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Lilly spent the next ten minutes crying and when she finally stopped 

she took a deep breath and then took out her pocket mirror to assess the 

damage. 

She looked like such a mess, her crying had made her eyes red and 

puffy and her creamy porcelain complexion looked flushed and patchy - the 

only good thing was the fact the beautician hadn't put a lot of makeup on 

Lilly insisting she was a natural beauty so she wasn't wearing any mascara 

or foundation - Lilly could only images how much more of a state she would 

have looked if she was wearing them. 

Taking a deep breath Lilly patted her face dry and when she was 

confident no more tears would fall she reapplied the clear lip gloss that 

showed off her naturally red lips and then added a little more gold 

eyeshadow that the beautician said complimented her eyes and hair colour 

and then exited the bathroom stall. 

Lilly took one last look in the mirror and satisfied she looked 

presentable she thought about what her next move was. A loud voice in her 

head told her to tell Stefan immediately that he would keep her safe, but she knew as much as she wanted to tell him she couldn't as after what happened to his mother Lilly could only imagen what Stefan would do to the man who tried to rape her and she didn't want Stefan to tarnish his soul even more over a man like Sinclair- he wasn't worth it and she was supposed to help Stefan escape a life of crime not get dragged deeper into it by committing murder. As frightened as she was of Sinclair Lilly loved Stefan more and she wouldn't do that to him so she took a deep breath and decided to avoid Sinclair and stick close to Stefan not giving Sinclair a chance to torment her and if he managed to get an opportunity Lilly would deal with him personally. 

Lilly lifted her head, straightened her spine, and walked out of the bathroom into the loving arms of Stefan. 

"Is something wrong, you seem quite?" Stefan asked after they said goodbye to the latest group of people who were keen to introduce themselves to Stefan and Lilly, to form alliances with Stefan who amongst this crowd was respected as a rich and influential businessman and to meet Lilly who looked breathtakingly beautiful and intrigued people. 

"Yes I am sorry I am just a little ...overwhelmed," Lilly said truthfully as she was overwhelmed just not for the reason Stefan assumed. 

"I know these society gatherings seem intimidating but there's nothing to be nervous about they may have money and some are snobby but they are just people like everyone else just dressed differently," Stefan said trying to make Lilly feel better. 

Lilly smiled, Stefan was so sweet and she had to fight the urge to tell him everything, reminding herself she was doing it for him. "Thank you and 

your right although I don't see people walking around supermarkets in shoes that cost thousands of pounds," Lilly said in amusement. 

"No, you don't. I have a few more introductions, Marcus has arranged for me to make, they are potential future investors then I promise I am all yours to dance the night away with - if that's okay?" Stefan asked looking over at Marcus who was signalling Stefan to join him and a group of people. 

Lilly smiled at Stefan and followed Stefan's gaze and her heart dropped as she noticed Mr. Sinclair amongst the group of people, "Of course I understand but if you don't mind I am a little tired, would you mind if I sat at the bar instead and waited on you with Aiden?" Lilly asked sticking to her plan of not telling Stefan to protect him and staying out of Sinclairs way. 

"Of course love whatever you want, I will be as quick as I can," Stefan said as he signaled Aiden who was standing a little bit away from them over. "Lilly would like to skip the boring introductions- not that I blame her..." Stefan said as he winked at Lilly, "please escort her to the bar until I am done." Stefan ordered before he kissed Lilly passionately and then took his leave. 

Lilly was sitting at the bar with Aiden she had just finished her glass of coke and was starring anxiously at Stefan, " Is everything okay you look...nervous? " Aiden asked as he followed Lilly's nervous gaze. 

"Mmhh... Oh yes, sorry I was just thinking... but everything's okay." Lily said giving Aiden a false smile trying to reassure him. 

"Thinking about Mia and Stefan by the way you've been starring at him and the group and drawing someone in the group dirty looks...I am guessing that someone is Mia?" Aiden said looking over at Stefan who was surrounded by strangers with Mia standing by his side laughing at his every 

word over animatedly. 

Now Aiden highlighted it Lilly was a little annoyed at the way Mia seemed to be throwing herself at Stefan but her attention had been on Sinclair, not Mia but of course, she couldn't tell Aiden that, " Yes I am sorry I know you've known Mia for a long time and its unfair of me to be so rude about her in front of you." Lilly said apologizing. 

Aiden burst out laughing, " You really are sweet Lilly but an apology is completely unneeded. I have known Mia for a long time coming up to ten years now and it's because I know her I know you have nothing to worry about. And besides, you don't need to apologize for disliking her no one likes her. 

Lilly's gaze for the first time since Stefan left was taken of Sinclair at Aiden's statement, "Why are you so confident that there's nothing between her and Stefan? Mia seems really possessive like she has some sort of claim over him and why does no one like her?" Lilly asked. 

