I ran my fingers through my hair, trying to fill the silence with reasoning. 

My gaze stayed locked on her, my eyes narrowing as I struggled to make sense of her words.

But after a moment, I couldn’t help myself.

“You always said you didn't want kids," I said. "So what's with this sudden desire?”

She just sat there. Didn't say a word.

There was nothing but tears.

I shook my head.

“You crossed a line, Lily.”

She let go of my arm and started crying even harder. 

Watching her cry…

It got to me. Her tears made something twist inside my chest.

I turned toward the bathroom, my eyes stinging.

“Just be gone before I come out. And I never want to see you again.”

“No!” she shouted. “Jordan, are you breaking up with me?”

I gave her a look.

“Lily, you drugged me just so you could… have your way with me.” I snapped.

She flinched.

But I was not finished.

“I don't know which is worse. The fact that you may be telling the truth or that there is something else you're not saying.”

I hesitated before adding, 

“If you’re hiding something, Lily, I’ll find out. And you won’t like what comes after.”

Her sobs faded into whimpers.

“I'm sorry, darling,” she said. “Don't talk like this. Don't decide while you're angry. Please?”

“Just go,” I half-whispered. “I can't even look at you right now.”  

Then, I turned and stepped into the bathroom. 

Soon, the sound of running water drowned out everything else in my head.

But only until a memory from earlier flashed. 

It was blurry and fragmented: the housekeeper handing me a bottle of water, her fingers brushing mine. 

I remembered throwing my head back, spilling water down my shirt. 

Her face wouldn’t come into focus, it got lost in the thick fog of my brain. 

I turned off the shower. 

I needed to act fast. 

By the time I stepped out, Lily was gone.

A note she left on the bed read:

“Please forgive me.” 

It was signed with a heart emoji.

My silly heart softened for one second.

Was I too hard on her?

No. 

I crumpled the note, tossed it into the trash and went into my closet. 

This wasn’t the moment for second guesses.

After getting dressed, I grabbed my phone from where it had fallen under the bed. 

There was a text from Nick, my friend.

Nick Stallone and I were together when I had the migraine which made me return earlier than usual to take a short rest.

My finger swiped the text away and clicked his contact.

“Hey, man,” he answered on the first ring. “You feeling better?”

“Not even close,” I answered. 

“Lily did something crazy and now, I'm in a mess.”

“Woah, slow down,” Nick said. “What do you mean ‘mess’?”

“I need to take care of something now,” I told him. 

“I'll see you later and explain everything.”

If there was anyone I could trust with all this, it was Nick.

He was the brother I never had and I trusted him with my life. 

The guy’s a total mystery. 

While I’d freak out at the smallest thing, he’d keep his cool and pick everything apart like it was just another puzzle. 

Most times he drove me nuts. 

“Alright,” he said. 

I hung up. 

A couple of minutes later, I left my suite and went straight to security. 

The chief of security, Mark Chen was already on his way towards me, with two others trailing. 

“Mr. Styles, what can I do for you?” he asked, clearly concerned to see me there. 

“Walk with me to your office,” I said.

“And lose your men.” 

He nodded.

“Of course.” 

And waved the men off.

Then he hurried ahead, leading the way. 

Inside his office, I nodded toward the computer.

“Unlock it.” 

His face froze for a moment, but he did what I asked and typed in his password. 

Once the screen came to life, I gestured at the door. 

“Give me some privacy.” 

He hovered, trying to figure things out from my face, but I stared back until he finally left, shutting the door behind him quietly. 

I sat down and dove in. 

“Twelfth floor,” I muttered, watching the feed as it flickered on. 

I rewound to 3 PM.

Then fast-forwarded through minutes of scanty halls until…

There we were. 

My stomach dropped. 

I watched myself stumble down the hallway, a ridiculous handkerchief on my head. 

The housekeeper beside me was half my size and yet, somehow kept me upright. 

I hated seeing myself like that.

Helpless.

Weak. 

Worse... unaware. 

