Novel & Cerita You Can't Hide From Yourself

he says frustrated. “Am I the only one that knows?” I gasp. Lucian places his head in his hands and groans loudly. “Is that what you mean when you say you won’t be able to hide anymore? Lucian,” I place my hand over his heart. “You shouldn’t have to hide who you are to make anyone happy. If they can’t accept you for who you are then… fuck them.” I shrug my shoulders before shoving in another handful of chips. “You are one to talk,” Lucian growls at me. “Who’s also in this room that is hiding their true self?”

“Evidence is the problem. We don’t have it. Because you moved the witness. Because you sealed the bunker. Because you’re acting like there’s something to hide.” The pouch under my jacket felt heavier. So did the burner message waiting in my pocket like a countdown. Silas lowered his voice just enough to sound reasonable. “If there’s nothing to hide, bring her out. Let council verify the claim. Let the pack see your control.” “No,” I said. His brows lifted. “Then you admit you can’t.” My wolf snapped up inside me, furious at the implication. I kept my face empty. “You want to see her,” I said. “You want to put your scent on her and call it concern and then use her like a pawn.”

And I know, deep in my bones, that whatever they’re hiding— It’s already inside me. And it’s not waiting patiently anymore.

Richard countered, “is never too busy for his parents,come on get your shoes.” The ocean air carried the salt of waves and the laughter of children as father and son stood by the shoreline. Richard let the silence sit between them before speaking. “In my years of business,” Richard said, squinting into the sun, “I’ve learned something. Problems… they aren’t walls. They’re doors and every door has a key. Sometimes it’s not force, but the right approach.” Sam gave a low laugh, humorless. “This woman doesn’t have a door,she’s all walls.”

My thoughts refused to settle, looping endlessly back to the same truth I was avoiding. I couldn’t hide forever.

“Ours.” She knew which ones he meant. They’d drawn them in quieter moments: no disappearing into self‑blame, no turning every mistake into proof you should never have tried; no retreating into ‘we’re the Peace Pair’ myth when it was easier than saying ‘we’re tired and we failed at this piece.’ “I’m not allowed,” she said slowly, “to vanish into ‘I ruin everything I touch.’ That’s just another story I can hide in.” “Right,” he said. “And I’m not allowed to say ‘see, openness is dangerous, we should go back to simple orders,’ just because watching them shout at you made my hackles go up.”

But I hope — maybe foolishly — that this buys me one thing: Silence. Not the kind that hides guilt. But the kind that says: “I saw myself. And I didn’t like what I saw.” Maybe that’s a beginning. Maybe that’s all I get. Maybe it’s enough.

But there’s nothing she can do about it. Holding back who you are will eat you up inside. Lying to yourself will not hide the fact that the person you were trying to become is not you and will never be you. And Jade is the epitome of that.

“Because you’re being mean.” My eyebrows pull together. “To who?” “Yourself.” I roll my eyes. “Here we go.” “No, seriously.” She points at me again. “You talk about yourself like you’re some kind of walking disaster.” “I’m realistic.” “No.” She shakes her head. “You’re scared.” The words hit harder than they should. Because she’s right. I hate that she’s right. I’ve spent years convincing myself that staying invisible is a choice. That it makes me smart. That it protects me.

Ashley looked up at him. She pursed her lips and there was a lump in her throat. At this moment, Ashley recalled herself when she was young. At that time, she tried her best to hide all my thoughts, approached cautiously out of control, and told the sweet and sour secret that no one dared to say. Once a person cried hysterically, hid all the memories in the box, crossed out the dreams that were thought to be impossible as if they did not exist. Also once hypnotized to herself, choking and repeating, "I won't like you anymore."