CHAPTER 10
Lies We Tell
By the time we reach the hallway, everything feels blurred together. The drive back, the elevator ride, the quiet between us that somehow feels louder than words.
Lucien stands close enough that I can feel the warmth from him. His hand brushes mine again, almost unconsciously.
“You’re leaving tomorrow,” he says softly.
“Yes.” The word barely leaves my mouth.
For a moment neither of us moves. Then he reaches for me, his fingers brushing the side of my face, pushing a strand of hair behind my ear. His eyes search mine like he’s asking permission for something neither of us has said out loud.
I lean closer without thinking. His hand moves to my waist. “Sera…” My door clicks open behind me and he starts to follow me inside.
Then a voice echoes down the hallway. “Lucien?”
We both turn. A woman is walking quickly toward us, heels clicking against the floor. She looks relieved the moment she sees him.
“Lucien, there you are,” she breathes. “I’ve been worried sick. You haven’t answered any of my calls.”
Lucien freezes. Shock flashes across his face.“Charlotte?” The woman finally notices me standing beside him. She smiles politely, though her eyes are curious.
“Oh—hi. I’m Charlotte.” She slides her hand around Lucien’s arm naturally. “Lucien’s girlfriend.”
For a second I just stare at her.
Then something inside me cracks.
A small laugh escapes before I can stop it.
“Of course.” My voice sounds strangely calm. I extend my hand slightly. “I’m Sera. Nice to meet you.”
Charlotte looks a little confused but shakes my hand anyway. The whole time, Lucien hasn’t moved. He’s looking at me like he wants to say something. Like he’s waiting for the moment to explain.
But the words never come.
Finally he clears his throat. “Charlotte… this is Sera. She works for the company.” The words land like a slap. Just someone from the office. Charlotte beams at him again, completely unaware of the tension.
“Baby, I’m starving. Let’s go get dinner.”
Lucien looks back at me quickly. “Sera—”
I feel a lump in my throat. “Don’t let me interrupt,” I say quietly, forcing a small smile. “I have an early flight tomorrow.” For a moment it feels like I should say more. Ask questions. Demand answers. But the words never come. “Excuse me.” I open my door and step inside.
The door closes softly behind me. The second it clicks shut, the tears start falling. I cover my mouth, trying to keep the sound in. I can’t believe this is real. I almost gave my heart away again.
I almost believed him. God, I feel stupid.
I wipe my face roughly and force myself to stand.
Part of me should feel devastated. Instead, there’s something worse.
Numbness. Like some small part of me expected this all along.
I pack my bag slowly, fold clothes, zip the suitcase. stare at the minibar for a long moment.
Funny. When I first arrived at the hotel, I wanted a real drink.
Something strong. Something poured by a bartender with tired eyes and no questions.
Not these. Now the minibar is the only thing in the room that feels honest. Small, quiet and predictable.
I open it. The glass bottle is cold in my hand, the amber liquid catching the dim glow of the lamp.
For a moment I just look at it. Then I twist the cap and take a swallow straight from the bottle. The burn slides down my throat.
I welcome it. At least this pain is simple.
At least this one makes sense. I sit on the edge of the bed and stare at nothing.
No more tears left in me. I cried them all out already.
Gave them away to the wrong people. Why should I cry more?
They don’t deserve even that from me. At some point I lie back against the mattress, the bottle still resting loosely in my hand. The ceiling above me slowly blurs.
And eventually, exhaustion pulls me under.
In the strange softness of sleep, I hear footsteps.
Fast.
Someone running.
“Era, wait.”
I turn, and even before I see him, I know who it is.
Dominic.
He’s running toward me like he’s afraid I’ll disappear. “That’s not what you think,” he says breathlessly.
“You kissed her,” I tell him. My voice sounds distant, almost like it belongs to someone else. “I saw you.”
He shakes his head immediately. “No. Never. I never lied.” His voice softens, the way it used to when everything between us felt safe. “It’s always been you. It’s still you. No one else.” For a moment, I almost believe him but nothing but rage claws through my chest.
I wake up with a sharp gasp.
The room is dark and quiet, the low hum of the hotel air filling the silence. Just a dream. Only a dream. My heart is still racing like it doesn’t know the difference. I reach for my phone and the screen lights up the room.
6:00 a.m. My flight boards at nine. Leaves at 9:30am. I sit there for a moment, staring at the dim gray light slipping through the curtains.
“Even in my dreams,” I whisper to the empty room, “he still lies.”
Reality settles over me a second later. In real life, it was worse. They weren’t just kissing. They were together. Completely. I swing my legs over the side of the bed and stand. Cold water splashes across my face in the bathroom sink.
Another morning. Another version of me that has to keep moving.
I finish packing the last of my things. The room looks untouched now.
Like no one stayed here. Like nothing happened.I lift my suitcase, walk to the door, and open it.
Room 107 sits directly across the hall. I don’t even look at it.
Not once. If I don’t look, maybe I can pretend these past few days never happened.
The elevator ride down is quiet. Just the soft hum of cables and the faint reflection of my face in the metal walls.
The lobby is already busy when I step out.
Early travelers, suitcases rolling across marble floors.
I walk straight outside and flag the first taxi I see.
The driver tosses my bag into the trunk, and I slide into the back seat.
“Airport,” I say.
The city moves past the window in a blur of gray buildings and morning traffic and slowly, the reality settles in.
I’m going back. Back to the life that’s already cracked down the middle.
Back to Dominic. Back to the decision I’ve been avoiding since the moment I saw them together.
I don’t really have a choice anymore. I have to face it.
I have to decide if I’m finally leaving him.
The airport is crowded, loud, painfully normal.
I check my bag, walk through security, and end up standing in line for coffee and the smell hits me first. Fresh espresso.
Burnt sugar. Milk steaming. For a second, I remember the night Lucien and I stood at a counter just like this.
Two strangers pretending to be normal. Like nothing complicated existed between us.
The memory makes something twist in my chest.
God. I feel stupid. Falling for this again. But maybe it’s better this way. Better that it ended before it even started. At least now I know. At least there’s no illusion left. My boarding group is called at nine. I grab my bag and join the line moving toward the gate.
And then—
“Sera!”
My steps stop and I turn. Lucien is pushing through the crowd toward me. His hair is slightly disheveled, like he ran here. His eyes lock onto mine immediately. “I wanted to apologize,” he says, breathless. “I.. I should’ve told you.”
I say nothing.
“I started dating Charlotte two months ago,” he continues.
“I was trying to move on, Sera. I really tried.” His voice drops.
“And then you showed up.” He shakes his head slightly.
“I know what I did was messed up. I know that. I broke up with her last night. I did.” His eyes search mine. “I want you, Sera. Just you.”
I look at him for a long moment. Cold, detached. “You still didn’t tell me the truth,” I say quietly.
He flinches.
“You were still with her while you were holding my hand,” I continue. “While you were looking at me like this was something… real.” My voice chokes up. “You were still with her while you were—” my eyes burn. The silence between us stretches. Then I shake my head. “But I’m not any better.”
His brow furrows.
“We’re the same, Lucien,” I say. “After all.”
Lucien steps closer.
“Sera, please—”
But I’m already turning away.
I walk toward the plane without looking back.
And this time, I don’t stop.