Lily's POV

I called twelve different lawyers, and none could help me.

My own team of legal advisors, men and women I thought were on my side and Hart Inc.'s, quickly proved who they were truly loyal to

Vincent.

After half an hour of listening to them try to manipulate me into thinking I had knowingly signed away everything I had, I ended the call and tossed my phone aside.

I didn’t care about the other properties or the house. All that mattered was the company.

My parents' brainchild started in our garage a few months after I was born. I had worked with them to keep it going my whole life up until they died and continued until I had made it a small but honest empire.

Vincent became the face of the company because he had said a man taking the lead would be a better image, but I had always been the brain behind the whole operation.

And now he had stolen it from me.

Vincent forged my signature or somehow got me to sign away my rights to my own parents' company.

I wanted to scream and rip through the study from the injustice of it all, but all I could do was hold back frustrated tears.

If I walked right now like I wanted to, I would lose it all and be penniless.

I had to find a way to get what was mine back, but with no one I could truly trust to not be on Vincent's side, I didn’t know where to begin.

My mind flashed back to my encounter with Sebastian Jones.

I was unsure if he would be willing to help after I turned him down. But he was powerful and possibly the only person who could help me get what was rightfully mine back.

But was I willing to enter a loveless marriage to save my parents' business?

The answer came easy.

I left the study and headed straight for my car, hoping I could still find his number in the glove compartment.

The doorknob turned before I could grab it. There was no time to hide as the newly wedded couple walked into the house.

Vincent's smile dulled when he caught sight of my red-rimmed eyes, and Stacy's smile did the exact opposite.

"Did you find out from the news?" She asked with a cheerful giggle. "You know our wedding was the talk of the town. Even ‘G’ Entertainment covered the reception, and people couldn't shut up about my ring."

She shoved her hand in my face to show off what had been bought with the hard work stolen from me.

Impatient to get Sebastian's number, I slapped her hand away and tried to walk past her.

Stacy screamed like she had been burned. I watched, stunned, as she crumbled to the ground while clutching her hand.

It was a ridiculous display, something only a fool would believe.

Vincent hurried over and began fussing while she whimpered and her eyes filled with fake tears.

He turned to me with a glare.

"I understand you're upset, but you have no right to put your hands on Stacy."

"I don't have time for this," I mumbled, trying to head to the door.

Vincent blocked my path, his eyes—that had once gazed at me with tender affection—burning with rage.

"Don't ruin this for me, Lily. Marrying Stacy is the best thing for me. For us," he said, reaching out to touch my cheek. I slapped his hand away.

"I wish you a happy married life, no hard feelings. Now if you’ll excuse me..."

He blocked me again. "Apologize to her. She's my wife, and I refuse to let you disrespect her—"

"This is my house, and I'd be damned if I let you order me around in it," I hissed, all the rage and frustration I felt bubbling up to the surface.

"You think Vincent letting you squat here makes you the owner?" Stacy laughed, her tears nowhere to be found.

Confused, I turned to Vincent, who had a deer-in-headlights look.

Realization dawned on me, and I couldn't hold back my smile. "You told her I'm squatting in your house, Vincent?"

"Stop talking," he growled, too prideful to beg me to stay quiet.

"Why should I?" I challenged him. "Don't you want your bride to know how much her successful husband is really worth...?"

His hand was suddenly in my hair, and I screamed from the pain, causing me to drop my keys.

I scrambled to get them, but his hold was unrelenting as he dragged me to the door.

"I wanted to be civil about this, maybe even keep you for when Stacy became too much," he whispered as he opened the door. "But now I see you're not worth the trouble."

He tossed me out into the cold and slammed the door in my face.

I banged on the door, screaming for my keys and wallet, but Vincent ignored me.

I was left outside with no way to get into my car and no money to get a hotel room.

With nothing left to do, I made my way into the street, hoping to hitchhike my way to a friend's house.

A car pulled up beside me, and I sighed in relief when I saw the familiar face of Sebastian's assistant, Mattew.

I got into the car, and he drove me away from the life I had worked so hard to build, with nothing but the clothes on my back.

Lily's POV

We arrived at Sebastian's home a few hours later.

I was welcomed with a warm shower, fresh clothes, and dinner he insisted on having with me.

Sebastian rolled into the dining room as casually as he would have strolled in.

I tried not to stare at his legs, covered by a blanket, as he took his place at the table.

He had saved me from spending the night on the street, and I was about to ask him to stick his neck out for me. The least I could do was be respectful about what might be an insecurity for him.

After dinner, we moved to the lounge to drink and talk over a crackling fire.

I told him everything, and he listened, patient and attentive.

I couldn't help but compare him to Vincent, who always became the busiest man in the world when I wanted to talk, even though I was the one doing most of the work.

"Unless you can get proof he forged your signatures, the only way to get everything is to buy them back."

I sighed, exhausted both physically and mentally. "I don't have the money to buy back everything."

And I wouldn't pay Vincent a dime for what was rightfully mine.

"But I do. As well as the resources to have Vincent investigated for fraud."

I stared at him, contemplative. "You would do that for a stranger?"

He brought out a ring box from his housecoat pocket and held it out to me. "I would do that and more for my wife."

I took the box and opened it to reveal a stunning ring. It was a little more subtle than Stacy's ring, but to me, it was far more beautiful.

I slipped it on, and it fit, the heart-shaped emerald complimenting me perfectly.

"I can't get on my knee, unfortunately..."

"It doesn't matter," I brushed off easily, looking away from the ring to give him a soft smile.

