All Chapters of The Lie Behind His Devotion : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Twenty-five years ago, Helen Marsh worked as a maid in the Ashford household. By strange coincidence, she and Eleanor Ashford ended up pregnant around the same time, and gave birth on the very same day.Shortly after, Helen vanished without a trace, no forwarding address, no way to reach her.No one suspected, of course, that she'd switched the two infants before disappearing.The Ashfords hadn't thought much of her disappearance at the time. She was a staff. Not worth the effort of tracking down.It wasn't until Nora turned eighteen and needed a blood transfusion that the truth started to surface, she carried a rare Rh-negative blood type. Both Eleanor and Walter had ordinary blood types. There was no way a biological child of theirs could carry that marker.A paternity test confirmed it: no blood relation whatsoever. That was the moment the Ashfords finally understood Nora had never been theirs to begin with.Eleanor tracked down Vivian, the daughter who'd actually been swapped away

Nora tensed instantly, pulling back. "What exactly are you trying to do?"Weston leaned in, his mouth cool and close enough that for one suspended second she thought it might actually land on hers and then it passed her by entirely, his lips brushing near her ear instead. "...Do what you can."Nora went still.Do what I can? What does that even mean? Does he know something?Something unfamiliar and unwelcome stirred in her chest toward a man she'd met, technically, only tonight.Weston straightened, stepping back, posture perfectly composed. Meeting her wary, questioning look, he simply said, "Let's go."Whatever charge had crackled between them a moment ago vanished as fast as it had appeared.Watching him turn away, unbothered, she almost wondered if she'd imagined the entire exchange.She pressed her lips together and followed him out.---Downstairs, one of Grant's men assured him the restaurant's security system had gone down that afternoon, no footage, no repair scheduled until

Watching Sienna shake with anger, Nora felt that pain in her own chest.Three years ago, Vivian had tricked her out of her corneas too, costing her three years of darkness. That kind of hatred didn't fade. It lived in her blood now, permanently.She rested a hand gently on Sienna's shoulder. "Sienna. The people who hurt us should be the ones who pay for it. Don't you think so?"---After leaving Sienna's apartment, Nora walked a block before climbing into her car. She called Miles to let him know Sienna had agreed to come forward publicly against Vivian.He sent back a single flexed-arm emoji in response.Nora gripped the wheel, replaying something Sienna had mentioned right before she left Vivian was planning a solo exhibition soon.So that's her next move, after the Aviary Gallery turned her away. Trying to salvage her name one more way.They really don't learn until it's already too late.A solo exhibition. Fine.Let's make sure it's one nobody forgets.A faint, satisfied smile set

Instinct kicked in before conscious thought could catch up. Nora met Weston's eyes and got ahead of whatever he might say. "Mr. Blackwood, you're too generous with your time. This is just a quiet family dinner. I can't imagine we're keeping you from anything important."The tension in his brow eased, a faint curve pulling at his mouth. Without waiting for an invitation, he pulled out a chair and sat. "In that case, you won't mind one more set of cutlery at the table?"Nora and Felix traded a look. Mrs. Warner forced a smile, clearly caught off guard. "Not at all, Mr. Blackwood though I'd hate for you to feel obligated."He clearly had no intention of feeling like an outsider. He settled into the empty seat, posture effortlessly composed right beside Nora, as it happened.She kept him in her peripheral vision, unease prickling at the edges of her focus. What exactly is he playing at?This isn't a man looking for a free meal. And he's definitely not here trying to charm Mrs. Warner for

The sky stretched out clear and cloudless, perfect weather for the occasion.The Aldwyn Pavilion itself was a striking piece of architecture sweeping white curves and irregular angles that drew the eye before you even stepped inside.Reporters had packed the single entrance so tightly it was nearly impassable. No painter in Solenne had commanded this kind of turnout in years.Eleanor, dressed to the nines, couldn't stop smiling. "Vivian, look at all of this. Every one of them is here for you. You're my pride and joy, sweetheart."As a painter herself, Eleanor understood exactly what a crowd like this meant for a career. This was shaping up to be the defining moment of her daughter's artistic life.Vivian wore a vivid green dress, her hair swept into a soft bun and pinned with a delicate pearl clip, makeup flawlessBut she didn't share her mother's excitement. If anything, she looked distracted, on edge. "Mom. Do you really think all of this is for me?"Her expression darkened. "They'r