How Lilies turn Black

 Bam! 

The ear-splitting noise came out of nowhere.

 

The sedan, which had been running smoothly, skidded to a harsh halt, leaving a grim mark on the asphalt, and Lilia was thrown from her seat without warning.

 “Ugh…!” 

She screamed, slamming into the dashboard. She didn’t know what was happening.

 

Likewise, she closed her eyes once, and opened them, and a rush of pain shattered her body, and her husband had long since fallen silent.

 

The car stopped dead in the middle of an empty road. She jumped out, her heart pounding like it was in overdrive.

 “Are you crazy?!” 

The new voice turned to Theodoro, but he didn’t answer. Only his hands gripped the steering wheel.

 

The atmosphere I now sensed was indescribably unpleasant.

 

As my heart pounded, hammering in my chest, sensing my anxiety… a voice, lower than ever before, pierced my ears.

 “Let’s be honest.” “…” “I’ll be the first to admit it. Forget what I said before.” “…What?” “Let’s just play nice, and call that crap a bluff that came out of nowhere.” 

The tone was deceptively calm for someone who slammed on the brakes. It’s not the kind of thing you’d expect from someone who’s half-crazed.

 

As the words trickled in, Lilia’s face wore thin. Knowing roughly what was coming next, I knew I had to do something, whether it was to shut him up or to cover my ears.

 

But in my fascination, I missed the moment.

 “I want you to get rid of this guy you call a professor for not being fast enough, and I don’t know if you’re a mistress or a lover.” 

I couldn’t even stammer anymore. The meaning of each word came like a storm and slammed into my head.

 “I think Miss Moretti knows what that feels like now.” 

Theodoro slowly turned his head to face Lilia. His piercing black eyes locked on her like a web.

 “If I’m wrong, then deny it.” “…” 

Lilia couldn’t formulate a response. She should have said no.

 

Her tightly clenched jaw wouldn’t part.

 

Even more eerie than the nakedness of emotion behind that impassive face… was the anger she felt, the anger that Theodoro spoke as if he knew everything, but that she herself didn’t recognize.

 

Yes, honestly, the room that Theodoro went into behind closed doors. The thought of what might have happened there with him and Judith made me unbearably angry.

 

The thought of what might be going on in there with Judith made me want to kick in the door and smash it.

 

In the simplest, most primal way, I was just sick to my stomach at the thought of her being there.

 

‘

So… I’m jealous or something?’

 

It couldn’t be. No way.

 

But a suspicion wells up in the back of my mind. Am I not realizing it?

 

Did I…?

 

The jumbled thoughts in my head made me dizzy.

 

I spun around, wondering if the motion was spreading to my entire body, but for a moment I could see the corner of his mouth twitch upward.

 

‘Huh?’

 

I didn’t even have time to double-check if I’d seen something.

 

Without warning, Theodoro opened the car door and slammed it shut. He got out, went around the front of the vehicle, and opened the passenger door.

 “What… what is it?” 

The frail shoulders curled into a pitiful shape as fear overwhelmed her.

 

An arm burst through the open doorway and grabbed her ferociously.

 

Before she had time to struggle, her body was dragged away, and she was crumpled into the back seat under a merciless grip.

 “What do you think you’re doing!” 

A large hand reached out and grabbed hold of her slender chin in a crushing grip. So that she could no longer scream anything.

 “Well, if you were going to deny it, you should have said so sooner.” 

She shuddered, shivering beneath the ferocious aura that enveloped her. Had Theodoro ever been this forceful before, even if he had been a harsh man?

 

Theodoro squeezed into the back seat, crushing her frozen form.

 

His presence filled the cramped space. The weight of his body on top of hers was overwhelming.

 

Lilia sprawled out with a shallow groan… gorgeous platinum hair spilling over the black seat. 

 

Theodoro curled the ends of her hair in his hands, as if to savor its beauty.

 “Hmph…!” 

A suffocating wave of fear washed over her. The greatest fear was that she couldn’t even imagine what was about to happen.

 “Su– suddenly… why… what’s wrong…” 

Theodoro stared down at her, chewing on each word.

 “You tremble at the sight of me, like I’ve done something to you.” 

His voice rumbled with emotion, as if he was seething with anger at the way she was acting in front of him.

 

But how could he fathom Lilia’s feelings?

 

What Theodoro Benedetti doesn’t know about nine years hence when he puts a bullet in Lilia’s head.

 

As the last moments of her life play in her mind, a chill runs down her spine. Lilia swallows hard and looks up at him.

 “Cause you seem like you’re about to do something vile…now, that’s…why I’m trembling.” 

The corners of his mouth twitched, a hint of mockery in them.

 “A vile thing?” “…” 

His dark eyes, embedded in the hollow of his skull, flashed with a piercing glint. She realized she’d said the wrong thing, but it was too late.

 

Theodoro’s hand clamped down on her chin, crashing down over her crimson lips.

Between her gaping, half-open lips.

 

His hot tongue darted in, and Lilia’s eyes widened in horror.