Chapter 2

Watching this whole heroic rescue play out right in front of me, I felt sick to my stomach. Maybe Eleanor came all the way here to see if I was dead yet.

I threw off the covers, slowly got out of bed, and walked over to them. My gaze locked onto Eleanor, completely ignoring Liam.

"Ms. Baker," I said, my voice quiet but sharp. "Did you like the fireworks last night?"

Eleanor looked uneasy under my stare and quickly hid behind Liam. "Ms. Clark, what are you talking about? I really don't get it."

"Don't get it?" I let out a cold laugh, my smile never reaching my eyes. "But you understood the kidnapper's call, didn't you?"

Eleanor's face went very pale in an instant.

Liam immediately noticed her distress and moved to stand fully in front of her, blocking her from view like a lion whose territory had been threatened.

"Lily, that's enough. Stop causing trouble here," Liam snapped.

"Me, causing trouble?" I shot him a glare, thinking to myself that these three years might as well have been in vain. "Liam, why don't you ask her if she was standing right next to you when the kidnapper called yesterday?

"Did she hear you say, 'Kill her if you want to,' loud and clear?"

Liam's face froze for a split second. He glanced at Eleanor, a hint of doubt flickering in his eyes.

Eleanor freaked out, her tears falling. "Liam, I swear. I don't know anything about any kidnapper. I didn't want you to get bothered by those random calls."

She looked so fragile that anyone would want to comfort her. Liam couldn't help but feel his heart melt.

He turned to me, his eyes full of disgust and disappointment. "Lily, I never thought you'd turn into someone like this. You're so vicious, and so obsessed, willing to do anything to make yourself the center of attention."

He paused, his voice icy cold. "Apologize to Eleanor."

Did I hear the joke of the century? He wanted me to apologize to the woman who nearly got me killed.

"What if I don't?" I stared him down, refusing to back off.

A loud slap crashed against my face. My cheek went red and stung like hell. My ears buzzed, drowning out everything else. Everything went dead silent.

I stared at Liam's raised hand and his face, contorted with anger.

During three years, he'd always been cold, ignored me, but he'd never once laid a hand on me. But today, because of Eleanor, he slapped me.

"I said, apologize to Eleanor," he shouted again, his face contorted with fury.

Eleanor stayed hidden behind him, a sly, triumphant smile barely flickering at the corner of her lips.

I let out a laugh. At first, it was a quiet chuckle, but soon it grew louder and louder, until I was laughing so hard that tears rolled down my cheeks.

Slowly, I lifted my hand and, piece by piece, took off the diamond ring I'd clung to on my finger for three years.

He didn't even bother to put it on me himself. The day we got engaged, his assistant handed it over. But I cherished it like it was the most precious thing in the world.

I held up the ring, making sure both Liam and Eleanor could see it. Then, with all my strength, I flung it right at his handsome face.

The ring hit him square on the temple with a crisp sound, then dropped to the floor.

"Liam," I said, my voice steady and clear, watching the shock on his face. "We're done."

As soon as the words left my lips, I crumpled to the floor, completely limp.

When I woke up again, Oscar's gentle face was the first thing I saw.

"You're awake?" He pushed up his glasses. "Feeling any better?"

I shifted a little, but the pain in my cheek and arm was still there. "Where did they go?"

"They've already left," Oscar said, his tone flat. "Mr. Mitchell told me to let you know you should really take some time to think things over."

I smirked, a mocking smile tugging at my lips. "Dr. Peterson, I want to leave the hospital."

"Your body's still weak—" he said.

"I'm fine," I cut him off. "This place makes me sick."

Oscar stared at me for a moment, then finally nodded. "Alright, I'll handle the discharge. But you have to promise me you'll keep up with your meds and eat well."

"Thanks, Dr. Peterson," I said.

*****

The discharge process was quick. I didn't go back to that apartment, the place the Mitchell family set up for our marriage. I didn't want to set foot in there ever again.

With the little savings I had left, I rented a small but clean room in an old part of town.

