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CHAPTER 32

Author: Angela Ray
last update Last Updated: 2025-06-04 09:55:58

The Heart of a Lie

Damian’s POV

I heard the knock before I saw her.

It wasn't a rush or an urgent knock. It was the exact kind of knock Lila would make—two firm taps and then silence. As I stood in the middle of my living room, there was only the sound of the refrigerator and quietness. I wasn't sure if I wanted company. And I couldn't deny her visit when she called.

But when I opened the door and saw her standing there, arms wrapped around herself, eyes red but dry—I stepped aside without saying a word.

“Hi,” she said.

“Hi.”

Her heels squished against the floor as she slowly walked inside. She threw off her coat on the floor as if it were too heavy to carry. She wore a simple gray sweater and jeans, not her normal put-together glam. It was the version of Lila I rarely saw. The one that doesn't need cameras or compliments to exist.

“Why did you come all the way here?” I asked, closing the door behind her.

She nodded. “I needed to.”

I motioned toward the couch. “Sit.”

She fell
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