Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier)

Chapter 41

Chapter

41

Lily finally understood. Maryanne was feeling uneasy because they kept running into Xavier and Sarah far too often.

Seeing them hurt every time. Yet, she forced a smile and shook her head. "I'm not the one who cheated. Why should I leave?" Maybe facing it frequently would make her heart go numb faster, and in the end, she could forget sooner. "You say that, but I'm worried it'll keep hurting you," Maryanne said. She went to sit beside her.

She wrapped an arm around Lily's shoulder while pressing her head gently against hers.

Warmth spread through Lily's heart. She held Maryanne's hand and said, "No matter how hard it gets, I'll get through it."

"I'll be there with you,

but don't get too grateful and fall for me, okay? I still like men," Maryanne joked, breaking the stifling tension she could hardly stand with her usual humor. Lily chuckled as the cloud over her head lightened a bit.

Still, a vague unease lingered inside her. News about Hayden was all over the internet, and it wasn't dying down.

That night, she stayed at the hospital, and not a single call or message came from Xavier. She was used to it, though her heart still ached in that familiar, dull way.

couldn't sleep in peace for the

next morning, the blaring ring of her phone shattered

call from Sylvester. Her pulse raced as she

Joyner, your brother's case will be heard in

is it so soon? Do we

to expedite the trial. We don't have everything we need, but we'll do our best. Even if we lose, we can

buried her hands in her hair and curled up on the edge of the

and filing an appeal would

up

behind bars.

couldn't imagine the devastation it would bring to the Joyner family if Hayden ended

accept the idea of that bright, cheerful boy being trapped in a place where sunlight couldn't

was that Hayden was

texted Bobby to tell

didn't say a word

side,

out of the car, she saw Bobby and Hazel

how confident are

couldn't live without him. Xavier has mentioned this to