitted reluctantly, feeling the weight of my own shortcomings bearing down on me. I was a terrible husband, but I'm determined to make amends. I'm trying to fix what I've ruined, and I refuse to stand by and watch you and Dad destroy it." My mother regarded me silently for a moment, her expression softening as she exhaled heavily. "Stephanie was the ideal type we envisioned as a wife for you, Ryan," she confessed. "But that wasn't the reason I disliked Lily or treated her the way I did The self-reproach etched on my face quickly gave way to disbelief. "So what? You suddenly have a justification for mistreating her?" I retorted, incredulous at her attempt to rationalize her behavior. She nodded solemnly, her gaze unwavering. "I could see the way you looked at her, even before you were married," she explained. "I knew you weren't in love with her, and I thought you were simply using her as a rebound after your breakup with Stephanie. But then it ended in marriage." A bitter laugh escaped my lips as her words sank in "And that was enough reason to subject her to torment?" I demanded, struggling to comprehend her twisted reasoning. "I thought she had something against you, which led to you marrying her. It was obvious it wasn't love because even though you smiled at her at the church that day, it wasn't genuine. I hated her for trapping my son in a loveless marriage, my mother mused. "She didn't trap me," I argued, feeling a pang of guilt at the realization of the pain I had caused Lily. "If anything, I was the one who trapped her in a marriage and made her life miserable." Chapter 53 With a weary sigh, my mother seemed to drop the topic for the time being, shifting her focus to another matter. "So, what's the plan" the inquired, her tone betraying a hint of curiosity. "It's obvious you're not going to file for full custody My mother's sudden interest in the details of my life left me feeling uneasy "Why does it matter?" I countered, a touch of defensiveness creeping into my voice. "At the end of the day, whatever decision I make is mine, and you all will have no choice but to accept it." Rolling her eyes, my mother diverted her gaze momentarily to the artifacts on my desk. "I didn't ask because I want to interfere or anything, Ryan," she clarified, her tone softening "I only asked because I really want to meet my grandchildren." Pondering her words carefully, I searched her expression for any hint of insincerity. "They'll be coming over this weekend," I revealed, deciding to extend the olive branch. "Maybe I'll bring them to the villa so you and Father can spend a few hours with them." A smile slowly spread across her lips, genuine warmth lighting up her features. "That would be lovely," she

responded, rising to her feet and gathering her purse. Tll let you get back to work" I watched her exit the room, the sound of the door closing softly behind her marking her departure. The anticipation for the weekend had been building within me, and when it finally arrived, I was practically buzzing with excitement. As the chopper touched down on the rooftop, I wasted no time in making my way to Lily's place, eager to reunite with my children. As I stepped into the living room, I was taken aback to find Liam bounding towards me, eager arms outstretched in welcome. Who would have imagined this moment just a short while ago? Noticing their suitcases neatly arranged in the living room, I scanned the room for Lily, only to have her emerge from the kitchen with Noah perched happily on her back, enjoying a piggyback ride. The sight of her, playing with our son, warmed my heart. With the possibility of Lily joining us on this trip, it seemed that my efforts to bridge the gap between us were beginning to pay off, but I knew there was still work to be done. "Are you coming with us?" I inquired hopefully, holding my breath for her response. She nodded firmly. "There's no way I'm leaving those kids alone with that woman," she asserted. A sense of relief washed over me as I realized that we would be facing this weekend together, as a family. Despite the challenges we had faced, it seemed that this weekend had the potential to be nothing short of perfect. [