Chapter 190 They Loved Her

Chapter 190 They Loved Her
Draven POV

My cousin sat beside Lila, immediately taking a liking to her. She was already looking at her with that warm, curious expression she always wore whenever she met someone new.

“So, when did this start?”

I sat across from Lila, watching her closely as I gave her a cold look, silently making it clear that if she wanted to continue with this lie, then she was the one who would have to keep it going and she didn’t hesitate.

“About five months.”

She held her glass of wine delicately, taking a small drink before setting it back down. “And then he asked me to move in with him three weeks ago.”

That last part was partially true because I just never asked her to move in with me.

She didn't know the actual truth, and judging by how naturally she was handling the conversation, she clearly had no intention of asking questions that might expose it.

“Aww,” my cousin said, her smile widening. “I didn’t think Draven had a romantic bone in his body.”

She was right because I didn't.

At least, not before Lila.

My mother looked at me then, and the accusation in her eyes was impossible to miss. “I’m surprised my son didn’t tell me he’s been seeing someone for five months…”

There was disappointment in her eyes....a lot of it.

I could practically feel it weighing on me, and somehow, instead of being sorry for what I had done, I found myself glaring at Lila even harder. “Since we work together, he wanted to keep it a secret for a while.”

Lila continued to lie effortlessly and she was so convincing that, for a brief second, I almost believed her myself. “Nico is against workers dating within his establishment.”

She said it so calmly, without stumbling over her words or showing even the slightest sign of nervousness. “That’s why you look so familiar,” my cousin said after an awkward silence, especially after Nico’s name had been mentioned. “You work at the club?”

“Yes,” Lila answered easily. “I’ve been working there since before Nico took over the club, and now Draven runs it.”

She delivered it so simply that my mother didn't even seem to suspect anything and there was no questioning look.

My brother didn't say anything either, he simply listened to the conversation, quietly eating the meal that had been prepared for him, as if none of this had anything to do with him and somehow, that only made the whole situation feel even more surreal.

“What brought you to Italy?” my mother asked.

I couldn’t picture myself going along with this fable for the next decade. I would have to keep these lies in check anytime I was around my family and then I couldn’t be seen with other women because it would seem like I was a
cheater…and my family would be extremely disappointed in me if they saw that and the idea of being with another woman hadn’t even crossed my mind since I met Lila, but that wasn’t the point.

She was the prisoner, and I was the master. How could I let her flip it on me? Now, I was at her mercy. I could never let my family know what really happened between her and me.

My mother would never forgive me if she knew Lila was just a prisoner in my mansion a nd the disappointment from my younger brother who looked up to me would kill me.

“My Mother is from here actually and after my high school in New York, I moved in with my mother here.”

Lila wove this story so well. It was a bunch of bullshit, but she managed not to incriminate herself and both my mother and brother saw through bullshit pretty easily, but neither one of them seemed to catch on to this. It was probably because they assumed if I ever owned up to a relationship with someone, she must be the one…since I never had relationships.

She had me completely under her thumb. “Will you continue to work in that club?” Mom asked and I immediately refused to participate in the conversation.

I kept my mouth shut, focusing on anything but the question because I knew that if I said the wrong thing, I could make everything worse.

“Draven is a little bit jealous when it comes to me, so he took me out of the club now.”

She looked across the table at me as she said it, a knowing little smile playing on her lips and I narrowed my eyes at her.

She was enjoying this far too much. “Aww…” Mom’s expression softened immediately, her eyes filling with the kind of affection that made my stomach twist. “Wow, that is actually good.”

Fuck....this was bad, very bad.

If I didn't change the subject, this conversation would keep going until there was no way to control it.

My mom and cousin were already completely infatuated with the woman they thought I was in love with. They were accepting every word she said without question, and the longer I allowed them to believe this story, the harder it would become to undo it.

I needed to steer the conversation somewhere else. “So, who will take over your store when you move out?” I asked my cousin.

Thankfully, she took the bait..“I’m still searching for a manager,” she said.

“Getting that manager would make things much easier,” I replied. “And it needs to be someone I can trust.”

“I’ll ask my friends,” my brother suddenly said, finally joining the conversation. “If any of their relatives want a job.”

I glanced toward him briefly because It was the first time he'd spoken during the entire conversation, and somehow, his simple suggestion felt like a welcome interruption.

“I just need someone who is trustworthy,” my cousin answered. “And definitely not involved in the Moretti business.”

“Alright,” my brother said.

That was all and he picked up his food again then continued eating as if the conversation had never happened.