<h4>Chapter 75: A Growing Lie</h4>


    Moonlight slipped past the heavy curtains, washing Eliana’s bedroom in soft silver. The sheets were tangled around them, Rafael’s arms still locked firmly around her like he was afraid she might vanish if he let go. He hadn’t left after his confession, his breath warmed the side of her neck, steady andforting, but heavy too—like the weight of his confession had pinned him to her side.


    He didn’t move. He just held her, his fingers brushing through her curls in slow, careful strokes, his lips close enough to whisper against her skin.


    "You’re more than I ever thought I deserved, Eliana," he said, voice low and rough, each word carrying a tremor of honesty that pressed against her chest. "You’re clumsy and real and brutally honest. After all the lies, the pain, everything I’ve dragged myself through... having you here feels like a second chance. A breath of fresh air. And I swear, I’m not letting it slip away."


    Elianay still, her body tucked into his, but her eyes stayed wide open, fixed on the ceiling. His words should have melted her, but instead, they carved into her heart, stirring a deep ache she couldn’t shake. It all felt like too much, too soon. And then there was Mirabel—always Mirabel, lingering like a shadow between them.


    Her throat tightened, but she forced out a faint nod, her voiceing out in a whisper. "Rafael... it’s a lot to take in. But I’m here. I’m listening."


    He chuckled softly, a rare sound of genuine warmth, and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I know. And that’s why I can’t stop talking now. Remember when I first ’saw’ you—well, pretended to? You were so kind, even when I was aplete ass. You made me want to be better. God, Eliana, you’ve cracked me open like no one else."


    Eliana’s chest tightened, her heart splintering under the weight of his words. He saw her as kind, as honest, as something pure he could finally hold onto. But she didn’t feel like any of those things. Not really.


    Because the truth was, she wasn’t different from the rest of them. She was carrying a secret—one so heavy it burned at the edges of her soul every time she looked at him. A truth she hadn’t found the courage to share. And the longer she kept it hidden, the more his trust in her felt like a cruel trick.


    His arms around her should have made her feel safe. Instead, they reminded her of the lie growing between them.


    As the hours ticked by, his whispers grew softer,ced with vulnerability he rarely showed. "I dream of a life without the masks. Just us, building something real. You make me believe it’s possible." His hand tracedzy circles on her back, and eventually, his breathing deepened into the rhythmic pattern of sleep. But Eliana couldn’t close her eyes. Her mind raced, reying his story—the betrayal, the ident, the woman who had orchestrated it all. Her mother. Mirabel.


    <i>’How could she do that?’ </i>Eliana thought, her stomach churning. ’<i>Abandon me as a child, then destroy this man’s life? And now... what if she remembers me? What if one day she looks at me and sees her daughter?</i>’ The fear gripped her like icy fingers. Luck had kept her secret hidden so far—Mirabel hadn’t recognized her that day in the living room. Probably her fury didn’t let her. But luck was fickle.<i> ’If Rafael knew... would he hate me? Would he have let my father die without his help?’ </i>The questions swirled, relentless, keeping sleep at bay.


    She shifted slightly, careful not to wake him, but his arms tightened instinctively<i>. ’How long can I ride this wave of fortune?</i>’ she wondered, tears pricking her eyes. One slip, and everything crumbles. He’d see me as the enemy, poisoned by her blood. The night stretched on, endless and tormenting, until the first hints of dawn painted the sky. Only then, exhausted beyond measure, did Eliana’s eyelids finally droop, her body surrendering to a fitful slumber.


    When Rafael stirred the next morning, sunlight spilled through the curtains, flooding the room with soft gold. He blinked against the glow, his body sinking deeper into the sheets, feeling lighter than he had in years. The weight he’d carried for so long—the secrets, the walls—felt like it had finally been lifted withst night’s confession.


    He turned his head and found her there. Eliana. Still asleep, her breaths slow and even, her lips parted just slightly as if she’d fallen into a dream mid-sentence. Her warm brown skin carried the soft flush of sleep, and her curls framed her face in wild waves, spilling across the pillow like a halo spun from midnight.


    A smile tugged at his jaw, unshakable and real. I’m the luckiest man alive, he thought, his chest tightening with something fierce and tender all at once. She’s mine to protect now. No more games. No more pretending.


    For the first time in years, Rafael let himself believe in peace.


    Leaning in, he pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead, his heart fluttering with an unfamiliar giddiness. It was like being a boy again, discovering joy in the simplest things.


    Eliana’s eyes fluttered open, still heavy with drowsiness. She hadn’t slept more than a couple of hours, and the world felt hazy around the edges.


    "Morning, beautiful," Rafael said softly, his grey eyes sparkling with affection. "You okay? You look a bit... out of it."


    She forced a small smile, rubbing her eyes. "I’m fine, Rafael. Just... didn’t sleep much. Thinking about everything you said."


    He pulled her closer, his athletic frame enveloping her once more. Kissing her temples, he whispered, "You look stunning even half-asleep. Like a dream I don’t want to wake from."


    Eliana’s heart twisted. She couldn’t believe this was happening—to her, of all people. A girl from nothing, wrapped in the arms of a billionaire. But the guilt gnawed at her, sharp and unrelenting, stealing any joy. How can I enjoy this when it’s built on a lie? When my mother’s shadow looms over us?


    After a moment, Rafael sat up, his dark wavy hair tousled in a way that made him look boyishly handsome. "Hey, how about youe to the office with me today? I want to show you around—my world, the real one."


    Eliana hesitated, her mind screaming for more sleep. The bed called to her like a sanctuary. "I... um..."


    He caught the flicker of reluctance in her eyes, the way her body hesitated even as her lips stayed quiet. His own gaze narrowed, sharp and searching, but only for a heartbeat. Then, like slipping on a mask, he curved his mouth into that easy, charming grin she knew so well.


    Inside, though, his stomach was tight. He knew what today meant—Mirabel’s siblings wereing. The thought of leaving Eliana alone in the house with them twisted his insides. They weren’t just family; they were vultures, circling, waiting for the faintest trace of weakness to tear into. He couldn’t, wouldn’t, risk her being their prey.


    "Come on," he said lightly, brushing a thumb across her hand as if nothing in the world was wrong. " I just can’t stand being apart from you. Not even for a second. And besides..." He let out a softugh, like he was letting her in on a secret. "I made reservations at that fancy ce downtown—for Sarai and Bianca. To thank them properly for saving you from that whole kidnapping mess. I figured you’d want to be there."


    His tone was yful, but underneath, the plea was real. He needed her with him—not just because he wanted her, but because the world around them was far too dangerous without his watch.