Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

hapter 6 LILY ONE MONTH LATER Having successfully relocated to Canada and diligently renewing my practice license, I find myself on the brink of full readiness, with just two pending tasks. Mrs. Georgina, in her kindness, extended an invitation forto visit her hand discuss potential opportunities at her hospital while 1 await the completion of the remaining certification processes, The cab I hailed cto a halt outside the imposing gates of Mrs. Georgina's residence. Disembarking from the vehicle, I settled the fare with the driver and proceeded toward the entrance. The grandeur of her htriggered memories of Ryan's family house, a sharp contrast to the temporary abode of a hotel room where 1 currently reside. Letclarify, the hotel suite isn't unpleasant by any means, but it lacks that comforting essence of home. It simply doesn't evoke the ssense of belonging. As I mused over these thoughts, one of Mrs. Georgina's security personnel approached me, his voice resonating through the narrow opening in the iron gate. "Are you Ms. Lily Bernard? he inquired, his tone professional yet courteous With a silent nod, Lacknowledged his query, opting to provide my father's surnto avoid association with Ryan's family name. "I'll need to verify your identity, ma'am, he continued, his demeanor unwavering in its adherence to protocol Retrieving my identification card from my purse, I handed it over for inspection. His gaze lingered on the ID momentarily before lifting to meet mine. This ID bears the nLily Williams," he observed, his tone neutral yet probing. Accepting the ID back from him, I affirmed. That's my former husband's surname. I've undergone divorce proceedings and am in the process of reverting to my maiden name. Unfortunately, my updated identification hasn't been issued yet." promptly Maintaining his steady gaze, he murmured into his communication device. After a brief pause, he signaled to the gate attendant, who initiated the process of grantingaccess. With a silent acknowledgment, I followed, stepping into the confines of the compound. The young man regardedwith a curious expression, his eyes filled with intrigue. "Are you walking down?" he asked, his tone tinged with confusion. Perplexed by his inquiry, I simply blinked in response, With a shake of his head, he gestured towards the waiting car. "Get in he instructed, promptingto comply Our journey spanned over thirty minutes before we finally arrived at the main building. Stepping out, I made my way towards the entrance, while Eddie, the young man, skillfully reversed the car and retraced our path. Led into the living room, I settled in to await Mrs. Georgina's arrival. After a few minutes, the sound of approaching footsteps caught my attention. Rising to my feet, I turned to greet her. Mrs. Georgina approached with a warm smile. "Ms. Bernard," she greeted, extending her hand for a handshake, which I accepted graciously. "It's wonderful to meet you in person. Returning her smile shyly, I responded, "It's equally lovely to meet you, Ma'am: She shook her head gently "Please, callGeorgina. A friend of Becky is certainly a friend of mine: Gesturing forto take a seat, she settled on the sofa nearest to mine. "Becky informedabout your divorce. I'm truly sorry to hear about it." Mustering a smile, I endeavored to conceal the emotional weight of recent events. "I suppose it just wasn't meant to be, I offered, attempting to downplay the complexities of the situation. Georgina regardedwith a mix of empathy and frustration, voicing her displeasure with the mistreatment of women by certain men. It's disheartening how men can behave," she grumbled, sighing as she crossed her legs, an embodiment of thoughtful contemplation. "And what about the baby! Does he knows she inquired, her concern evident. Slightly taken aback, my eyes widened in surprise. "Becky shared that detail as well?" I admitted, appreciative of her support yet grappling with the intrusion into my private life. Georgina shook her head gently, her expression softening with understanding. "Becky didn't disclose anything about the baby. I gleaned it from simply observing you, she clarified, her words carrying a sense of reassurance. As the maids graciously served us cold juice, she continued, "While 1 may not have experienced motherhood firsthand. I possess an intuitive sense when it comes to discerning a woman's condition " Mesmerized, I watched Mrs. Georgina with unabashed admiration. At sixty years old, she exuded a timeless elegance that leftin awe Clean my throat, I decided to shift the focus to the primary purpose of my visit. "Concerning my complete documents, they should be fully preparest 11:29 AM Chapter 6 within the next two weeks," She nodded gracefully, her demeanor composed and understanding. "Rest assured, Lily, there's no cause for concern," she affirmed with reassuring sinile, her gaze lingering as I tentatively took a sip of my drink, a subtle tension settling in the air. Unexpectedly, she dropped a bombshell, "I must say, Lily, I find myself quite fond of you, I like you," she declared, her statement catchingoff guard, causingto choke momentarily on my drink. