lilies.

75

Kabanata 75

Rai's POV

With all the recent encounters Lily and I had, the more I am convinced that she changed drastically. To the point that I feel like she's a completely different person.

She's confident now, and I'm proud of that.

Her body changes too.

But...her eyes. I always noticed her eyes changed. Her innocence is gone and the way you can see in her eyes how genuinely happy she was. There's no trace of that now. I never want her to change. She's an angel. Her kindness, calmness, her small voice and gestures...I wanted to protect and preserve that. I never saw a kind and genuine person even with no one watching. I changed my ways to adjust for her so that she can be her genuine self. I don't want to corrupt her mind. I shielded her from any worldly desires.

It's gone now.

It's just right. We're adults now. I know that sooner or later, her views in life will change. But...I just feel something about how I see her eyes...I feel like she's hurting.

Ethan told us too much information about Lily. Kendall isn't believing anything he says so he tells us more. They met at the bar. He told me that Lily drinks a lot. Even now. She's often seen there almost every day ever since she came back from Portugal.

Talk about avoiding her. For 6 years, I successfully did but now that I saw her again, I just can't stop myself from being so curious with her life.

When my college friends asked me to go to Xylo with them, I agreed. I also knew that this is the place Lily goes to, because Ethan told us.

"It's really a sight to see the only Acosta heir out in the open," My friends talked about Lily.

She's here. She's not alone. I am familiar with the guy she's with but I just do not know his name.

She really knows how to flirt now. Her body language. Her eyes look like she's really interested in that guy... like she's so animated to hear his voice.

Why is she doing this? I clearly saw him with Adriel just recently. They just had a date. Is she two-timing him?

This is not how I imagined to see her after 6 years.

My friends gave me drinks. I accepted, not even glancing at them. I just focused on watching Lily.

I imagined her to be happily married. Genuinely happy.

The reason why I never even tried to update myself in anything related to her. I avoided Gab's circle and any mutual friends we have. I avoided anyone that could talk about Lily. Kai knew exactly that I don't want to talk about Lily, he never brought her up.

I am happy for her if she gets married or has kids and lives happily. I wished her that. However, I don't want to see it. Hindi ako ganoong kalakas para matiis ang sakit na makita iyon.

Not like this.

I don't like to see her like this. I remembered how she was so devastated for her mom's mistake but why is she doing this now? I let her go knowing that she doesn't want to cheat on me. I don't want her to feel like she has to stay because she's committed to me and doesn't want to cheat.

What is happening? What happened to her?

Considering the timeline and Ethan's stories, she has been doing this for two years. She's been cheating for that long.

She's not herself. This is not her. I am sure this is not her.

She's drunk now. Just how many drinks did she have? To get drunk like that? She's a heavy drinker. To get drunk like that, it must've taken so many bottles. She's killing herself and she's doing this almost everyday.