Chapter 36

Chapter 36
Chapter 36.

“Dear, you didn’t tell us you were visiting. I’d have made my signature Marconi’s, this is such a surprise.”Lily’s mother said, bustling about the small kitchen, pulling half-empty jars and leftover vegetables as though a feast could be made in minutes.

“I didn’t know myself.” She scoffed, if only her mom knew she wasn’t bluffing. “But here we are. I’ll be staying for a little while.”

Her mother turned, her hands now settled on her waist as she looked at her. “And Mr Kalashnikov is fine with that?”

She nodded, her mom’s gaze lingered suspiciously for a while before turning back to the cooker.

“Couples of this generation,” she muttered under her breath. “Impossible.”

Lily forced a smile. She was happy to be home, happy to breathe the familiar air of her family, yet it only deepened the knot in her chest. Why had Dmitri brought her here? From everything she had come to know of him, he was not a man who let go of what belonged to him—not even for a moment. If she was in danger, he would have chained her to his side. But this… this unsettled her more than the dangers themselves.

“Where’s Gio and Uncle?” she asked, shaking the thought away.

“Your uncle’s out of the city,” her mother said, plating steaming macaroni and cheese before sitting beside her. “He’s thinking of starting a new job—though it’s not here. And Gio… oh, Gio has her graduation this evening. I was about to go shopping for groceries before you arrived.”

Lily blinked. “Graduation? She finished college a year ago. What do you mean?”

Her mother folded her hands on the table, her face softening.

“We didn’t want to worry you, especially since you and your husband went on your honeymoon.”

Honeymoon? So that was what Dmitri told them it was

“Mom, that’s not worrying me. This is my family. If anything happen, I deserve to know.”

Her mother sighed. “The remote work your uncle did wasn’t paying enough bills. And since my accident, things have been… hard. Gio decided to take baking classes. Tonight is her graduation.”

Lily sucked in the load all at once, though she couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that all these had been happening and no one thought to inform her. At least if she’d known she’d have tried her best to help them. They would at least be something she could do to help.

Before she could speak, her mother placed a gentle hand over hers. “No, Lily. Don’t blame yourself. And besides, your husband already helped us. He paid the bills. He even covered Gio’s classes.”

Lily’s breath caught. “Dmitri… helped? He knew?”

Her mother nodded. “I don’t know how, but he’s been more than a good in-law. I’ll admit, I doubted him at first—who wouldn’t? You never told me about him before, and I was half afraid you’d been forced into the marriage.” She laughed softly.

Lily swallowed, forcing a weak laugh of her own.

Then her mother’s face grew serious. Her green eyes, filled with love and concern—met Lily’s. “My dear… do you love him?”

If it was possible for a person’s throat to drop to their stomach then that was exactly what happened to Lily Hills.

She swallowed.

“I-I” she stuttered.

Her mother held her gaze, her green eyes filled with so much love and concern. Why was it such a hard question to answer?

The moment she opened her mouth to speak..no, stutter again. The silence between them stretched heavy, until the shrill buzz of her mother’s phone broke it.

“It’s Gio,” her mother said, answering. From the other end, Lily could hear her cousin’s impatient voice chattering.

“Oh dear, I almost forgot. We’ll be there soon,” her mother replied, rising from her seat. “Lily, be a darling and fetch her dress from her room. It’s a blue one, hanging by the wardrobe.”

Relieved, Lily smiled and hurried off. Saved by Gio’s nagging. She released a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding.

In love? With Dmitri? She’d never really wander that far. Yes, it was completely undeniable that she felt a strong pull towards him but could she classify it as love? What troubled her more was, what if she actually felt something close to that? Would Dmitri feel the same?

•~

Lily couldn’t remember the last time she had been in such a crowded room. Since her marriage, seclusion had become second nature. Now, stepping into a place filled with voices, laughter, and strangers, she couldn’t shake the instinct to scan for weapons hidden beneath jackets.

Was this the Mafia Don effect? Sighh, Dmitri I needed had started to have some after effects on her.

Her mother tugged at her wrist, pulling her forward through the crowd.

“Come on, Lily. They’re about to call Gio, and we still haven’t delivered her dress.”

Lily’s eyes widened as she took in the scene. This wasn’t an ordinary baking school. The stage gleamed under spotlights, and rows of graduates sat in velvet-lined gowns as if they belonged to some elite university.

Of course, she thought grimly. Dmitri must have paid a fortune for this.

The place was packed. This was definitely not an ordinary baking school. Dmitri must have paid almost a fortune, because what kind of baking classes did graduations in debutante gowns.

The hell?.

Every air inside the place smelled sweet, fresh vanilla, chocolate, and warm butter drifting from the rows of decorated cakes lined up like jewels behind glass displays. Lily’s eyes lingered on them as her mother pressed a small plate into her hands.

“Here, hold this for Gio,” her mom whispered. “It’s her macarons. Only one visitor is allowed to see the graduate, so I’ll take them in. Wait for me outside, okay?”

Lily chuckled, shaking her head. “You’re fussing more about this Gio ever would.”

“Ha! That young lady will still throw another fit and we’ve already showed up late,” her mother replied, hurrying off.

Left with the plate, Lily stood near the doorway, smiling at the sight of her mother weaving swiftly through the crowd like she owned the place. It was almost comforting, almost normal, until someone bumped into her shoulder.

The plate tilted.

The macarons slid.

They landed face-down on the polished floor, crushed into a rainbow mess.

“Holy fudges!” Lily gasped, crouching instinctively, though her voice was more frustration than anger.

A low, velvety voice followed, smooth and distinctly British. “Oh, bloody hell—my fault entirely. I’m terribly sorry.”

She looked up, the words “it’s fine” on the tip of her tongue, but they died there.

The man standing before her was nothing short of breathtaking. Blonde hair that caught the light in shades of gold, sharp features softened by a half-smile, and eyes, piercing, a shade of steel-blue that felt both dangerous and inviting.

Lily froze for a heartbeat too long, her throat suddenly dry. Handsome wasn’t even the word; he looked carved, as though a carele
ss god had decided to sculpt trouble and drop it right in her path.