Forbiddenly Bound To You
Chapter 35: Advice

Chapter 35: Advice

Lily’s eyes widened as she stared at James, but her expression quickly returned to normal. Addressing him, she said, "Hello, Mr. James," surprising both Mira and James. This was the first time she had called him by his name. They were momentarily stunned. Turning to Mira, Lily added, "Oh, Mira, I’m heading out now. Thank you for being okay. I’m really glad to see you’re doing well. Enjoy the rest of your day. Bye."

Mira hesitated before she spoke.

"I would like to discuss something with you"

With nothing pressing on her schedule, Lily moved closer. "Sure, what’s up? I don’t have much to do today, and I was planning to visit anyway."

Mira suggested, "Why don’t you come to my place? It’s the only place I can go for now due to my condition."

Lily agreed, "Of course, why not? Are you ready to go now?"

Mira nodded and stood up, still holding a half-eaten cookie. "It was so nice. Thank you so much, Lily. It was really nice of you."

Lily waved her hand dismissively. "It’s no problem at all."

As they left the hospital, Mira noticed Lily’s behavior toward James and found it curious. Lily remarked, "Oh my goodness, Mira, I’m not surprised, but I’m impressed. Your Husband must be incredibly wealthy."

Mira’s cheeks flushed as they entered the car. The vehicle fell into a comfortable silence until James spoke up, "Would you like me to drop Miss Lily off somewhere, or is she coming to the mansion with us?"

Mira replied, "She’s coming to the mansion with us. I’d like to discuss something with her privately."

James nodded.

As they continued driving in silence, Lily, noticing Mira’s reaction, asked, "So, can you tell me how you and Mr. Zamian first met?"

Mira was caught off guard by the question. Before she could respond, Lily added with a grin, "Just kidding. I’m excited to hear what you want to tell me. I’m sure I’ll help in any way I can."

Mira smiled, relieved.

When they arrived at the mansion, Lily was awestruck by its grandeur. "Oh my gosh, this is amazing," she exclaimed as she followed Mira inside, teetering around.

Mira led Lily into the living room, which she hadn’t had much chance to enjoy before. The couch was incredibly comfortable. "Wow, this place is incredible," Lily remarked again.

Mira smiled at her enthusiasm and, before sitting, inhaled and exhaled deeply, trying to calm herself before speaking. "It’s about..." She paused, then continued, "It’s about our marriage."

Lily’s eyes widened with concern. "Is everything okay? I hope everything’s alright."

Mira nodded. "I’m having a hard time. I want to give my husband a child." she confessed, keeping it vague to avoid discussing the contractual nature of their marriage.

Lily leaned in closer, her voice soft. "You’re feeling shy and not confident enough?"

Mira nodded. "Yes, that’s it."

Lily squealed with excitement and clapped her hands. "Don’t worry, I’m the perfect person to help with this! My friends ask me for advice on similar things, and I always give the best tips. I’m sure we can figure this out together."

Mira was taken aback by Lily’s enthusiasm but felt reassured by her friend’s support.

Lily continued in a quieter tone, "I’m sure you haven’t... you know... done it yet."

Mira’s eyes widened, surprised by Lily’s directness. How did she know? Was it that obvious?

Then Lily confessed, "I know this might be hard to believe, but I was married before."

Mira gasped. She couldn’t believe that Lily, the confident, outspoken Lily, had been married before.

Lily spoke again, "I’m sure you’re shocked, but I was young back then. We were both young and had no idea about married life. We divorced two months later because we were too shy and misunderstood each other."

Mira was still processing the revelation.

"If I had someone like me now to give advice back then, I would’ve listened," Lily said quietly. "But enough about me. Here’s what I think you can do: Don’t force anything. When he gets home, try to make the place feel cozy. Play some soft music, maybe make his favorite meal, but don’t mention it. Just let him walk into a calm, welcoming space."

Mira listened carefully.

"And don’t feel like you need to talk a lot," Lily continued. "Sometimes it’s better to connect in the quiet moments. Just be there, sit next to him, maybe ask how his day was, but don’t push for more. Let him open up when he’s ready. It’s not about doing something big; it’s about showing you care in the little things."

Mira nodded. "That sounds simple. Wow, thank you so much, Lily. It makes sense."

Lily smiled. "Exactly. The little things matter. When he’s relaxed, he’ll be more comfortable around you. Just take it slow. You’ll know when the time is right to talk and take things further."

Mira felt a sense of relief. "Thanks, Lily. I think I can do that."

***

At the Dining

They sat at the dining table, the atmosphere warm and peaceful. Lily glanced around the luxurious room. "Oh my, Mira, this table could easily seat over ten people, yet it’s just you and your husband."

Mira nodded, feeling a little shy. "Yeah, I had the same thoughts too when I arrived."

They ate in comfortable silence until Mira spoke up, "Nana, could you please call Mr. James?"

Nana nodded politely and left to fulfill the request. Not long after, James arrived.

Mira turned to him. "Mr. James, could you drop Lily off when we’re done?"

Before James could respond, Lily interjected quickly, "No worries, he’s probably busy. I can manage on my own."

Mira looked at her, concerned. "But I brought you here, I can’t let you go home alone."

Lily waved her hand dismissively. "It’s really no problem, Mira. Besides, I need to grab something at the nearest store "

She avoided James’ gaze throughout the conversation, glancing briefly at him before focusing back on her meal. Mira noticed the subtle tension but chose to stay silent. Something was off, but she couldn’t quite place it.

As soon as Lily finished her meal, she bid Mira goodbye and left.

Mira stepped outside, admiring the flowers that had never looked more vibrant. After spending a few minutes appreciating them, she headed back inside. Entering the kitchen, she called out, "Nana, is my husband’s food ready?"

Nana, taken aback by the request, replied, "Not yet, ma’am. It will be ready in a few minutes."

Mira, eager to help, offered, "Can I assist in preparing his meal?" Nana, surprised, composed herself and accepted the help. Together, they worked to prepare the meal.

Once they finished, Mira went upstairs to freshen up. After her bath, she wore a black shirt and a modest mini-skirt that rested above her knees. She came down the stairs to find Zemian already seated at the dining table, eating silently with his usual intimidating presence and impeccable manners.

Mira was determined to follow Lily’s advice and make the most of their three-month stay. She approached the table and took a seat. "How was work?" she asked, looking at Zamian.

He glanced at her briefly, gave her a nod, and replied, "Good."

Mira continued watching him as he ate. "How is the food?" she asked.

He paused for a moment, then said, "Not bad."

Mira smiled and added, "I’m glad to hear that. I actually assisted in preparing it."

Zamian stilled.