Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier)

"Terence, drive safe,"

Terence got out of the car and opened the trunk. He took out a small box and handed it to her.

"I heard that the stones from Crownridge Peak are said to ward off bad luck. I picked up...two of them along the way, one for you and one for Maryanne."

Lily had heard that superstition before, though she didn't quite believe in it.

Still, the thoughtfulness behind Terence's gesture touched her, and she took the small box with a grateful smile.

"Tha-"

"I told you, don't be so formal with me," he interrupted.

As he stood by the car, Terence's short hair ruffled in the breeze. The light from the street lamps was reflected in his obsidian-like eyes.

Thanks to Maryanne, Lily knew she would be spending more time around Terence, and being overly formal would only make things more awkward. "Alright then. Be safe on your way home." She stepped back to stand on the steps and make way, but her foot caught on something

She stumbled backward and lost her balance.

"Watch out!" Terence lunged forward. He caught her with one arm around her waist and the other holding her wrist.

For a moment, the world spun around her, and she found herself in the warmth of his embrace.

Lily had always been sensitive to pain, and even the smallest bruise would leave a mark for days.

After a moment, she gathered her thoughts before the fear in her eyes slowly faded away. "You okay?" Terence gently released her.

As she was still recovering from the scare, Lily didn't notice how close they had just been. "I'm fine, but thanks for saving my life!""

Terence laughed at her reaction. He asked, "So, how are you planning to repay me?"

He was teasing her, and the playful atmosphere was a welcome change.

Rarely, Lily bantered back.

"If there's anything you need in the future, just say the word. I'll do anything for you!"

The neighborhood was quiet, and they were the only two people standing under the glow of the street lamp.

From a distance, they looked like a young couple lingering after a date, reluctant to part ways.

The scene was captured by Timothy's man, who was hiding in the shadows. He then quickly sent the photos to Timothy.

Unaware of being photographed, Lily made her way inside the building after Terence's chivalrous goodbye.

Terence returned to his car after casting one last glance at Lily's windows. When he saw that her lights were turned on, he finally started the engine.

As he was circling back through the neighborhood, he noticed a shadowy figure lurking near the bushes. The figure was snapping more photos of Lily's building.

From the dim interior of his car, Terence's eyes narrowed as he observed the stranger.

Satisfied that the man had only taken pictures before leaving, Terence drove off.noveldrama

Back home, Lily showered and went straight to bed.

Her phone was now back in signal range and lit up with countless unread messages from Hazel.

She ignored them and drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, she woke up feeling rested.

She grabbed two slices of bread from the fridge and munched on them while scrolling through the messages from Hazel.

As usual, they started with a reprimand, escalated to insults, and ended with pleas for understanding.

Lily didn't bother listening to the end.

Instead, she called Sylvester to check on the case's progress.

"Just give me one more week. I'm on the verge of a breakthrough!" Sylvester's voice was tinged with excitement. He was hinting at something major. "Alright!" Lily couldn't hide her own anticipation as she asked, "Can I visit him yet?"

"The visitation request hasn't been approved. If you're in a hurry, you could ask Mr. Fulton for help. He has the influence to speed things up." Sylvester was right. Xavier was the one who could pull the right strings to get Lily in to see Hayden immediately.