Hidden Passion
Chapter 25

Lillian finally decided to come clean with Nathaniel. She planned to tell him everything about her. There was no reason why she should be hiding it anymore. Dorcas has been fooling her all along when she had only wished only for her happiness. Never would she have thought her best friend was jealous of her. What did she have to be jealous of? Was it because she was born rich? That was, of course, no excuse. The one with the good heart? Everyone has a good heart,

though not everyone uses them.

She must confess she was really disappointed. But if there was anything she learned, it was never to place anyone's happiness before her own. She should have just listened to her mother. Now, she regretted it. She had given the man she loved the impression that she hated him. Even if she had left some hints for him to think otherwise, they would never be enough to wipe that impression off him.

Now, she only had two options. It was either she told him the truth and faced the wrath or kept it to herself and battled with the guilt for the rest of her life.

She preferred the former option. She was never going to make the same mistake again. It would be better to just tell him the truth rather than keeping it from him without any cogent reason anymore. She would totally understand if he casted her away and did not wish to see her after that. She would have actually done the same thing if she was in his shoes.

She decided to make the confession right after the meeting she was having with him that noon. She was now in charge of her mother's company ever since she retired and her schedule had been so crazy busy and tight that she barely had the time to go out, not even on weekends. She had praised her mother so many times for handling such schedules very well at her age. That was also thanks to her as well since she had been her personal assistant and had been helping her with her works.

Nevertheless, she was relieved that her mother agreed to retire and have her rest at home. She had also complained about being alone in the house which left her with no choice but to beg her father to be visiting all the time so he could watch after her while she was at work. And even if her mother never agreed with the idea and always picked up a fight with the poor old man, she knew she had no choice or boredom would swallow her alive. Lillian could not help but wish that her parents would re-unite and make the family whole again. It was obvious they still loved each other, most especially her mother who was always pretending not to care about her father.

Lillian's father had encouraged her to reveal who she was to Nathaniel. She really owed that man a whole lot for his care and understanding. He had also been as shocked as she was when he found out about Dorcas's lies and reasons but had warned Lillian not to hate her.

How could she not hate the friend who did that to her? How could she be told to forgive the best friend who had been envying her and taking all her kindness the wrong way?

"You should know that those who hate another person actually don't love themselves enough," had been her father's exact words.

She was brought out of her thinking world as some knocks were heard on the door. "Please, come in," she said and adjusted her dress and hair before the door opened and revealed Nathaniel. Just who he was expecting. She smiled. Nathaniel shook hands with her and smiled in return. "I hope I'm just on time. I had to drop by a place to get something," he said.

She shook her head. "Not at all. Let's get started, shall we?" She brought out some files on the advertisement he wanted to do for a soap company.

After some minutes, the contract was reviewed and signed, making them shake hands for the second time. Lillian could not help but be affected by how firm his palm felt. It was too firm to be the palm of a man. She remembered it had felt exactly the same when he had held her in Abuja to meet the investors. And just like then, she did not like the way he released her hand too soon.

"I think I should leave now. Thank you very much, once again," he appreciated and rose to his feet.

Oh, he shouldn't leave yet. "Uhm... Nath?"

He turned around. "Yes, madam," he said politely.

Lillian rolled her eyes. As if! "Oh, please, don't be formal, Nath," she said with a gentle and assuring smile. "Okay, Lilly," the shortened name slipped and was about to correct himself when she spoke up against it.

"It's fine. I don't mind that either." She smiled and shrugged

"You know, if I'm being honest with you, I have been wondering why you are always okay with me calling you Lilly when you deprive every other person the right," he said, hoping for an explanation. It's actually so sad that she was not the one he had been looking for. He really had grown some interest in the lady and actually missed when she was still rude to him. It seemed weird how he missed it when he actually didn't like it in the first place.

Maybe it was just because he did not know what to think now that she was being nice. She had really made it clear that she hated him, so what could have changed?

He had actually kind of found it hard to believe when his agent told him the news he had on Lillian. He told him the lady was not raised in Nigeria and never had a father who lived alone. That cleared his doubts about her being the one he was looking for, but he still did not know the reason he could not get her out of his mind.

Lillian smiled at him. "See you talking as if I do not allow anyone to call me Lilly."

Nathaniel could not help but chuckle. "Are you kidding? I can start naming those that dare not call you that. Even that foreign investor. I was shocked when you politely corrected him not to call you that. I was like, 'What's so big of a deal in that name?" he said with a thicker voice with a rolling of his eyes and a shrug.

Lillian laughed and rose to her feet and walked to where he was sitting. "That is so funny," she said as he also rose to his feet out of courtesy. "Let's sit over there and talk. You're not in a hurry, are you?"

He shook his head and went a little farther away from where the office desk was. There was a little space with sofas and a center table to relax. There were some bookshelves facing them. He carefully had his seat and was surprised she chose to sit close to him.

Was there something he could be missing? No, so he just smiled and shrugged it off. "So, I was asking why I'm an exception?" He hated how that turned out to be a question. That was not how he meant it to be. He was beginning to get affected by their closeness. The unintended body touches were getting him turned on and he was caught unaware each time. He could not even move away if he wanted to, unless he would stand and take another seat and that would be rude. She seemed to be unaware of how she was affecting him. She was laughing and talking freely that he could not even figure out a word out of the lips he couldn't tear his gaze from. How would it feel to have a taste of those luscious twins? How would she taste? They looked soft and inviting. Should he go for it? He managed to look at her eyes and realized she was also looking at him. At that moment, he could swear with everything he had that she was thinking of the same thing he was.

Lillian bit her lower lip shyly and stared at him. His countenance had changed. It was as if all blood had drained from his fair face. His pink lips were pinker, he had obviously been sucking them, too. What was wrong with her? It suddenly became as if the planet earth had found its position beside planet mercury. She was getting hot and hotter by the second and was certain she could wet her panties anytime soon.

Her thinking faculty went totally blank when he drew her closer and settled his lips on hers. It was like a dream come true. And if she was thinking it would be tentative, she was utterly wrong. It was fierce and demanding. As if finally claiming what you've been deprived of for a very long time.

He lay her on her back and got on top of her, savoring every bit of her mouth with his tongue. He held the back of her head with one hand and gave the other the permission to wander and explore her body. She moaned into his mouth as his hand went under her skirt and started traveling farther up.

She arched her back, pulling her bosom to his chest as she took off his suit. Everything seemed perfect at that moment. Nothing, absolutely nothing, seemed wrong. Even as her hands went down between his legs. Everything was going so well, and she knew he could have her that instant. It was all going well. Perfectly well.

Until his phone rang.

The ringing tone blasted through their ears and made everything stop. Everything. Nathaniel got off her and went back to her desk to pick up his phone. He quickly buckled his belt and answered the call from his personal assistant. "What!" He exclaimed, more like a scream.

Lillian was shocked and walked towards him as she amended her clothes. "What's wrong?" she muttered as she watched him listen to the person talking on the phone.

"So, what you're saying is... Wait, you found Lillian?" His voice was full of surprise.

Lillian's eyes widened. What did she just hear? No, no, it couldn't be. She smiled. She must have heard wrong. No one could find Lillian because she was Lillian. Her mind started spiraling. What was going on?

She moved in front of Nath with a question in mind. "What was that about?"

"They found her. They found Lillian. She is at my house right now. I have been looking for her my whole life. I even mistook you to be her. You know when I asked you to show me your arm? God, I really need to go," he explained in a rush and started gathering his files and bag.

Why was he grinning from ear to ear? How could anyone find Lillian? What was happening? Then, a thought struck her.

"I'll follow you."