409 Beyond grateful to you

The house that boisterously welcomed New Year now appeared empty without its party patrons. Shane helped out in cleaning the house when he heard a single doorbell. At first, Shane thought he misheard the sound, but looking at the time, it was half-past three in the morning, almost nearing dawn. He remembered Lillian telling him that she would return.

Shane hurried to answer the door, for it was long past that single sound called out to him. And he finally met Lillian Grey.

His first instinct upon seeing her ashen face was to scold immediately. He threw fiery words at her for her unexpected disappearance without even telling him. Lillian didn't respond but stood limping against the sidewall, listening to him scolding. She refused to answer, but his loud yelling made her realize that she was back in Shane's place. Instead of answering him, she asked if Giselle had safely returned.

Shane responds that Jenna informed him already that she dropped Giselle a while ago at her place.

Lillian could finally breathe a sigh of relief. She lifted herself off the wall and welcomed herself inside the house. She dragged herself to the dining room. Shane appeared startled from her behavior but followed her nonetheless. He helped her fix a drink. Lillian pointed at the alcohol. Shane refused and gave her a glass of water first while commenting on her annoying habit of finding excuses to drink on any occasion.

Lillian had no choice but to obey the master of the house. She might have gone for the alcohol if she was in her usual self. But not right now. She drank the glass of water.

Shane stood close and kept a watch while inside the kitchen was busy with people scrubbing the place back to its usual ambiance.

It took some time for Lillian to regain her composure. And she started the conversation while Shane patiently waited.

"Did you call Giselle for me?" Lillian asked.

Shane misunderstood her intention to actively accuse that it was she who forced him to invite Giselle to this New Year's Eve party. Lillian refused his voice to repeat if he brought Giselle for her sake.

Shane appeared startled from finally understanding her words. He inquired what made her think as such suddenly.

All while Lilian explained her reasons to ask for such information, Shane remained silent. But he knew he had to give a reply.

Shane admitted at last to quench her curiosity. He agreed that he hired Giselle only for the sake of Lillian Grey. Although after seeing her profile, he did feel relieved to know that she had the potential. Hiring Giselle had profited him both ways. He was planning to save his dear friend from ruining her life aimlessly while benefitting from the fact that this person could also work for him in his company. Giselle fit the role perfectly. And Shane had hit the jackpot.

Lillian was only able to know his intentions now, and somehow, it made him look like scheming.

Just as Lillian was processing how crafty her friend had acted behind her back, Shane admitted being aware of Lillian's request to Jenna about looking out for Giselle.

Lillian downright went speechless. Why do the people she care about all work behind her back? Although Shane's intention was for her happiness, unlike the fiend Diego.

Thoughts of Diego made her angry, and she had already cut her relationship with him. Nevertheless, his conduct with Giselle and how he dared to backstab his friend was beyond Lillian's imagination.

All of a sudden, without realizing it herself, Lillian grew vulnerable, and tears ran down her face unexpectedly. Lillian covered herself to hide quietly, but she was already failing because Shane panicked to call her out.

"Are you crying?" he asked in awe.

"Are you really crying, Lillian?" he asked again in awe.

Lillian tightened her clutch to keep away from his spectacle. However, it only increased the possibility of getting teased playfully by this man. Amid his glee in finding it hilarious that Lillian was getting emotional. He was not ready to hear what followed her weeping tears.

Lillian honestly expressed her gratitude towards Shane for risk bringing back Giselle.

Shane didn't expect this. His face remained speechless. He finally caught the sight of Lillian crying as she uncovered herself to be sincere in her words. Just a while ago, he had fun teasing his dear friend for surprising her with his first love after several years. But, seeing how much of a pain she must have dealt with all those times moved Shane to lend a shoulder for Lillian to lean on, letting her cry her pain away.

***

Shane's helpers finally left after performing their duties till the last. The house was back to its usual norm, leaving only traces of festive hanging around to welcome the new beginnings. Following her breakdown, Lillian was found in the living room all by herself. Shane finally bought her the alcohol she wished, a glass of red wine to help her rest. He joined her on the couch.

The drink finally helped Lillian feel tranquil. Not only calm but more expressive. She was now comfortable talking about herself, which was difficult in the past. Lillian no longer felt trapped by her past despair. Openly, she admitted to Shane how she used to do all reckless things, thinking that would make her forget about Giselle. However, in all those times, it was her desperately trying to establish her love more and more that she went crazy for Giselle, unable to escape from the lovesickness.

"I wanted her. I wanted to see her badly, touch her, and kiss her. I lost her when I had just realized my feelings. After she had gone, I didn't know what to do with all those unexpressed feelings- the abandonment. I went crazy, but at the same time, I didn't want anyone to help me out."

Lillian looked at Shane, pointed out how he managed to see through her facade.

"Because you were a fool lost in love! And I can sympathize with that. I could say that you are a good person beneath all that insane acts," Shane admitted.

Lillian realized that if she hadn't met Shane and accepted his stubborn caring, she would have done far worse stuff.

