Lily of Love

my fiancé, Cade Wexler, accompanie

vior made them seem

from Cade, but he accused

now, and you're j

made a grand gesture of affection

es, pleaded, "Please,

ren't you too old to b

over the weekend, yet he appeared

meticulously styled, a stark contrast

here, and his face couldn't hide the a

t are you

t I was the one who

rted working at a

mmediately, but he was distra

nding her dream job, " he said,

situation. While I was momentarily stunned,

anywhere and cried for her dadd

rtha Ford, Cade's

to see me but quickly r

I had no choice but to ask Cade for help. You know how tough it is for a woman to raise a

ted acting pitifully, her voice fragile

oftly. "It's okay, Martha. It's not your fault. Tell Ryl

ng and closeness made me

I locked my gaze inte

think you owe m

tion Martha had left, irr

y. It's a simple matter. Is

taken

dence, as if I was the o

t understand. My fiancé willingly plays dad to someon

his fi

ur own children

el husband and father for anothe

n adult, yet you're competing with a child? Rylie doesn't have a

his face ful

disbelief o

g with a

't set boundaries that I wa

f playing both sides

ely, believing his relationship w

d mentorship was important, so ever

raising a child alone, I couldn't help

go, someone let slip that Martha wa

their relationship, I found

bove board, why the

e argument

is relationship with Martha, there

promising he would

a approached him agai

roke his

k about this at home. The event is about to

trying to sidest

his sleeve

make a fuss over nothing usually, bu

and watch him play happy

me, and now he was br

nly one thought o

n't let

clear stanc

se, I was suddenly sho

me hard and then kicked me, shouting, "Wit

efore Martha hurried ov

lled away, the boy

r explaining, only repeating, "Rylie,

ed, and uninformed par

woman. Didn't you hear

How can the kindergarte

nation from the principal. How can

She's being bullied, and sh

lts were

get for things I

and other coll

mments, the principal's

the interview, but now her eyes

would clarify the situation,

ing crowd. His face flushed as he pointed at me and asked Cade, "D

at me, a b

t, and then he walked ov

he boy's face, and softly reassured him,

.

lit up with a s

u witch. Stay away fro

e before, it was completel

ust a friend, I might a

ed its peak, yet I f

ldn't accept b

g parents, I tried

f Cade and me from my social me

ne else's stand-in dad, th

arrassed and came ov

to make a scene a

a bit consider

rip and sneered,

voked him, and he becam

es that mean you can restrict my

ear to everyone w

dn't want to entangle

anymore. You're tota

d, but Cade didn't

e." he shout

off due to personal reasons. I went back to our shared home to pack my things. Cade and I had decorated

e me for being ov

s determined to spe

he undermined every

ould be glad to leave someone uns

down my face, I packe

o large boxes, all o

o the hallway and pil

ed the lock'

sent Cade a message to

house, I briefly exp

n sympathy, while my dad s

. I thought Cade was a good man.

rofessor, spent his li

y optimistic about huma

ou think about th

had supported since high sch

r and was recruited by the sch

, he often helped tak

ce, " Vance said without much emotion, qui

my dad asked

nd seldom gave such direc

ality, age-he falls short in

his reading gl

, but if I remember correctly,

e... " Vance muttered s

mong men was something

dinner, there was a

nswer it and re

lesman. I se

ken than someone out

as C

ealizing he had drive

e and quickly tur

d developed quite a

outside was

out. "Mr. Hardy, Mrs. Hardy, it's me, Cade.

oud, and my dad co

he neighbors were mostly his colleagues, he was concerned about what they might think if th

ed, "Why not let him in an

rs with a pile of thi

put down his things bef

react, an arm c

keep your hands to y

, completely shie

Vance's intervention, his

s mouth but

he tension, inviting Cade t

cent of the early day

roved of Cade, hoping I'd f

for a young man to make it out of the mountains and t

't let my

ied him up and down the stairs without

ut in the kitchen

his sincerity and ag

change from the sin

to Vance, deliberately kee

t down, Cade'

ing well. Can you come

d, their express