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind, pondering the implications of her confession. Is she into women! Becky didn't mention that.. besides, I thought she was married to a man before he died! Wide-eyed and utterly baffled. I could only manage a soft, disbelieving whisper, "What? Georgina's laughter, light and melodic, filled the room, her amusement evident as she observed my bewildered reaction. "Oh, Lily, forgivefor the confusion. When I expressed my fondness for you, I meant it in a purely platonic sense, she clarified, her voice warm and reassuring as she took another sip of her juice, her composure unwavering. "My romantic interests lie elsewhere, I assure you. I am very much more interested and attracted to dick Blushing furiously with embarrassment, I stumbled over my words in an attempt to apologize, recognizing that I had inadvertently caused discomfort with my misinterpretation. 1-I'm terribly sorry, I stammered, acutely aware of my unintentional blunder. "I didn't mean to let my thoughts run wild." Georgina waved away my apology with a graceful gesture, her poise unwavering even in the face of my embarrassment. "There's no need for apologies, dear Lily, she reassured me, her tone gentle yet firm. Crossing her legs with elegant precision, she shifted gears, her expression morphing into one of earnest contemplation, "On a different note, I couldn't help but hear about your connection to the Williams family in New York. I heard you were married to the Williams family in New York," I nodded slowly, absorbing her revelation. “You're familiar with them?" I inquired, intrigued by her connection to the Williams family. Georgina shrugged nonchalantly. "Tve had a few unpleasant run-ins with their mother, Sarah Williams," she confessed, her tone tinged with a hint of contemplation as she idly traced her thumb along the rim of her glass. "But let's focus on you, Lily. I want to help you" Her words caughtoff guard. Wasn't that the purpose of our meeting? Wasn't she already extending her assistance by offeringa position at her hospital? "I'm determined to transform you into a woman whom Ryan Williams will deeply regret divorcing. Georgina continued, her gaze fixed firmly on me. "The Williams family values wealth and affluence, and I intend to mold you into that image. you absolutely certain you don't have While I appreciated her efforts, I couldn't shake the feeling that Georgina was taking this too personally. "Are you a personal connection to the Williams family?" I probed gently, sensing an underlying tension in her words. She let out a slow exhale, her expression thoughtful "As I mentioned, my encounters with them haven't been pleasant," she reiterated, her lips tightening slightly. I won't stand by and watch them mistreat another woman." Her mention of "another woman piqued my curiosity. Did she have unresolved grievances with the Williams family? "Did they wrong you in sway! I ventured, cautiously probing the delicate topic. "Or perhaps you know someone who was hurt by them? Georgina's sigh carried a heavy weight, laden with sorrow and unresolved grief. "It was my sister, she began, her voice tinged with a mix of pain and resignation. "Richard Williams drove my sister into depression, and she eventually took her own life. ir with A pang of sympathy shot through me, and I offered a heartfelt apology. "I'm so sorry to hear about your loss," I murmured, my words echoing genuine compassion. A sad smile touched Georgina's lips, imbued with a sense of acceptance and understanding. "Don't apologize," she responded softly, her gaze reflecting a mixture of emotions. "I can see that you're not like them, and yet you've also fallen victim to their manipulation and mistreatment." Intrigued by her story yet hesitant to delve deeper into her painful past, I treaded carefully. "If you're comfortable sharing, what happened to your sister?" I inquired, mindful of the delicate nature of the topic. Her voice carried a weight of sorrow as she recounted the tragic events. "My sister married Richard, and they were expecting a child. But tragedy struck when she lost the baby in an accident, and due to complications, she was unable to conceive again. Richard assured her that everything would be alright, but he had impregnated another woman, Sarah, from a wealthy family," she explained, her words laced with bitterness and sorrow. "Despite my siver's struggles, Richard divorced her and married Sarah, with the full support of his family. Sarah eventually gave birth to Ryan "I'm s so sorry." I muttered. you for She smiled at me. "Don't be. I am just glad that you didn't end up like my sister, and I'm going to make sure to make you richer than that binilso he left 11:29 AM

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