My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 72

“Do you recognize them?” Claire asked, glancing at Lily.

Lily stared hard at the screen, but she couldn’t tell. “No… I can’t see their face. Can you rewind a bit? Maybe there’s another angle.”

They rewound the footage, switching to another camera, but it didn’t help much. Still, something about the way the person walked felt familiar. Lily frowned, trying to place it, but the thought slipped away before she could grab it.

Claire was seething. “So someone really came in here and took your designs. This is unbelievable. I never knew I have employee like this"

Lily sat down in one of the chairs, her body trembling slightly. “I trusted everyone here,” she whispered, more to herself than anyone else.

Claire knelt beside her, placing a hand on her arm. “We’ll find out who it was. Don’t worry.”

Lily nodded weakly, but deep down, worry gnawed at her.

They spent the next hour going through the footage frame by frame, taking notes, trying to find any small detail that could help. Finally, they caught another glimpse of the person’s face for a split second, it wasn’t clear, but it was enough to narrow it down to a few possibilities.

Claire immediately started pulling employee files, determined to find a match. Lily followed her, feeling drained but forcing herself to stay focused. She couldn’t let whoever did this get away with it.

As they compared footage with photos, Claire’s anger only grew. “When I find out who did this, I swear....”

They kept working, the office filled with the soft hum of computers and the rustling of papers. Slowly, piece by piece, they started connecting the dots. The person in the footage had a particular way of standing, a certain hairstyle visible under the cap. It wasn’t much, but it was enough for Claire to narrow it down to a single staff member.

Just as they were about to call security to bring the employee in, the office door opened.

“Boss, Mr. Hardison is here.”

Lily’s assistant peeked in through the doorway, her voice hesitant. Her eyes flickered between Claire and Lily, as if she sensed the tension hanging in the room.

Lily froze in her chair, her head snapping up. Her breath caught in her throat.

He’s here?

For a moment, she felt her pulse quicken. Did David… find something? Did he already figure out who was behind this betrayal? The thought sent a strange mix of anxiety and relief through her.

Claire turned sharply toward Lily, her eyes wide with shock. She seemed frozen in place for a second, processing what she’d just heard.

“Lily…” Claire’s voice was careful, her words slow and deliberate. “Is that David?”

Lily swallowed hard, her fingers tightening around the edge of her chair. She’d known this moment would come eventually, but she hadn’t expected it now, not when her emotions were already so frayed.

“…Yes,” she whispered, her voice soft but steady enough.

Claire’s eyebrows shot up. “You… you guys got back together?”

David stood there, his tall frame filling the doorway. His usual calm expression was unreadable, his sharp gaze sweeping the room before settling on Lily. The air seemed to shift when he stepped in, his presence commanding without him saying a single word.

He moved further inside, his long strides confident and steady, and for a second, Lily felt something in her chest unclench.

“Hello, Miss Bennett,” David said smoothly, turning his attention to Claire.

Claire blinked, caught off guard. It was the first time she’d heard him greet her so casually, almost warmly, as though they were friends rather than strangers connected only through Lily.

“Hello, Mr. Hardison,” she replied, her voice polite but cautious.

David nodded slightly before turning back to Lily. His gaze softened just a fraction.

“What’s going on?” His voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge beneath it, a quiet concern that didn’t go unnoticed.

Lily exhaled softly, leaning back in her chair. She didn’t have to say anything right away; just seeing him there steadied her. She wasn’t sure why—after everything between them, after all the hurt and bitterness, she should have felt uneasy with him standing there. But she didn’t.

Claire watched them in silence, her mind racing. She couldn’t understand it. She had seen Lily tired, stressed, furious, but never like this. And yet, even now, in her exhaustion and anger, Lily looked calmer the moment David appeared.

Claire’s thoughts churned. Lily really trusts him. That fact alone amazed her. Lily, the woman who kept everything close to her chest, was openly defending David. Even after everything.

It didn’t make sense. But Claire could see the truth written in Lily’s eyes, and she couldn’t deny it anymore.