My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 194

Linda crossed her arms. “Still, Mr. Hardison, it looks… inappropriate. You’re a judge, and she’s a contestant. If anyone sees you together...”

“I’m aware,” David cut in quietly, his eyes steady on her. “But I couldn’t ignore her condition either.”

Lily exhaled slowly, trying to keep her temper. “Linda, please, don’t misunderstand. Nothing happened. I just slept here, that’s all.”

Linda studied her for a long moment, then sighed. “Alright. I’ll believe you. But, Lily, you have to be careful. Rumors spread fast in this industry.”

“I know,” Lily said quietly.

Linda’s voice softened a little. “I was just worried. When you didn’t pick up my calls, I thought something happened to you.”

“I’m sorry,” Lily said, guilt flashing in her eyes. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

David walked to the table, poured a glass of water, and set it in front of Lily. “You haven’t had anything since last night. Drink this.”

Linda’s eyes followed him, confusion deepening. The way he spoke to Lily, soft, familiar, protective, didn’t match the polite distance of a sponsor and contestant. Something was off.

But Lily avoided David’s gaze, pretending to be busy gathering her jewelry sketches from the couch. “Thanks,” she muttered without looking at him.

Linda gave a faint, awkward laugh. “Wow, you two talk like old friends,” she said half-jokingly, trying to ease the tension.

Lily froze, her fingers tightening around her sketches.

“No, we’re not,” she said too quickly. “We just… met a few times before.”

David’s lips twitched slightly, almost into a smile, but he said nothing.

Linda shrugged, still a bit suspicious. “Well, alright. We should get going soon. The final round starts in an hour.”

“I’ll drive you both,” David said simply.

“What?” Lily turned to him sharply. “No, That’s not necessary.”

He looked at her, unbothered. “It’s already late. I’ll make sure you get there on time.”

“David...”

“Lily,” he interrupted quietly, his tone leaving no room for argument. “You need to focus on your work, not transportation.”

Linda blinked at the way he said her name, so effortlessly familiar, as if it belonged to him. She looked between them again, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

“Okay,” she said slowly. “I’ll wait downstairs.” She grabbed her bag and walked toward the door, but before leaving, she turned back to Lily. “You really should’ve told me earlier if you knew Mr. Hardison. You scared me half to death.”

“I’ll explain later,” Lily said, forcing a small smile.

After Linda left, the room fell into silence again. Lily turned to David, anger simmering under her calm tone. “You could’ve said no. Now she’ll think something’s going on.”

David leaned against the wall, folding his arms. “Let her think what she wants. The truth is between us.”

Her heart skipped. “There is no ‘us,’” she said firmly.

He stepped closer, his voice quiet but heavy with meaning. “You can keep saying that, Lily. It won’t change what’s real.”

Lily stood backstage, her fingers brushing over the small blue gemstone resting in her palm.

It was the rarest one she had a calm, ocean-blue gem that seemed to hold a thousand unspoken emotions within. The theme for the final round was “Love Beyond Time.”

Each designer was asked to create something that defined their very essence who they were at the core.

For Lily, that meant facing everything she once ran from.

As the host announced her name, Lily stepped onto the stage, her steps calm and light. She stood beneath the glowing spotlight, the soft fabric of her dress swaying gently with each breath.

In front of her, the judges sat including David. His eyes met hers for just a second before she looked away.

On the table before her sat her final work: “Wings of Soul.”

It wasn’t just a ring.

It was an entire collection, a set of open, asymmetrical designs shaped like wings in flight, daring yet delicate. Every curve spoke of liberation, every gemstone placement symbolized the pieces of a soul once broken but reborn again.

When she spoke, her voice was soft but steady.

“Every scar I carry,” she said, “is proof that I survived. And that, too, is beautiful.”

Her words echoed through the silent hall.

The audience held their breath.