“M-Mother?” Lily says in a small and disbelieving tone.  

“I won’t allow you two to be in a relation,” Mrs. Storm repeats while turns her face away.   

“B-But why? Why won’t you?” Lily asks in a shaky voice.  

She doesn’t reply.   

[Okay, this is the unexpected situation I talked about. I want both of you to stay calm and say exactly what I tell you to—]  

“Answer…” I say loudly.   

“What?” Mrs. Storm says in surprise while looking at me.   

“I said, answer Lily. Why won’t you allow us to be in a relationship?” I ask angrily.   

“Hey! Don’t you dare talk to madam like—”  

“Bella…”   

Bella tries to angrily retort but Mrs. Storm holds her back by raising her hand.   

“I don’t need to tell you anything, Caiden. I will explain it to my daughter later,” she answers coolly.   

What the fuck!?  

I know I shouldn’t say anything and wait for Regan to tell us what to do now, but this is just too shocking and infuriating for me.   

I mean, fuck what the gang wants me to do for a second. Even if everything was normal and I would have told Mrs. Storm about my relationship with Lily on my own accord, this is what would have happened, right?   

Then…   

“You have to tell me. I love Lily and have all the right to know why her mother doesn’t want me to be with her,” I strongly say.   

Even though Mrs. Storm is wearing those huge glasses, I can clearly feel her intense gaze on me. I too stare back at her without flinching even once.   

“Fine… I will tell you…” she finally says.   

“You are simply not worthy of her, Caiden.”  

……what!?   

“I am not worthy of Lily!?” I ask.   

“No, you are not, “ she answers instantly.   

“B-But why?” I ask in a low voice.   

“Hmm? Do you really need me to answer that? Just look at yourself and my daughter. The difference between you two is that of night and day. This relationship is nothing but a phase in her life and has no actual future to it. I won’t allow my daughter to waste her time on nonsensical things like these,” She says.   

“Just a phase? How can you be so sure that me and Lily cannot have a future!? I love her and I am willing to do—”  

“Oh, please. You both are just teenagers in school who want to experience the sweet thing called love. What do you even know about being in an actual adult relationship and the problems which come with it?   

“You want to know why I think you don’t have a future with my daughter, right? Well, sorry to say, but you belong to a lower-middle-class family, Caiden.   

“Let’s just imagine for a second that you get married to my daughter. Can you guarantee that to fulfill Lily’s every demand like we, her parents, do? That you can sustain her current lifestyle on your own? That you can keep her as happy as she is with us right now?” Mrs. Storm asks.   

“Money is not everything! Me and Lily can be happy as long as we are with each other!” I say defiantly.   

Mrs. Storm gives out a sigh.   

“I agree that what you said sounds good to hear and everything but reality doesn’t work like that, Caiden. It’s just wishful thinking,” she says.  

“It is not! Let me be in a relationship with Lily and I will prove it to you,” I say in a strong voice.   

“You want me to gamble my daughter’s future just so that you can prove something to me? You are sounding more and more childish, Caiden.   

“I will say it for the last time, so, listen well. You cannot be with my daughter,” Mrs. Storm says sternly.   

“This is bullshit! Both of us love each other and at least deserve a chance!” I say.   

“You know what, Caiden? I didn’t want to say this but you are not leaving me with no choice. I think the real reason you are after Lily is because of the money and status of our family which comes with her,” Mrs. Storm says accusingly.   

“Wait, what?” I ask, shocked.   

“Yeah, I agree that you might be interested in her because of her looks but the real reason which is driving you to form a relationship with my daughter is money,” she says.   

The fuck!?  

“What the heck are you saying!? There is no way that’s true!” I say angrily.   

“It is. You are in only for the money. How about this, if you leave Lily alone, I will give you all the—”  

“ENOUGH!” Lily screams.   

“Just… enough…” She says while standing up and running toward the door of the living room.  I can see tears leaking down her face.   

“Lily, wait!” I shout after her but she is already out.   

Fuck! I need to talk to Lily.   

I start to stand up…   

[Wait! Sit down!]  

Reagan says angrily.   

[Both of you are ruining my plan. That girl is ignoring my commands. If you also follow her then we are done for.]  

Like I fucking care about your plan right now…   

I start to move towards the door.   

[You don’t even want to know what I will do if you walk out through that door…]  

… Fucking hell!   

Slowly, I turn around and sit back on the sofa.   

“Bella, go and see if Lily is fine,” Mrs. Storm says.   

Bella gives a little bow and leaves the room quickly. I can tell that she is worried about her as well.  

[Now, tell Adeline that you are sorry for raising your voice earlier…]  

“What!?” I exclaim loudly.   

[Just do what I say. And don’t reply to me, idiot.]  

Damn it!  

“I… I am sorry for my earlier outbursts…” I say while gritting my teeth.   

“No need to apologize. It’s understandable…” She replies calmly.   

Understandable, my ass…   

[Now, tell her that she is right about you wanting money. And that you will leave Lily alone of she gives you a certain amount.]  

What the fuck!? Are you serious!?   

“I am not telling her that…” I whisper.   

[You have to. As things are looking, we cannot complete our mission today. And I have a feeling that Adeline won’t allow you to come to that house again. This is the only way we can arrange a second meeting with her.]  

“But then me and Lily—”  

[I don’t care. Say it or suffer the consequences.]  

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!   

“M-Mrs. Storm…” I say while controlling the anger in my voice.   

“Yes?”  

“Y-You were right about me being after Lily’s mon—”  

“Madam!”  

Suddenly, a loud and urgent voice resounds in the room.   

I look sideways with a jerk and find a butler standing at the entrance of the living room.   

“Yes, Charles?” Mrs. Storm asks.   

“As you wished to be informed, Mr. Storm has arrived,” the butler says.   

Even though I cannot read Mrs. Storm’s face, I can tell that she has suddenly turned extremely tense.   

“No, not now…” she whispers to herself while standing up.   

I thought she is going want to leave the room but to my surprise, she hastily walks towards me and grabs me by my arm.   

“Come with me, fast. We cannot let my husband see you…” she says desperately.