Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 51 LILY "He's actually moving to Canada." I blurted out, watching as Becky's eyes widened in utter disbelief, her reaction mirroring the incredulity I felt at the audacity of his decision. "Can you believe it! I mean, the man's practically planning on traveling to New York everyday fou work" Becky let out a resigned sigh, momentarily diverting her attention to the sweet bundle of joy cradled in her arms. "And how's Jake coping with this bombshell?" she inquired gently, her maternal instincts kicking in as she cooed soothingly at the whimpering infant. "I haven't had the chance to break the news to Jake yet, I admitted, a pang of guilt tugging my heart. "He already knows that my acceptance of his proposal had been more out of pity than genuine readiness for marriage. He stormed out in anger before I could explain A sympathetic wince crossed Becky's features as she absorbed the news. "That sounds incredibly tough, she murmured sympathetically, "So, where do you and Jake stand now?" With a nonchalant shrug, I reclined in my seat, crossing my legs as I pondered the uncertain state of my relationship with Jake. Honestly. I'm not sure." 1 admitted though deep down, I harbored hopes of reconciliation. "But I plan to swing by his place after work and try to hash things out." Nodding understandingly, Becky excused herself to lay down the sleeping baby, leavingto contemplate the complexities of my personal life. Minutes later, she returned "Ryan wants to introduce the boys to the board members and the media as his heirs. I informed her. "As he rightfully should," Becky muttered with a roll of her eyes, a hint of sarcasm coloring her words. "Those boys deserve to inherit everything he owns." I couldn't help b but chuckle at her blunt assessment. "You're making it sound like that's the sole reason for their presence in his life," 1 remarked, my amusement evident. "Whatever," she deadpanned, before her expression softened into laughter. "So, they're headed to New York, huh?" she remarked, "And that means you'll be tagging along, right?" I shook my head, causing Becky's expression to shift from curiosity to a puzzled frown. "Why exactly aren't you joining them?" she blurted out, her tone tinged with a hint of disappointment. "And haven't you missed me?" Unable to resist indulging her playful banter, I offered a half-hearted response. "Of course, I've missed you, sweetheart," I replied, feigning a smile as she mock-blushed in response. "But I have work commitments that I can't simply abandon. Besides, I believe it's important for Ryan to have quality twith the boys and strengthen their bond" Becky's amusement quickly turned to concern, her frown deepening as she voiced her objection. "You do realize that Ryan won't be the only one bonding with the kids, right?" she stated matter-of-factly, her tone carrying a hint of exasperation as if she couldn't believe I hadn't grasped the obvious. Confused by her sudden change in demeanor, I furrowed my brow in confusion. I'm not sure I follow, I admitted. "If you have something to say, just cout with it." As Becky sighed, her demeanor shifted from playful banter to a more serious tone. Adjusting her hair into a ponytail, she leaned forward, a look of earnest concern etched on her face. I'm not trying to cast aspersions on anyone, but I need to be rational here," she began, her lips briefly moistened with a nervous lick. "You do realize that Stephanie doesn't have any children of her own, right? She's been yearning for Ryan's heir for years, but so far, she's cup empty-handed." I blinked in surprise, the pieces of the puzzle slowly falling into place. "Wait, are we talking about Stephanie?" I asked, seeking confirmation. Givinga look of incredulity, Becky nodded emphatically. Who else could we possibly be talking about?" she replied, her eyes darting across the screen in a manner that signaled she was about to dispense what she considered sage advice. "Listen to me, that woman harbors no affection for you, and by extension, she has no reason to care for your children. The fact that you've been able to provide Ryan with something she's desperately wanted but couldn't have is more than enough reason for her to harbor bitterness. Leaving your children in the care of a resentful woman is a risk you can't afford to take, trust"So, what do you suggest I do?" I asked. The idea of asking Ryan to evict his girlfriend seemed extreme, but Becky's concern for the safety of my children was valid. "He could arrange for Stephanie to relocate to a different place until the kids return to Canada, or he could find alternative living arrangements for himself and the children, Becky proposed. "Either way, the priority should be ensuring that the kids are never left alone with her?" The notion of Stephanie posing a threat to my babies seemed unfathomable, but Hecky's insistence gavepause. After all, Stephanie was a lawyer, surely she understood the consequences of any wrongdoing. "TII discuss it with Ryan" On my way hfrom work, I deckled