My Husband's Affair My Anniversary Gift (Lily and David) novel Chapter 94

Lily stared at her phone for hours that night, waiting without admitting to herself that she was waiting. Every time the screen lit up, her heart jumped, only to crash when it wasn’t him. And then, finally, the truth sank in like a stone dropped into water: he wasn’t going to call. He wasn’t going to explain.

And strangely, it didn’t break her the way it once would have.

Instead, it made something inside her sharper, colder.

She told herself, Enough.

There was only one thing she wanted now. Not answers. Not apologies. Not some half-hearted excuse that would never change anything.

Divorce.

That was it.

She was tired, tired in a way that reached her bones. Tired of the fights, the insults, the confusion. Tired of waiting for someone who never came. Tired of being the woman who stood in the shadows while the world believed Marina was the one by his side.

Her chest felt tight just thinking about Olivia, lying weak in the hospital bed. Olivia had always been kind to her, always treated her differently than the others. But Lily knew if she went now, Olivia would notice the storm on her face.

She would see the red around her eyes, the heaviness in her voice. And Olivia didn’t need more stress, not when her health was already so fragile.

So Lily stayed away.

She didn’t go to the hospital the next morning. She didn’t go the day after either. Every time she thought about visiting, the image of Marina in that white gown, smiling smugly, came back to her. And she imagined Olivia’s worried eyes if she saw Lily broken like this.

No, she couldn’t do that to her. She couldn’t let Olivia worry.

So Lily sat alone in her apartment instead. The walls felt like they were closing in on her, the silence louder than anything. She went to work, came home, and forced herself to keep moving. But inside, there was only one thought, circling again and again like a knife pressed against her heart:

I want out. I can’t do this anymore.

Lily only found out when Claire sent her the link.

At first, she didn’t want to watch it. She already knew. But curiosity broke her, and she pressed play.

Marina’s soft voice filled her small office, the innocent act so perfect it made Lily’s stomach turn. When the comments popped up on the screen, calling Marina the “true wife,” calling her the “other woman”her hands shook.

She scrolled down further, the words blurring together:

“He belongs with Marina.”

“Poor girl, hiding all this time.”

David glanced at her. He had expected this. He pulled out the chair and sat beside her bed.

“Tell me,” Olivia started, her eyes narrowing, “what is going on outside? The whole hospital staff is whispering. Everywhere I turn, I hear your name mixed with Marina’s again "

David leaned back in the chair, rubbing the bridge of his nose. “It’s just nonsense, Mum. You know how online rumors spread. People have nothing better to do.”

Olivia’s voice rose sharply. “Nonsense? Do you think I’m blind? Do you think I don’t see those pictures? That girl even went online pretending to protect you. And you just sit there saying nothing!”

David’s jaw tightened. He looked away. “If I say something, it will only get worse.”

Olivia slapped her palm against the bed rail, startling him. “Your silence is killing us more than any words could. Do you not understand? This isn’t just about you and your foolish heart. This is about the Hardison name, about the business your father built with blood and sweat. Clients are watching, investors are watching. If you don’t put an end to this, we will lose everything.”

David’s shoulders stiffened. He opened his mouth but then closed it again.

Olivia continued, her voice low but cutting. “And what about Lily? Do you even think of her? That poor girl… five years of marriage, and you let her be humiliated like this? How much more do you want her to endure before she walks away completely?”

David clenched his fists. Her words struck, but he didn’t reply. He just sat there, staring at the floor.

Olivia shook her head slowly, disappointment clear in her eyes. “If you won’t protect your wife, then at least protect your family’s reputation. You cannot sit still anymore, David. You must choose. Publicly. Do you hear me?”