Lily sat in Reginald's office, her mind reeling with the weight of his words. CEO? Her? It seemed like a daunting task, especially considering the company's current state.
Reginald leaned forward, his eyes locked on hers. "Lily, I know this is a lot to take in, but I truly believe you're the best person for the job. You have a unique perspective, and your father's legacy is counting on you."
Lily took a deep breath, trying to process her emotions. She thought about her father, about the company, and about her own strengths and weaknesses.
"I need some time to think," she said finally, standing up. "Can I have a day to consider it?"
Reginald nodded. "Of course, Lily. Take all the time you need. But remember, the board is waiting for an answer, and the company needs a leader now more than ever."
Lily nodded, feeling the weight of responsibility settling onto her shoulders. She left Reginald's office, her mind racing with questions and doubts.
As Lily stepped out of Reginald's office, she was greeted by the familiar sight of Luca leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and a concerned expression on his face.
"Hey," he said, pushing off the wall and walking towards her. "How did it go?"
Lily sighed, feeling a mix of emotions. "Reginald wants me to be the CEO."
Luca's eyebrows shot up. "That's a big responsibility. What did you tell him?"
Lily shook her head. "I asked for a day to think about it. I don't know, Luca. It's a lot to take in."
Luca nodded understandingly. "I get it. But you know you'd be amazing at it, right? You're smart, capable, and you care about the company."
Lily smiled, feeling a warmth in her chest. "Thanks, Luca. That means a lot coming from you."
Luca's expression turned serious. "Lily, I need to ask you something. Are you considering taking the job because you really want it, or because you feel obligated to your father's memory?"
Lily's eyes locked onto Luca's, and she felt a pang of uncertainty. Was she doing this for herself, or for her father?
Lily looked away, trying to gather her thoughts. Luca's question had struck a chord, and she wasn't sure of the answer herself.
"I don't know, Luca," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like I owe it to my father to try and save the company. But at the same time, I'm not sure if I'm doing it for him or for myself."
Luca nodded understandingly, his eyes filled with empathy. "I think that's a normal feeling, Lil. You're still grieving, and this is a lot to take on."
He paused, then reached out and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. "But I believe in you, Lil. You're strong and capable, and I know you'll make the right decision."
Lily felt a warmth spread through her chest at his touch. She smiled, feeling grateful for Luca's support.
"Thanks, Luca," she said, her voice sincere. "Just knowing you're here for me makes a big difference."
Luca smiled back, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "I'll always be here for you, Lil."
Lily takes a deep breath and looks at Luca, her eyes searching for answers. "I'm not sure, Luca. I feel like I'm being pulled in two different directions. Part of me wants to do it for my father, to make him proud and keep his legacy alive. But another part of me is scared, really scared, of taking on that kind of responsibility."
Luca nods understandingly, his expression soft. "I get it, Lil. It's a tough decision. But you know what? I think you're capable of amazing things. And if you decide to take the job, I'll be right there beside you, supporting you every step of the way."
Lily's heart swells with emotion as she looks at Luca. She feels a sense of gratitude and affection towards him, and for a moment, she forgets about the CEO job and just enjoys the warmth of the moment.
Just then, Reginald appears at the door, a somber expression on his face. "Lily, may I have a word with you?"
Lily nods, and Reginald steps into the room, closing the door behind him. Luca raises an eyebrow, but Reginald shakes his head. "This is between Lily and me, Luca."
Luca nods and steps out of the room, leaving Lily alone with Reginald.
"Lily, I wanted to talk to you about something," Reginald says, his voice low and serious. "Something that could impact your decision about becoming CEO."
Lily's curiosity is piqued. "What is it?" she asks, her heart racing with anticipation.
Reginald hesitates, as if unsure of how to proceed. "It's about your father's death," he says finally. "I'm not sure if you're aware, but there were some... irregularities surrounding the investigation."
Lily's eyes widen in shock. "What do you mean?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
Reginald glances around the room, as if ensuring they're truly alone. "I think it's possible that your father's death was not an accident," he says, his words dropping like a bombshell.
Lily feels like she's been punched in the gut. She can't breathe, can't think. Her father's death was an accident, a tragic accident. The idea that it might have been something more sinister is too much to bear.
"What are you talking about?" she asks, trying to keep her voice steady.
Reginald leans in, his eyes locked on hers. "I'm talking about the investigation, Lily. There were inconsistencies, discrepancies. The police ruled it an accident, but I've always had my doubts."
Lily's mind was racing. She remembers the investigation, remembers the police telling her that it was an accident. But now, Reginald is telling her that it might not have been an accident after all.
