Chapter 27: Chapter 26

LILLIAN

She felt at home there. The entire atmosphere was her style, and she encountered some pretty great people who shared one common trait—they weren’t fans of Noah. It was almost amusing to her, because if they took the time to really know him, they might discover he wasn’t as terrible as they assumed.

In reality, Noah wasn’t putting in much effort to be liked. He was so wrapped up in the image he’d crafted for himself that he seemed incapable of letting it go when he was around others. Sure, he had his flaws, but they weren’t as numerous as people believed.

He wasn’t a gentleman, and he never would be. He also couldn’t shake his attitude and lacked kindness. However, he was ready to assist his ex-wife and her husband in finding good, well-paying jobs, and before that, he had tried to secure her immediate future.

It might not seem like a big deal, but she knew people who were willing to give far less than that. She didn’t attempt to change anyone’s opinion about Noah, but she made it clear that she was there with him because she liked him enough to follow him there.

That silenced any negative chatter, but while she was mingling with everyone, Noah only conversed with his father, brother, or Maggie. He even agreed to hold the baby for a bit, who, besides her, was the only person who genuinely liked him without judgment.

What was even more surprising was that Noah seemed to have a soft spot for the baby girl too. Maybe it was because she was named after his mother. That was the only explanation she could come up with, since he had told her multiple times that he wasn’t a fan of children.

Lillian noticed that Noah’s ex-wife was absent and made a mental note to ask him about it later. She thought it was a shame that they didn’t accept the help that was so generously offered, but perhaps they had their reasons, although she couldn’t imagine what else it could be other than foolish pride.

She would have liked to meet his ex-wife. One burning question would be how she managed to stay married to Noah for so long. By his own admission—and she wholeheartedly believed him—he was a terrible husband.

Lillian couldn’t fathom how anyone could endure such daily misery, and if you added his constant infidelity, Dorothy could be a strong contender for sainthood.

Despite Noah’s playful jab at Asher about being the chef for the day when they arrived, the meat was incredibly flavorful, and every other dish was just as delicious. She assisted Maggie, Violetta, and Celia in setting the table because she couldn’t just sit around doing nothing.

She couldn’t even recall the last time she had been in the company of other women, if you didn’t count her reunion with her old classmates last summer. It was a refreshing change, and each of them had their own unique personality.

“Maggie has her hands full with the baby,” Celia remarked. “And she mostly refuses help even though she’s exhausted.”

“But it’s such a precious little thing,” Violetta cooed. “And her name is Molly.”

“That’s a lovely name,” Lillian smiled.

“It was Asher’s mother’s name,” Cecilia informed.

“And Noah’s,” Maggie added, placing another plate on the table. “She passed away when the boys were young.”

“I know. Noah has told me about it.”

“You two talk?” Celia asked, unable to hide the sarcasm in her voice.

Lillian didn’t mind. She could come up with a witty comeback in a heartbeat, but since the woman’s tone was more of a jab at Noah’s promiscuous past rather than an insult to her, she simply told the truth.

“I was his assistant first—and before you say anything, not that kind of assistant. He used to call me a freak.”

“Was he blind?”

“No, I was different to ensure that he wouldn’t hit on me. I used goth makeup,” she clarified. “And it worked.”

“And how did you end up here with him?” Celia asked curiously.

“That’s a story for another day,” she had told them before she turned to Maggie. “If I knew that everyone would bring a dish, I would have brought something as well.”

“Oh, the girls brought more than enough, and you brought the flowers, which was nice of you because I forgot to buy some,” Maggie reassured her. “To be honest, I wanted to make everything myself just for once, but with the baby it was impossible, so I gave in and accepted help.”

That was all that was said before they dug into the food.

By midday, Lillian found herself sharing a bench with Maggie. The rest of their group had dispersed, mingling with others. Violetta and Celia were somewhere, fussing over the baby, while Brad and Leo’s kids were playing with a dog named Bitch.

It was a scene not unlike those from her own family gatherings, minus the dog. Her sister was allergic to fur, which had always prevented them from getting a pet.

A few feet away, two brothers were deep in conversation. It was a surprisingly peaceful sight, considering what Noah had shared about his relationship with Asher.

“Would you look at that,” Maggie said, a chuckle in her voice. “Them, chatting away like best buddies. Never thought I’d see the day.”

“Noah told me they weren’t exactly close,” Lillian admitted, careful not to reveal too much of what she knew.

“Well, ‘hate’ is a strong word, but Noah was always fiercely competitive with Asher,” Maggie explained. “When Tyler put Asher in charge of the Europe department, things got a bit…tense.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean Noah was worried Asher would outshine him. He tried to sabotage Asher any way he could. When that didn’t work, he used me.”

“You?” Lillian’s eyebrows shot up. “How?”

Maggie shifted uncomfortably on the bench.

“Hey, if it’s too personal, you don’t have to share,” Lillian said quickly. She didn’t want to pry into something that wasn’t her business.

“Well, it is personal,” Maggie admitted. “And Tyler doesn’t know any of this.”

“Any of what?”

“How I really met Asher. Tyler thinks we met when Asher became CEO, fell in love, and Noah tried to break us up. Then, after some sort of revelation, Noah helped us get back together.”

“That’s not what happened?” Lillian asked, frowning.

“Not exactly. I did meet Asher in person for the first time when he became CEO, but we’d spoken before that.”

Lillian was about to say there was nothing wrong with that, but something in Maggie’s tone suggested it wasn’t as innocent as it sounded. She decided to let Maggie tell her story without interruption, but she had a feeling there was more to it.

“He called the call center one night to check on services. I was working there as an operator at the time.”

“So, you took his call?”

“I did. After he told me about his ‘problem,’ he started talking dirty.”

“No way!” Lillian laughed, but Maggie’s blush told her it was true.

