I have no idea why James got me enrolled into college, but I am not complaining at all because I would do anything to get away from this house, especially in the morning. Pertaining to the previous events, I keep the bathroom vacant for James in the morning but that also serves as my excuse to skip breakfast with everyone.

For the whole weekend, I keep my distance from the Clark family, including Chloe. I have no idea what she has against me, but I am not about to be caught up in whatever drama she has been entertaining in her mind.

When Monday morning arrives, I wake up earlier than usual to take a shower before James because I don't want to be late for the first lecture. I already looked up the class schedule online and even though it's second semester of Junior Year and I have been to that college so many times, I feel the nervous jitters go through me.

I dress myself in black jeans and a light blue blouse with semi sleeves before I brush through my hair and let them fall past my shoulders. I push a binder in my bag which I got on the weekend once I knew I'll be starting classes.

My laptop with all the college docs is still back at home that I need to get along with my clothes. Maybe I'll go there after I get free from college today.

When I reach downstairs in the kitchen, Mrs. George smiles at me, "First day, huh?"

I smile, because I am glad me going to college isn't some kind of secret in this house and that everyone has accepted it normally.

"Yeah, can I have a glass of milk?" I ask and she pushes a tray towards me.

It's filled with a fruit plate including a bread toast. I give her a thankful smile before having my breakfast and she gets busy with making breakfast for everyone else. I heard the shower running when I was getting ready so I am aware James would be downstairs in a while as well.

When I am done eating, I pick up my stuff and leave the kitchen. To my surprise, James is already sitting, reading the newspaper and Carrack is nowhere in sight.

A part of me wants to just storm out of here because I haven't really talked to James after he threw that money shit in my face. It was a low blow and even he must know that. I am about to leave when I hear him clearing his throat and as our eyes meet, I realise that I have been caught up in my thoughts for a while.

"Are you headed out?" He asks and I nod.

"College, remember?"

He must've forgotten about it because realisation takes over his features as he folds the newspaper and stands up, "I'll tell Mark to drop you."

I shake my head, "No, it's less than fifteen minutes from here, I can get a cab." I protest because I don't want to show up with a driver.

He frowns, "You can take a car yourself if that's more comfortable for you."

I am about to protest when he stands up and starts walking out of the house. I sigh, following behind him silently as I look at the watch and realise that if I don't leave now, I am definitely going to be late.

When James turns left after getting out of the house, I remember his words about the garage. As we reach there, he presses his thumb on the finger print which opens the entrance.

Holy shit.

I am not a car enthusiast but having four sleek cars in your garage is too much even for him. He looks back at me, "You got a preference?" He asks and I shake my head because I am too afraid to even take this on the road.

He nods, and turns to a SUV but I immediately speak up, "Can't drive that." I say and he frowns at me.

"Alright, then, pick." He says.

I roam my eyes around the garage before they settle on a BMW. But the reason it catches my eye is because it's black, but majorly because I know I can manage driving that car on the road.

"That one." I say and he pulls out a key from the inside pocket of his suit, handing it over to me.

"Do you need anything else?"

I shake my head, "No, thanks."

He nods, and I walk to the car, unlocking it before I slide in. I keep my bag in the passenger seat before wearing my seatbelt. James doesn't move out of the garage as I start the engine and drive out of the space.

I look back in the rearview mirror to see him looking at the car but his expression remains blank as I drive away.

When I reach the parking, I take a deep breath, realising that I am already five minutes late as I gulp and look at my reflection. I look panicked but then taking a slow breath, my eyes move to the rings setting on my ring finger.

Without giving it much thought, I pull off the ring and slide it inside my jeans pocket before getting out of the car.

"Holy shit."

These are the first words I hear loudly when I enter the quiet classroom, the professor already teaching a topic. I know who those words came from which is why I have to bite on the inside of my cheek to stop myself from smiling.

"How can I help you?" The professor asks and I pull out the letter James gave me to show to him.

He sighs, shaking his head as if he's disappointed before he looks at me, "You may join the class."

When I turn towards the class, I notice Ashley staring at me with wide eyes and the seat beside her is occupied by a guy but behind her it's empty. I walk towards the vacant seat and as soon as the professor turns towards the board, Ashley turns towards me.

She pinches my arm, almost making me yelp as I give her a look but she continues staring at me, "You're a ghost."

"Unlikely." I whisper and she shakes her head.

"What the fuck, Lil?" She whisper-yells at me and I shrug before pointing to the front of the class and her jaw twitches, "This conversation isn't over."

As soon as the lecture gets over, I slide out of my seat but Ashley grips my arm tightly. She shushes me up as I start to protest but continues to lead me to our next lecture hall, making me roll my eyes because I definitely didn't miss her manhandling me.

"Would you stop?" I say when we finally enter the room where students are still coming in.

"Stop what? You disappeared! Without as much as a single message. What the fuck, seriously?" She yells in my face and I take a step back.

"I can explain." I try but she shakes her head.

"No, I am not buying shit unless you tell me you were dead and were resurrected in these two months."

I deadpan at her words but before I can give her an actual response, she wraps her arms around me and I am taken aback by her actions a little but then I realise that she was actually worried when I disappeared.

When she pulls away, she keeps me at an arm's length, "God, you packed up your shit and just left. Are you back in the dorms?" She asks and I shake my head.

