Chapter 3 Family Ties

As Lily stepped into the cool night air, she felt a sense of excitement and anticipation. She had no idea what the future held, but she was ready to take on whatever came next.

But little did she know, Leon's family was not going to make things easy for her. They were a complicated and powerful family, with secrets and lies that went back generations.

And at the center of it all was Leon's mother, the formidable and ruthless Isabelle Dumont.

Isabelle was a woman who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted. And what she wanted was for Leon to marry Beatrice, a union that would solidify the Dumont family's power and wealth.

But Leon had other plans. He was drawn to Lily, with her fiery spirit and her beautiful smile.

And Beatrice was not going to let that happen.

"I'll do whatever it takes to get rid of her," Beatrice spat, her eyes blazing with anger.

Isabelle smiled, a cold and calculating smile. "I'm counting on it, Beatrice. We can't let some nobody like Lily get in the way of our plans."

And with that, the wheels were set in motion. Beatrice and Isabelle would stop at nothing to get rid of Lily and secure Leon's marriage to Beatrice.

But Lily was not going to go down without a fight. She was a survivor, and she was determined to make a place for herself in Leon's life, she knew she don't have the power to fight but felt her love was enough even if it came so soon.

As Lily and Leon drove away from the mansion, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement and wonder. She had never felt so alive, so desired.

But as they pulled up to Leon's penthouse apartment, Lily's excitement began to fade. She was suddenly aware of the vast differences between their worlds.

"Leon, I don't know if I'm ready for this," Lily said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Leon turned to her, his eyes locked on hers. "Ready for what, Lily?" he asked, his voice low and deep.

Lily hesitated, unsure of how to answer. But before she could say anything, Leon's phone rang.

He answered it, his expression changing in an instant. "Mother, what's wrong?" he asked, his voice tight with tension.

As Leon hung up the phone, he turned to Lily with a look of apology. "I'm so sorry, Lily. I have to go. My mother needs me."

Lily nodded with disappointment. But as she looked into Leon's eyes, she saw something, It was a look of warning, of danger. And Lily knew that she was in for a wild ride.

"Be careful, Lily," Leon said, his voice low and husky. "My family is not what they seem."

And with that, he was gone, leaving Lily to wonder what she had just gotten herself into.

Lily watched Leon disappeared into the elevator, feeling like she'd just been dropped into a lion's den.

"What's going on, Leon?" she muttered to herself, shaking her head. "You're like a puzzle with missing pieces."

Just then, her phone buzzed with a text from Sophie: "Hey, girl! How's life with the billionaire?"

Lily rolled her eyes, typing out a response: "It's like trying to tame a lion. Except the lion has a fiancée and a crazy family."

Sophie's response was immediate, "Girl, you're in a soap opera! Keep me posted!"

Lily chuckled, feeling a moment of comic relief. But as she looked around Leon's penthouse apartment, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was in over her head.

Just then, the elevator doors opened and Beatrice stepped out, looking like a supermodel in her designer gown.

"Well, well, well," Beatrice said, her voice dripping with venom. "Look what we have here. The little nobody who thinks she can steal Leon away from me."

Lily felt a surge of anger, but she kept her cool. "Beatrice, I think you're misunderstanding the situation," she said, her voice calm.

Beatrice laughed, "Oh, I don't think I am," she said. "You see, Leon and I have a long history together. And I always get what I want."

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine as Beatrice's eyes seemed to bore into her soul.

"You're just a temporary distraction, Lily," Beatrice said, her voice sounding like an evil witch. "And soon, you'll be nothing but a memory."

Lily felt a surge of determination. She was not going to let Beatrice bully her.

"Bring it on, Beatrice," Lily said, her voice steady. "I'm not afraid of you."

Beatrice's smile grew wider, her eyes glinting with amusement.

"Oh, this is going to be fun," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

As Beatrice turned to leave, Lily felt a sense of relief wash over her. But it was short-lived.

"You know, Lily," Beatrice said, turning back to face her. "I think it's time you met the rest of the family."

Lily's heart sank. She had a feeling that this was not going to be a pleasant experience.

Beatrice smiled, a cold, calculating smile. "Yes, I think it's time you met my mother-in-law, Isabelle Dumont."

Lily felt a shiver run down her spine. She had heard rumors about Isabelle Dumont, about her ruthless business tactics and her razor-sharp tongue.

But before she could say anything, Beatrice was already dialing a number on her phone.

"Mother, darling," Beatrice said, her voice dripping with sweetness. "I have someone I want you to meet."

Lily felt a sense of anxiety as she listened to Beatrice's conversation. She had a feeling that she was in for a wild ride.

And as Beatrice hung up the phone and turned to face her, Lily knew that she was right.

"Shall we?" Beatrice said, her eyes glinting with amusement.

Lily nodded, feeling a sense of resignation. She was ready to face whatever lay ahead.

But as they walked out of the penthouse apartment and into the waiting limousine, Lily couldn't shake the feeling that she was walking into a trap.

As they drove through the streets of Paris, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. She had no idea what to expect from Isabelle Dumont, but she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be good.

Beatrice seemed to sense her unease, and she smiled to herself. "Don't worry, Lily," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "My mother-in-law is a lovely woman. I'm sure you'll get along famously."

Lily raised an eyebrow, skeptical. But before she could say anything, the limousine pulled up to a grand mansion on the outskirts of the city.

"Welcome to the Dumont estate," Beatrice said, her voice dripping with pride. "This is where Leon grew up."

Lily's eyes widened as she stepped out of the limousine. The mansion was enormous, with sprawling gardens and a private lake.

As they walked towards the entrance, Lily couldn't help but feel a sense of awe. She had never seen anything like this before.

But as they stepped inside, Lily's awe quickly turned to unease. The interior of the mansion was just as opulent as the exterior, but there was something cold and unforgiving about it.

As Lily followed Beatrice into the grand foyer of the Dumont estate, she couldn't help but feel a sense of anxiety. She had heard rumors about Isabelle Dumont, about her ruthless business tactics and her razor-sharp tongue.

"Welcome, Lily," Isabelle said, her voice dripping with disdain. "I've heard so much about you."

Lily felt a surge of unease as Isabelle's eyes seemed to bore into her soul. She had never felt so intimidated in her life.

"It's nice to meet you, Mrs. Dumont," Lily said, trying to keep her voice steady.

Isabelle's eyes narrowed, her gaze piercing. "I think we're going to get along just fine, Lily," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

As they walked into the grand dining room, Lily saw Leon standing by the window, his eyes fixed on her with a look of concern.

"Lily, I'm so sorry about this," he said, as he walked over to her. "I had no idea my mother was going to ambush you like this."

Lily smiled, trying to reassure him. "It's okay, Leon," she said. "I can handle myself."