The cameras never caught her face. It was like she’d mapped out every blind spot in advance, slipping past them on purpose. 

Honestly, I couldn’t decide if I was impressed or worried. Either she was a pro at hiding or she was dangerous. 

I squinted, my lips tightening. 

Then a detail jumped out at me. 

The handkerchief. 

I’d seen it in suite 126B, lying there. 

My breathing picked up. 

I remembered it clearly.

It was embroidered with vines and flowers, all carefully hand-stitched. 

Or not so carefully because it looked like the work of an amateur. 

“Love Nana,” it said on one edge in brown-gold thread. 

My brows came together in a slight frown.

If another housekeeper found it and turned it in...

Maybe they wouldn’t trace it back to me. 

Still, questions would start.

And that was the last thing I needed. 

I had to go fetch it before anyone else did. 

“Damn you, Lily,” I muttered, my fingers clenching the desk. 

But I still didn’t have what I came for. 

I scrubbed through more footage, jumping to the time after Dr. Grant showed up.

Maybe I’d see her face on her way out. 

I watched as she ducked into the elevator, her face hidden as at other times. 

I leaned back, defeated. 

Why was she still being careful, even after I was with my doctor? 

Who or what was she scared of? 

For twenty solid minutes, I tried to track which floor she got off on.

I got nothing. 

Then I remembered…

Dr. Grant had her contact info. 

I let out a long breath. I just needed to call him. 

I refreshed the security feed and left Chen’s office immediately. 

He looked after me, lost, but I didn’t bother to fill him in. I wasn’t any closer to answers myself. 

That ghost of a housekeeper saw me at my worst. And she was gone. 

Loose ends gnawed at me. 

One picture, one video and she could ruin me. 

I wasn’t going to let that happen. I had to find her, before she decided what to do with what she’d seen. 

And Lily…

The more I thought about it, the clearer it felt. 

Lily couldn’t have planned all this just to have a baby. She wasn’t built like that. Someone else was definitely involved. 

And this…

This may be just the start.

NALANI’S POV

I didn't bother attending my lectures.

I was a mess.

I hung around the campus until it was okay to return home.

The front door swung open, and a warm glow spilled out, enveloping me.

Nana’s chicken stew aroma filled the room.

It should have been a perfect welcome, but my appetite was long gone.

Her face lit up with a smile as she looked up from her book.

Then my vision blurred with tears, and my throat locked.

My bag slipped from my hand, and my feet moved on their own, carrying me across the room until I sank into the couch beside her, burying my face in her shoulder.

One sob after another, my whole body shook with the force of emotions I could no longer hold back.

Nana’s arms wrapped around me gently as she pulled me closer.

“Nana,” I cried.

“Sweetie,” she answered quietly. “You're home now. Cry all you need to.”

Tears streamed down my face, relentlessly, soaking her blouse.

Everything hurt.

My phone kept buzzing with calls and text messages.

I ignored them, knowing it was Baker. I didn't care to hear from him ever again.

I guess I understood now how Dixie felt at the Christmas party.

After a while, I pulled away, sniffling.

Nana passed me some tissues.

My fingers closed around them, and I blew my nose, making an awkward sound in the sudden silence.

“I'll be okay,” I said, my voice a bit steadier now, as I wiped my eyes dry with the back of my hands.

“Of course you will,” Nana agreed. “Now tell me what made my favorite grand baby cry.”

“I'm your only grand baby, Nana,” I pointed out.

The smile lines around her eyes crinkled, but her gaze stayed on my face.

“That's because I could never share my love for you with anyone else.”

I knew I had to tell her something, otherwise she would worry herself sick.

But which truth would be easier for her to bear?

Definitely not about me getting fired.

“I broke up with Baker, Nana,” I answered finally.

Her eyes traced the contours of my face as if she was searching for something.

I nodded.

Then her shoulders dropped, and a gentle exhale parted her lips.

“Good riddance,” she said. “I know you made the right decision.”

“You're not going to ask me what happened?” I asked.

