Her Heart Her Terms (Lily and Xavier) novel Chapter 1

Cats were known to sneak out for a bite while men often strayed from fidelity.

Lily Joyner's mind echoed that sentiment as she watched the video of her husband's infidelity for what felt like the hundredth time after receiving it.

The footage showed a woman knocking on Xavier Fulton's hotel suite's door at 11:00 pm. He greeted her, clad in a robe, and invited her in. The door didn't open again until three hours later.

It went perfectly with Xavier's persona.

The timestamp in the corner of the footage was from yesterday. It was his third day on a business trip.

She was probably someone he had called over to ease his loneliness and satisfy his physical needs.

After all, his desires at night were insatiable despite his refined and gentlemanly appearance. She had rarely been free in the two years since she married him.

Did this count as cheating if it was what she had thought?

This didn't count as cheating from the perspective of her mother's teachings. However, a barrier had formed in her heart.

Lily set down her phone and looked at the melting cake before her.

Xavier wasn't one for celebrations. He had never celebrated her birthday with her. Yet, it was his birthday today. She knew he disliked frosting, so she had deliberately learned to make an ice cream cake for him.

He was like a fierce tiger to her. Hence, she had even learned to make a little fondant tiger.

The chill of late autumn seeped through the air. She had been waiting for too long. The cake was starting to melt, and the tiger sat lopsided on top, looking slightly silly.

She wasn't even thinking whether she should eat it or call to ask if he was coming back. She kept thinking about that video so much that she didn't even notice when his car pulled into the driveway.

The unlocking sound of the electronic door lock sounded before the familiar sound of his footsteps approached from afar.

Lily lifted her gaze and saw Xavier stepping out from the dimly lit foyer.

He had narrow brown eyes, a high-bridged nose, and thin lips. He was dressed in a tailored black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and lean waist, exuding an air of elegance and distinction.

It still made her heart race even though she had seen that face daily for the past two years.

He was handsome, well-built, privileged, and competent. Lily simply couldn't find a single flaw in him.

She had fallen for him without question the first time she met him and discovered he was the fiancé promised to her since childhood.

Therefore, she agreed to a secret marriage. She had given up her dreams to become his secret wife, and her days revolved entirely around him. She had turned into a devoted wife like her mother.

However, she was uncertain whether Xavier felt the same way. She recalled that he was the one who stepped in and agreed to honor their engagement two years ago when the Joyner family had plummeted after a failed investment and her father intended to marry her off to an old tycoon for financial aid. Only then was she able to stand here today as his wife.

Therefore, she thought he must have liked her too.

The unknown sender and blurry face made her think the video might only be a misunderstanding.

It was his birthday today. She decided to ask him about it tomorrow.

"Weren't you supposed to be back by six?" Lily stepped forward to take the black blazer Xavier had just taken off. A strong scent of perfume wafted over her.

She was slightly stunned before she lifted her gaze to meet his.

"I was busy with work," he said tersely and glanced at the cake on the table before he frowned slightly.

"Happy birthday!" Lily dismissed her troubling thoughts while appearing gentle and calm. Two small dimples appeared at the corners of her smile. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at him.

His expression remained indifferent as usual. He ignored her friendly gesture as he tugged at his tie twice with his well-defined hand, revealing his tanned chest. "Make me some hangover soup."

She could also smell alcohol besides the strong scent of perfume.

She immediately got up and walked toward the kitchen. "You should go upstairs to wash up first. The bath's ready."

He didn't respond. She turned around and realized he had gone upstairs.

It was not the first time she had been ignored like this. What once left her feeling aggrieved had become something she had grown used to over time.

Her mother had once told her that men were just like that, and she had slowly learned to accept that.

A wave of frustration welled up inside her. It was probably due to the video that she had seen today. It took her a while to suppress those emotions.

She cleaned up the cake as she prepared the hangover soup so it would look less terrible.

He must have been feeling too uncomfortable from drinking to notice her blessing earlier.