Lahat ng Kabanata ng His Tears, My Freedom : Kabanata 31 - Kabanata 40

Lila’s POVMy heart thunders so loud I can hear it in my ears, every beat sharp, uneven. Then, in a flash, a shout tears through the air.“What are you doing, Claudia?” Aurelia’s voice cracks, stopping Claudia mid-motion, knife glinting in her hand. Shock ripples across Aurelia’s face. “This isn’t what we agreed on.”Agreed? The word burns through me like fire licking raw skin. My mind stumbles over it—agreed about? My breath falters.Aurelia lunges forward, snatching the knife from Claudia’s grip and flinging it hard against the wall. “What were you planning? Kill her? Come on, Claudia. I’m not a killer, and I won’t be here to partake in that.”Claudia straightens, her eyes narrowing in disbelief. “I thought you wanted her gone? So why stop me now?”“That I wanted her gone doesn’t mean I wanted her dead,” Aurelia snaps. Her chest rises and falls in quick bursts. “You said you’d only scare her, make her leave this city, leave our lives for good. You never told me this.”The words sink

Lila’s POVI look at them both and my chest feels too small for everything brimming inside it. Lior first — standing like a shield at the edge of my bed, jaw tight, eyes darker than when I last saw them, as if holding back words he’d rather throw across the room.He looks carved out of tension, as if he’s the only thing holding the room upright. Then Liam — the way his worry folds his brow, a flicker of something raw and unsettled that I can’t place. I want to tell them everything and nothing at the same time.Images come uninvited: Claudia’s sneer as she lit the fire in the room, Aurelia’s cool disdain that tastes like blame. They orbit these men — Claudia with her flinty smile and Aurelia with her polite cruelty — and suddenly it’s all clear and awful. They felt threatened by me. They wanted me gone because they wanted to protect what they cared about. They took a fire and tried to make it an answer.My life has always been other people’s maps—doors opening and closing without me. Ma

Lila’s POV I stand before him, my chest tight, listening as he speaks. His words tumble out, a mix of frustration and plea, about me returning with him. My jaw tightens as I hear him—how he feels bad that I left the hospital without letting him know. His voice rises as he rattles off everything, each memory sharp and cutting: every night I went to bed hungry, while he ignored me; every day spent doing more chores than a wife should bear; every night I cried in silence while he laughed in the opposite room with Claudia. And the child he let me loose with—did he even think of that? And now he dares speak of “safety”? What safety is he talking about?Then his hand wraps around mine, pulling me closer. “I know how hard it is living outside, Lila. I’m sorry I didn’t consider it before letting you leave that day. We—”I cut him off, my palm landing hard across his cheek. The slap echoes, sharp and heavy. My heart races, fingers curling into a tight fist as my voice drops into a low growl. “

Lila’s POVThe ride home is silent, the kind of silence that presses against my chest until it aches. Liam’s words echo, sharp and merciless. We’re still married. Over and over, like a chain clamped around me.My jaw tightens as anger and heartbreak twist inside me. How could he? Isn’t he tired of ruining my life? Why does everyone feel entitled to dictate my choices, to keep me trapped under their control? This isn’t the life I wanted. Even if I never had anyone, I’m still human. I deserve to be treated like one.The car slows, pulling into the driveway. My pulse is ragged by the time we stop in front of the building. I don’t wait. The moment the car halts, I push the door open and step out, the night air biting against my skin. “I’ll be in my room,” I say flatly, already walking away without glancing at Lior for a reply.Inside, the large living room greets me with its cold expanse, shadows stretching across polished floors. My footsteps echo softly—until a gentle hand wraps around m

Lila’s POVI return to the room where Maren and the rest of the team are seated, and all eyes immediately shift to me. The murmuring that had been going on before cuts off, replaced by a tense silence.Maren rises from her seat. “Lila, what happened? Why did the young master want to speak to you? Did you get into trouble?”I swallow hard, the memory of how I spoke to Lior still fresh. I hadn’t meant to hurt him—I only wanted to protect myself. But now… I can’t shake the feeling that I might have wounded someone who didn’t deserve it.Maren’s fingers gently press against my arm, snapping me back. “What is it, Lila? You haven’t said a word.”I slowly raise my gaze, meeting the expectant stares of the others. Before I can think of what to say, Maren adds, “He’s not angry because you’ve been working with us, is he? If that’s the case, then maybe you should stop. It’s fine, really. You don’t need to keep helping. We can finish up the rest of the tasks without you.”I’m about to respond when