All Chapters of The Lies We Call Love : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

The wall clock blinked 10:00 p.m. in soft red digits, mocking me from across the bedroom. I hadn’t slept. I’d been pacing the Persian rug so long my bare feet left warm prints that vanished almost as fast as my marriage seemed to be doing. The penthouse was too quiet—no clink of Daniel’s ice in a late-night whiskey, no rustle of his briefcase, no “Babe, you still up?” drifting through the hallway. Just the low hum of the city thirty floors below and the thud of my own heartbeat. I glanced at my phone for the hundredth time. No missed calls. No texts. No little I’m sorry, Queen GIFs he usually spammed after a fight. Seven hours of radio silence. Daniel Carmichael, the man who once drove through a blizzard to bring me soup when I had the sniffles, had gone full ghost. Tonight I would be the bigger person. I snatched the phone off the duvet, thumb hovering over his name like it might bite me, and hit call. Ring one. Nothing. Ring two. Still nothing. By the third call my palms were

**Warren's POV**I still can’t believe I did it.Walked straight up to a woman I’d never seen before, leaned in, and kissed her like we’d been doing it for years.My heart was jackhammering so hard I thought the bar might hear it. But the contractors were watching, and the deal, my company, everything I’d bled for over the past three years, was hanging by a thread.They’d made it clear: “We don’t sign with bachelors, Christopher. Family men only. Stable. Committed.”I’d nodded like a good boy, promised them a wife, and hired an actress to play the part. She took my deposit and vanished. No text. No apology. Just gone. Real professional.So there I was, standing in the bar, scanning the room like a man looking for a lifeboat. Every woman had a partner. Every smile was taken. I was two minutes from losing everything when the door opened and she walked in.Not loud. Not flashy. Just… broken open.Hair wild from the wind, eyes glassy with unshed tears, shoulders carrying the weight of a d

**Jayla's POV** I stared at Daniel, my eyes fixed on his expressionless face. I was waiting for a reaction, any reaction, but he just sat there, sipping his coffee like he didn't have a care in the world. The silence between us was deafening, and I could feel the tension building. "Congrats, Jayla!" Kisha chimed in, her fake laugh grating on my nerves. "I've heard so many great things about Warren Christopher. He's a billionaire CEO, right? I've seen his company all over the news." I nodded, trying to keep my cool. "That's right. He's...really great." Kisha's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Ooh, I love getting to know new people! Maybe we can plan a girls' day soon? I could show you around the city and introduce you to some of my friends. "I forced a smile. "That sounds...fun. I'll have to check my schedule with Warren, though. "Kisha's face lit up. "Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine with it! I mean, you're not really...tied down or anything, right?"I raised an eyebrow, feeling

**Jayla's Pov** I was beaming with excitement as I chattered away to Warren, reliving the drama with Kisha and Daniel. "Oh my god, Warren, their faces were priceless! I mean, I've never seen Kisha look so furious, and Daniel's eyes looked like he'd just sucked on a lemon!" Warren was quiet for a moment, observing me from the rearview mirror. His gaze was intense, and I caught him staring at me. I paused mid-conversation and stared back at him, a hint of a smile on my face. "Hey, what's up?" I asked, my voice playful. Warren's eyes snapped back to the road, and he cleared his throat. "We're close to your law firm. Good luck on your interview, my dearest girlfriend." I smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Thank you," I said gently, my voice barely above a whisper. As we pulled up to the law firm, Warren grabbed my hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze. "You've got this, Jayla. You're going to crush it. Just be yourself, and they'll love you." His words of encouragement were li

**Daniel's POV** I woke up with a start, my mind racing with thoughts of Jayla. I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease that had been plaguing me since I found out she was out with Warren. I tossed and turned, but sleep was elusive. The sheets felt tangled, the pillow too flat. I threw off the covers and headed downstairs to search for her, my bare feet padding softly on the floor. As I entered her room, I expected it to be locked, but to my surprise, the door swung open. I called out her name, but there was no response. I searched the entire house, but she was nowhere to be found. Disappointment washed over me, and I trudged back upstairs to grab my phone. The stairs creaked beneath my feet, and I felt a sense of dread building in my chest. I came into the bedroom and I saw Kisha fully concentrated on my phone, a sly smile spreading across her face. "What are you doing with my phone?" I asked, trying to keep my tone neutral. "I could ask you the same thing, Daniel," she repli