Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier)

Chapter 71

Chapter 71

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Chapter 71

Meanwhile, Lily was struggling at work. Over the past few days, Xavier's work had been disrupting her focus.

She wore a scarf to cover the hickeys, but every time she looked down, it felt tight and uncomfortable-yet she couldn't take it off. By Friday evening, the hickeys had faded enough that she finally removed the scarf. Nadia decided to accompany her to take the measurements for Sarah, worried that sending her alone might look bad. Since Lily didn't have a car, Nadia drove. Sarah had sent the address directly to Nadia's WhatsApp.

Nadia didn't like Lily, and Lily had no intention of breaking the silence, so the atmosphere in the car was icy. She sat in the back, opening Hazel's WhatsApp messages from the past few days. "Lily, how can you not let your father lecture you? He was furious with me and blamed me for not raising you right. You were never truly welcomed in the Joyner family. I pitied you, spoiled you, and now it's my fault you've turned out this way..."

sense Hazel's guilt, which left a chill in her heart.

you must be good so your father and grandmother will like

and don't

you don't do this, your father will

voice messages and calls, which Lily had missed due to her phone

disappointed

midnight, was brief but stung

would inevitably end up pleading with Xavier, forever playing the role of his lowly, humiliated wife. Just the thought of the look in Xavier's eyes made her feel

forehead, she let herself

disillusioned, she still had Hayden; she didn't want to cut them off completely. But if she had given in before her divorce from Xavier was final, things would only have been

even realize when the

muttered, unbuckling her

she was alone in the car. Quickly, she grabbed her bag

up, only to freeze when she