Chapter 258

Chapter 258

Lily's POV

I stood beside Nathan at Richard's grave, watching as he stared at the fresh mound of dirt without shedding a single tear. The burial had concluded hours ago, but Nathan remained fixed in place, his expression unreadable beneath the cloudy sky. Richard had passed away peacefully in the garden just yesterday, smiling as he lay on the grass with Elizabeth by his side—exactly as he would have wanted.

I placed my hand gently on Nathan's arm. "If you need to scream, or cry—or punch something... I'm here," I offered softly, before quickly adding, "Well, maybe skip the punching part—"

"I know," he replied, his voice steady but distant. He finally turned to look at me, his eyes dry but filled with a heaviness I hadn't seen before. "I should be crying, but everyone's depending on me. I can't let them down." A bitter smile crossed his lips. "Tears are a sign of weakness."

I didn't argue with him. As the new head of the Sullivan family, he carried expectations that I could barely comprehend. Despite his own grief, everyone looked to him to handle everything now. It was the price of being the chosen successor.

Nathan had changed in just one day. There was a new maturity about him, a seriousness and sense of responsibility that made him seem older than his years. The cocky, impulsive man I'd fallen for was still there, but now tempered by the weight of his family's legacy.

"It's comforting to know he's not in pain anymore," Nathan said, breaking the silence. "I've been preparing for this moment for months, dreading it... but I'm okay."

"Are you really?" I asked, searching his face.

"Yes," he assured me, his expression softening slightly. "It's because I have you, Eleanor, and little Nathan." His hand moved to my stomach, where our second child—a boy, according to the recent ultrasound—was growing.

"Your mom is doing better than I expected," I said. "She's stronger than she looks."

We'd moved into the Sullivan estate to keep Elizabeth company, and surprisingly, my mother Sarah had been a tremendous help. The two women had formed an unexpected bond over their shared experiences as matriarchs of powerful families.

"I think we're all okay because we knew it was coming," Nathan explained, his gaze returning to the grave. "Father would laugh at all of us for crying anyway."

I nodded in agreement. Richard had always been practical about death, even his own.

"Anyway, we should head back and get ready for the gathering," Nathan said, making an effort to sound positive.

---

The Sullivan estate was filled with people, music, and food—a celebration of Richard's life rather than a mourning of his death, just as he had requested. I stood in a corner, watching the guests mingle while bouncing Eleanor gently in my arms.

"Lily, you should try this," Logan approached, holding out a plate with an elaborately decorated pastry. "This was my son's favorite!"

I smiled politely and took a small bite. It was overwhelmingly sweet, but I nodded appreciatively. Logan had warmed considerably toward me since the day I accidentally caught him crying in Richard's study and comforted him. The tough old man had shown me a vulnerability that created an unexpected bond between us.

Across the room, I spotted Nathan heading to the kitchen with Tyler, Joseph, James, and Alex—the four knights who always seemed determined to corrupt my Nathan. Despite his earlier promise to stop drinking, I saw glasses being poured. I frowned slightly but decided this wasn't the day to bring it up.

Martha took Eleanor from my arms to join the other children playing in the adjacent room. I watched my daughter go, remembering Elizabeth's comment about her: 'She's exactly like you, but I can see she'll end up with Nathan's personality eventually.'

Lost in thought, I didn't notice someone approaching until she spoke.

"Um, this is awkward—isn't it?"

I turned to find a woman I didn't recognize standing beside me. She was about my age, with shoulder-length blonde hair and friendly eyes.

"I'm Riley," she continued when I didn't immediately respond. Social situations had never been my forte, and I wasn't sure what to say to this stranger at my father-in-law's memorial gathering.

"You're Lily, right?" she prompted. "Alex said whenever I feel awkward, I should stand next to you because you're... also awkward."

Despite myself, I laughed. "He said that? The nerve of him. I'm nowhere near as awkward as he is!"

"I know, right?" Riley agreed with a bright smile. "Have you noticed how his eyes do that weird thing when someone compliments him?"

"Yes!" I exclaimed, feeling an immediate connection. Then curiosity got the better of me. "How do you know Alex?"

Riley's cheeks flushed slightly. "Oh, I'm his... girlfriend." She looked down briefly. "Sorry, it's still so new it sounds weird saying it out loud."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise. I wondered if Alex had told her about his former feelings for me, but before I could dwell on it, Riley continued.

"You're really beautiful. I can see why Alex was infatuated with you!" she said with such genuine openness that I couldn't help but warm to her.

Impulsively, I blurted out, "This might be a strange question... but would you like to be my best friend?" As soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them. "Or... or we could work on it?"

To my relief, Riley didn't seem put off by my awkwardness. "Sure, why not!" she replied cheerfully. "We can be best friends. Give me your number." We exchanged phone numbers, and I felt a flutter of excitement at the prospect of having a friend outside the family circle.

"So, is your family part of the crime syndicate, or are they normal like mine?" Riley asked casually.

I realized Alex must be serious about her if he'd told her about his occupation. "Unfortunately, my family is far from normal," I admitted.

"That's okay, normal is boring," she replied with a shrug.

I found myself wondering if Riley would forget about me once she moved to the West Coast with Alex. The thought made me sad.

"We should set up a playdate with the kids—" Riley suggested.

"Kids?" I interrupted, surprised. "I didn't know you had children?"

"A three-year-old, from my previous marriage," she explained. "My ex-husband passed away before he was born."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked," I said, feeling terrible for prying.

"It's fine. Alex doesn't mind, and he's great with my son," she assured me.

Just then, Alex appeared behind Riley, wrapping an arm around her waist. "I see you two have met!" he said, looking between us. "What do you think of her?"

Riley looked at me with a smile. "She seems like a loyal friend." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I like her."

Alex winked at me before leading Riley away to meet his grandmother, and I couldn't help thinking that he had found someone new, which was probably the best outcome for both of us.

---

Nathan returned to my side a while later, his eyes narrowed slightly as he looked in the direction Alex and Riley had gone.

"Who was that woman?" he asked, his tone less friendly than usual.

"Alex's girlfriend," I answered simply.

"Good." Nathan's posture relaxed. "Does this mean he'll stop looking at you like that?"

I bit back a smile, realizing Nathan had been more aware of Alex's feelings than he'd let on. "Yes," I assured him. "You don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Good—enough about Alex. I need to talk to you." Nathan took my hand and led me toward the balcony. I assumed he wanted to finally discuss his feelings about his father.

Although they were trying to make it a party, it was still a bittersweet day. No one had forgotten Richard, and his absence was felt throughout the room.