Hidden Passion
Chapter 29

Lillian smiled mischievously as she peered at her phone which she had placed on the table a few minutes ago. She had just admitted what she needed to know. She was not even in the least surprised that she knew. Obviously, that was the reason she had given her Nathaniel's jacket at the hospital. She never wanted Nathaniel to find out.

But why? She liked him, that was not vague, but going to that extent? Definitely too much.

She dared to imagine what would have happened if she had not put on the jacket. Nath would have seen her arm when they had gone to her mother's ward together. Things would have been different now. But all because of his evil assistant, all of that got unfolded.

"I'm speechless, Nester. Is that the reason you thought of an imposter?" Lillian said after a while.

Nester said nothing.

"Do you really think that will separate me from Nathaniel?"

"You think I would have continued if I wasn't sure it would?" Nester retaliated, defending her stance.

Lillian smirked again, unnerving her. "Then, you must be so dumb." If she really thought getting another lady to pose like her would make things go her way, she must be the dumbest ass ever. "What?"

"I said you're so dumb. You're not as smart as I thought you would be. That's a shame," Lillian said confidently and then sighed. Her outer appearance seemed calm and unshaken, but she was very troubled within her. Just to what extent was the woman willing to go? She could not help but wonder.

"How dare you!" Nester shouted while Lillian made a disgusting face and leaned backward from her without moving her feet. Corona virus was common those days. She could not risk that. "Look, no matter what you do, Nathaniel will never be able to recognize you. He doesn't recognize anyone." That had slipped through her mouth out of anger before she could stop it. It was the secret between her boss and her. And she had promised not to let that out to anyone. Well, she had broken that promise a lot of times when she needed to, but not to Lillian. That could backfire.

With narrowed eyes and creased brows, she asked, "What do you mean he doesn't recognize anyone?" Curiosity began to devour her alive. Maybe she was about to find out the reason he had not been able to recognize her at all and kept looking for the inscription instead.

Nester sighed. There was no point in crying over spilled milk. "He has prosopagnosia, so it will be better to let him—"

"Do you expect me to believe that he doesn't recognize faces when he deals with people every day? He recognizes you, my mum and every other person, even the investors. Don't think you can fool me into believing-" How could she believe that when he always had no problem distinguishing between her mother and her. He never mistook her nor her mother for anyone.

Nester touched a mole on her chin. "He is able to recognize me with this." Lillian narrowed her eyes. "If you have observed, he's never met Mrs. Williams outside her office. If he did, he would not be able to recognize her. He had no issue guessing it was her because no one ever sits in the CEO's chair other than her," she explained.

"What!" Her exclamation was muttered. It was too much to take in and as she did, she lost her voice in the process. She could not even bring herself to talk any louder at that moment.

"He recognizes you by your voice and hair. He once told me that you never made any other hairstyle aside from braids."

That was true. She made and re-made the same hairstyle every time. That was her choice. But she was surprised that Nathaniel noticed that.

"And the investors? He told me how nervous he was because I wasn't there to help him, but he was glad you did without even knowing."

Nathaniel was nervous that day? No way. He was calm, even when he held her.... Wait, his palms had been sweaty, but she had been too engrossed in her fantasy world to notice that. How could she be so foolish? Perhaps, he would have told her what was wrong if she had noticed and asked him about it.

"When he meets new people, he always looks for special features in them and memorizes their voices. That had been very helpful to him that it would be hard to know of his illness. And I have been there with him as well to help him out whenever he got stuck."

"Oh, my God!" Lillian staggered and found herself sitting on the sofa. Tears started streaming down her face. What? How come? How possible? How on earth did he have that? All she knew was that he was unable to recognize faces clearly back then, but she thought it was because they were still young. Did that get worse or what happened? Now that she thought about it, he wasn't too young not to be able to recognize faces without reason.

She knew she should be doubting everything coming out of Nester's mouth, but she was very convinced of that. She was able to convince her, and she knew she wasn't lying. But prosopagnosia? How hard would it have been for him? "I am telling you this for you to know that you two aren't destined to be. Just let him be if you truly love him and want the best for him."

She nodded. "I have no choice. That's what I will do. But please, Nester, take a very good care of him on my behalf," she sniffed and took her phone, pressed some buttons privately and put it back on the table. Nester smiled. Mission accomplished.

Lillian's eyes shot up at her. She rose to her feet and walked closer to her. And for the first time during that moment, she smiled, more like a smirk. "Why are you smiling? Were you expecting me to say those lines and agree to stay away from him?"

Nester's eyes widened. What was she planning on doing? She thought she had accomplished her mission a moment ago without even having to try hard.

"I guess you're really the dumbest ass ever. You think I am going to leave Nath because he can't recognize me or probably his own face? You think you can blackmail me with his illness so I can give him up?" She asked, fuming.

To describe Nester's expression as shock would be an understatement. She was something much more that could not even be explained with words. Her brain became paralyzed to even think of what to say or do.

"This is not some movies or novels where a character like me can easily get blackmailed and will be shivering, begging for your mercy. This is real life, Nester, so, wake up." She took a few steps closer to her, making her back against the wall. Finally, her brain escaped paralysis and thought of something. "Lillian, if you tell him who you are at this junction, you'll hurt him."

"I will die before I hurt him." That would not be called hurting him. She would be helping him from the fake Lillian and his supposedly loyal assistant by telling him the truth.

Nester began to burn in anger. Lillian was more stubborn than she had ever imagined. How could she be so fierce but with a cool physique? She really underestimated her. "I'm not going to sit back and watch you ruin my plans."

Lillian laughed but very briefly. The way her expression changed immediately to anger and fearlessness amazed her. "You can do all you can," she cooed into her ear. "I gave him up once, but never again. This is a piece of advice, baby. Kill me if you really want to carry out your plans, but if you don't, then sit back and watch me as I take back what's mine and make you miserable."