Tous les chapitres de : Chapitre 221 - Chapitre 230

1Lila. I should have known the universe was up to something the second Mom told me to “make myself look presentable.” She never says that. Normally it’s, “Don’t wear ripped jeans to the dinner table,” or “Lila, your hair looks like a family of birds built a duplex in it.” But “presentable”? That was a loaded word.It was the kind of word you use when you’re about to introduce someone important. Which, apparently, was exactly what she was planning.I stepped into the house with my duffel bag slung over one shoulder, still smelling faintly of campus laundry detergent and the bus I’d taken from school. My finals week brain was fried, and I wanted nothing more than to throw on pajamas and binge-watch garbage reality TV. Instead, the first thing I saw was him.Damien.He was standing in our living room like he’d been born in a suit. The kind of suit that didn’t come off a clearance rack, the kind of suit that whispered money even when he wasn’t speaking. Dark gray, sharp lines, a faint s

3LilaVivian had gone out for the night, leaving me with leftover grilled chicken, a fridge full of sparkling water, and a man I couldn’t stop thinking about.The house was too quiet without her chatter. Damien was in the living room, laptop open, his whole vibe set to business mode. He looked up when I stepped out of my room, and for a split second his eyes slid down my body before snapping back to my face.I was wearing a bikini. Not just any bikini though, this one was a sunshine-yellow scrap of fabric I’d bought because I knew it was a bad idea. The top barely counted as coverage, the bottoms sat low on my hips, and together they said one thing very clearly: look at me.“Going for a swim?” His tone was neutral, but his eyes lingered just long enough to tell me he’d noticed.“Mm-hm.” I grabbed my towel, pretending not to see the way his jaw flexed.“Try not to drown.”“Why? You’d save me?” I threw it over my shoulder with a smile.His mouth twitched like he might answer, but he did

5Lila.The house was supposed to be mine for a full twenty-four hours. That was the deal I made with the universe: one day of silence, one evening of poor decisions, one night to lie on my bed and replay every mistake in delicious detail. I lit a candle that smelled like vanilla and trouble and left my bedroom door cracked two fingers wide because I liked the idea of breaking rules with the door almost closed. Petty, I know, but petty is my superpower.Damien was on my bed, propped on an elbow like he belonged to the furniture. Shoes off, sleeves rolled, the kind of stillness that makes you want to poke just to see if he moves. I’d been telling him a ridiculous story about a girl in my department who claimed her professor had plagiarized her TikTok caption. He was pretending to listen, which meant he was listening to everything but organizing it into a more sensible version.“You’re not even smiling,” I said, bouncing my heel against the mattress.“I’m deciding where to insert an apol

7Lila’s POV.The boutique smelled like steamed silk and perfume. Soft music. Softer voices. Racks of white on white, like snow you could wear. Mom was already glowing before we walked in. She kissed both cheeks of the owner like they were cousins. I followed with the garment bag I didn’t need, sipping the lemonade they hand to nervous brides.“This is the one I told you about,” Mom said to the consultant, patting my arm. “My daughter. She’s here to keep me honest.”“Honest,” I echoed, and smiled. I was here to cause problems.The consultant, a sleek woman named Mira, led us to a private nook with a round mirror and a velvet stool. She clipped Mom into the first dress. It was classic. Sweetheart neckline. She looked beautiful. She cried a little. I handed her tissue like a good child. She dabbed and laughed and turned for the mirror and practiced standing still like a statue that can fundraiser.“You like it?” she asked.“I like you,” I said, and I meant it. “Let’s see the next one.”

9 Lila.Vivian kissed my cheek, checked her suitcase wheels, and joked about the hotel pillows being better than ours. She hugged Damien at the door and said, “Keep the house standing.” He said, “Always.” The car pulled away. The house exhaled.I was already halfway up the stairs with an overnight bag, which was ridiculous because I live here. He saw it and shook his head like I was insane.“Don’t,” he said.“One week,” I said. “I’m moving into your room.”“We should be careful.”“We will be,” I said. “Locks. Water. Snacks. That’s my safety plan.”“You’re impossible.”“You’re welcome.”I put my toothbrush next to his, slid my sweater over the chair, set my perfume on the dresser like it belonged. He made eggs while I leaned on the counter a shade too close as he plated. He didn’t touch me. His restraint was a hand on my lower back, invisible and hot.After breakfast I showered. I didn’t lock the door. The water was hot enough to pink my shoulders. When the glass slid open behind me,