~Present day~
Lilia woke up from sleep, her pillow was wet. It had been a year but still she couldn't get that day out of her mind. She had moved ahead from that day but the memory of it haunted her.
Not a single letter or word from the prince since that day. She had lost hope of ever learning about why he treated her as he did. She had theories.
Like perhaps he found another woman to please him that he wanted to marry and hence the change but that wasn't it. For the year news of the prince had become like a fallacy. Made up by people to keep their faith that he was still alive.
She stopped trying to find the reason. Finding it wouldn't change the past and now she had a different future approaching her. She was engaged to be married to the duke of Krygan.
The engagement had not been announced publicly to avoid her being humiliated if the duke also decided to call it off. She didn't mind it, her only hope was to stop dreaming of that night in the woods.
Knock! Knock!
She turned her head towards the door. She new that it was her loyal lady and servants at the door. Here to get her ready for the day.
"Come in," her soft voice let out. She wiped the edges of her eyes drying them of tears that expressed her unspoken words.
The doors opened and her lady Alia pranced into the room. She had all the things ready to get Lilia looking gorgeous for the day.
"Duke Anslow has sent word," Alia spoke out. "He wishes an audience with you," she added.
Lilia smiled, he was her future husband and she respected him a lot. She had opened up to him about her past with the prince to avoid it coming up later and ruining things. But withheld how they parted ways. That day was something she never found the courage to narrate to anyone.
She hurried and took a bath and got ready. She put on a green off shoulder dress to sample if it will go well. Seeing her image in the mirror her hand shook. She could feel chills on her skin recalling the strapless dress that she wore that day.
The things that he said to her because of the dress. She had stopped loving him and only hated that she had ever loved him. She hated that she let her world revolve around him that not even a year and a marriage proposal was enough to wipe him from her memory.
"I don't like this dress," she said.
She removed the dress and put on a long sleeved, long neck red dress. She looked at her reflection and felt comfortable. Her body was covered from head to toe, she was conscious of this before she exited the room.
The incident before made her loathe exposing her skin to anyone. She and the duke had not even so much as kissed. Not that he didn't try to get close to her, he did but each time she would recall her mistake and put a stop to it.
She asked to wait until they are wed. Only then will she let him come close to her and touch her. Until then she felt comfortable not getting too friendly with him.
"My mistress," Alia uttered softly. "I noticed that you are deep in thought lately. As your wedding nears you get more and more lost in your thought," she stated.
Lilia didn't comment on her observation. She was always lost in her mind, it was the only place that gave her peace. The breakup had been hard on her but she was fine.
"I am fine," she spoke talking a sharp quick turn.
"Careful," she heard in a soft whisper as a man caught from falling after they bombed into each other. Her heart skipped a beat hearing that very familiar voice. She kept her eyes closed too scared of opening them.
She didn't want to believe her ears. "Privacy," the voice sounded. Lilia drew a deep breath hearing it again.
<
There was no way that he would be there with her. That he would appear before her after being a ghost for a year. That he would come to before her after the way they parted ways.
The servants left seeing as it was the prince. Leaving Lia in his arms stuck in her thought to notice the position they were standing in, in the hallway.
Lar looked down at her beautiful face and was speechless. He couldn't describe the feeling that he got from being so close to her. His Lilia.
"Lilia," he spoke in a low whisper.
Lilia shuddered. It was like magic having electricity ran through her body hearing her name being called. It was as before, the way he would call out for her.
She opened her eyes, surprised filled her as she came face to face with the ghost of her past. She stabilized herself and moved away from him.
She gritted her teeth and folded her hands into a fist, he had some nerve coming before her. After so much had happened and so much time passed without it being fixed, she didn't think it was even possible for the two of then to be friends.
"Lilia, I am here," Lar spoke to her. Lilia frowned. <
She remained in her position not saying a word to the man. He didn't understand his silence that day and hence he didn't deserve her words today. She was still picking up the pieces of herself that he had broken that day.
"Are you not happy to see me. I have returned to you after so long and you don't seem happy," Lar said.
His words made her want to scoff, after calling her shameless and calling her names, he had the nerve to come back and except her to care.
"I have to go," Lilia let out softly. She tried to walk away from him but he blocked her path. His hazel eyes ever so gentle stared at her with questions. He knew that look, she had it on a year back when his attitude towards her changed.
when he shattered her heart over and over again. "My love," he let out talking her hands into his. He held her gently unlike that day when he pinned her to the tree.
"Did you not wait for me, I have counted every second to my return to you. Holding on to the hope that you are waiting for me," he informed to her. Her heart danced with joy hearing the words she hoped he tell her a year ago.
She didn't expect his words to affect her but they did. Him like that felt like the person she had met before was an imposter. That the man she loved since childhood had returned to her.
"It is too late for that," she spoke coldly to him. She was getting married to someone else and that was just something that he would have to deal with.
"Whatever do you mean?" Lar inquired with a pained voice. His voice caused a pang in her heart. She could hear him in pain like that but she also couldn't ignore the past. He had hurt her knowingly and never said sorry.
He never regretted his actions and never faced her to explain what she did to deserve such treatment from him.
"Leave my hand," she mirrored his tone the same way he had demanded of her. She didn't want to be rude but he was keeping her and the duke was waiting. She pushed his hands away and walked passed him.
"Why," she heard him ask and stooped. She had asked that very same question years ago and he didn't stay long enough to give her an answer. But in his case, he knew the answer but still asked.
She couldn't tell if he was doing that to provoke the past and show that he affected her. The reason for his return and his acting as though that day last year didn't happen was unknown to her. She couldn't put her hand on why he felt real to her, every emotion, the confusion, the pain all felt real to her.
"Not every question has an answer," she replied him. She took a step forward and halted once more, she felt it. Turning around she confirmed it, he was crying.
She swallowed. It was confusing the situation that she found herself in. They were in the hallway where anyone would see them and she didn't want someone to catch them and misunderstand. The man was a prince beloved and admired by all.
It won't be long for the world to hear the rumours that would escalate from just being seen as they were. She strode back and pulled him towards her room.
Since he wanted to talk, she too had some questions. Ones that might her mind to ease of why that day happened. She wanted to know why and in exchange she would tell him why it was too late.
It was too late because she was engaged to another. And had moved on from him, she didn't love him anymore, at least that is what she told herself.
She had uttered the words for so long that she herself believed them. But she couldn't deny the racing heartbeat in her chest from him being around. With the months that she had been with the duke. Not once did her heart ever flutter, race or threaten to break from her chest and ran away.
Her heart was calm around him but still she convinced herself that she liked him.
They arrived to her room, she let them in and locked the doors. She led him to the settee and had him take a seat and sat opposite him.
"Now we can talk," she uttered.