"I am only telling you this because you and the Boss have a good thing going and I don't want that b***h to come between you, Mia acts like she has a claim on Stefan because her family is a well respected founding family of the Mafia and it was her plan to strengthen her family but making a union with Stefan, she went to Stefan's uncles with the plan herself when she was thirteen as soon as Stefan took over his father's empire and they tried to get Stefan to accept but he refused saying he would never marry for an alliance only love and he threatened to leave the Mafia if they pushed him on the issue and they made an alternative deal with Stefan so Stefan wouldn't have to marry her and would stay in the business and so his uncles were compensated for the money the union would have brought them. Of course, Mia under the direction of Stefan's uncles moved to London aged only 

fifteen and has been trying to seduce Stefan ever since and he has rejected 

every one of her attempts as you see they grew up together as kids and 

Stefan sees her as a little sister." Aiden said reassuring Lilly. 

"How do you know all of this? Are you sure all the feelings are just from 

Mia as Stefan seems very close to her?" Lilly asked not wanting to get her 

hopes up. 

"I heard Marcus and Stefan discussing it a few times when Mia's 

attempts at seduction got Stefan's last nerves," Aiden chuckled, "I would 

never repeat anything I heard usually Stefan has my complete loyalty but in 

this instance, I am making an accepting as your good for him and I don't 

want to see Mia come between you. Stefan is very close to her as I said they 

grew up together and Mia's mother was close friends with Stefan's and since 

Stefan's family and Mia's were both founding families of the Mafia they did a 

lot of business together and Stefan grew up protecting Mia." Aiden said. 

TI 

Protecting her from what?" Lilly asked hoping to understand why Mia 

was so cruel and why Stefan was so close to her. 

"Her father, like Stefan's dad, was very cruel- I guess it comes with the 

power it drives a man to feel almost god-like and lose their humanity. Mia's 

dad used to beat her badly as Mia had three brothers, two older and one younger and Mia was always an ambitious girl and she like her dad saught power, she wanted to be treated equally to her brothers also - something in the Mafia that isn't done so since her father had a male heir and a spare he had no use for Mia and grew fed up of her not learning her place and he beat her badly, Stefan would frequently intervene and challenge Mia's father making him focus his anger on Stefan instead of Mia. One day though her two older brothers and mother died in a car crash and her younger brother died shortly after from a hit and Mia's father being too old to have any more kids so was left with only her as his heir and he stopped being needlessly cruel and focused on training her as the next Mafia leader and her and Stefan drifted apart as she welcomed her fathers training and Stefan rebelled against his. Stefan still sees her as the innocent girl he grew up and that's why he's close to her- not in a romantic way at least not on his part but as a frightened girl who he must look out for." 

Lilly absorbed everything Aiden had said, it certainly explained why Mia seemed so attached to Stefan he was her knight in shining amour and her infatuation with him started at a young age- maybe she was being too harsh on Mia and she should make more of an effort since Stefan saw her only as a little sister it must break Mia's heart and Lilly should be more sensitive to Mia's feelings and forgive her rudeness and bitchiness actions- Lilly mistakenly thought not knowing Mia didn't have a heart or that she saw Stefan purely as a meal ticket. 

"Thank you Aiden, I had no idea of their history, it certainly explains Mia thinking her and Stefan's relationship is more than what it is and why she hates me so much and why Stefan never picks up on Mia's behaviour he sees her as his innocent little sister and doesn't understand her motives for her behaviour since he doesn't return her feelings." Lilly sighed, it was a 

complicated situation Mia might be a nightmare to deal with but Lilly would have to make an effort for Stefan as if he did see her as a little sister she is the last family he has left. 

"Aiden, I think I need to have a talk with Mia to see if we can come to an understanding and be civil for Stefan's sake, can you wait here for me please I will be back soon." 

"That's great your going to try for Stefan's but I should come with you, there are lots of strangers here," Aiden said scanning the room looking for danger. 

"I appreciate that Aiden but it's only Mia I am seeing no one dangerous and she won't open up to me if your there," Lilly said trying to make him understand. 

"I get that Lilly, but I am your bodyguard if I leave you alone for a second out in public and anything happens to you Stefan will kill me and maybe my family if you want to speak to Mia alone somewhere quiet I assume so you can hear each other then we will need Stefan's approval, let's go and ask him first." 

Lilly looked over to Stefan and saw Mr Sinclair had left the group so she nodded and she and Aiden began to cross the floor to reach Stefan and Mia when they were halfway however Mia looked at Lilly and then left the group and made her way towards the back exit Lilly was just about to tell Aiden when she saw Mr Sinclair from the other side of the room watch Mia and begin to follow her outside like a predator stalking its prey. 

Mr. Sinclair was about to attack Mia! She had to warn her, Lilly thought, Lilly was just about to tell Aiden who was a few paces in front of her that Mia was in danger when she suddenly stopped herself- if she told Aiden Mia was in danger she would have to explain what Mr Sinclair did to her and he 

would definitely tell Stefan and she couldn't let Stefan be dragged deeper 

into darkness, she would have to handle this herself. 

Mia was a daughter of a Mafia Boss surely Mia would have a weapon or 

be trained to defend herself and she could definitely defend herself - she 

had managed to fight Mr Sinclair off last time the only reason she was 

scared of him was that she was worried he would release the footage of her 

or hurt her brother but if Mia was in danger she couldn't afford to put her 

reputation, embarrassment or the possibility of her brother's safety being at 

risk when Mia's actually was Lilly thought so without thinking about herself 

Lilly picked up her dress and ran outside to help Mia leaving Aiden walking 

towards Stefan thinking Lilly was following behind and unaware she was 

walking into a trap.

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