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Home / Romance / Bounded By The Brother / Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

All Chapters of Bounded By The Brother : Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

23 Chapters

CHAPTER 11

Lily’s POV I didn’t bring up the birthday party idea. Aaron had informed me on Thursday morning with the same manner he always used: Direct, leaving no room for my opinion or agreement. “Make sure you are free on Saturday evening,” he said. “I’m taking you to a party.” “What kind of party?” I asked. “Birthday party. An associate of mine.” He glanced at me. “Get something appropriate to wear.” I spent almost ten minutes in front of my wardrobe trying to decide what was appropriate for a man like Aaron. Finally, I decided on a red wrap dress that was elegant without being too much. When I got to the house on Saturday evening, Aaron was already dressed up and waiting in the living room. He had a black tuxedo and he looked to have freshly dyed his hair. The white color shone more. His eyes moved over me a moment too long when I appeared. Then he looked away. “Ready?” he said. “Yes,” I responded. We drove in a black Benz to the venue, which everyone knew to be the biggest

CHAPTER 12

Lily's POV I woke up to Shawna’s voice on a phone call. She didn’t send a message this time. An actual call at eight on a Sunday morning. Whatever she thought was urgent last night had survived her sleeping on it. “Did you see it yet?” she said even before I could say hello. “Good morning to you too,” I said. “Lily, have you checked what I sent you last night?” “I saw the notifications,” I responded. “But I haven’t opened the link.” “Open it right now,” she said. I put the phone on speaker and clicked the link last night. It took me to a familiar page. One of the numerous gossip accounts that covered the country’s wealthy families. The kind everyone followed. There was a photograph. Dorian Vale in a suit with Bella Jamie standing together. She was in a white dress. Both of them smiling in a near-kissing pose. Beneath the photograph a caption read: City’s most expected union confirmed. Dorian Vale and Bella Jamie are set to marry next month. I stared too long at t

CHAPTER 13

Lily’s POV I was already at the gate by eight a.m. The security guard nodded at me the same way he had been doing each morning over the past two weeks. I smiled and nodded back before walking through the gate. I convinced myself that today would be like every other day. But it wasn’t. I had information now that changed the shape of everything. And I had to sit with it inside Aaron’s house for eight hours without making it obvious on my face. I switched on the laptop the moment I placed my bag down in the office. As usual, Aaron’s light was already on in his space. He was on a phone call. And his voice was low and unhurried, the way I had come to know it to be. I sat down and clicked open the pending folder. For a few minutes, I stared at the screen without really doing anything. Dorian’s brother. I had spent some time in front of the mirror earlier in the morning, giving myself a firm conversation. Dorian was in the past. Aaron was the job. I vowed to keep them sepa

CHAPTER 14

Lily’s POV It was the morning of the wedding and I still hadn’t figured out an excuse. I picked up the phone and decided on the option Aaron would believe most. ~Good morning sir. I’m not feeling well this morning. I will be going to the hospital for a medical check up. Thanks.~ His reply came as if he had been expecting my message. ~Get ready Lily, I’ll be there by ten.~ I stared at the screen with a knot in my stomach. Did he not care about my health at all? I placed the phone down and pulled the blanket over my head begging the universe to rearrange my life so this morning never had happened. At ten o'clock a knock sounded on my door. I knew who it was and my body refused to stand up from the bed. The knock came again. Two times. Gentle and firm. I stood up. I opened the door, drawing the pajamas tighter on my body. Aaron stood on my doorstep in a grey tailored suit. But something struck me. His hair was black unlike before. For the first time in weeks, I no

CHAPTER 15

Lily's POVThe voice sounded familiar. I turned my head back slowly.Dorian stood behind me with a glass of champagne in his hand. The corners of his lips were curved up the same way he had smiled at the altar minutes ago. “I couldn't believe it when my assistant told me he saw you here,” he said. I didn't reply. I glanced at Aaron. He was shifting his gaze between me and Dorian. Then I stood up to face Dorian.“Dorian,” I said his name the way I was already used to.He didn't even spare his brother a look. “Can we talk,” he said, sipping the champagne with the calmness I knew him for. I should have said no. I turned to look at Aaron who still hadn't said a word but his brows were drawn deeper now. “Sure,” I said. I followed Dorian to a quieter corner of the hall where Aaron's gaze could still reach me. Dorian turned to face me. He didn't say a word at first, he just stared deeply into my eyes that I had to blink. “You look well,” he said. “Thanks,” I responded.“I didn’t

