Chapter 161: Martha Baker

Lewis Walker

Derek's son.

Dating my own daughter.

No.

Out of all the boys in this city… Out of every surname she could have mentioned… Why did it have to be Walker?

I kept my expression as composed as I could while she watched me, waiting for an explanation I couldn't give.

I had spent weeks making sure her life never crossed with Derek's more than necessary. And now she had unknowingly walked straight into the middle of it.

No, I couldn't allow it. Not under any circumstances.

I barely remembered climbing the stairs. I barely remembered putting the invitation cards down. My thoughts were racing far too quickly to notice anything else.

I paced my bedroom, pressing both hands against my temples.

"No..." I whispered. "No, no, no."

This couldn't happen.

It wasn't just because Derek and I had a past. That alone would've been enough to make me uncomfortable. But there was something much bigger at stake. Something Lily knew absolutely nothing about.

I walked to the window and stared outside without really seeing anything.

Derek and I had made plans.

Dangerous plans.

Necessary plans.

Susan's money wasn't simply something we wanted. It was something we needed.

The last thing either of us needed was our children falling for each other because emotions complicated everything. Relationships made people curious. Curious people started asking questions. Questions uncovered secrets. Secrets destroyed lives.

"No,” I repeated more firmly. "I won't allow it."

Lewis might have been a good boy.

From everything I'd seen, he probably was. He was kind, respectful and friendly, unlike his brother but none of that mattered.

He was still Susan and Derek's son. That fact alone made him the wrong choice.

There was only one solution.

I'd speak to him myself.

If Lily wouldn't listen to reason, perhaps Lewis would.

I'd tell him to stay away from her. Whatever excuse I needed to invent, I'd invent it. He didn't need to know the truth. Neither did Lily.

The less either of them knew, the better.

I hurried downstairs, my heels clicking sharply against the wooden steps.

"Lily!"

I called.

No answer.

Good.

That made leaving easier.

I opened the front door with more force than necessary and stepped outside.

The evening air was cooler than I expected but it didn't matter. My mind was already rehearsing what I intended to say.

Lewis… You're a nice boy, but this relationship can't continue.

No.

Too soft.

Lewis… Stay away from my daughter.

Still not enough.

I sighed in frustration.

How exactly was I supposed to explain something I wasn't allowed to explain?

I had barely reached their house when a familiar black car slowed beside me. Then the driver's window rolled down.

Derek.

He looked at me curiously.

"Martha?" His eyes scanned my face. "You look upset."

I laughed bitterly. "That's because I am."

His expression immediately became serious.

"What happened?"

"Open the door."

He did without another question.

I climbed into the passenger seat and shut the door firmly.

For a few seconds, I didn't say anything.

He waited.

He'd always been strangely patient whenever I was angry.

Eventually, I broke the silence.

"Lily."

His eyebrows lifted slightly. "What about her?"

I turned fully toward him.

"She's dating your son."

He blinked, completely shocked.

"What?"

"You heard me."

"Which son?"

"How many sons named Lewis do you have?"

A slow look of disbelief spread across his face.

"Lewis?"

"Yes."

"And Lily?"

"Yes."

He leaned back against his seat.

"Since when?"

"I have no idea."

"She told me today."

He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Hm."

I frowned. "'Hm? That's your response?"

"I'm thinking."

"Think faster."

He looked at me again.

"Did she say they're serious?"

"I don't care whether they're serious. I care that they're together. I don't want them together. They can't be together."

His expression softened.

"Martha…"

"No,” I interrupted. "I'm serious."

"I know."

"No, Derek,” I shook my head firmly. "You don't understand. If those two continue seeing each other..." I lowered my voice. "Everything we've planned could fall apart."

He understood immediately.

He had a plan to divorce Susan and be in charge of her money because she was mentally unstable. I had a plan to take whatever cut I get and walk away quietly.

But he didn't know that yet because I made him believe we have a future together.

He slowly nodded. "I'll handle it."

I looked at him carefully.

"How?"

"I'll speak to Lewis."

"You think he'll listen?"

A faint smile appeared on Derek's face.

"My son has always listened to me."

There was quiet confidence in his voice.

"If I tell him to end it..." He shrugged. "He'll end it."

I wanted to believe him. I really did.

Lewis had always struck me as respectful and obedient.

Unlike Lily.

Just thinking about my daughter made me sigh heavily.

Derek noticed.

"What?"

I rubbed my forehead.

"She's exhausting."

He chuckled softly.

"I've noticed."

"That girl..." I shook my head. "She never thinks before acting. Everything is emotion. Everything is impulse for her. She argues first and listens later."

Derek laughed.

"She does seem a little stubborn."

"A little?" I scoffed. "She's impossible."

He smiled. "I'll talk to Lewis, then you talk to Lily."

"I've tried."

"Try again."

I leaned back against the seat, finally feeling some of the tension leaving my body.

Then Derek spoke again. "You know you should take better care of Lily."

"What?"

He continued carefully. "She's thoughtful but also thoughtless."

My expression hardened immediately.

"And she's unnecessarily stubborn."

I turned fully toward him.

"Excuse me?"

He looked at me.

"I'm just saying…"

"No,” I cut him off sharply. "You don't get to speak about my daughter like that."

"I wasn't insulting her."

"You were."

"I was being honest."

"I don't care." My voice rose before I could stop it. "I know we've done some stupid things together, but don't sit here and insult my daughter."

"I'm sorry,” he said it quietly. "I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

"Then how did you mean it?"

"I meant..." His voice softened. "...that she's still young. And she acts before thinking, but that's not entirely her fault."

I remained silent.

"I shouldn't have said it like that."

He looked genuinely apologetic.

"I'm sorry, Martha."

The sincerity in his eyes slowly dissolved some of my anger.

I looked away.

“Look at me,” he said with a dangerously low voice.

The moment I looked at him, I became aware of how close we were sitting.

"Derek..." I began softly.

Before I could finish speaking, he reached out. His thumb gently brushed against my lower lips.

We were in his fucking car.

We were outside.

Anyone could see us.

Just because of these reasons, I should've pulled away.

But I didn't.

His thumb slowly found its way into my mouth and I let it happen.

We've done this before but whenever he touched me like this, my brain just refused to work.

“I've missed you,” he whispered.

Before I could think of a response, he leaned closer. Close enough that I could feel the warmth of his breath.

And before my brain could decide whether to stop him, he pulled my face closer and his lips found mine.