to make a stop to Jake's place to check on him. I rang the doorbell twice, but received no response Frowning. I cautiously typed in the code, pushed the door open and stepped inside, only to be greeted by Jake descending the staircase, his expression guarded. "What are you doing here, Lily?" he demanded. I offered a nervous simile, attempting to diffuse the tension in the room. "I chere to talk," I began, gesturing towards the sofa in invitation "Can we sit down and have a conversation?" The reluctance in Jake's expression was obvious, but begrudgingly, he relented and joinedon the sofa, his demeanor guarded, "What do you want to talk about?" he inquired, his tone clipped and brusque. Seating myself beside him, 1 shifted to face him directly, my heart pounding in my chest as I prepared to address the elephant in the room. "I want to apologize for how I've treated you, I began, steeling myself for his reaction. Jake's gaze bore into me, his eyes filled with skepticism. "What exactly did you do, Lily?" he demanded, his voice tinged with frustration. "If you're going to apologize, you need to acknowledge the specifics of your actions." Swallowing hard, I met his gaze head-on, mustering the courage to confront my own shortcomings. "I shouldn't have accepted your ring out of pity," I confessed, my voice tinged with remorse. "And I should have been honest with you about not being ready for marriage yet." He regardedin silence for a moment before releasing a resigned sigh. "Will you ever be ready?" he asked, his voice filled with a hint of longing. I nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of my lips, "Someday," Laffirmed softly. His smile widened slightly as he extended his hand towards me. "Chere," he hvited gently. Without hesitation, I melted into his embrace, feeling the warmth of his touch enveloping me. "I hate it when we have misunderstandings," he admitted, his voice laced with regret too." I murmured against his shirt. He pressed a tender ki*s to my temple, his arms tightening aroundin reassurance, Later that night, after I had finished tucking the boys into bed, 1 dialed Ryan's number. He picked up almost immediately, as if he had been expecting my call "Did you miss me?" he teased, and I couldn't help but let out an exasperated buff. "Don't flatter yourself, Ryan, I retorted, the flatness of my tone punctuated by his laughter, which indicated that he was merely teasing me. "Is everything alright?" Ryan's voice took on a more serious tone, a hint of concern evident in his voice. "I know you don't call unless it's something serious." "I want to discuss Stephanie, I stated firmly, my tone brooking no argument. There was silence on the other end of the line before Ryan fially responded, his voice tinged with caution. "What about her?" he asked, his tone guarded "If you're planning to take my kids for the weekend at your place, I don't want them anywhere near her," I demanded. "Why!" Ryan asked, his voice laced with curiosity as he attempted to grasp the reasoning behind my request. "I'm not comfortable with her being around my kids, I explained, opting for a simpler explanation to mask the complexities of my feelings. "You can have her stay at one of your penthouses, or you can have the kids stay at either of your penthouses." Another silence followed, stretching out until I began to wonder if the call had dropped. Just when I thought he wouldn't respond. Ryan's voice broke the silence. "I'm not doing that." My jaw tightened at Ryan's response. "What do you mean you're not doing that?" I demanded, struggling to contain my frustration. Im not comfortable with Jake being around my kids," he argued defensively. "But you don't seetelling him to stay away." His reasoning struckas flawed, and I couldn't help but push back. "That's not even a valid comparison, Ryan, I retorted, my frustration evident. Jake loves the kids, Stephanie doesn't. Besides, I don't live with Jake* "But he's with them every day," Ryan countered, his tone firm. Thadn't expected the conversation to take this turn, and I struggled to find a response. "You toldyou didn't want Jake around when you visit the kids, and I respected that even though it strained my relationship." I pointed out, my voice tinged with disappointment. "Why can't you do the sfor me?" "Make the srequest," Ryan's voice cthrough, rough and strained, leavingpuzzled. Frowning. I struggled to grasp his meaning "What do you mean?" I asked, confusion lacing my tor lone. "Cwith the kids, and I'll ensure you won't even catch a glimpse of Stephanie," he replied tersely, his words sending a chill down my spine. 1 scoffed at his offer, feeling a surge of indignation rising within me. "Is that your way of manipulatinginto coming to New York?" I retorted, my frustration evident It's the only way Stephanie will be kept away from the kids," he responded coolly, his tone devoid of emotion. "I have to go, Lily Goodnight." And with that, the call abruptly ended, leavingfeeling more unsettled than ever. COMMENT

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