{Sequel to The Deal}
Hope is back-with vengeance burning in her veins.
Anyone who dared to threaten her or her daughter will pay, no matter the cost. Even if it means losing herself in the process.
But as the lies begin to unravel, the game shifts i...
I lay on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, the silence of the house pressing down on me. Ryan had gone out with the guys for a drink, and I'd given the rest of the gang the night off. It was just me in the quiet house, the weight of the stillness settling in. I couldn't move—couldn't bring myself to get out of bed. At eight months pregnant, every little task seemed like a mountain, and tonight, I was just... tired. Fed up.
Life was too dangerous for my daughter. I'd made peace with that, and now I had to figure out how to protect her when the time came. I didn't know when it would happen, but I could feel it coming, the inevitable clash that would put everything at risk.
I slowly pushed myself up, trying not to wince at the ache in my back, and walked over to the chair where I kept my notebook and pen. It was time. I had been thinking about names for my little girl, but nothing felt right yet. My mind was preoccupied with so much more than that.
I carefully lowered myself into the chair and opened the notebook, the blank pages staring back at me. I needed to write her a letter, something for her to read in case I couldn't be there for her. Something she could hold onto if the worst ever came to pass. The thought of leaving her, of her thinking I had abandoned her, tore at my heart. She wasn't even born yet, but already, she was everything to me.
With trembling hands, I began to write. Words flowed onto the page as I tried to explain the love I felt for her, a love that already consumed me, even though she hadn't taken her first breath. My heart broke a little with each word, imagining a future where I couldn't hold her, couldn't watch her grow. But this was something I had to do—for her.
I was lost in my thoughts, the letter becoming my only focus when a soft knock on the door broke through my haze.
I looked up to see Lily standing there, a faint smile on her face. She held a jar of pickles in her hand—the one pregnancy craving I couldn't shake, and of course, she knew that better than anyone.
"Thought you might be in the mood for these," Lily said, her smile widening as she saw me glance at the jar.
"I thought you had a date with Brooke?" I asked, closing my notebook and setting it beside me, planning to finish the letter later. I watched as Lily made her way over, handing me the jar of pickles with a grin before settling herself on the windowsill next to me.
"I knew you'd be alone tonight, and let's face it, you can't do much right now," she shrugged, her tone light and teasing. "So I thought I'd stay with you. Maybe we can have a Vampire Diaries marathon, just like old times."
A laugh escaped me, and I pulled her into a hug, feeling the warmth of her friendship. After a moment, I pulled back and lay down, rubbing gentle circles over my swollen stomach. A sharp kick made me smile.
"Oh my god, she's kicking! Let me feel, let me feel!" Lily practically squealed, her hands hovering above my belly before she placed both of them gently on the curve of my stomach. The baby kicked again as if responding to her excitement.
Lily's face lit up with awe, and I couldn't help but laugh softly. It was insane to think that in just a month, this tiny person would no longer be inside me but would instead be in my arms, completely separate from me. I rubbed my belly softly, imagining what life would be like once she was here.
"She's going to be loved by so many people," I murmured, thinking about the little family I was about to create.
"I can already see her wrapping a few of you around her tiny finger," Lily teased, a fond smile spreading across her face.
"I can't wait to meet her," she said quietly, her voice filled with warmth.
"Neither can I," I whispered, my heart heavy with the thought of everything my daughter would miss out on. I wished so badly that she could have a dad in her life, someone who would love and care for her. But I couldn't let West be a part of that. He would ruin her, just as he'd ruined everything else with his cruelty and violence. I couldn't let that happen.
Tears welled up in my eyes as the weight of it all settled in—my daughter not having the perfect family, and the overwhelming fear that I might mess everything up. The sobs came without warning, weak and desperate, as I tried to hold them back, but I couldn't.
"Hope, are you okay? Why are you crying?" Lily's voice was filled with concern as she leaned closer to me, her hand on my arm.
I sniffed, wiping my eyes but not stopping the tears from falling. "It's stupid really," I choked out. "Just thinking about her not having a dad... and I'm scared to death that I'm going to mess up being a mother. I didn't exactly have the greatest... or most loving mother."
The floodgates opened, and before I knew it, I was crying harder, all my insecurities and fears spilling out. And just like that, Lily enveloped me in a tight hug, her warmth grounding me.
"Now you listen to me, Mrs.," she said, her voice firm but full of love. "You're going to be the best goddamn mum I know, and that little girl will be the luckiest girl in the world, do you hear me? You will never be alone in this. It's always been me and you since the beginning. You're not just my best friend—you're my sister."
Her words wrapped around me like a blanket, and for the first time in a while, I felt a sense of reassurance. I nodded, wiping my tears as I pulled back from her hug, trying to steady myself.
"Now come on," she said with a playful grin, "eat some of those disgusting pickles you love so much. My godchild's got some weird cravings, but I'll get her to snap out of it one day. I'm going to check on my chicken nuggets. Then we can stay up all night drooling over Damon and Bonnie."
I laughed through my tears as she jumped up, and in the blink of an eye, she was gone, leaving me with a quiet peace.
I wiped my face, still smiling, and placed my hand over my belly. I felt a little kick, one that made me wince slightly but also smile at the same time. "You're going to be so loved," I whispered, feeling a surge of warmth as I spoke to my baby. "Especially by your Auntie Lily."
I couldn't imagine my life without Lily. She wasn't just my best friend—she was my family. And I knew, no matter what, we'd always have each other.
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Just a short chapter as it's a flashback. Hope you enjoyed it.