It was hard for Shane to get hold of Lillian in the past when they were just sophomore students. He liked her personality and wanted to be friends since their interests aligned with creative arts. Despite her knowledge and passion, she also had a nasty temper. She would push away people and never showed interest in playing friends. At first, Shane didn't desire to be acquainted. He didn't want to get tied down by her antics. However, when Shane found out the reason behind Lillian's rude attitude, he extended his hand to help. Lillian was sure to push him away initially until she yearned someone- or anyone to pick her up. Shane showed up in front of her and extended his helping hand. Lillian displayed trust openly towards his sincerity. She grabbed hold of him tightly. Since then, Shane has been a close confidant and a dear friend to Lillian Grey.

Realizing all this made Lillian express her gratitude again.

Shane felt weird from her strange temperament. He questioned if she was secretly planning to cut off their friendship.

"No, I want you to be my friend forever!" Lillian replied by raising her glass with only a few sips remaining, making a toast to celebrate their journey together.

"What a pain in the ass!" Shane remarked to join as well. They sipped drinks with gentle smiles of living through the years as good friends.

"Are you alright now?" Shane inquired.

Her behavior only kept putting her on the pedestal of great doubts. Lillian disappeared towards the end of the party, and now she returned to keep thanking him endlessly. Shane sincerely worried about her mental state. He kept asking her repeatedly if she was feeling alright.

Lillian took time but eventually admitted not feeling so great.

Shane was quick to inquire what happened. He was specific to get an answer to his questions. He wanted to know where Lillian took off to disappear at the end. What could be so important for her to leave Giselle, to whom she had just confessed! Shane wondered. Her impulsive decision affected Giselle, for it was hard to convince Giselle to leave. The poor woman was stubborn in waiting until Lillian returned, and she believed that Lillian would come back to her. Giselle looked unhappy when she left Shane's place.

"I went to meet Diego!" Lillian finally admitted.

Startled at once from hearing that name mentioned again, Shane turned stiff.

"D- Diego? Why- What happened?" he stammered to ask.

Shane added how he had just realized that Diego too was missing, alongside Lillian at the party.

"Apparently, he left because he wasn't feeling well!" Lillian mentioned.

"Oh- did he? I- didn't know!" Shane played along without letting Lillian realize that he was the reason Diego left the party. He didn't want Diego to meddle between Giselle and Lillian. Especially after knowing what he did, Shane can't stand the chance of getting along with Diego in the future.

"So, wh- why did you go meet him?" Shane asked.

Lillian remained speechless for a moment. She had witnessed Giselle vomiting everything to this man already. Still, she felt resistance to sharing. In the end, that contemplation led to astray as Lillian chose to reveal, not wanting another piece of information to remain secret behind her back. She admitted to paying Diego an unexpected visit because it was he who made Giselle leave.

"Didn't he ?" Lillian hinted.

It was surely a night full of surprises and shocks. Shane appeared dumbfounded. He was unsure if what he had heard was the actual truth. Shane replayed her words in his head a couple of times before it made some sense to him. The minute he apprehended what she meant, he quickly discovered that she knew. Lillian Grey knew somehow.

'How?- When- Where?' Shane worried behind a blank canvas.

"Did you-" he wanted to ask too, but before his words could even come across, Lillian helped him. She revealed overhearing his conversation with Giselle earlier in the middle of the celebration.

"I was hoping to find Giselle, but I saw your shadow and-" Lillian explained.

"And you heard us! You heard everything?" Shane raged to ask.

"Almost. I was there for the right time- you could say."

"Jesus!"

"No- No. No, no- it's okay. It's fine."

"What happened with Diego? What did you do?"

"You make it sound like I killed him!"

"Did- you?"

"What did you think of me? No!"

Even after strongly disagreeing, Shane's gaze didn't waver for a second, still packing strong sent of suspicion against his company. Lillian told him briefly what had happened.

The alcohol's effect to keep calm no longer worked, for Lillian's confrontation with Diego just after she came to learn about everything just sent millions of shockwaves to Shane's mind. He dropped his glass on the table nearby to worry frantically.

"What the hell, Lillian? Giselle- I promised her that I wouldn't tell anyone-" Shane exclaimed in dread.

"Calm down! It's alright. You didn't tell me. I heard it myself- even if it's accidental, I can't rest after knowing why she left all of a sudden. Can you imagine? I told you already that it was the time when I was about to confess my love- and she just- disappeared from my life," Lillian cried emotionally.

Shane could understand her honesty, but all in his mind, he kept worrying about Giselle and her reaction. Moreover, another concern occupied abruptly, and it was about Diego. It is now openly known that Diego had feelings for Lillian. Shane wanted to know how Lillian felt. As much as he expected her to show some mercy for his emotions, it turned out that Lillian hated him even more now. She claimed the way Diego handled such feelings was dangerous to everyone.

In the end, seeing how she had cut ties with Diego for the sake of Giselle, it made sense, and Shane understood Lillian's intention. It was clear that she was affected by this change considering the longevity of their friendship and how she had been trusting him for such a long time, only to hear he was the one who turned her life upside down. Shane chose not to discuss the topic anymore. What's happened is a done deal already. There is no going back now.

Shane asked Lillian to stay over and sleep at his place. He let her borrow a guest room to unwind for a few hours. As he was about to take her to rest, Lillian stopped him. She had a request in mind more than a suggestion, to which Shane agreed to listen.