Chapter 34

"The boss has ordered us to prevent you from leaving the house."

The guard's words hit Lilly like a wall. Her voice,usually calm,sharpened with irritaion. "When exactly did he give this order?" she demanded.

"Since he left on his trip," came the curt reply.

Lilly blinked in disbelief. It had been over a week since Alexander left, and now, when she finally decided to step out, this? A smoldering anger ignited within her. She had endured days of confinement, morning sickness, and loneliness, all without a word from her husband. Today, she planned to meet Sarah and her friends, a small reprieve from the suffocating solitude. But now, she felt less like a wife and more like a prisoner.

Spinning on her heel, she stormed back upstairs to her room. The walls seemed to close in around her as she grabbed her phone and dialed Alexander. The line rang once before going unanswered. Gritting her teeth,she tried again. This time, the call was picked up-but not by Alexander.

"Hello, this is Alexander Kane's assistant. Who's calling?"

Lilly glanced at her phone, ensuring she hadn't misdialed. No, it was the right number. "Why are you answering Mr. Kane's phone?"

The assistant hesitated. "Ah, Miss Evans-sorry, Miss Blake," he corrected himself awkwardly. "Please put Mr. Kane on the phone," she demanded, her patience wearing thin. The assistant glanced nervously at his boss, who sat across the room, engrossed in his tablet. Alexander's fingers flew over the screen, his expression impassive yet intense.

"Hold on. Miss Blake. I'll check if he's available," the assistant replied.trying to keep his voice steady.

"Sir," he ventured cautiously.

"What is it?" Alexander's tone was clipped, his attention still on the screen.

"It's Miss Evans-er, Miss Blake," the assistant said, stumbling over her name.Since discovering her true identíty as the Blake family heir,addressing her as "Miss Evans" felt inappropriate.

Alexander's hands froze mid-gesture. His cold demeanor betrayed a flicker of something deeper. "Give me the phone," he ordered.

The assistant handed it over without a word.

"What's the purpose of this call?" Alexander's voice was as cold and sharp as steel.

Lilly's heart stuttered at the sound of him. It had been days since they'd spoken, but his voice still had the power to affect her. Could she ever stop loving this man who seemed so determined to remain distant?

"I..." She hesitated, then gathered her courage. "Why am I not allowed to leave the house? I've been cooped up for over a week, and now I find out you've ordered guards to stop me. Am I a prisoner?" Alexander leaned back in his chair, his expression hardening. "You are not leaving the house until I say so." Lilly's frustration boiled over. "You don't get to decide that for me! I'm

leaving today, whether you like it or not."

A muscle in Alexander's jaw twitched.′′Ifyou dare to leave, you'll regret it," he said, his tone laced with menace.

Lilly scoffed. "You're not even here to enforce your threats. Let's see if your guards can stop me."

Alexander's grip on the phone tightened. Her defiance, after all her lies,pushed him to the edge. "Try it, and see what happens," he warned,his voice dangerouasly low.

Without another word, Lilly ended the call.

Alexander stared at his phone, his mind a storm of emotions. Minutes later,it rang again.

"Speak," he barked.

"Sir," came the nervous voice of one of the guards, "Miss Evans has... has left the house."

"Did you touch her?" Alexander demanded,his tone like a whip.

"N-no, sir. She just... walked out," the guard stammered.

"Good. Don't lay a finger on her. I'll handle this myself," Alexander snapped before hanging up. He exhaled slowly, his icy facade cracking slightly. On his tablet, a wealth of information about Lilly lay open-details of her upbringing,her education, and even a long-hidden relationship during her second master's program. The pieces of her life, once obscured, were now clear. And then there were the threats. Her sisters had been murdered, and her identity as the Blake heir put her squarely in the crosshairs of whoever had killed them. The revelation that her life was in danger enraged him.She knew this and still dared to leave.

"James," Alexander barked.

"Yes,boss?"

"Cancel the meeting. We're going home."

James blinked but quickly complied, sensing the storm brewing in his employer's eyes.

Lilly stepped into the crisp air outside the mansion, defying the suffocating grip Alexander had imposed. Each step felt like a small victory, but her triumph was short-lived. The eyes of passersby and whispers in the air followed her, the weight of the public's scrutiny pressing down on her.

She hailed a cab and gave the driver the cafe address. As the car sped away, Lilly tried to ignore the gnawing sensation that she was being watched.

Back at the mansion, Alexander's car screeched to a halt in the driveway.His expression was thunderous as he exited, his usual composure shattered.

"Where is she?" he demanded of the guard at the gate.

"She left, sir. Took a cab," the guard replied, trembling. Alexander's jaw clenched. He could track her easily-her movements,her location, everything. But it wasn't just about control. It was about her safety. The threats to her life were real, and her recklessness infuriated him.Lilly arrived at the café, her heart finally settling. She needed the company of friends, a reprieve from the tension that had consumed her life. But even in the warmth of her friends' laughter, she couldn't shake the feeling that she had crossed a line-a line that Alexander wouldn't let her forget.

Meanwhile,Alexander sat in his car outside, his anger simmering.He wouldn't storm in; that wasn't his style. But when she returned home,he would be waiting.

Waiting to remind her that the world she had stepped into was far more dangerous than she realized. And that leaving his protection had consequences-ones she wasn't prepared to face.