With growing greed, darker thoughts crept in.
That night, in the beautifully decorated marital home, on the bed Lily had prepared with care, she used all her passion to ignite Royce.
They went at it until the early hours.
A photo of Lily on the bedside table faced them, her smiling face captured in the midst of the pouring rain outside, turning it into an intimate backdrop.
Afterwards, while chatting with Zoya, Zoya suggested she take a photo while Royce was still asleep, a photo on the bed.
Nadia did it, momentarily possessed by madness, she saved the photo.
When Lily returned, she made sure she saw it, subtly slipping the photo for her to discover when she brought lunch to Royce at the office.
Her photography skills weren't bad—the angle was perfect.
The photo captured Royce's sleeping face, her nestled shyly in his arms, with Lily's smiling photo clear in the background.
Even the meticulously chosen bed linens and lamp were visible.
Zoya described Lily as both smart and foolish.
Smart because of her talents.
Lily had always been an academic star, quick-witted, able to excel with minimal effort.
But something serious happened during her senior year of high school, nearly ruining her.
Her family sent her abroad for treatment, disrupting her studies.
She ended up at a less prestigious university but had the fortune to meet a renowned photographer, under whose mentorship she embarked on her career in photography.
Foolish because of her stubborn nature.
Lily was too headstrong, always sticking to her beliefs, never yielding, never playing the victim.
She excelled at arguing and retorting.
Zoya managed to steal her family away because Lily's rigid nature failed to grasp that a bit of calculated vulnerability is often the key to winning hearts.
Royce was taken from Lily partly because of the rift caused by Lily saving Edmond, disrupting Royce's chance at inheritance, but also because Lily couldn't match Nadia in soothing and charming Royce.
For instance, the photo incident:a few tears and a heartfelt confession of love were enough to earn Royce's forgiveness.
But Lily, her temper flaring, reacted violently, smashing a lunchbox in Nadia's face and slapping Royce in front of their colleagues, showing no regard for his dignity.
Foolish! Nadia wished she hadn't let Lily see that photo.
It was meant to provoke Lily, making her clash with Royce, hoping he'd grow tired of her.
If she knew Lily would be so disgusted she couldn't stand the house, she might have handled things differently.
Now, they needed a new marital home.
But with the wedding just around the corner, there wasn't time to find and renovate a new place.
No matter, they could stay in Royce's apartment initially; after all, she was living there now.
The home could wait, but the wedding dress couldn't.
When Edmond promised to support her and Royce, she began secretly looking for a dress, but hadn't found the right one.
Initially, she wanted Zoya's help, but their relationship had turned sour recently.
This was because she hadn't immediately told Zoya about Lily's memory loss.
She couldn't.
Knowing Zoya's interest in Edmond, she feared Zoya might push Lily back to Royce to keep her away from Edmond.
To protect her own love, she stayed silent until someone else leaked the news.
Yet, human nature is fascinating.
Though her relationship with Zoya strained, she gained new friends.
Before the bar incident, her social circle was polite but distant.
After Lily publicly announced her and Royce's relationship, everyone warmed up to her, inviting her for tea, giving her gifts, even recommending bridal shops.
Today, she was at one such recommended high-end boutique.
As the sales assistant praised the wedding dress she was trying on, Royce's call came through.
"Uncle Edmond wants you to come to the family estate tonight. Be ready, I'll pick you up at six."
Edmond calling them to the estate was a sign he was about to fulfill his promise.
It felt like a dream—she had truly defeated Lily and was going to marry Royce.
Standing in front of the mirror, Nadia straightened her back and smiled at the sales assistant.
"I'll take this one."
Meanwhile, Franklin was considering another escape plan to get Lily away from Edmond.
Before he could figure out how to whisk her away, Edmond called.
"I heard about the bar incident. You helped Lily while she was hitting Royce. So, you side with Lily?"
Franklin did help Lily.
When his cousin dodged too quickly, leaving Lily unable to hit him, Franklin intervened.
He held Royce down so Lily could get her hits in.
It was the first time Edmond called him, and it was about Lily and Royce.
Franklin, unsure of Edmond's intentions, decided to be honest.