Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 58 RYAN As soon as we entered my office, I made a beeline for the mini bar, pouring myself a drink to steady my nerves. "What did you find out about him" I inquired, turning to face Angelo, my expression serious Taking a seat and crossing his legs, Angelo delved into the disturbing findings. "According to the report I have on him, he's involved in real estate management, and he claims to have graduated from UIA," he began. "However, when I checked the list of graduates from the year he supposedly graduated, I found a Jake Willow on the list, but the face didn't match." My eyebrows shot up in alarm. "So, you're saying he's using someone else's identity?" I clarified, a sinking feeling settling in the pit of my Momch Angelo nodded grimly. Unfortunately, yes. The real Jake Willow died in a car crash just a few days after his graduation," he revealed. "So, I don't even know if the name he's using is truly his birth name or some stolen identity" "It seems Laly has a streak of had luck when it comes to choosing men," I remarked, a mixture of sympathy and frustration evident in my tone. "What do you think he could possibly be hiding that would drive him to steal someone's identity?" Angelo shrugged, his expression thoughtful. "I'm not sure, but I plan to dig deeper," he replied determinedly. "Til look into his family and social circle. Maybe then III uncover what he's truly up to." Nodding in agreement, I couldn't shake the sense of remorse for Lily. "You do that and keep me updated," I instructed, watching as Angelo left my office to carry out his investigation. As I sat alone, I couldn't help but reflect on the potential impact of this revelation on Lily. In all my efforts to win her back, I had never considered the possibility that she might genuinely love him. The thought of her being hurt by discovering the truth about the man she loves weighed heavily on my conscience. This is messed up," I muttered under my breath, Downing the remainder of my drink, I decided to put the matter aside for the time being and focus on preparing for the evening ahead. With a heavy heart, I left my office to shower and get ready for the night. Getting into my bedroom, I showered, changed into a loose greysweatpant and got into bed, hoping to catch some sleep. However, an hour later, I was still tossing, unable to get my conversation with Angelo out of my head. f@ck this! I'm done trying to force myself to sleep. Unable to shake the troubling thoughts swirling in my mind, I tossed and turned in bed for what felt like an eternity. An hour passed, and still, sleep eluded me. Frustrated, I rolled off the bed and grabbed a white round-neck shirt from the closet. Slipping into a loose pair of grey sweatpants and grabbing a pack of cigarettes from my drawer, I made my way out of the bedroom, desperate for some fresh air to clear my head. Perhaps a smoke in the garden would help ease the tension that gripped my mind. I stepped out into the cool night air and headed for the garden. The sight of the lake that flowed in the middle of the garden was a soothing sight, one of the reasons I had chosen this house in the first place. As I gazed out at the 1 water, a sense of calm washed over only for a fleeting moment. er me, Lighting the cigarette, I took a deep drag, the bitter taste mingling with the night air as I exhaled a cloud of smoke. As I smoked, my mind drifted to the worst-case scenarios of who Jake might turn out to be. I prayed he was anything but a serial killer or a psychopath. The thought of someone with malicious intentions towards Lily sent a shiver down my spine. The last thing I wanted was for a deranged individual to be obsessed with Lily to the point of wanting to harm her. "I didn't realize you started smoking again, Lily's voice broke through my thoughts, her presence catching me off guard. Dressed in a nightwear and covered with a long robe, she settled down beside me, and I fought to keep my gaze focused on the lake, avoiding the temptation to stare at her legs "I smoke whenever my mind won't stop working, especially when I should be resting admitted, taking another drag from the cigarette. I glanced at her briefly before returning my attention to the calming expanse of water. "Is the smoke bothering you?" I inquired, concerned about inconveniencing her with my habit She shook her head. Tm fine," she assured me softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Nodding in acknowledgment, I allowed the silence to settle between us as we both stared out at the expanse of the lake. It wasn't long before Lily broke the silence once again. "Do you want to tell me what's bothering you!" she inquired gently, her concern evident