Chapter 3

3.

Hearing such a confident answer, a flicker of surprise crossed Isabel's eyes, and she feigned a shy tone.

"You know about me and Spencer? Does he talk about me often?"

Lily remembered what Sophie had told her and nodded gently. "Yes."

A blush crept up Isabel's cheeks, and her eyes lit up.

"Spencer fell for me at first sight. He pursued me for a long time before I finally agreed to give him a chance. After we got together, he treated me so well. For our anniversary, he covered my apartment doorstep with a thousand roses. Whenever another guy asked me to a party, he'd get so jealous…"

"We were together for four years. Everyone said I was his soulmate, and he told me countless times that he was going to propose after graduation. But I didn't want to get married right out of college. I had my own ambitions, so I turned him down and went to Paris. But I knew he never let me go all these years, so I decided to come back."

"To be honest, I was a little nervous on my way to the airport. But when I saw him rushing through the arrivals hall in the pouring rain to grab my luggage, I knew nothing had changed. I've had a cold these past few days, and he's been taking care of me. I can tell he wants to ask me to get back together, but for some reason, he just can't seem to bring it up. I was worried he might have developed feelings for that girl who chased him for seven years, which is why I wanted to ask you about it."

Lily listened to the story with the detachment of an outsider.

"I'm sure if he cares about you that much, he wouldn't rush into asking you back. He's probably planning a big surprise."

Isabel relaxed, smiling as she waved goodbye. But as she turned to leave, she accidentally knocked her phone into the fountain.

She instinctively bent down to retrieve it but lost her balance and tumbled into the water.

Lily froze for a second, then quickly started to wheel herself away to find help.

But just as she turned, she saw Spencer sprinting toward them. Without a second thought, he leaped into the fountain and pulled Isabel out.

Isabel coughed up water for a while before she finally caught her breath. Only then did the frantic worry on Spencer's face begin to fade.

Lily was about to go find a doctor when he stopped her with a sharp, accusatory voice.

"You pushed her in and then tried to walk away like nothing happened?"

Lily was completely blindsided by the accusation. "She fell in trying to get her phone. I didn't push her. I was going to get help―"

Spencer cut her off coldly. "Get her phone? I was gone for a few minutes, and suddenly Isabel is in the fountain? Who else could it have been but you?"

Without another word, he shoved Lily, wheelchair and all, into the fountain. His voice was bone-chilling.

"Lily, for Sophie's sake, I've put up with all of your games. But Isabel is my limit. If you don't know when to back off, don't blame me for being ruthless."

He called his bodyguards over and ordered them to keep anyone from getting close.

The icy water filled Lily's nose and mouth, choking her.

She struggled alone in the water, the wound on her leg tearing open, sending thin trails of blood swirling around her.

Her strength faded with each passing second. Shaking from the pain, she slowly began to sink.

As her vision blurred, the last thing she saw was the sight of Spencer carrying Isabel away.

She didn't know how much time had passed, but when Lily opened her eyes again, she was greeted by the sight of Sophie's tear-streaked face.

"I was only gone for a few hours, how did you end up in the fountain? The doctor said if they'd pulled you out a minute later, you might not have woken up. You scared me to death!"

Remembering what had happened before she passed out, Lily fell silent.

She wanted to tell Sophie the truth, but the thought of Spencer being her brother made her swallow the words.

She shook her head gently, her voice weak and hoarse.

"I'm fine, don't worry."