Chapter 421: Lying
Sofia’s POV
His words hung heavy in the air. "That’s what you really want?"
I forced my chin higher, even as my insides twisted painfully. "Yes," I said flatly, my throat tight. "That’s what I want."
The lie stung. My wolf whimpered inside me, calling me a coward, but I couldn’t let Damien see it. I couldn’t let him think he still had that power over me... until I know the truth about Rebecca’s death, I have to stay away from him.
Damien’s jaw tightened, the muscle there flexing as his hands curled into fists at his sides. He looked as if he wanted to break something—anything—but instead, he just stood there, staring at me with those burning eyes filled with so much pain.
"I don’t believe you," he said finally, his voice low, rough, almost trembling. "You love me, Sofia. You always have. You can spit your nonsense, you can push me away, but I know what’s inside you."
His words hit me. For a second, I wanted to scream that he was right, that he still lived in every scar on my heart. But I bit it back, burying it under my hardened heart.
"Believe what you want," I whispered harshly. "But I don’t want anything to do with you...." I frowned and continued. "And what happened here should never happen again. From now on, it’s about our son. Nothing more."
His eyes darkened, rage and hurt colliding in them. He stepped close enough that I could feel the heat of his body again, but he didn’t touch me. His voice broke as he rasped, "Then I pity you. Because you’ll spend the rest of your life lying to yourself."
I flinched. My heart lurched. But I stood my ground.
When he finally turned away, raking a hand through his hair, the silence that followed was suffocating. My knees trembled, but I forced myself to walk past him, to leave the office without looking back.
Because if I looked back—I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength to leave.
The moment the door shut behind me, I pressed my back against it, my chest heaving. A single tear slipped down my cheek before I could stop it. I wiped it away quickly, angry at myself for even letting it fall.
Why did it still hurt this much? Why did his words cut so deep?
I clenched my fists, staring down at the floor as memories replayed in my mind. His arms around me, his voice saying he loved me, his eyes burning with a pain that mirrored my own. For a heartbeat, I wanted to believe him. I wanted to run back in and let him hold me until all of this madness disappeared.
But then Rebecca’s face flashed before me, and the sharp suspicion that Damien’s hands were not clean. My body stiffened all over again.
"No," I whispered to myself, shaking my head hard. "I can’t. Not until I know the truth."
My wolf whined inside me, torn between loyalty and desire for Damien, but I pushed her down. I couldn’t afford to be weak. Not when my heart wanted to betray me so badly.
I straightened up from the door, forcing myself to stay calm. I wiped my face, forcing the tears away, and made my way down the hall. My heart still ached, but I told myself I needed to see Olivia. She had been broken too, and she needed me just as much as I needed her.
When I stepped into her room, she was sitting on the bed, hugging her knees, her eyes red like she had been crying. The moment she saw me, she looked guilty.
"I’m sorry," Olivia whispered, her voice trembling. "For earlier... hugging Damien. I wasn’t in my right mind. I didn’t mean for you to think anything was happening between us."
Her words came fast, like she was scared I had judged her. My chest softened, and I gave her a small smile.
"Olivia," I said gently, walking to sit beside her. "You don’t have to explain yourself to me. You’re my sister. I know you. I trust you. And nothing—nothing—will ever change that."
She stared at me, relief flashing across her face, but the pain in her eyes didn’t fade. "I’m just... worried," she admitted, her voice breaking. "About Lennox. I keep dreaming something bad will happen to him. But at the same time, I’m angry. Angry at him. Angry at them."
I reached out, brushing a strand of hair from her cheek. "It’s okay to be angry, Liv. It’s okay to feel torn. But don’t let it eat you alive. Follow your heart."
Her lips trembled, but she nodded. I stood, giving her hand one last squeeze. "Rest now. We’ll get through this together."
Then I left her room. But instead of going to my own chamber, my feet carried me elsewhere.
I found myself heading toward the old storehouse—a dusty room at the far end of the hall where old belongings were kept. I hadn’t gone there in years, but tonight something pulled me toward it.
When I opened the creaking door, the air smelled of old wood and abandoned things. Cobwebs hung in the corners, and boxes, and trunks were stacked high like little towers of the past. I began digging, searching for something I couldn’t even name.
At first, I thought I was looking for one of my old keepsakes—a necklace, a book, or maybe an old journal. Something I remembered but hadn’t seen in years. But as my hands moved through the dusty boxes, my eyes caught something else. Something that made my brow furrow instantly.
There, tucked at the bottom of a wooden chest, wrapped in faded cloth, was something that didn’t belong to me. My breath caught as I pulled it free.
It was Rebecca’s.
Her scent clung faintly to the fabric, her initials stitched carefully into the edge. My hands shook as I unwrapped it fully.
"What is this doing here?" I whispered, my wolf growling low inside me.