in her I hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. I rather not tell her anything until I have figured this whole thing out "Just work in general," I lied. "But it's nothing I can't handle," I added, attempting to reassure her. Caring her neck to look at me, she studied my face for a moment before sighing softly. "You've always had a problem with letting people know what's going on inside your head," she remarked, a hint of amusement in her tone. "It used to frustrate the hell out of me back then" Exhaling a cloud of smoke. I glanced down at my ring-unclad finger, feeling a pang of regret. "Im sorry." I mumbled, my voice barely audible above the rustle of the breeze 1 didn't realize how frustrating my behavior was for you back then." She chuckled again, the sound soothing in the quiet night air. "More like all of your behavior," she teased gently, a hint of fondness in her tone "Damn I cursed under my breath, feeling a pang of regret. I really was an asshole back then, and the most annoying thing was that I didn't even realize it." She shrugged nonchalantly. "It's fine. I moved past is already, so it doesn't hurt me anymore," she reassured me, her words laced with understanding. Once more, silence descended upon us, but my mind refused to quiet down. Thoughts of Jake consumed my thoughts, swirling in a relentless storm. Unable to contain the curiosity any longer, I blurted out. "Tell me more about Jake." Lily turned to me, blinking slowly in surprise. That was so random," she pointed out, a quizzical expression crossing her features. "Why do you want to know about him?" Because I want to know the lies he fed you Just the thought of it alone is making my blood boil in anger. "Because I want to ensure he's the right fit for you and our kids" I replied, masking my true feelings with a plausible explanation. "He's going to be a father to my kids someday, so it's only fair that I know the kind of person he is and what he does. The kind of family he comes from and other basic things about him" Lily didn't respond immediately, her gaze piercing as she studied me intently. For a moment, her silence unnerved me, but I held her gaze steadfastly. Would you rather I have someone look into him? Loffered, sensing her hesitation. After a moment's pause, she shook her head. "There isn't much to know about him, she began, her voice soft. "His parents are deceased, and he was raised by his grandmother in a comfortable environment in Italy. He studied at ULA, and as far as I know, he doesn't have many friends" Suppressing the urge to scoff, I pressed on with my questions. "No friends at all?" I probed, and Lily nodded in affirmation. "That's rather weird," I remarked, unable to conceal my skepticism. Lily quickly countered my assertion. "That's not weird," she defended, her voice firm. “He's an introvert, and I respect that. I don't consider him weird at all." "An introvert" I repeated, mulling over her explanation. It was certainly one way to define him. “And his grandmother-surely you've visited her before accepting his ring!" Again. Lily nodded. "Tve visited his grandmother three times, and we speak on the phone every now and then," she confirmed. Interesting. I a

m eager to know if Angelo will find out only about his grandmother when he looks into him. Just be careful, Lily," I cautioned, my voice tinged with concern. Her brows furrowed in confusion. "What's that supposed to mean?" she inquired, her eyes searching mine for answeTS. Licking my lips, I crushed the cigarette underfoot. "I care about you, Lily," I rasped, turning to face her squarely. "I care about you so much that the mere thought of anything happening to you pains me. I need you to be careful." She cleared her throat, her expression a mix of surprise and apprehension. "I'll be fine, Ryan," she reassured me softly. "I hope so too." I replied, my voice thick with emotion. Leaning in abruptly, I pressed a ki*s to her cheek, feeling her tense under my touch. Thope so too. Lily," I repeated. In a moment of recklessness, I closed the distance between us, capturing her lips with my own. But before the ki*s could deepen, she pushed me away with force, her hand connecting with a stinging slap against my cheek Stunned, I watched as she rose to her feet, her eyes blazing with anger. "Don't you dare do this again," she growled, her voice low and fierce. I'm going to pretend this didn't happen." I smirked as I rose to my feet, unable to resist a hint of sarcasm. "Does that mean you're not going to tell your fiancé?" I taunted. Her glare spoke volumes, but she turned on her heel and stomped away, leaving me alone with my thoughts. As she disappeared from view, I found myself inexplicably drawn to her ass. SIND GOT