“Are you ready to talk about it?” she asked.

I nodded.

“I think I got all my anger out already. So, yes.”

“Do you need some ice-cream while we talk?”

I shook my head.

“I'm not going to wallow because of him,” I answered. “Besides, it’s a short story. I caught him cheating.”

Her head jerked backward.

“He's a fool,” she said. “You know that, right?”

“Mm-hm,” I answered. “You tried to warn me. Should've listened.”

Her head moved side to side, as her eyes locked onto mine,

“You gave him a chance,” she disagreed. “He was the one who chose to prove me right.”

She hugged me again.

“He always had a wandering eye. Old school like me can smell it from miles away.”

“Better now than later, sweetie. As long as you’re the one who did the dumping.”

“He was with Phoebe,” I added.

She gasped, her hand flying to her chest, her eyes wide with a mix of shock followed closely by anger.

“That daughter of a…” she stopped herself. “Even I didn't see that coming.”

Her warm fingers closed around my hand, gently squeezing, while she wiped a tear that slipped out my eye.

“My heart breaks for you, sweetie. But you don't need fake friends.”

I stopped another tear from dropping.

“I don't know whose betrayal hurts more, Nana.”

“Mm-hmm.”

I exhaled through my mouth and got up.

“But I'm done crying. I'm going to take a shower and sleep.”

“What about dinner?” she asked, frowning.

“I'm too tired to eat,” I lied.

Who eats after watching their boyfriend step out of the shower with their best friend, right after being falsely accused of stealing and getting fired?

“Uh-uh, you're not going to bed on an empty stomach because of those whores, Nala,” Nana said. “I know I taught you better than that.”

“I'm over them, Nana,” I responded, raising my hand.

“Prove it,” she challenged.

I shut my eyes for a second.

Then, I smiled as convincingly as I could.

“Let's celebrate it tomorrow. After work.”

“You're sure?” Nana queried, a little worry in her voice. “Wouldn't tomorrow be too early?

Ever since I could remember, Nana and I have had this tradition.

We celebrated every first. Whether it was good or bad.

It was our own way of staying positive, accepting life and moving on, especially during hard times.

Baker was the first guy I said yes to, so this was my first breakup.

“You asked for proof,” I said. “Let's have it tomorrow. The earlier we have it, the sooner I can have a fresh start.”

“Attagirl,” Nana cheered happily.

After showering, I returned to kiss her goodnight and was soon asleep, all worries, postponed until tomorrow.

Only tomorrow took forever to come.

~~~~~

LILY'S POV

Annalise’s eyes flickered with a mix of frustration and desperation.

“You had one job.” she said with disdain in her voice.

I stayed mute.

“You drugged him and then lost him?” she asked. “Do you have any idea how difficult you just made things?”

I was meeting her at a park, the spot she had picked.

The night air was chilly, carrying the sound of traffic into the starless sky.

Morris, her son from another marriage, stood a few feet away, listening to us.

The pale moon cast a silvery glow on her face, letting me see just how much my failure angered her.

I wonder why she was so obsessed with having this baby?

“How is it my fault that he found out?” I responded with a bit of caution.

Annalise literally had my life in her hands. I had to deal carefully with her.

“You told me he would be mostly unconscious after he took it,” I went on. “That wasn't what happened.”

“Stop with the excuses and think of something fast,” she snapped.

“There's no way we can pin this pregnancy on him if he doesn't sleep with you within one week. If my plan dies, your life will be over.”

“He already broke up with me,” I half-lamented. “There's… nothing I can do about that.”

Her head flew back, a mocking laugh escaping her,

“Oh please, get over yourself.” she said.

“You've been sleeping with the man for years. You know exactly what to do.”

She paused before adding,

“I'm having a Style heir and you are not about to ruin that for me. Think about what I can do to you at the snap of my fingers. That's all the motivation you need.”

“Annalise, please…”

“One week,” she said, cutting me off.

Then she spun on her heel, heading back to her sleek black Mercedes parked by the curb.