Chapter 3 Three

Aiden’s Pov

The gallery was quiet now, the last of the guests gone, and yet I remained rooted in place, staring at the painting Lily had created. It was raw, evocative, a perfect storm of color and emotion.

It mirrored her.

I had everything, money, power, influence. Yet nothing in my life had ever unsettled me the way Lily Monroe did. She wasn’t like the others. She didn’t fawn or simper. She met me with fire resistance. And I wasn’t used to being denied.

Up

When she walked away from me tonight, I’d felt something unfamiliar, something close to desperation.

“This is dangerous,” I muttered to myself, running a hand through my hair.

But danger had always intrigued me.

The ride back to my penthouse was a blur, the city lights flickering past the tinted windows of my car. I should have been thinking about the board meeting tomorrow, or the pending acquisition that was making waves in the tech world. But all I could think about was her, her defiance, her laugh, the way she walked away without a second glance.

I’d never chased anyone before. Women always came to me. They wanted the life I could offer, the glittering facade of perfection. But Lily didn’t care about any of that. And that only made me want her more.

By the time I stepped into my penthouse, the city stretched out before me like a glittering ocean, I’d made my decision.

Lily Monroe would be mine.

Not because I wanted to own her, though the thought of possessing her entirely was intoxicating but because she was the first person in years who made me feel alive.

~

The next day, I found myself in my private office, staring out at the skyline as James, my head of security, rattled off updates about the company's latest ventures.

“Anything else?” I asked, my tone clipped.

James hesitated, then said, “Actually, there is. A woman named Victoria Sinclair reached out this morning.”

I tensed, the name hitting me like a punch. Victoria. The ghost of my past.

“What does she want?” I asked, my voice colder than I intended.

“She didn’t say, but she’s persistent. Wanting a meeting.”

I leaned back in my chair, my jaw tightening. Victoria was a complication I didn’t need right now. Our relationship had been a game of power and control, a dangerous dance that left us both scarred. I’d ended it for a reason, but knowing her, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“Tell her I’m unavailable,” I said finally. “Indefinitely.”

James nodded and left, but the unease lingered.

_

Later that evening, I stood outside Lily’s studio, the warm glow of light spilling onto the sidewalk. I could hear faint music from within, her silhouette moving behind the frosted glass.

I knocked once, twice, and waited.

When the door swung open, she froze, her paintbrush still in hand, a streak of red on her cheek.

“Aiden,” she said, her voice tinged with surprise and something else, irritation, perhaps.

“Lily,” I replied, leaning casually against the doorframe. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

“You are,” she said bluntly, crossing her arms.

I smirked. “Good. Then you’ll have no choice but to hear me out.”

She sighed, stepping aside to let me in. Her studio was small but vibrant, filled with canvases, brushes, and the unmistakable scent of turpentine.

“What do you want, Aiden?” she asked, turning to face me.

I stepped closer, closing the distance between us. “You.”

Her eyes widened, a flicker of something…desire, maybe, crossing her face before she masked it with irritation.

“This again?” she said, shaking her head. “I told you, I’m not interested in being one of your conquests.”

“You’re not a conquest, Lily,” I said, my voice soft but firm. “You’re the only thing I’ve wanted in a long time that has nothing to do with power or success.”

She laughed bitterly, setting her brush down. “You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough,” I countered. “I know you’re stubborn, fiercely independent, and talented beyond words. I know you’re scared of letting anyone close because you think they’ll try to change you or control you. But I’m not here to take anything from you, Lily. I’m here because I can’t stay away.”

Her breath hitched, and for a moment, I thought I’d broken through her walls. But then she stepped back, her expression guarded.

“This is a bad idea,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Maybe,” I admitted, taking a step closer. “But sometimes the best things in life start with bad ideas.”

She looked up at me, her eyes searching mine, and for a brief, electrifying moment, I thought she might let go of her resistance.

But then she shook her head, breaking the spell. “I can’t, Aiden. I won’t.”

My chest tightened, frustration and longing warring within me. But I knew pushing her now would only drive her further away.

“Alright,” I said, stepping back. “But I’m not giving up on you, Lily. Not yet.”

Her lips parted in surprise, but before she could respond, I turned and walked out, leaving her with the words I knew would linger.

Back in my car, I exhaled a long breath, my hands gripping the steering wheel.

Lily Monroe was a challenge, unlike anything I’d ever faced. But I wasn’t the kind of man who backed down from a fight.

Let her resist me. Let her run.

I would catch her eventually.

And when I did, neither of us would ever be the same.