Chapter 23
Coming back to New York felt weind. The bland welcome they received from the helps and the home that lacked the warmth of an actual home was a jarring push to reality. They weren’t in Paris anymore. They were in New York. The place that reminded them of everything they wished not to remember
Lily felt a knot from in the pit of her belly as she thought of wh life will be like here. It definitely won’t be dreamy. I’ll once again be the non–smiling, business–minded Asher, who shell yet again try to make fall in love with her… This time in just 45 days.
She released a deep breath and thinned her lips. At least, she won’t spend the whole day moping because of him this time. She’s got a job that’ll keep him out of her mind.
I believe you’ll want to freshen up, Asher said, breaking the silence and she snapped out of her thoughts, nodding “Go on ahead. I have to head back to the office for an important meeting She thinned her lips and nodded, presenting a calm font though her mind was racing, thinking of all the things he could be going to do instead of a meeting.
Taking one last look at her, Asher gave her a quick nod and walked out of the house. Truth was, he lied. He had no urgent
space. If she meeting to attend to, but he felt the shift the second they came home, and he guessed she just wanted her wanted her space when they were in Paris, arguably the best time of their entire marriage, she definitely did now.
His phone pinged and it was a notification from Charlotte, going off on him, and just like he had done to her last 50 messages, he read and ignored it. He already made it clear that he needed his space and if she wasn’t going to give it to him, he would take it himself… Just like she did on their wedding day, and the subsequent years after.
Once she heard the car drive out, a gnawing familiar feeling formed in her stomach. It once again felt like all those times, she’d stand and hear him drive away, pining after him, hoping he’d stop somewhere during his drive and realize all he wanted was to stay home with her. It never did. And now…
Swallowing, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. That was in the past. He could drive away all he wants. Forcing a smile on her face towards the helps, she left for her room.
Once in there, she whipped out her camera and began flipping through the pictures she took of them while on the trip. It might have been the last day but it was the best day, and all she wanted was to hang the pictures everywhere in the house.
“Wait…” She mumbled as an idea floated through her mind and her lips crinkled up in a smile. “I can do that.” She stood to her feet and giggled. She was going to hang the pictures everywhere in the house as a constant reminder that they had a good time and can continue to do so. That was going to be her step one. It’ll probably not work, but then… She would have kept to her own end of the deal.
She cackled and twirled around, holding the camera close to her chest. This can yield two instant results. It’ll either get him very very annoyed, or amuse him, and either one was worth it.
She immediately ran down the stairs and implored the help of the maids to carry out her plans.
After 3 hours, they were finally done with the work. Each room in the house had a picture of them. Three hung in his room, one being their wedding picture. The living room was practically swimming with their pictures. She also spent her time redecorating the room, adding back the things she once took out to make it feel like a home once again.
his
And now, she was dressed in her pyjamas – she initially wanted to dress up like she used to but his words back in Paris rang in her mind so she chose comfort patiently waiting for him at the dining room with her camera set up to capture reaction to the change.
Asher pulled into the driveway and from the lights that were still on, he could tell that his return was being awaited upon but he couldn’t help the disappointment that washed over him at the mere thought of Lily not being the one to welcome him.
The few days that his routine changed made him realize just how much he enjoyed coming home to her waiting for him expectantly, with a smile on his face. It always warmed his heart, but he kept lying to himself that he was indifferent about it till it was snatched away from him.
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AK 54%
Chapter 23
Heaving a heavy breath, he walked out of the car with a heavy heart and a reluctance to walk into the unhappy faces of the helps who have to stay up waiting for him to get back..
His reluctance and unhappiness slowly faded into the abyss when he walked in and noticed none of the helps around, and for some reason the house felt homely and welcoming
Furrowing his brows at the sudden change, he cautiously walked in, and that was when it dawned on him. The original decor of the house that Lily put up was back, and at the wall where an art work previously occupied was a picture of them in the streets of Paris, their cheeks pressed against each other and bright smiles on their faces.
His heart skipped a beat at the sight, and that was when he noticed the other frames housing their pictures that were hung all over the walls, and without meaning to, his face lit up in a huge grin.
A camera flash went off and he immediately turned to see Lily standing before him, her camera in her hand and a smile on her face. “I guess all the hours of work put in were worth it. She said and he raised a brow, smiling. She flicked her head to the side, and mirrored the expression on his face. Fallen for me yet?”
“In your wildest imagination.” A strange voice said from behind them, and they both turned in shock to see Charlotte standing there, her eyes shooting daggers at them.
