Chapter XIII

Knox listened patiently as his expression remained unchanged. When she finished talking, he took a deep breath and said, "Lily, I love you and if you have doubts or questions then I want you to be honest with me."

Lily felt a pang in her chest as she heard his words.

She knew that Knox was the safe choice, the one who would always be there for her no matter what. But there was a part of her that wondered if that was enough. She knew that she couldn't have both Knox and Alexander.

She had to make a decision.

As she looked into Knox's eyes, she knew what she had to do.

She had to end things with Knox and take a chance on Alexander. It was a risk, but it was one she had to take. She couldn't continue living a life of uncertainty and regret.

She had to live on the edge and see where it took her.

"I'm sorry, Knox," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't do this anymore. I need to follow my heart and take a chance on what could be."

Knox looked at her with understanding in his eyes. "I understand, Lily. I want you to be happy, even if it's not with me."

Lily felt a tear trickle down her cheek as she hugged Knox, knowing that this was the end of their relationship. It hurt her to leave him, but she knew it was the right thing to do.

The next few days were a blur as Lily tried to adjust to her new life without Knox. She spent her days thinking about Alexander and wondering if she had made the right decision.

She knew the road ahead would be uncertain, but she felt alive in a way she hadn't in a long time.

As the holiday season drew near, the temperature dropped and campus seemed deserted. After the attack on the Kingdom of Eldoria, calm came over the area. Lily had not heard from or seen Alex around school either, according to Ivy. When she opened her dorm door, she was taken aback to find her mother, father, and big sister Sadie inside.

"Lily!" Her mother exclaimed as she rushed to hug her. "We missed you so much!"

Lily was thrilled to see her family, but she couldn't help but feel anxious. She hadn't told them about her breakup with Knox or her feelings for Alexander. She put on a brave face and introduced them to Ivy, who was happy to meet them.

As they sat down to catch up, Lily's mother noticed that she seemed distracted. "Is everything okay, Lily?" she asked.

Lily took a deep breath and decided to be honest with her family. "Mom, Dad, Sadie, there's something I need to tell you. I broke up with Knox a few days ago," she said.

Her family looked at her with surprise, but Lily continued. "And...I have feelings for someone else. His name is Alexander, and I know it's complicated, but I can't help how I feel."

Lily's mother placed her hand on Lily's arm reassuringly. "It's all right, dear; Knox filled us in."

Lily was taken aback. "He told you?" she inquired. Sadie cut in before her mother could answer. "But why would he tell you?", Lily persisted. Mom and Sadie exchanged uncertain glances before Mom replied. "Well, he has been aiding Sadie with some of her classes at the law school," Mom explained.

Lily was confused. She thought to herself why wasn't I included in the information?

Judging by the expression on Lily's face, Corrine, Lily's mom, said, "It would be helpful if you checked in more often so you'd know what was going on around here." “Even though the two of you have broken up, that doesn't mean we all have to.

That's between the two of you. Anyway, you just mentioned that you found someone else.”

Refusing to allow her mother to claim her spirit, she decided to change the subject and talk about her studies.

Lily took a deep breath and nodded. "You're right, Mom. I've just been so caught up in my own life that I haven't checked in as much as I should have. But I'm doing well in my studies, and I'm really enjoying my classes this semester."

Her mom smiled. "That's great, Lily. Education is important, and we are spending a lot on yours."

Lily felt a sense of some type of relief wash over her as the conversation moved away from her love life. She knew that her family would support her on some level, but she didn't want to burden them with the details of her complicated situation.

As they finished catching up, Sadie mentioned she had an extra ticket to the upcoming community winter ball and asked if Lily wanted to go with her. Lily hesitated at first, knowing that it would be awkward to run into Knox or Alexander there, but ultimately she decided to go.

She needed to move on and start living her life again.