Chapter 4

"Because," he said, "you're worth it."

After that day, Lillian and Andrew became a couple.

There was no dramatic confession, no roses scattered everywhere. It happened quietly and naturally.

He'd pick her up after work, and she'd wait for him when he was on call. They'd share a bowl of pasta, go for walks, and sometimes catch a movie together.

Olivia joked, "You two are dating like it's plain water, so bland."

Lillian laughed, "I like it bland. If it were too intense, I'd feel suffocated."

But deep down, she knew it wasn't blandness. It was peace of mind.

In her previous life with Jason, she was always on edge, afraid he'd be unhappy, afraid he'd get angry, afraid he'd leave her. But with Andrew, she didn't have to fear anything.

He never showered her with sweet talk, but he always remembered she loved orange-flavored candy.

Jason refused to let her go.

He started stalking Lillian, cornering her, and stormed into her office to cause a scene.

"Lillian, you can't do this to me," Jason cried, his eyes red with anger. "We've been together for ten years. Are you really going to walk away like it meant nothing?"

"Ten years together?" Lillian scoffed inwardly.

She remembered that rainy night, how she lay bleeding, and he never came to her.

She remembered those ten years in her previous life, living as nothing more than a decoration, and in the end, he was the one who broke her.

"Jason, let go," Lillian said coldly. "If you keep acting like this, I'm going to call the cops."

"Call the cops?" Jason's laugh was almost hysterical. "Go ahead. Let them judge. What's wrong with a guy chasing after his girlfriend?"

Suddenly, a hand shot out and peeled Jason's fingers off her.

Andrew stood protectively in front of Lillian, his expression cold as ice. "She told you to let go."

Jason froze for a moment, then realized who it was.

"Andrew?" Jason spat, jaw tight. "So it's you. Mr. Sinclair, you're really impressive, stealing my girl."

Andrew didn't bother to respond to Jason. He turned to Lillian and said, "Go on up."

Lillian opened her mouth to protest, but the look in his eyes told her to stop.

So she went upstairs. Halfway up, she glanced back over her shoulder. Andrew was still standing there, his back to her, saying something to Jason, but she couldn't make out the words.

Jason's face went through a storm of emotions, but in the end, he slunk away, utterly defeated.

That night, Lillian asked him, "What did you say to him?"

Andrew was peeling an orange for her, eyes still on the fruit. "Nothing much. I told him if he ever bothers you again, I'll make sure his family gets run out of Ailwaend."

"You're that ruthless?" Lillian asked.

Andrew looked up at her, his gaze calm but unwavering. "When it comes to you, I never hold back."

As her company kept growing, Lillian found herself busier than ever.

She socialized, went on business trips, attended meetings, and negotiated deals. Sometimes, days would go by without seeing Andrew at all.

But he never missed a day texting her.

In the morning, Andrew: [Don't skip breakfast.]

At noon, Andrew: [No takeout for lunch.]

At night, Andrew: [What time will you be home? I'll come pick you up.]

Sometimes, when she worked late into the night and finally stepped out of the office building, she'd see Andrew's car parked by the curb.

He'd be leaning against it, smoking, and as soon as he spotted her, he'd stub out his cigarette and open the door for her. "Get in. I'll take you home."

She'd slide into the passenger seat, watching him start the car, and suddenly ask, "How long have you been waiting?"

"Not long," he'd reply, eyes on the road. "About three hours."

"Are you crazy?" She'd ask.

Andrew would glance over at her, a small smile tugging at his lips. "Yeah. Crazy enough to be happy about it."

That day, Andrew asked her, "Why did you end up with Jason back then?"

Lillian froze and stayed silent.

They sat by the river, the evening breeze cool on their skin. Neon lights reflected on the water, red, green, and yellow, scattering across the surface.

"I saw that video of him proposing," Andrew said. "You looked really happy. There was a light in your eyes."

Lillian paused for a moment. "Back then, I believed he truly loved me."

"And then?" Andrew asked quietly.

"Later, I realized," she dropped her gaze, "he didn't love me. He loved the person he imagined me to be."

