Lies We Steal Novels & Stories

Lorenzo should just begin to leave because I don't know if I would be able to keep this secret. “Jade,” I whispered, “ I am so sorry, I know you hate me so much and you don't believe but I didn't mean to, I just saw the jewelry and it caught my attention, Layla dropped it on the sink carelessly and —-” “And you stole it,” she cut me off with hatred in her voice “You are a thief, that's what you are.” “Please, let me go, I'll do anything for you…” “There is nothing you can do for me; whatever is going to happen next is up to Jackson,” she says, smiling at Jackson.

“Elara, darling, I don’t know what you’ve been told, but I can assure you—” “Don’t lie to me!” Elara’s voice cracked with fury, her fists clenched at her sides. “I have the proof, Lydia. I’ve seen the bank statements, the transfers. You’ve been stealing from my family for years, using Cassia to cover your tracks.” Lydia’s face hardened, the mask of politeness slipping for the first time. She set her glass of wine down with a deliberate motion, her eyes cold and calculating. “You’re making a mistake, Elara.”

I said, turning fully to face Kael now, “you know me. I’ve never broken a rule in my entire life. What makes you think I’d start stealing now?” Kael stared at me for a moment as if not sure what to make of my sudden confidence. I could practically hear the gears turning in his head, but I held my ground, refusing to be cowed. Finally, he turned to Cassidy and said in a low voice, “She’s right. Lyra doesn’t steal.” Cassidy’s eyes widened. She probably wanted to argue, but the thunderous look on Kael’s face seemed to make her thing better of it. “W-Well… Then I must have been mistaken.”

It’s exactly how I want it to sound, small, broken at the edges. I lean forward, savoring the crack as it opens in her. “I don’t lie,” I say plainly. “Jude doesn’t want anything to do with you anymore. He’s mine now. We spent a very romantic night together, and I loved every second.” I let the memory show in my softened eyes, the kind of look that sells truth even if it’s a lie. “Move on, Seline. Jude will never be coming back to you.” She looks like she has seen a ghost. The air between us goes cold. Tears gather at the rims of her eyes and run slow, humiliating tracks down her cheeks. She reaches for the nearest thing, a cushion to steady herself against the falling world.

“You were the one who told me to come back here. You said this place was our fresh start.” Marites’s lips curved into something that wasn’t quite a smile. “It was. For me.” Liam’s eyes flicked between them. “What’s going on?” Celine ignored him, stepping closer. “You stole from us.” “‘Us,’” Marites echoed, amused. “You make it sound like I was ever really part of that.” Liam frowned. “Whatever this is, it doesn’t have to go further. Just tell us who made you do it.”

Liam nodded. "Yeah. I stole it from Grandpa." Hayley flashed him a big thumbs-up. "You really are an amazing grandson." Liam stared at her but didn't reply. Hayley chuckled. "Come on. Have a drink. What else have you stolen from him?" "Nothing." "Tell me. I won't go tattling to your grandpa." Liam met her bright, curious eyes. "Then you really can't tell anyone." "I swear." Hayley raised her hand, as if she were making the world's most serious oath.

Now, it no longer belonged to me. Before leaving, I called my lawyer. “Mr. Lane, has everything been arranged?” “Yes, Ms. Rivers. The funds have been transferred to your account. Your passport is ready, and the property in Swizor has been secured. Everything is in order.” I nodded, feeling a strange peace settle in my chest. “All right. Thank you. I’m leaving now.” The moment I ended the call, I saw a news headline flashing across my phone screen. [Mafia boss Zayn Levine is a total hen-pecked husband!]

That apartment felt like home. He didn’t even turn around when he heard footsteps descending the stairs. He accepted the cup of tea from Diana, took a sip, then spoke with a chilling calm. “Drop the act. You’ve been playing with fire for too long. The truth will surface eventually. I don’t know how you convinced that foolish woman to take the fall for you, but Adela’s design—you’re the one who stole it, aren’t you?” Marah’s face went pale. She bit her lip, eyes wide and filled with mock innocence. “Layson… I didn’t know Lily had stolen anything. Please, you’ve got it all wrong.”

Send me a picture" My phone buzzed with an incoming message after a moment of rustling on the other end of the line. To open it I swiped. Pixel by pixel the picture loaded until Liams smug giggling face took over the screen. He was sitting in a restaurant outside with his arm idly wrapped around a womans shoulders. She was smiling broadly as she leaned into him. The bastard appeared unconcerned. unwinding. content. As if he had no remorse for stealing half a billion dollars. My jaw muscles tightened. Cole murmured "He looks good doesnt he?"

At times, while Facetiming, Leanna would suddenly say, "You've gotten thinner again, Gwyn." "That can't be. I'm eating my weight in food." "But you've really lost weight. Even Gram said…" She then trailed off and didn't complete her sentence. Gwyneth didn't ask her to finish it either. She knew what Leanna was trying to tell her, but she just wasn't interested in what Graham had to say. December arrived in the blink of an eye, and Lanton had its first snowfall of the season. Gwyneth snapped a photo of the snow and posted it on her Instagram, captioning it, "First snow."