Lily's mind was racing as she stared at Leo, her thoughts consumed by the past. She remembered the way he had forced her into this arranged marriage, the way he had manipulated her into undergoing artificial insemination.
How could she just forget all that and give him a chance to prove his love? It didn't make sense.
"I need time to think," Lily said finally, her voice firm but controlled.
Leo's face fell, and for a moment, Lily thought she saw a glimmer of sadness in his eyes. But then, his expression changed, and he nodded.
"I understand," he said, his voice soft and gentle. "I know I haven't always treated you the way you deserved. But I promise you, Lily, I've changed. I want to make things right between us."
Lily raised an eyebrow, skeptical. "You want to make things right?" she repeated. "After everything you've done to me?"
Leo winced, as if her words had struck a nerve. "I know I hurt you, Lily," he said. "And I'm sorry. But I'm asking you to give me a chance to prove that I can be better. That I can love you the way you deserve."
Lily shook her head, feeling a wave of anger wash over her. "You're asking a lot of me, Leo," she said. "After everything you've put me through, you're asking me to just forgive and forget?"
Leo's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other. Then, he nodded.
"I know it's a lot to ask," he said. "But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to make things right between us. To prove that I love you."
Lily felt a lump form in her throat as she looked at Leo. She didn't know if she could ever forgive him, or if she could ever trust him again.
But as she looked into his eyes, she saw something there that gave her pause. Something that made her wonder if maybe, just maybe, Leo was telling the truth.
As the night wore on, Lily couldn't shake off the feeling that Leo's words had left on her. She decided to call it a night and headed back to the mansion with Diego.
Meanwhile, Leo made his way to their private bar, where Steve was waiting for him.
"Hey, man what's up" Steve said, as Leo slumped onto the stool. "Rough night?"
Leo nodded, ordering a whiskey on the rocks. "I poured my heart out to her, Steve. And she just...didn't say anything."
Steve nodded sympathetically. "Give her time, bro. She'll come around."
But Leo just shook his head, downing his drink in one gulp. "I don't know, Steve. I feel like I've blown it."
As the night wore on, Leo's drinks kept flowing, and his words kept pouring out. Steve listened patiently, offering words of comfort and encouragement.
Finally, after what felt like hours, Leo stumbled out of the bar and made his way back to the mansion. He staggered to Lily's room, his eyes blurry with drink.
As he pushed open the door, he was met with the sight of Lily, wrapped in a towel, her hair dripping wet from a shower. Leo's eyes locked onto hers, and for a moment, they just stared at each other.
But then, Leo's legs gave out from under him, and he collapsed onto Lily's bed, fast asleep.
The next morning, Lily woke up to find Leo sprawled out on her bed, still fully clothed. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
As they made their way downstairs to breakfast, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. What had happened last night?
As they sat down to eat, Lily decided to bring up a topic that had been on her mind. "Hey, Leo? Can I ask you something?"
Leo looked up from his plate, his eyes still slightly bloodshot from the night before. "What is it?"
"I was thinking...maybe I could start looking for a job?" Lily said, trying to sound casual.
But Leo's expression turned stern, and he shook his head. "No."
Lily's eyes widened in surprise. "What do you mean, no?"
Leo's jaw clenched. "I mean, you're not going to work, Lily. You're going to focus on...other things."
Lily felt a surge of frustration, but before she could say anything, Leo pushed back his chair and stood up. "I have some work to attend to. You...just relax, okay?"
As the day wore on, Lily found herself feeling more and more restless. What was Leo's problem?
She decided to distract herself by exploring her room. As she walked over to the empty room next door, which was connected to her bedroom, she noticed something strange.
The door was slightly ajar. She pushed it open slowly, and her eyes widened in amazement.
The empty room had been transformed into a fully-equipped fashion design studio. There were sewing machines, fabric swatches, sketchbooks, and even a mannequin. With the name on the door "Lily's Fashion Studio"
Lily's eyes scanned the room, taking in every detail. It was as if Leo had read her mind and knew exactly what she needed.
She felt a surge of emotions: surprise, gratitude, and even a little bit of hope. Maybe, just maybe, Leo was trying to make amends.
But as she turned to leave the room, she couldn't shake off the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye.
What was Leo's motive? And what did he expect from her in return?
Lily spent the rest of the day exploring her new design studio, running her fingers over the fabrics, and sketching out ideas in her notebook. She felt a sense of excitement and purpose that she hadn't felt in a long time.
As the sun began to set, Lily heard a knock at the door. She opened it to find Diego standing in the hallway, a tray of dinner in his hands.
"Young master Moretti asked me to bring you dinner, miss," a maid named Rebecca said, smiling.
Lily took the tray from Rebecca, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Leo. Maybe he was trying to make amends, after all.
As she ate her dinner, Lily couldn't help but wonder what Leo's motives were. Was he really trying to make things right between them, or was there something more to it?
Just as she was finishing up her dinner, Lily heard the sound of footsteps outside her door. She looked up to see Leo standing in the doorway, a small smile on his face.
"I see you've found your new design studio," he said, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
Lily nodded, feeling a sense of wariness. What did he want?
"I'm glad you like it," Leo said, taking a step closer to her. "I was thinking...maybe we could discuss your designs sometime? I'd love to see what you're working on."
Lily's eyes narrowed, unsure of what to make of Leo's sudden interest in her designs. Was he genuinely interested, or was there something more to it?