Page 52

She swallowed, her throat working, but no words emerging.

“Look at me,” Thorn growled.

She licked her lips and slowly raised her face to his.

Thorn stared into her eyes—those captivating eyes of hers—unwilling to believe what he was seeing. “You are—”

“I am not your fiancée,” she said quietly.

Thorn shook his head. No, she wasn’t his current fiancée, but he couldn’t have been mistaken. Yes, it was over a decade later. Her cheeks had hollowed, her eyes were harder, there were a few more lines on her face, but it was her! He would recognize her anywhere. Even in this darkened alcove. He had been looking for her for years.

“Lily,” he whispered.

Her eyes widened, a tear sliding down her cheek.

It was her. He’d finally found her.

Or rather, she was the one who’d found him. She was the one he’d exchanged the letters with.

And she wasn’t a ghost. She was real.

All this time… she was real.

Of course, it was her! Now, it all started making sense. Her words, the things she wrote, nobody else would be able to touch the strings to his heart the way that she had.

How hadn’t he realized this earlier?

Perhaps deep down, he knew. He had always known. That feeling when he read her letters, that feeling that only one person in the world had ever evoked from him.

But he couldn’t let himself believe it, because she was dead.

“Lily,” he murmured in disbelief.

“No.” She turned away, but Thorn caught her by her arms.

He didn’t dare turn her around. He didn’t dare force her to face him. Not after all these years. But she was here, and that was enough.

He stepped closer, inhaling her lovely scent. Rose blossoms…

She used to always smell like lilies. He had even gifted her bars of soap to match her name.

But underneath the smell of soap, he could recognize the scent of her.

That is the one thing that hadn’t changed, that would never change.

He wondered what had changed, though. Her body had, a little bit, her face—but that was expected. She had grown into a woman. But her kisses were just as sweet.

Where had she been all these years?

He took another step and now her back was touching his chest, her head was just under his chin. She didn’t struggle, didn’t move.

He turned her slowly, still not quite believing that she was indeed in his arms. He tipped her jaw with his fingers, so she could look at him.

Lily.

“Yes,” she whispered hoarsely.

“Did you think a silly mask and a ridiculous wig would fool me?”