“I’m serious. He said my voice turned him on, and it went from there.”

“What did you do?”

“I hung up on him. Multiple times.”

“He called more than once?”

“He called for months, even after he became CEO.”

“Wow.”

“It stopped after I got promoted.”

“So, you didn’t keep hanging up on him?” Lillian asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

“At some point, I gave in. We had phone sex. He did most of the talking.”

“Weren’t those calls recorded? Company policy, right?”

“They were. I threatened him with the recordings, said I could prove harassment.”

“You didn’t know who he was?”

“No. But Noah found out. He got hold of the recordings and tried to use them to make Asher quit. He didn’t know that I didn’t know.”

Lillian stared at Maggie, wide-eyed.

“He didn’t tell you it was him before…”

“Before we started dating? Not a word.”

“And you didn’t recognize his voice?”

“It seemed familiar, but I thought I was imagining things. I figured if it was him, he’d tell me eventually. But he didn’t. I had to hear it from a man I didn’t even like.”

Hearing Maggie’s side of the story was enlightening. Noah had admitted to trying to ruin his brother’s happiness, but there were details he couldn’t have known. Now, Lillian was privy to them.

“Wasn’t that a bit much?” she asked.

Maggie had revealed that she’d refused to listen to both Asher and Brad—who’d found the recordings first but hadn’t told her—until Noah stepped in.

Maggie chuckled. “I’m way past that now. I used to have major trust issues, especially when it came to relationships and friendships. I was raised in an orphanage, and I won’t go into all the details, but I was pretty lonely and introverted. I kept to myself and didn’t really interact with the other kids.”

Lillian observed, “You’re not like that anymore.”

“No, I’m not,” Maggie agreed. “First, there were my neighbors, Andy and Violetta, whom you’ve met. Then Celia came into my life when I started working at the company, and Brad kind of forced his way into my life in the most endearing way. And then there’s Asher…” She paused, grinning. “I’m definitely not the same person I used to be, and you know what? I like it. I like my life the way it is now. I have a few friends who feel more like family, a child who’s a part of me, Ash, and themselves… A house in the country and a job I love.”

Lillian sighed. “You make everything sound so perfect.”

Maggie shook her head. “Nothing is ever perfect, but I can’t focus on the negative anymore. That would just make me ungrateful for the things I’ve been given and the things I’ve achieved through hard work.”

“I envy you, you know,” Lillian admitted.

“Why?” Maggie asked.

“I don’t have friends,” Lillian confessed.

Maggie raised an eyebrow. “That’s hard to believe. Everyone here seems to like you a lot. You’re a social butterfly.”

Lillian laughed. “A social butterfly? Not really. I had friends in high school, but they were more like acquaintances. It was the same when I went off to college. I was social, but that was about it. Then I got a job and was always busy. Plus, everyone thought I was a freak because of how I looked.”

Maggie asked, “Don’t you think it was a bit extreme to change your appearance so drastically?”

Lillian nodded. “Yes, and it almost cost me the job. Noah nearly had a heart attack when he first saw me.”

“I bet he did,” Maggie agreed, and they both laughed.

“But why did you do it?” Maggie asked seriously. “You really risked your chances.”

Lillian explained, “Like I told you before, I didn’t want to risk being harassed. I don’t handle that well. So, I did some research on Noah, the CEO. He had a reputation for messing around with his assistants and then firing them, and I really needed the job. The makeover was a bit over the top, yes, but seeing Noah’s reaction was worth it.”

Maggie nodded. “I can imagine. At least he was able to focus on your good work.”

Lillian continued, “He was really bothered by my appearance. I know it irked him that I wasn’t pleasing to look at. But since he made that agreement for me, I know he appreciated my skills as well. The problem was that I couldn’t blow my cover. I had to maintain it even after he left, which really pissed off Tamara, but I didn’t really care about her.”

Maggie remembered. “Ash said you didn’t get along with her.”

“No, I didn’t,” Lillian confirmed. “That’s why I quit. I couldn’t stand her anymore.”

“But Noah made an agreement for you. She couldn’t really touch you,” Maggie pointed out.

Lillian nodded. “I’m grateful for that, but I just couldn’t stay anymore. It was becoming more toxic than I could handle. But I’m also grateful because it forced me to make decisions about my life. I’m not sure where I’m going from here, but my first thought is to pursue a position related to my degree.”

Maggie said, “You know, it’s kind of brave what you did. I remember the uncertainty of unemployment. Before my current situation, I was bouncing from job to job and barely making ends meet.”

Lillian shrugged. “I have my savings. I managed to blackmail Noah into paying me more than an assistant usually gets.”

Maggie laughed. “You’ll have to tell me how you did that. When I was working under that jerk, there was no chance of a raise.”

Lillian explained, “I don’t find that hard to believe, but in my case, he was pretty cornered. He fired me as soon as he saw me, then had to rehire me because he was left without an assistant. Insults cost, and I made sure he knew that.”

Maggie agreed. “Very true. But I think you could have waited a bit longer. Asher was seriously considering replacing Tamara. He doesn’t like her much either.”

Lillian shrugged. “She’s good at her job. She’s just a bitch to people she thinks she can control. She couldn’t control me, so she was mean.”

“Lillian, just because you’ve got the guts to stand up to her doesn’t mean everyone else does. She’s turning the office into a toxic war zone. Honestly, I think he’s right to want her gone.”

She sighed.

“Listen, even if they swapped her out, I’d still have to leave sooner or later. I used to dream about working for a big-shot company like this, even as an assistant. But that’s not my dream anymore.

“Sure, I wouldn’t mind being part of a company again, but it has to be somewhere I feel safe and valued. I want to focus on my career, and I don’t want any handouts this time. I want to make it on my own.”