Chapter 7 - The Lie Between Us

CHAPTER 7 - The Lie Between Us

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Adrian’s POV

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Ethan scoffed. “You make it sound like I chained him to a chair.”

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“Did you?” she asked sweetly.

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He glared. “Try again.”

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Their tightness made my skin crawl.

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“Both of you, stop,” I said. “This isn’t about”

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“Yes,” Seraphina answered, “it is. Something is off tonight. I can feel it.”

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Ethan crossed his arms. “Maybe mind your business.”

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“And maybe stop acting like you own him,” she shot back.

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A flare of heat rushed to my face. “Enough. Please. Both of you.”

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But Seraphina wasn’t done. She walked straight to me, eyes searching mine, too sharp, too knowing.

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“What happened?” she asked softly.

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“Nothing.”

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“Adrian,” she whispered. “Your eyes are red. Your hands are shaking.”

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I pulled away.

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Ethan stepped forward sharply. “Don’t push him.”

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“Oh, please,” she snapped. “Someone needs to push him. You baby him too much.”

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“I will protect him.”

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“I see that,” she said dryly. “A little too much.”

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I cursed under my breath. This was spinning.

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Seraphina turned to me again. “If you canceled the meeting because of your father”

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“I told you I don’t want to talk about him.”

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She raised both hands in surrender. “Fine. But something else is going on.”

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“There’s nothing.”

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“Liar,” she whispered.

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The word froze the room.

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Before I could respond, Ethan moved beside me. “Watch your mouth.”

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She smirked. “Touched a nerve?”

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“You’re provoking him,” Ethan said. “Why?”

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“Because he’s hiding something.”

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“Seraphina,” I warned, “drop it.”

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She didn’t.

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Instead, she leaned in closetoo closeand looked straight into my eyes. “What are you afraid of tonight?”

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My breath caught.

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She saw too much.

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I stepped back. “I’m not afraid.”

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“You are,” she said. “You’re terrified. Of something. Or someone.”

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Ethan’s jaw tensed. “Seraphina”

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But she kept her eyes on me.

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“Did someone call you?” she asked. “Threaten you? Pressure you?”

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“No.”

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“Then why cancel the meeting?” she pressed. “Why look like you’ve seen a ghost? Why is Ethan acting like

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he needs to stand guard over you?”

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“Because he’s overprotective,” I mumbled.

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“Or because you’re not telling the truth,” she replied.

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I stiffened.

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Ethan stepped closer to me, protective without even trying. “He said he’s fine.”

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“He’s lying,” she said quietly.

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“Seraphina”

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“He is.”

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Her voice grew colder. “And you know it, Ethan.”

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He paused. Just for a second. But she caught it.

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“I knew it,” she mumbled. “Something happened.”

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“Nothing happened,” I repeated.

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Her eyes narrowed. “Then why is your pulse racing?”

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“Stop analyzing me.”

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“I can’t. I care.”

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Ethan let out a bitter laugh. “You care? Since when?”

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She ignored him.

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“Adrian,” she breathed, “just tell me what’s wrong.”

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I swallowed hard.

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My heart was hammered.

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This was too much. Too fast. Too open.

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“I’m tired,” I said. “That’s all.”

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“That’s not all.”

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“Seraphina”

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“Something happened tonight,” she insisted. “I can feel it.”

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She leaned in again, but this time her face shifted. Softer. Be more careful. “You don’t have to tell me

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everything. Just tell me someone didn’t hurt you.”

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“No one hurt me.”

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She sighed in relief but Ethan didn’t relax. He watched her with suspicion, like he was waiting for her next

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move.

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And she didn’t fail.

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Her smile returned slow, serious, deliberate.

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“I won’t push anymore,” she said. “But Ethan?”

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His eyes narrowed. “What?”

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She stepped closer to him, leaned in, and whispered something only he was meant to hear.

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But I heard it too.

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“He’s lying about tonight. Ask him why.”

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My heart dropped.

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And before I could speak, she walked out, leaving the door slightly open behind her.

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Leaving Ethan looking at me.

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Leaving the truth burning in my throat.

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He turned to me slowly.

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Very slowly.

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“Adrian,” he said softly. “Why would she say that?”

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My breath caught.

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My pulse raced.

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My world turned.

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Then he stepped closer, voice low and sharp.

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“What happened tonight?”

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I opened my mouth

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But no words came out.

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Ethan’s eyes hardened. “Tell me the truth, Adrian. Who were you with before you came home?”

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And everything inside me stopped.

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Seraphina waited for me.

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She stood with her arms crossed, her face too calm, too controlled, and it told me she came for answers she

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wouldn’t leave without.

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“Finally,” she said when I stopped in front of her.

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I forced a steady breath. “What do you want now?”

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“A conversation,” she answered. “A real one. Not the half-truth you threw at me earlier.”

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“I told you”

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“You lied,” she cut in. “And you know you lied.”

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My jaw tightened.

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She stepped closer. “You disappeared for an hour before you came home last night. Are you ready to tell me

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where you went?”

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“It doesn’t matter.”

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“It does,” she said. “Because whatever happened scared you. And if something scares you, I need to know.”

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I looked away, my chest tightening. She wasn’t wrong. But telling her the truth would open a door I couldn’t

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close again.