"I left because I didn't know what to tell you. And no, I am not coming back to the dorms." I say and she nods, sighing before hugging me again.

"What was so important that you left studies?" She asks.

After pulling away, we make our way to the middle benches and sit by each other's side. She looks at me, waiting for me to respond. I have no idea how she doesn't know about James and I being married yet especially because it was in the paper. Is she trying to trick me into answering her?

I clear my throat, "Family problem." I say and she nods.

"Everything alright now?"

Far from it.

"Kinda." I shrug.

"Well, I am glad you're back. I was deprived of friends." She smiles and I laugh, nodding. "You wanna go to a party tonight?"

Her question goes unanswered as the lecture starts and I wonder why would she even ask me that question when my continuous response since last almost three years had been a 'no'. I went to a college party once in the freshmen year and didn't last even an hour there before I got back to dorms.

Ashley tells me useless stuff about college for the next few lectures until we finish all our classes. She pulls me to the campus coffee shop and we both sit down.

"How's Jer?" She asks and I smile.

"An ass, still."

She laughs and I grin at her. But then a guy comes behind her, he motions for me to keep my mouth shut as he presses his index finger against his lips. I don't say anything as he wraps his hand around her eyes and she yelps in her seat.

"What! Fuck." She squirms beneath his grip but there's a huge smile on his face as he tickles her side. "Max, for fuck's sake, you're dead after this."

The guy finally lets go of her and I smile at the way he, Max, laughs loudly. She swats on his stomach before he pulls a chair to sit between the two of us.

"Hey, Ash." He grins at her and I notice how his black hair fall in ringlets around his neck and on his forehead.

He's tall, a little taller than me and I look between Ashley and him who's right now busy glaring at her friend.. or boyfriend.

"Fuck you, Max."

He laughs and turns to me with a glint in his brown eyes, "Hey, nice to meet you, I am Max."

I shake his head, smiling, "Lillian." He nods and I look between the two of them, "Are the two of you—?"

Ashley scrunches up her nose while Max smirks a little, "Have you looked at her? She kinda turns me off."

I take a look at Ashley and don't see what he's talking about. She has beautiful black skin, and her black hair are something I've always been jealous about because of how beautiful and smooth they look. She's just as tall as me, so really, she's beautiful without a doubt. I purse my lips together but Ashley only rolls her eyes before she turns to me, "He loves to annoy me, that's it. I had to find a friend after you left me all alone." She pouts but I know she's faking it.

"Oh, you're the famous Lil." Max turns to me and I shrug.

"Maybe. Depends on whether it's a bad famous or good famous."

"Definitely good." He winks at me, and I try not to let it get to my head as I blush, making Ashley give me a sly smile.

"So, how do the two of you know each other?" I ask, sipping on my vanilla shake.

"Roommates." Max tells me and I frown at Ashley.

"You just asked me if I was back in dorms."

She nods, "I did ask you. But I shifted out of dorms, was sick of it. He put an ad for extra roommate so I shifted with him. Biggest regret of my life."

Her words make me laugh. "Are you around campus, only?"

"Yup, just walking distance." She tells me.

"Are you back in college, Lil?" Max asks me and I feel a little weird as to how he's already calling me by my nickname but I try not to think about it much.

"Yup, for now." I give him a small smile.

He squints his eyes as he stares at me, "I've seen you somewhere. You celebrity or something?"

While his words make me nervous because there's a huge chance he saw the photograph of my wedding in the newspaper, it makes Ashley laugh as she shakes her head at him. "That's the worst pick up line I've seen you try, Max."

"Yeah, well." He shrugs but I don't miss the way he studies my face.

"I need to head back." I say, standing up as I pick up my bag and Ashley stands up as well.

"Alright, we'll walk you till parking."

I shake my head, "No, that's okay."

She frowns but gives me a hug and Max smiles at me. I wave at them before disappearing out of their sights.

After driving back home, I park the car in driveway but before I can get out, I put on my rings back on the fingers. I text my mother to send my clothes and my laptop because I can't make time to go back home today.

When I enter the house, I am surprised to see James in the house, sitting in the living room but he's not alone. There are two people with him and I recognise one of them as Mr. Lucas from our wedding while another seems like a stranger.

They seem to be in some discussion until James's eyes land on me and the other two look at me as well. Mr. Lucas's lips stretch into a smile and James gives me a look as he nods his head towards the two.

I immediately make my way and offer my hand, "Nice to meet you again, Mr. Lucas."

"Oh, please call me Richard." He says and my eyes flicker to James who's actually staring at him.

"You must be the wife." The other person speaks up. He has much kinder smile than the former, "I am Liam, nice to meet you."

I shake his hand as well, "Lillian." I give a small smile, "I'll be on my way, sorry to disturb."

James finally looks at me and nods but then speaks up, "We'll be having evening coffee or tea in a while. All of us. Can you ask Chloe to come down?"

I want to tell him no, especially because he never bothered to even ask me how my day went. But when what did I even expect from him? I sigh, making my way away from him as I get to the first floor and go to the left wing which belongs to Chloe.

When I reach her bedroom door, I knock on it but when no one responds, I turn the doorknob which surprisingly opens the room and I look around to find no Chloe at all.

Just as I am about to close the door to her room and walk away, my eyes catch the sight of her couch which is set against extreme wall of her room.

At least four shopping bags lie there from one brand — Pink.