Chapter 46

"This initiative will not succeed," Lilly declared, her voice cold and sharp as she uncapped a red pen. With a single, deliberate stroke,she scrawled the word FAIL across the cover of the project document. The sound of the folder hitting the table echoed through the boardIroom,leaving an uncomfortable silence in itswake.

The tension was palpable. Every pair of eyes darted toward her, disbelief etched on their faces.

Peter Blake leaned forward, his gaze narrowing at his daughter. "I already sanctioned that project. On what grounds do you believe it will fail?" His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of irritation. This wasn't what he had expected when he insisted she oversee the project sign-off.

Lilly met his eyes with an unwavering stare, her demeanor exuding authority far beyond her years. "Do you want my honest assessment,or are we here to rubber-stamp failures?"

Peter flinched slightly, caught off guard by her boldness. Around the room.whispers began to ripple as the directors exchanged uneasy glances. Kate,standing off to the side, clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms.The disrespect! Did Lilly even comprehend the months of effort their father had poured into this? "How dare you dismiss a project without proper justification?" one of the senior directors challenged, his voice trembling with barely concealed indignation. Lilly turned to him, her expression unreadable. "Let me ask you this-did you personally inspect the rural area where you plan to build, or did you rely on a glossy pitch deck and online research?" The director's face flushed as he stammered, "The team-uh, they assured me一

"Exactly as I thought," Lilly cut him off, her voice icy. "You approved a multimillion-dollar project based on assumptions."

She turned back to Peter, her voice dropping into a tone laced with disappointment. "Mr. Blake, as the president, isn't it your responsibility to scrutinize proposals? Or have you delegated that duty entirely to complacency?"

The room fell silent as the weight of her words sank in. Peter's jaw tightened, a flicker of hurt crossing his face. She had called him*Mr.Blake,* not *father.* Not since... the incident.

"How can you be so sure the project will fail?" Peter demanded, his voice low but strained. "You haven't even visited the site yourself."

Lilly exhaled slowly, her patience wearing thin. "Because I *did* my research," she said, her tone laced with quiet defiance. "If you send a team for a proper inspection, they'll find what I already know-this land is a disaster waiting to happen. Frequent natural calamities. Unstable terrain.Build a resort there, and you're not just wasting money. You're inviting ruin."

A wave of murmurs spread through the room. Kate looked like she was ready to explode, but even she couldn't deny the doubt creeping into her mind.

Peter, however, was silent, his gaze fixed on his daughter. Could she be right? She had always been sharp,but this? Lilly didn't wait for further questions. "I suggest you verify my findings before proceeding. Until then, consider this project dead." With that,she gathered her papers and strode out, her heels clieking against the marble floor like a gavel delivering judgment.

As the doors closed behind her. Peter's father-who had been silently observing-allowed a small, approving smile to curve his lips. She's ready.*he thought.

Lilly walked briskly down the hall, her mind swirling with unspoken emotions. She barely noticed her father's voice calling after her until his hand caught her arm.

"Lilly," Peter began, his tone softer now.

She turned slowly, her expression guarded. "Is this about the project? I've said all I needed to say."

"No," Peter replied, shaking his head. "It's about u1s."

Her jaw tightened. "What about us?"

"I... I want to fix this," he said, his voice tinged with desperation. "I want us to go back to the way things were. Before... everything." His words faltered, his eyes searching hers for any sign of warmth. Lilly's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Go back? To what? To when you broke our hearts by remarrying so quickly after Mom died? Or to when you prioritized Brenda over your own daughters? Tell me, *Mr. Blake,*which part of the past are you so desperate to return to?" Peter flinched as if struck. "Lilly, please. I know I made mistakes,but-" "But nothing," she interrupted, her voice trembling with suppressed anger."You want to fix things? Start by finding the people who killed my sisters."Her voice cracked, betraying the depth of her pain.

"Lilly,I-"

"Don't," she snapped, stepping back. "You can't undo what's been done.And you can't make me forget."

With that, she turned and walked away, her steps heavy with emotion.Peter stood frozen, his heart aching as he watched her retreating figure.

By the time Lilly arrived at the family residence, exhaustion had settled over her. The glowing "Welcome Back Home" banner hanging over the entrance felt almost mocking.

"Welcome, ma'am," Camila greeted, bowwing slightly.

"Good evening, Camila," Lilly replied with a faint smile, her eyes scanning the bustling house.

"She's here early," Grandma Helen's voice rang out as she descended the stairs.

Lilly hurried to her, offering her arm for support. "I missed you, Grandma."And I missed you too," Helen said warmly. But her sharp eyes quickly noticed the redness in Lilly's eyes. "Have you been crying?" ′′NO,Grandma," Lilly lied smoothly. "Just something in my eye." Helen's gaze lingered, but she chose not to press. Instead,she smiled."Go rest in Alexander's room. You've had a long day. I'll have Camila fetch you when everyone arrives."

As Lilly retreated upstairs,her mind churned with thoughts of the evening ahead.She knew the night would bring questions,challenges,and perhaps revelations she wasn't ready to face. By 7:30 pm, the house was alive with chatter. Sandra's friends,family acquaintances, and key figures had all gathered, their laughter filling the air.

Lilly joined them, her face composed as she greeted the guests. Yet, amidst the pleasantries, a nagging tension lingered, like a storm cloud waiting to burst.

"Where's Alexander?" Sophia asked, her tone light but pointed.

"Busy with work, perhaps," Lilly replied evenly, though she wasn't sure herself.

Outside, a sleek car pulled up to the mansion. A young woman stepped out, her dark hair catching the fading light. Her eyes sparkled with childlike excitement as she gazed at the grand estate.

"Home sweet home," she murmured, her lips curling into a smile that hinted at secrets untold.