Andrew didn't say anything. He slipped off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"And now?" he asked. "Who do you love?"

Lillian looked up at him. The river breeze tousled her hair, blurring her vision.

"You," she said.

Andrew froze for a moment, surprised.

He definitely hadn't expected her to be so direct. She was usually kind of shy, not the type to say mushy stuff.

Andrew asked, "Are you serious?"

"I am." Lillian locked eyes with him. "Did I ever tell you? I still kept the first candy you ever gave me."

Andrew swallowed hard.

"Why'd you keep it?" he asked, his voice low and rough.

Lillian pulled the orange candy out of her pocket. The wrapper was all wrinkled.

"I don't really know," she said. "I kept thinking it was from you."

Andrew stared at the candy in her hand for a long time, silent. Then he reached out and drew her into his arms.

"Lillian," he murmured, his chin resting on her head, his voice muffled. "Do you know how long I've been waiting for you to say that?"

That night, he took her home.

When they reached her building, he suddenly grabbed her hand. "Lillian, wait."

"Hmm?" she replied.

"When my mom passed away, she said something to me," he looked at her, his gaze intense. "She told me, it's rare to find someone who truly cares about you in this life. If you do, don't ever let them go."

Lillian's heart skipped a beat. "Andrew..."

"I know we haven't known each other for long," he cut her off, "but I know it's you."

He paused, trying to find the right words. "You don't have to answer me now. I want you to know I'll wait for you until you're ready, until you want to."

Lillian looked at him and suddenly smiled, "Andrew, you sure are chatty tonight."

Andrew blinked in surprise before she pulled him into a hug.

After they got together, their days were quiet and sweet.

When Andrew was working late, Lillian would show up with midnight snacks.

If she were stuck at the office, he'd keep her company, sometimes handing her coffee, sometimes giving her a shoulder massage.

Olivia teased, "Seriously, could you two be any more lovey-dovey?"

Lillian laughed, "Lovey-dovey? I think we're normal, honestly."

Normal? She was not sure.

In her previous life, after ten years with Jason, she'd never felt anything like this. It wasn't some dramatic, burning romance. It was a gentle, steady kind of comfort.

That night, Lillian was lounging on the couch, idly scrolling through her phone, while Andrew sat next to her, reading.

Suddenly, something crossed her mind, and she turned to him. "Andrew, what did you feel when you first saw me?"

Andrew flipped a page in his book. "You were way too skinny. Looked like you skipped meals."

"Seriously? That's all?" Lillian said.

"There's more." He put his book aside and met her gaze. "There was something in your eyes. I couldn't read it, but I wanted to understand."

As time went on, Lillian's company was running smoothly, and Andrew was getting busier at the hospital.

Sometimes, she'd be away on business trips for two weeks straight, and the only way they could keep in touch was through video calls.

One time, after drinking a bit too much at a work party, Lillian was feeling fuzzy and dialed Andrew. "Hello, Andrew."

"Hmm?" His voice was steady and clear. "Did you drink?"

"A little."

"Where are you? Send me your location."

Lillian giggled, "What? Are you planning to come rushing over?"

"Yeah," he replied.

She thought he was joking, so she hung up and went back to socializing. To her surprise, about an hour later, the door to the private room swung open.

Andrew stood in the doorway, looking a little disheveled, his hair tousled by the wind.

"Come on," he said as he reached for her and gently pulled her up. "Let's get you home."

Lillian was silent the whole way home.

She leaned against the window in the passenger seat, watching the city at night, and suddenly felt tears prick her eyes.

"What's up?" Andrew asked.

"It's nothing," she sniffled. "It feels like everything is worth it."

Andrew glanced at her, didn't say a word. After a while, he reached over and took her hand in his.

"This is the beginning," he said. "We've got a whole lifetime ahead of us."

Lillian glanced at their hands, fingers entwined, and out of nowhere, memories from her previous life hit her. She'd once wished for a forever, too, but that so-called forever only lasted ten years.

This time, she really hoped it would be the real deal.