He smiled back, and it lit up his face, making him appear twice as handsome under the fire's glow.

"Will you marry me, Miss Hart?"

"I will," I responded with a soft laugh at the absurd situation.

We spent the evening getting to know each other.

Sebastian was a reserved man, but I could tell from the way he spoke that there was warmth under the tough shield he kept up to protect his heart from the world's harsh judgment.

It was all going so well until he mentioned wanting children, and the once-burning whiskey in my belly turned cold.

Thankfully, he did not notice my silence about the topic, and we moved on to other things. Though that glimmer of hope in his eyes caused guilt to haunt me for the rest of the night.

The next morning, I left Sebastian's home to get the rest of my things.

The house loomed ahead, and Mattew and I shared a look when we saw the black smoke rising from the front yard.

I was out of the car the second he parked, my feet leading me past the gates.

Standing on the lawn was Stacy with a determined look on her face as she stared down at the dying flames of a blackened heap by her feet.

In one hand, she held lighter fluid, and in the other, a box of matches.

I marched over to inform her she couldn't just burn things on my carefully groomed grass.

However, my steps slowed when my eyes caught something peeking out from the blackened lump.

It was a familiar pink fabric that looked just like the suit my mother had worn during her court marriage.

My heart dropped to my stomach when I caught sight of the wheel of the luggage I had packed my things into yesterday.

"No," I whispered, watching as the dying embers consumed the last of my parents' things.

The photo album my mother had meticulously recorded all our memories in, my father's lucky cufflinks, and every other trinket that would be useless to everyone else but meant everything to me.

"W-what have you done?" I wailed as I crumbled to my knees, tears pouring down my cheeks.

Stacy smiled, her eyes filled with sadistic pleasure. "You acted so high and mighty yesterday, and that didn't sit right with me.”

“I don't think it's fair you keep anything bought with my husband's hard-earned money, so I made sure you can't."

Lily's POV

Rage like I had never felt burned inside me.

However, before I could act on my violent thoughts, a glint of gold among the ashes caught my eye, and I realized from its shape that it was my mother's locket.

Without a second thought, I reached into the pile and began digging it out with my hand.

Stacy gasped in horror and stumbled away from me.

The pain was almost unbearable, but I didn’t stop until I successfully pried it out and held it up in my blistering red hand.

The necklace was fine. That was all that mattered to me even as Matthew hurried to my side, panicking about my wounded hand.

His furious yelling at Stacy drew Vincent out of the house.

She immediately ran to his side, looking innocent, and he began comforting her, even as I was the only one visibly injured.

Vincent turned to me with a glare that wavered when he saw me in the arms of another man.

His jealousy reared its ugly head.

"YOU BRING YOUR NEW BOYFRIEND TO STIR UP TROUBLE IN MY HOUSE?!"

"It's my house, and I'll prove it when the police get here to kick you out and arrest her for destruction of property."

I pointed at Stacy, who cowered behind him with a pitiful whimper.

My words flipped a switch, and suddenly Vincent had on his professional smile.

"Calling the police is extreme, don't you think? Let's go inside and discuss this like adults. There's no reason all three of us can't be together peacefully."

"Vincent!" Stacy squawked, staring up at him in disbelief and betrayal.

I sneered, wondering how I had let myself be strung along by a plastic ring from a man like him.

"The police are on their way, Mr. Collins. I suggest you both get changed before their arrival."

Matthew helped me to my feet with gentle care, then led me into the kitchen.

There, we ran water over my hand while we waited for the police and ambulance to arrive.

Vincent tried to convince me to drop the charges, promising we would go back to what we used to be.

He still believed I was the little fool who would rather be a mistress than lose him. I was glad to prove him wrong.

When the police led Stacy away in handcuffs, kicking and screaming, I watched with hollow victory, knowing what I had lost to gain it.

Vincent chose to follow Stacy to the station while I was taken to the hospital. Not once did he stop to ask how I was doing.

My burns were second-degree, so I was discharged from the hospital soon after with a bandaged right arm.

When I stepped into the car with Matthew, he informed me that Sebastian was away on a trip and would be gone indefinitely.

I felt stirrings of longing and sorrow at the news.

We had just met, yet I craved his steady presence for comfort. The thought of returning to an empty house didn't sit right with me, so I decided to make better use of my time.

One phone call later and I had the house put up for sale.

I refused to let Vincent play house with Stacy in the home I had made for us.

I would need substantial evidence for a lawsuit against Vincent. And to get that evidence, I would have to find every single document that could incriminate him.

Knowing he was still with Stacy at the station, I had Matthew drive me back to the house.

The blackened lump was still on the lawn when I arrived. My heart ached from the loss, but I refused to pay it any mind as I made my way to the study, then to the safe, and began to rifle through it for what I needed.

The documents were just as I had found them, but further searching revealed a hitch in my plans.

The transfer of ownership and other documents within name were present, but the originals—the ones that had my name and signature—were nowhere to be found.

I searched through every cabinet and drawer but still, nothing.

Vincent was smarter than I gave him credit for.

He had planned ahead and made sure if I ever discovered his fraud, I'd have a hard time getting proof of it.

Months ago, Vincent had installed a safe in his office, behind a portrait. What he forgot was that I was notified of every change, down to new light bulbs in the company.

At the time, I had thought nothing of him having a safe he didn't tell me about. Now I knew it was the perfect hiding place for the original documents, and I was determined to get into that safe.

I stuffed the files into his briefcase and made my escape, returning to Matthew waiting in the car.

From there, we headed for the Hart Inc Head office, where it had all started.