Sweet Vengeances
Chapter 36: A Storm Brewing

Chapter 36: Chapter 36: A Storm Brewing

Lily’s apartment was filled with lovely golden rays as the morning sun poured through the big windows. The sun’s warmth, however, did little to calm the uneasiness that was beginning to rise in her chest. She had slept through the night, her mind racing with images of Daniel, Ethan, and the maze her life had become.

Giving Ethan a chance seemed good, but it didn’t change the fact that she was in a difficult circumstance. In order to move forward, she had to face her past and the turmoil it had left behind. Her only goal had been retribution, but now that Ethan was involved, the distinction between justice and love became more hazy than she had expected.

Lily’s phone buzzed on the counter while she sipped her coffee. She froze, looking at the screen. Daniel was the one. After their violent altercation, he had vanished and been a ghost for weeks. Since the evening she informed him that their marriage was ending, she had not heard from him. Now, the sight of his name made her stomach turn with a mix of fear and rage.

What on earth would he want?

She hesitated before answering the phone. "Daniel, what do you want?"

"Lily," he said in a steady yet forceful tone. "We must speak."

She paced the kitchen while scoffing. "I believe we have covered everything."

He declared, "I’m not calling to repeat the past." "This has to do with Cassandra."

Lily’s hand on the phone clenched at the mention of Cassandra. "How about her?"

Daniel added, "She’s in trouble," with a hint of urgency in his voice. "I don’t have all the information, but something seems off. She has been behaving suspiciously, claiming that she is being watched and threatened. Although she won’t tell me everything, I believe it to be serious.

Lily’s jaw tightened. She wasn’t very sympathetic to Cassandra’s situation, but Daniel’s tone aroused her interest enough.

Why are you stating this to me? After everything you two have done to me, do you think I’ll give a damn?

Daniel let out a deep sigh. "Lily, I’m not pleading for your pardon. I just wanted to let you know. I believe... I believe it may have anything to do with you.

A beat skipped across her heart. "Related to me? How?

"She brought up your name," Daniel acknowledged. "You won’t stop until she makes amends for what transpired," she said. Is that accurate? Are you affecting her in any way?

Lily felt sick to her stomach. Although she had considered it, she had not yet taken any concrete action against Cassandra. Could Cassandra have been unaware of her previous behavior or the fallout from her retaliation?

"It’s not me, whatever’s happening to her," Lily stated firmly. "If she’s afraid, it could be her own guilt getting the better of her."

Daniel remained silent for a while before continuing. "Look, I understand that I’m the last person you want to talk to, but you must be honest if you know anything. She is no longer the only focus of this. The goal is to ensure everyone’s safety.

Lily’s heartbeat accelerated. "Everyone, what do you mean?"

Daniel sadly remarked, "I think whoever is threatening her might come after you next."

After that, the call stopped abruptly, leaving Lily looking at her phone with a mix of uneasiness and frustration. Daniel’s tone seemed sincere, even if she wanted to brush it off as paranoid.

Lily inhaled deeply before calling Ethan, the one person she trusted with this knowledge.

Ethan was standing in her apartment thirty minutes later, his face displaying a mixture of resolve and worry.

"You believe Cassandra is being targeted, and now you could also be in danger?" Ethan leaned against the counter and inquired, his arms crossed.

Daniel appears to think that, Lily remarked, pacing uneasily. "I’m not sure if I trust him, but there’s something strange about it.

Ethan’s mouth clenched. "Is it possible that it’s Jack Monroe?"

Lily felt a chill run down her spine when Jack’s name was spoken. Jack Monroe, the enigmatic character who had been involved in Ethan’s past and had ties to Cassandra, had already shown himself to be a threat. Until now, she hadn’t thought of him as a danger to Cassandra or herself.

"It’s feasible," she acknowledged. However, why would he pursue Cassandra? Although she isn’t completely innocent, she also poses no threat to him.

Ethan let out a sigh. "Jack has no justification for harming someone. It’s all about control sometimes. He won’t think twice about making her go if he believes she is a liability or a loose end.

Lily felt sick to her stomach at the prospect. Even though she hated Cassandra, she didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. Not in this manner.

"We must ascertain the true nature of the situation," Ethan stated in a firm tone. "And we must act quickly."

Lily and Ethan made the decision to visit Cassandra that evening. She knew the answers, if anyone did. They reached her sleek, contemporary penthouse residence, which felt more like a fortress than a dwelling.

With a strained and pallid face, Cassandra opened the door. There was no sign of the self-assured, glitzy woman Lily had seen in the art gallery. Someone who appeared frightened, her eyes darting tensely about the room, took her position.

"Why are you in this place?" Cassandra’s voice was shaking as she asked.

Ethan stated firmly, "We came to talk." "You’re in trouble," Daniel informed Lily. We wish to assist.

Cassandra laughed bitterly. "Aid? Do you think I think so? after all of her actions? She glared at Lily, but it was devoid of the poison it had once contained.

Lily stated calmly but firmly, "I had nothing to do with anything, whatever you believe I did to you. I need to know if someone is threatening you. Because I might be next if Daniel is correct.

After hesitating and glancing between them, Cassandra ultimately moved aside to let them in.

She wrung her hands and paced the room once she was inside. "It began a few weeks ago," she said. "Unidentified messages. Calls. I have people following me. I assumed it was you at first," she continued, looking at Lily. "But now... I’m not sure. Whoever it is, they are observing everything I do.

"Do you think you know who it might be?" Ethan inquired in a kind but firm tone.

Cassandra gave a headshake. "No. However, Jack Monroe was brought up. They said that I owed him money.

Ethan and Lily looked at each other, the puzzle pieces beginning to fit together.

With a determined tone, Ethan stated, "We must locate Jack." "Before things get any worse."

Lily had a raging storm of emotions as they left Cassandra’s flat. Although she had desired retribution, this was something far darker than she had ever imagined.

"Do you think she’s trustworthy?" As they made their way to the car, Ethan inquired.

Lily gave a headshake. "No. But we have no other option if Jack Monroe is involved. Before anyone else is harmed, we must stop him.

With a sad grimace, Ethan nodded. "Then we work together on this."

Lily looked at him, the weight of their mission pressing down on her heart. Although the future remained uncertain, one thing was certain: the fight was far from ending. And this time, survival was more important than retaliation.