I'd shut off my phone a long time ago. I needed a place where I could lick my wounds in peace and figure out what my future was supposed to look like.

The first thing I did was buy a new set of art supplies.

Painting used to be my dream, but I gave it up for Liam. Now, I was ready to reclaim it.

I holed up in my tiny apartment, painting nonstop, day and night.

I painted the abandoned warehouse, the icy blade, fireworks exploding overhead, Liam's cold expression, and Eleanor's triumphant grin. I poured all my pain, despair, and resentment onto the canvas.

Oscar would stop by from time to time, bringing me something to eat and making sure I took my meds and changed my dressings.

He never pried. He'd sit quietly with me for a bit, keeping me company, then slip out without a word.

I knew he was afraid I might lose hope and commit suicide.

I was not going to. Once one had died and come back, one really understood how precious life was. I wouldn't ever shed another tear for Liam.

*****

Two weeks later, I turned my phone back on. There were dozens of missed calls, most from the Mitchell family, and a few from my parents.

I didn't bother with the Mitchell family. I called my mom back.

As soon as the call connected, my mom's shrill voice came through. "Lily, where the hell have you been? Do you have any idea how much our family has lost because of you?"

Before I could even get a word in, she started yelling at me. "Are you out of your mind? How dare you break off the engagement with Liam? Who do you think you are?

"Drag yourself back to the Mitchell family, apologize, and beg Liam and Julian for forgiveness, or don't even think about calling me your mother."

I listened, my heart going cold. That was the kind of mother I had. To her, I was nothing more than a pawn for the family's benefit.

"Mom," I said, keeping my voice steady, "what if I told you I nearly died? All because of Liam."

There were a few seconds of silence, then my mom snapped back, her tone even harsher. "Stop talking nonsense. Why would Liam ever hurt you? You must've done something to make him mad.

"Lily, listen up. The Clark family is counting on you. If you mess up this marriage, I swear I'll kill myself right in front of you."

With that, she hung up with a loud click.

I sat there, staring at my phone, frozen for what felt like forever. Yeah, that was my family.

Breaking off with them was easier than I thought. I blocked my parents and everyone from the Mitchell family, cutting off all ties for good.

From now on, I was Lily Clark, no longer anyone's daughter, no longer anyone's fiancée.

Day after day, my life was woven together with brushes and paint.

My paintings kept stacking up, and my tiny apartment was almost overflowing.

When Oscar came to visit, he looked genuinely impressed as he took in the room overflowing with my paintings.

"Lily, your art is incredible," he said, picking up a piece that showed a girl curled up in a corner, crying, with brilliant fireworks bursting in the background. "Your paintings have soul."

I smiled, "I'm messing around with paint, really."

"No," Oscar said, his gaze serious. "You should share them with more people."

He suggested I post my paintings online.

Figuring it was worth a shot, I set up a social media account, snapped some photos of my paintings, and posted them.

I didn't try to hype them up. I put them out there without any fuss.

To my surprise, a few days later, one of my paintings, Fireworks, suddenly blew up online.

It was the same piece Oscar had admired, the one with the girl crying under the dazzling fireworks.

People started flooding the comments section.

[This painting makes me feel so sad. I can sense overwhelming sorrow and despair.]

[Even in my happiest moments, I've felt that bone-chilling cold.]

[The artist must be someone who's been through a lot.]

My account blew up overnight, gaining over a hundred thousand followers.

Art galleries started reaching out, wanting to represent my work.

Some people even offered a hefty price for the original Fireworks painting.

Looking at all those private messages, I didn't know what to do.

I told Oscar about it. He was even more excited than I was.

"See? I told you. Talent always shines through," Oscar encouraged me. "Lily, this is your chance. You should seize it."

With his help, I reached out to a well-respected art gallery.

The gallery director came to see my paintings in person, and right then and there decided to represent me, and even offered to host my very own solo exhibition.

It all felt like a dream. Almost overnight, I went from being a woman abandoned and left with nothing to an up-and-coming artist with a bit of fame. Life seemed to be heading in a better direction.

On the other hand, things weren't going so smoothly for Liam anymore.