CHAPTER 16

Lily's POVI stood alone in the corridor long after Aaron followed Alex back to the reception. Laughter, music and the clinking of glasses from the reception all drifted through the wall. A room full of people celebrating something that had haunted me. I pressed the back of hand against the spot on my cheek where Aaron's fingers had been. Then I walked back to your reception. I found a seat at the edge of the hall and soon Marco moved over to join me. “Are you alright?” He asked.“I'm fine,” I said. “He'll be back shortly,” Marco said, nodding toward the end of the wall. I turned to the direction of his nod. Aaron stood in front of a table. The man seated at it wore a blue suit and had his back turned to me. The carefulness of other people moving around the table told me exactly who the man was. Morgan Vale. Aaron stood in front of his father. Both hands were in his pocket and his posture was exactly the way I had known him for. Morgan said something and Aaron nodded. I st

CHAPTER 17

Aaron's POVSleep was difficult after the wedding. It had always been like this. But I lay awake longer than most nights. My eyes were on the ceiling. Many thoughts came and my mind refused to stay for more than five seconds. I knew Bella Jamie. Everyone did. I still couldn’t figure out why Dorian would decide to settle down with a woman like that. Rude. Arrogant and selfish. Those were the words people used to describe her. The corridor scene replayed. Not the near kiss but the moment before. Lily pressing against my body. Her shoulders shook as her hands rested on my chest. I thought about how she turned into me. Like her body had decided before her brain caught up. That wasn't my first time I held someone. But this was different. I turned on my side and convinced myself to stop thinking about it. By Monday morning, thoughts of Lily still hadn’t left my mind but I was at my desk by six thirty. I already knew the day’s agenda before she arrived to confirm it on paper. She knoc

CHAPTER 18

Lily’s POVI stood in front of the headquarters, taking it all in. It was everything I had expected but nothing I was prepared for. I showed the pass Alex had given to a security scanner. It beeped and I stepped into the building. I had walked into very tall buildings before but standing inside the Vale headquarters with my bag on my shoulder I felt something different.This was Morgan Vale’s world. The lobby had dark marble floors. Minimalistic setting. The Vale Industries logos and names were mounted on several parts of the walls. Staff moved through the space at a quick pace. No one was paying attention to the woman on her first day on the job. When I got to their floor, Aaron was already inside. He was speaking with Alex near the reception when I walked in. He looked up when he saw me and gestured. I joined them. “The meeting is at ten,” he said. “Board room on the tenth floor. Sit at the far end and take notes. Do not speak unless I ask you.”“Understood,” I said, nodding.

CHAPTER 19

Lily’s POV No one shifted in their chair. Aaron was on his feet with both hands pressed on the table. Eyes fixed on Dorian with a strange stillness.I didn’t know whether I should apologize or remain silent.Dorian leaned back in his chair. He was still too. No flinching. He stared back at Aaron with an equal glare. “I said what I said,” Dorian said with a flat tone. “If your dumbass assistant cannot conduct herself as expected then perhaps the problem is with you who brought her into this room. Not what I observed.”Silence.One of the senior figures shifted in their chair. The other turned his eyes toward me. Aaron pushed the chair back and took one step around the table.Dorian stood up, following Aaron with his eyes without blinking. My heart pounded. I should have kept my mouth shut. “Aaron,” Morgan’s voice broke the silence. One single word. It carried the weight of a man who had filled rooms with his authority for so long. Aaron stopped in his tracks. Morgan looked at

CHAPTER 20

Lily’s POV The monitor continued to beep while Leon’s question hung in the air. “Did your mother ever tell you about Vale Enterprise and your father?”I adjusted myself in the chair and swallowed. “No,” I responded. “She never told me anything about it.”He nodded and glanced at her on the bed. “Your mother has always been like that. Protecting people from things she thought were harmful. Even if the truth was the only thing that could save them.‘My heart beat grew faster. “Uncle Leon,” I said. “What happened between my father and Vale Enterprises.”He went quiet for a moment. “Your father built something real,” he said. “Bowman Enterprise. He spent fifteen years of his life, two hundred employees of his life. He was not a rich man in the way those people are but he built something that was his until it wasn’t.”My brows tightened. I only had a few memories of my father, Joe Bowman.He never really had time for us. He was always working. I remembered the way he always smelled

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