My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 73

Claire’s fingers tightened around her phone as she dialed the security team, her tone sharp and uncharacteristically cold. “Bring in the employee who had access to Lily’s office—the one we talked about earlier. Now.”

Her voice carried authority.

David, leaning casually against the edge of Lily’s desk, glanced at Claire, his expression calm. “Check your mail,” he said smoothly, his deep voice cutting through the tension.

Claire frowned, confused by the sudden instruction. But she didn’t hesitate. She reached into her blazer pocket, pulling out her phone, her fingers moving quickly as she unlocked it and opened her inbox.

Her breath caught the moment she saw a new email sitting at the top of her inbox with the subject line: Formal Apology – LM Designer’s Misconduct.

She clicked it open, her eyes scanning the message.

The email was long, but the tone was crystal clear: LM was apologizing profusely. They admitted that one of their designers had stolen the designs, and they promised immediate action. The email stated that the designer would be punished in accordance with the law. They even promised to release a public apology in the press, taking full responsibility for the wrongdoing and clearing Lily’s company’s name.

Claire blinked rapidly, reading the words again just to make sure she wasn’t imagining it. LM wasn’t just any brand. It was one of the most successful and well-known designer houses in the entire country—powerful, respected, and untouchable. Companies like that rarely admitted fault, let alone promised a public apology.

She slowly lifted her gaze, first at Lily, who was watching her anxiously, and then at David.

Claire’s eyes softened in surprise, a flicker of admiration breaking through her shock. “You… you really have power,” she said honestly, her voice quieter now.

David didn’t respond to the compliment. He didn’t need to. His calm expression and steady gaze spoke for themselves. In just a few hours, he’d done what her entire team hadn’t been able to do: not only find the truth but make one of the most influential design companies bow its head in apology.

“Everything’s sorted out,” David said finally, his deep voice carrying a quiet authority. His eyes shifted to Lily, softening just a little. “You don’t have to worry about anything anymore.”

Lily froze at his words, searching his face. He was so calm, so confident, like he had everything under control. For a moment, a wave of relief washed over her. She wanted to believe him—she did believe him—but that belief came with something else: unease.

She’d seen firsthand how ruthless David could be in business. For him to make LM apologize so quickly… he must’ve pulled every string, used every ounce of his influence. And now she felt like she owed him, a debt she wasn’t sure she could repay.

Still, she nodded silently, her lips pressed tightly together.

The sound of the office door opening broke her thoughts. Security had arrived, escorting a young woman into the room.

The girl couldn’t have been older than her mid-twenties. She looked terrified, her face pale, her shoulders trembling as she clutched the hem of her blouse. Her eyes darted nervously between Claire, Lily, and David as if trying to gauge who would speak first.

“Why did you do that?” Claire’s voice cracked like a whip, her fury barely contained.

The young woman flinched, her lips trembling as she opened her mouth. “I… I’m sorry,” she whispered, her voice shaky. Tears welled up in her eyes. “I… I was threatened to do it.”

Her body shook visibly as she lowered her gaze to the floor, her hands twisting together. The guilt and fear radiating off her were almost palpable.

Claire’s anger flared at first—she wanted to demand details, to know who had the audacity to threaten this young woman into betraying her. But she forced herself to take a deep breath. She had to handle this carefully.

“Whatever the reason,” Claire said firmly, “you’re fired. You will not come back to work here.”

She looked between them, her brows furrowing in confusion. Why are they agreeing like this without even asking me?

“I… I can’t go now,” Lily said quickly, panic rising in her chest. “I have things to finish here.”

David’s dark eyes flicked to her, but he didn’t say anything yet.

Claire stepped in instead, her tone calm but firm, a boss giving instructions. “You don’t have to. You’ve been through a lot today, Lily. You must be tired. Go home and get some rest.”

“But…” Lily tried to protest, her voice tight. She still had so much to do—emails to send, damage control to handle, clients to reassure. She didn’t feel like she could rest.

Claire, however, raised her hand, cutting her off with a small but decisive gesture. “This is an order. Go home.”

The firmness in her voice left no space for argument. Claire stood, straightened her blazer, and grabbed her bag from the chair. “I’m also leaving. We’ll continue everything tomorrow. Get some rest.”

She gave Lily a warm, encouraging smile, waved her hand casually, and walked out of the office.

Lily just sat there, frozen, watching Claire’s retreating figure. She couldn’t believe what had just happened.

Her head snapped toward David, who was standing there, waiting patiently like a predator that already knew its prey had no escape.

“Are we leaving,” he asked in a low voice, “or do you plan to sit here staring at the wall all evening?”