Like any other day, the office was filled with unfinished tasks and deadlines. However, today felt different—Lily and Alger were absent. Earlier, their assistant mentioned that they had some urgent matters to attend to, and Alger might not be in the office for a few days, along with Lily. It wasn't surprising, though. Lily was always with him wherever he went, and everyone seemed to understand without questioning it.
But in reality, Alger and Lily weren't traveling abroad for work. Instead, they were out of town, secretly holding a private wedding that no one knew about. Only their families and a few trusted business associates were aware of the sacred ceremony.
The moment the officiant declared them husband and wife, everyone let out a breath of relief—everyone except Lily. The weight of marrying without her father's presence hit her hard. What was supposed to be the happiest day of her life felt like the saddest. Not only was her father absent, but she had also just married a man whose moods were unpredictable—sometimes kind, sometimes cruel, and other times completely unreadable.
Now that the ceremony was over, Lily sat quietly in her room, staring blankly out the window. Her phone rested in her hand as she waited for a call from her father.
The bedroom door hadn't been closed properly, so as Helena passed by, she caught a glimpse of Lily inside. Letting out a soft sigh, she stepped in and placed a small bouquet of flowers on the table.
"Are you waiting for a call from your dad, Ly?" Helena asked, sitting beside her.
Lily flinched slightly before turning toward Helena and nodding. "He should've called me by now, Tan. Last night, I told him I was getting married today. But…"
"Maybe your dad is just resting. Don't overthink it," Helena reassured her, gently squeezing Lily's hand. "And one more thing…" She paused before continuing, "Call me Mom. You're my daughter-in-law now, and I'll treat you like my own child."
Lily was silent for a moment before giving a small nod.
"Where's Alger? You two should rest before the reception tonight."
"He's still downstairs, talking to Dad… Mom."
Helena smiled softly, releasing Lily's hand. "Get some rest, Ly. I'm sure your father will be just fine."
Even though Lily nodded her head, her feelings were all over the place. Honestly, she was really anxious because ever since she called last night, her father had been unreachable. She even tried contacting her uncle, who was waiting there, but it was useless—neither of them responded.
"What exactly is happening..." Lily whispered, wiping away her tears.
Despite her mixed emotions, Lily stood up and grabbed her casual clothes. Maybe Helena was right—she needed to freshen up with a shower. Who knows, maybe after taking a bath, she would finally hear some news from her father.
When she reached the bathroom, she looked at her reflection in the mirror, seeing herself in a wedding dress, fully made up. The girl let out a bitter smile at her fate—was she lucky, or was this just a cruel twist of fate?
"If this is my destiny, then give me strength, God. I'm not strong enough to stand on my own. Please don't give me trials beyond my ability... I'm just an ordinary woman who needs love," she murmured to herself.
Lily took off all her clothes and stepped into the bathtub, letting the warm water surround her. Maybe soaking for a while would help her relax and clear her mind.
Meanwhile, Alger opened his bedroom door and glanced around. He was officially a husband now, but instead of feeling happiness, his chest felt heavier with an unbearable weight.
The sound of running water from the bathroom confirmed that Lily was showering. Alger sat on the edge of the bed, pulling out his phone.
No matter how important today's event was, Alger never neglected his work. He pressed his phone to his ear, and soon, a voice answered from the other end.
"Why haven't you sent the documents today? I don't care—whether I'm in the office or not, work must go on. I don't want to waste time," Alger said firmly, his voice sharp.
"For God's sake, Mr. Alger," James groaned. "You're literally in the middle of your wedding right now! Are you seriously cheating on your wife with your work? I was actually planning to send the documents tomorrow morning so you wouldn't be disturbed. But—"
"Send them now, James."
James sighed in defeat. "Fine," he muttered before ending the call.
Just as the call ended, Lily stepped out of the bathroom with her wet hair dripping. Alger's gaze followed her every movement until she suddenly tossed her damp towel right at his face.
"Stop staring like that, you pervert."
Alger clicked his tongue, pulling the towel off his face. "No respect for your superior, huh? Just because you're my wife now, you think you can do whatever you want?"
Lily flashed a small, teasing smile, clasping her hands together. "I'm sorry, sir. I didn't mean to be rude. But I just don't like being stared at like that."
"Why?" Alger asked as he stood up, stepping closer to her. "Haven't you shared a room with other men before? Haven't you done things like this many times?"
Lily's smile immediately faded. She pushed his shoulder away gently.
"I've told you many times—I'm not the kind of woman you think I am, sir."
"Oh really? Do you even remember what happened before your accident? Maybe that accident was a warning for you... for sleeping around with men. Or maybe... you've done things far worse than just sleeping beside them?"
SLAP!
Lily's hand landed hard on Alger's cheek. Her eyes welled up with tears, and her breathing became ragged.
"I know you hate me, sir. But I will never let you ruin my dignity. You don't know anything about me."
"Still denying it, even though you remember nothing?" Alger smirked. "Maybe we should test it out—to see if you really haven't been touched by another man, hm?"
He took a step closer, making Lily instinctively back away, shaking her head.
"Don't you dare! I will never give myself to someone like you, sir. And I will never serve you, because that would be a loss for me."
Alger smirked as he cornered her against the wall, his intense gaze locking onto hers.
"A woman like you doesn't understand what loss really is..." he murmured, leaning in, his unreadable smile lingering between them.
"It seems that even if we play around, it won't be a loss for you. Just tell me how much money you need to redeem your so-called dignity."
Click!
"Ly, Mom forgot her flowers—oh." Helena immediately felt awkward upon seeing the scene in front of her—Alger was about to kiss Lily, and who knows what else, given how disheveled Lily's clothes were.
Lily immediately shoved Alger away harshly and walked toward the table where the flowers Helena had left behind were placed.
"T-this is Mom's flower, right?"
"Don't be nervous, dear. It's normal for newlyweds to be impatient about such things. I'll be waiting for good news from you and Alger," she whispered.
Lily frowned in confusion, staring at her mother-in-law. "What do you mean, Mom? What news?"
"Do I really need to spell it out? If you've done that, then the next news should be that you're pregnant, sweetheart. Sorry for interrupting—go ahead and continue. Don't forget to lock the door," Helena teased.
Her gaze shifted to Alger, who was sitting on the edge of the bed.
"Mom and Dad made the right choice, didn't they, Al? Just remember, there's still a party tonight, so don't wear your wife out too much," she joked.
Bang!
The door shut tightly from the outside, leaving Lily, who was about to respond, speechless.
Alger's mood had already turned sour. He got up, grabbed his towel roughly, and stormed into the bathroom.
Seeing Alger disappear into the bathroom, Lily slumped down and clutched her chest, trying to steady her breathing.
"Thank goodness Mom showed up. Otherwise, who knows what Mr. Alger would've done," Lily shuddered at the thought of Alger, who had suddenly turned into a beast ready to devour its prey. "That was terrifying. And seriously, how could I have been that immoral in the past? Where did this slander come from, making him see me in such a bad light?"
Lily sat down in front of her vanity mirror, deep in thought, tapping her fingers on the table as she stared blankly at her reflection.
"Should I start acting like a proper wife so Mr. Alger can see my good side? Maybe then, he'll make peace with the past and stop threatening and accusing me of all these things?"
She snapped her fingers, her eyes gleaming with newfound determination.
"If being firm doesn't work, we'll try another approach, Ly. I'm sure this will work."