CHAPTER 16

Lila’s Confession

Damian’s POV

Like the aftershock of a storm, the image of the flash still lingered behind my eyes.

It had only been hours since the hallway incident. Since Eliot's breath mixed with mine with his fingers curled up in my suit jacket like he didn't want to let go. Still, someone caught it: a single bright spot in the dark that caught a moment I wasn't ready to explain.

I kept hearing the click and the silence that followed it. My heart was beating fast as Eliot pulled away, eyes wide.

After he left, I was left standing in a place that didn't feel like mine anymore.

Since then, I haven't spoken to Eliot or anyone.

My shirt sleeves were wrinkled, and my tie was still only half-knotted as I stood in front of the tall windows of my bedroom. Outside, the city blinked slowly, as if it knew. Like it was waiting for the next move.

But all I felt was the weight. Of everything.

Then someone knocked.

I didn't turn right away. The knock came again. Softer this time. Familiar and measured.

I finally moved and crossed the room slowly, as if I were about to face a verdict. Lila was standing there when I opened the door. Not makeup. No jewelry. Her hair pulled into a loose braid that hung over her shoulder..

No one can know she was the perfect fiancée because she didn't look anything like that.

She looked real.

“Can I come in?” she asked, her voice calm.

I stepped back to let her in.

She walked right in with her arms slightly crossed over her chest. She looked around the room and then her eyes settled on the couch. She walked over to it, sat down on the edge, and adjusted the sleeves of her soft gray sweater like she needed something to do with her hands.

I stood a few feet away, not sure if I should speak first.

She did before I did.

“You’re not going to lie to me, are you?”

The question wasn't very clear. It was quiet and honest.

I looked into her eyes. "No."

She gave one quick nod, as if she was hoping for a different answer.

We were both kept quiet for a long time.

Not weird, but full. It was like we both knew what to say but didn't know how to start.

“I know something’s wrong,” she said after a moment, her voice steadier now. “Not just tonight. Not just this week. For a long time.”

She looked down at her hands.

"You've been slipping,” she said, looking straight into my eyes.

I opened my mouth, but she held up a hand.

“I’m not here to accuse you,” she added quickly. “I’m not angry. I just… I need to tell you something too.”

Hearing this, I slowly sat down next to her.

Through the sheer curtains, the light between us was dim. It felt like the room was separate from the rest of the house like it existed in a moment that didn’t require anything from us but honesty.

She moved and put one leg under her.

“I think I knew before you did,” she said.

“Knew what?”

“That this—” she gestured between us “—wasn’t real. Whatever it is, it is not the way it was supposed to be.”

I looked down, ashamed, then back up. "I never meant to hurt you."

“You didn’t,” she said gently. “Because I was never really in love with you.”

Those words came down softly. And yet they echoed more than any shout.

I felt something loosen up in my chest. Relief. Regret. Or maybe both.

She sat back a little and wrapped her arms around her waist.

“I tried my best to love you,” she said. “You were kind, smart and safe to be with.”

I smiled at her in a broken way. "Same here."

Her eyes softened.

After a moment of thought, she let out a deep breath.

“I’m in love with someone else,” she said.

There it was. The truth she’d been hiding just like I had too.

I raised an eyebrow a little, but I didn’t react the way she expected.

She laughed nervously. "You don't seem surprised."

"Of course I'm not."

"You knew?"

I gave a shrug. "Maybe. But I always felt we were both pretending.”

Her lips twitched into a real smile.

"Her name is Naomi," she said in a warm voice. She works in nonprofits law. She laughs in a way that makes her look silly, so she tries to hide it with her hand.”

The way she spoke her name—showed that she was really in love with her. It was plain and true.

I could feel something deep inside me change. Not jealousy. But respect for her courage and because she found her true love.

And maybe... so had I.

“I’m happy for you,” I said.

Her eyes sparkled with joy. “Thank you.”

We sat for a moment in comfortable silence.

She cocked her head. "And you?" Do you love him?"

“Who?”

She chuckled. “Common, you know who I'm talking about.” She paused and finally said “Eliot.”

I turned away, acting surprised. “Eliot? You—”

“I knew everything,” she said, cutting me off. “You can stop pretending.”

I pressed my thumb against my knuckle.

“I think so,” I admitted.

She gave a slow nod. "You look like someone who is."

Then she straightened a little. “There’s something else.”

My pulse quickened. Is she not done yet?

She put her arms on her knees and looked at me straight on.

“I think we should stay engaged.”

I blinked. “What?”

She didn’t flinch.

“Publicly, I mean,” she said. “At least for a little while longer.”

I stared at her, completely stunned.

"Why?"

“Because neither of us is ready to deal with the consequences,” she said plainly. “And because you’re not the only one trying to protect someone.”

I leaned forward and put my elbows on my knees. “I guess this is about Naomi.”

She nodded. “Her family is… traditional. If they find out about us, she could lose everything. They pay for her grad school, her apartment. I can’t risk putting her in danger.”

My heart ached. Not just for Eliot. But for her too. For all of us. Turns out we are all caught up in our parents' web.

---

“We could cover each other up,” she said. "We could buy time if we do this right and stay smart."

I kept quiet for a while.

Then I said, “But that's a lie ”

“It’s a shield,” she corrected.

I stared at her. Really stared and all I saw was someone who looked a lot like me—tired of acting but scared of what might happen next.

I let out a deep breath then nodded.

“Fine,” I said. “We stay engaged.”

She had a small smile that went all the way to her eyes.

And somewhere deep down, I knew...

The real story was just getting started.