"Why are you telling me this now?" she asks, her voice shaking with emotion.
Reginald's expression is grim. "Because, Lily, if you're going to take over as CEO, you need to know the truth. You need to know what you're up against."
Lily feels like her world has been turned upside down. She doesn't know what to think, what to believe. All she knows is that she needs to get to the bottom of this.
"What do I need to do?" she asks Reginald, her voice firm.
Reginald nods. "I'll give you the files, Lily. You can investigate for yourself. But be careful. If someone did kill your father, they're still out there. And they'll stop at nothing to keep the truth hidden."
Lily's heart was racing as she took the files from Reginald. She can feel the weight of the investigation settling onto her shoulders. She's determined to get to the bottom of her father's death, no matter what it takes.
"I'll be careful," she promises Reginald. "But I need to know the truth."
Reginald nods, his expression somber. "I know you do, Lily. Just be careful who you trust."
Lily nods, tucking the files into her bag. She's already thinking about who she can trust, who she can turn to for help.
As she leaves Reginald's office, she's stopped by Luca. "Hey, what's going on?" he asks, noticing the look on her face.
Lily hesitates, unsure of how much to reveal. But something about Luca's expression makes her trust him.
"I need to tell you something," she says, pulling him into a quiet corner of the hallway. "Something about my father's death."
Luca's eyes narrow, his expression intense. "What is it?" he asks, his voice low.
Lily takes a deep breath, steeling herself for what's to come. "I think it might not have been an accident," she says, her voice barely above a whisper.
Luca's eyes widen in shock, but he quickly recovers. "We'll investigate," he says, his voice firm. "We'll get to the bottom of this, together."
Lily feels a surge of relief at Luca's words. She's glad she can trust him, glad she's not alone in this.
"Let's start by going through these files," Luca says, nodding towards the documents in Lily's bag.
Lily hands them over, and Luca begins to scan through them. As they stand there, Lily can't help but notice the way Luca's eyes scan the pages, the way his brow furrows in concentration.
After a few minutes, Luca looks up, his expression serious. "There's something here," he says, his voice low. "A discrepancy in the police report. It looks like some crucial information was omitted."
Lily's heart skips a beat. "What does it mean?" she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.
Luca's eyes lock onto hers. "It means we need to dig deeper," he says, his voice firm.
Lily nods, feeling a sense of determination wash over her. "Let's do it," she says, her voice resolute.
Luca smiles slightly, his eyes crinkling at the corners. "You must be tired from all of this busy routine," he says, his voice softening. "Let's go. I'll drop you off at your home. We can look into it later."
Lily hesitates for a moment, but the thought of going home and resting is tempting. "Okay," she says finally, nodding. Luca nods and starts gathering his things, and they head out together.
As Luca dropped Lily off at her house,"I'll see you later, okay?" he said, smiling.
Lily smiled back, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort. "Okay, I'll talk to you soon," she replied.
Luca nodded and drove off, leaving Lily to enter her house alone.
As she stepped inside, one of the servants greeted her with a bow. "Miss Lily, your uncle came to meet you and he is waiting in the living room," he said, his voice formal. "So, what would you like me to do, miss?"
Lily smiled and nodded in response. "Please, tell him I'll be right there, Thomas."
As Lily entered the grand living room, her uncle stood up from the plush sofa, a warm smile spreading across his face. His eyes still twinkled with the same warmth and kindness she remembered from before.
"Ah, Lily, my dear, it's been far too long," he said, opening his arms wide.
Lily felt a mix of emotions as she approached her uncle. She hadn't seen him since her father's funeral, and the distance had created a sense of awkwardness between them.
"Uncle," she said, trying to sound calm, as she hugged him lightly.
Her uncle held her at arm's length, studying her face. "You look more beautiful than ever, Lily. I'm so proud of the strong, intelligent woman you've become."
Lily felt a flush rise to her cheeks as she smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards her uncle.
Her uncle's expression turned serious. "Lily, I know I haven't been around much, but I want you to know that I'm here for you now. I'll always be here for you, whenever you need me."
Lily's eyes welled up with tears as she hugged her uncle tightly. "Thank you, Uncle," she whispered.
As they sat down on the sofa, her uncle told Lily that her cousin, Ethan, would be returning from abroad the next day. "I want you to pick him up from the airport and spend some time with him," he said. "You two haven't seen each other in years, and I think it's time you caught up."
Lily nodded eagerly. "Of course, Uncle. I'd be happy to."
After her uncle left, Lily went to her bedroom, feeling a sense of excitement and nervousness. She hadn't seen Ethan in years, and she wondered what he would be like now.
