Chapter 52 – The Lie That ProtectsAriana’s POVThe room stopped breathing.Luca’s words hung in the air like a gunshot that never echoed—too loud, too final, too impossible to take back.The child is mine.Ethan turned to him slowly, disbelief etched across every line of his face. “You’re lying.”Luca didn’t blink. “I’m not.”My knees weakened, and I had to grip the back of the couch to stay upright. “Luca,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Why would you say that?”His gaze finally shifted to me. There was something there I hadn’t seen before—something fierce and determined, but also… resigned.“Because someone has to end this,” he said quietly.Victor laughed.It wasn’t loud. It wasn’t cruel. It was worse—controlled, amused, confident. “Interesting strategy.”“It’s not a strategy,” Luca snapped. “It’s the truth.”Victor stepped closer, circling him like a predator evaluating prey. “You expect me to believe you suddenly grew a conscience?”“I don’t care what you believe.”“I do,” Eth
Last Updated : 2026-02-10 Read more