CHAPTER 12

A Silent Agreement

Damian’s POV

Even though dinner was over, its weight lingered with us.

Laughter subsided, the plate was cleared off, the wine glasses were half-full and forgotten. My heart beat hadn't slowed down, though. Not since Eliot touched my hand under the table. Since Lila caught him watching me with that look.

Still, she didn't say anything.

But the way she looked at me told me she noticed more than she let on.

I was ready for the questions.

I went back to my room after dinner, but I couldn't sit still. As I paced the floor with my hands in my pockets, I tried to calm the storm that was rising up in my chest. I could see her eyes, feel Eliot's hand, and feel the electric silence again.

I told myself to get some rest, take a shower, and do something. But I stayed alerted like a hunter waiting for a sound in the dark. My senses were very sharp.

Then I heard Lila's voice coming from downstairs. It was calm and curious.

"Eliot," she called out in a low voice.

I froze.

Behind the hall, I could hear the soft but sure sound of her heels. The maids had retired for the day. Only wall lamps and the low hum of evening light filled that part of the house.

I didn't mean to eavesdrop on their conversation, but curiosity took over me.

It was as quiet as a breath as I crept down the hall to the landing. The wall was just bent enough to hide me. My heart was racing as I leaned forward.

"You haven't been talking much lately," she said in a low soft voice.

"I'm always quiet, you know that,” Eliot said in a relaxed way.

“But you don’t usually avoid me,” she said, with a smile tucked into her words. “That’s strange.”

"I'm not avoiding you,” Eliot replied defensively.

"Then what are you doing?" Lila shot back, her voice raising slightly.

He didn't answer.

Lila took a deep breath. “Okay. Let’s try this again.”

She moved toward him. I saw her resting against the doorway with her arms crossed. "Back at dinner... you looked at Damian like there was something going on between you two. Do you want to explain that?”

Silence. A longer one.

Then Eliot replied, “You’re reading into things.”

“And you aren't denying it,” Lila remarked instantly.

“I just did,” Eliot replied sharply.

“Not well enough.”

The tone of her voice had changed to sound kind of funny. Not mean. More like a joke. It seemed like she was pulling on a string to see how far it would go before it broke.

"You're hiding something," she told him.

"And you're playing a detective.”

“Only because someone’s leaving clues,” she said. “That look wasn’t nothing, Eliot. I’ve known you for a long time. I’ve seen the way you look at people. And tonight…”

Even though she stopped talking, I could still hear the silence she left.

It was more cutting than words.

Eliot let out a sigh. "You're making something out of nothing."

“You’re lying,” she said firmly.

He stopped talking. Again.

“Just tell me the truth,” she said softly. “What are you not telling me?”

“Everyone has something they don't want to share,” Eliot replied, his voice calm.

"That's not an answer,” Lila shot back, her gaze fixed on him

"Perhaps this is all you're getting.” Eliot shrugged.

I leaned against the wall and clenched my teeth. I shouldn't be here. I need to stop listening. But I couldn't bring myself to stop.

It wasn’t just what she was asking—it was how easily Eliot was slipping behind the wall I knew too well. The same wall I used.

Instead of being harsh, she said, "Eliot. If you and Damian are seeing each other…”

She hesitated and then continued. "I'm not mad."

Still no answer.

"Just confused,” she finally added.

“Then stay confused,” he said finally, his voice soft.

I winced.

“Would it be if you are?” he asked.

She paused, as if she was trying to take her time

"Maybe.”

Her voice was different now.It didn't sound like someone who was jealous. Just tired. It looked like she had been acting for longer than any of us knew.

“We all have things we don’t say no matter how it is,” Eliot said.

“Yes,” she whispered. “Some things are better left unsaid.”

Finally they walked away, their steps slow and quiet.

I dashed back into my room and shut the door behind me. My hands trembled. My thoughts were all over the place.

It was obvious she knew.

Maybe not all of it or the details. But enough.

And Eliot? He hadn't denied it.

He could've just made a joke out of it or dodged it. Even lied but he didn’t.

An hour went by.

My eyes were on the ceiling as I lay on my bed. The shadows were long and sharp above me. I kept playing the word over and over in my head. Every silence and the unsaid words.

Since the dinner, I hadn’t heard from Eliot. Even after the confrontation with Lila.

Now, the silence between us felt heavy. Like a gun getting ready to fire.

Suddenly a soft knock landed on my door. I slowly opened the door, hoping it was Eliot.

But it was Lila. My heart skipped a beat. Deep down in my mind I hope it wasn't what I'm thinking.

Her dark hair was pulled back in a loose knot, and she stood there barefoot. Not wearing makeup.

Just Lila.

She asked, "May I come in?"

I smiled and moved out of the way.

She didn't sit down. With her arms crossed, she walked towards the window and stared into the dark.

“I wanted to talk to you,” she said.

My heart skipped a beat as I stayed near the door but I didn't say anything because I wasn't sure if I should.

“It's about Eliot,” she added.

My throat got tight. "What about him?"

"You two,” she said, "Seems different these days."

I said nothing.

“You guys weren’t always like this,” she continued. “Before you guys were not close but now, you smile around each other and even more.”

I don't remember smiling. Or maybe I did.

She turned and looked at me. “What is going on between you two?”

I blinked twice before hesitating.

Then I questioned. "Are you not here to attack me?"

“No,” she said gently. “I’m here because I’m tired of pretending.”

That caught me off guard. Pretending?

“I’ve been playing the part I can all my life,” she said. “The good daughter. The calm fiancée. The future wife of Vale’s golden boy.”

I blinked, trying to understand what she was trying to say.

“I used to think if I played it well enough, maybe it would become real.”

“Did it?” I asked.

“No,” she said simply. “It didn’t.”

I sat on the side of my bed and turned around to face her. "Why are you telling me this?"

She gave a shrug. "Maybe I thought you'd get it." "Perhaps I'm just sick of being quiet."

I took a deep breath. "Do you think Eliot and I are seeing each other?"

She didn’t answer.

Instead, she said, her gaze piecing into mine. “You don’t have to lie to me. Not tonight.”

Her eyes got softer. “Whatever it is—whatever you’re carrying—I see it. Even if you never say it.”

I wanted to deny it. To keep my little secret. But I didn't.

She turned her head down. "You two have something. I can see it. I'm not blind."

She got up to leave, but stopped in the doorway.

“For the record,” she said, “I think he is being sincere with you. Really sincere. And maybe that's the one thing neither of us saw coming.

Then she walked out.

I just sat there, dumbfounded. What just happened? Did Lila just approve of my relationship with Eliot or was she teasing as she normally does?

I leaned back and looked up at the ceiling again. My mind drifted back to her voice, her voice stuck to me like a gum.

Then my phone buzzed, jolting me out of my reverie. I reached for it and a new message flashed on my screen. It was from Eliot.

“We need to see. This time, no lies.”