As she drifted off to sleep, she was startled by the sound of the doorbell ringing. She got out of bed, wondering who it could be at this late hour.
As she made her way to the door, she heard the sound of Luca's voice, deep and smooth, as he greeted the servants. Lily's heart skipped a beat as she opened the door to let Luca in.
He looked handsome, as always, with a hint of tiredness around his eyes. "Hey," he said, smiling, as he walked in. "I hope I'm not disturbing you. I was in the neighborhood and thought I'd drop by."
Lily smiled, feeling a sense of happiness at seeing him. "You're not disturbing me at all," she said. "Come on in."
As they walked into the living room, Lily couldn't help but notice the contrast between Luca's casual, relaxed demeanor and the formal, elegant atmosphere of her uncle's visit earlier.
Luca noticed her gaze and raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?" he asked, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Lily shook her head, smiling. "Just thinking about my uncle's visit earlier," she said. "He was being really formal and elegant, as always."
Luca nodded, taking a seat on the couch. "I can imagine," he said. "Your uncle seems like a very dignified and refined person."
Lily sat down beside him, feeling a sense of comfort and ease in his presence. "Yeah, he is," she said. "But sometimes I wish he could just relax and be himself, you know?"
Luca nodded, putting his arm on the side of sofa. "I think I do," he said, smiling. "Sometimes, being around formal and elegant people can be a bit stifling."
Lily leaned into his side, feeling grateful for his understanding and support. "Exactly," she said. "It's nice to have someone like you around, Luca."
Luca's eyes locked onto hers, filled with warmth. "I'm always here for you, Lily," he said, his voice low and gentle.
Luca looked at Lily, noticing the far-off look in her eyes. "What are you thinking about?" he asked casually.
Lily's thoughts snapped back. _Ethan... tomorrow..._ "I'm picking up my cousin Ethan from the airport tomorrow," she said. "We haven't seen each other in ages."
Luca raised an eyebrow. "How long's it been?"
Lily smiled nostalgically. "A few years, I think. We used to be super close."
Luca nodded. "Sounds like a plan. You gonna catch up with him?
Lily's smile grew. "Definitely."
Luca's brow furrowed slightly, and he said, "Hmm, okay. I'll go with you."
Lily smiled and said, "You don't have to, I'm fine on my own."
Luca's tone remained even, "It's no problem, I'd like to come with you."
Lily nodded. "Okay, thanks."
The next day, Lily and Luca drove to the airport to pick up Ethan. As they waited for Ethan's flight to arrive, Lily couldn't help but wonder what her cousin would be like.
And then, as they walked towards the arrivals gate, Lily saw him – tall, handsome, and charming, with a bright smile on his face.
Luca's eyes narrowed slightly as he gazed at Ethan. Lily couldn't help but notice the hint of jealousy in his expression.
As they approached Ethan, Lily smiled warmly. "Ethan, it's so great to see you!" she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.
Ethan hugged her back, laughing. "Lily, it's amazing to see you too! You look incredible."
Ethan looked every bit the charming, sophisticated young man she had expected. His eyes crinkled at the corners as he smiled, and his dark hair was perfectly styled.
Luca, on the other hand, looked less than thrilled. His eyes narrowed slightly as he watched Ethan, his expression unreadable.
"Hi," Ethan said, extending his hand to Luca. "I'm Ethan, Lily's cousin."
Luca's handshake was firm, but his smile was curt. "Luca," he said, his eyes never leaving Ethan's face.
Lily felt a pang of amusement at Luca's obvious jealousy. She leaned into his side, trying to reassure him. "Let's get Ethan's bags," she said, smiling up at Luca.
As they walked towards the baggage claim, Ethan chatted easily, asking Lily about her life and her interests. Luca walked beside them, his silence a stark contrast to Ethan's easy charm.
As they walked to the car, Luca's silence was palpable. Ethan, oblivious to the tension, chatted enthusiastically about his flight and his plans for the upcoming weeks.
Lily tried to intervene, asking Luca questions about his day, but he responded with monosyllabic answers, his eyes fixed on Ethan.
Ethan, finally noticing Luca's frosty demeanor, turned to Lily with a questioning glance. "Is everything okay?" he asked.
Lily forced a smile, trying to diffuse the tension. "Yeah, everything's fine," she said. "Luca's just a little.... tired."
Ethan nodded, but his eyes lingered on Luca's face, a hint of curiosity and wariness flickering in their depths.
As they reached the car, Luca opened the door for Lily, his
eyes never leaving Ethan's face. "Let's get going," he said, his voice low and even.
The atmosphere in the car was strained, the tension between Luca and Ethan almost palpable. Lily wondered what the rest of the day would bring....