Chapter 82

Chapter 82
Lila’s POV

At first, I wanted to comply when Garrett told me to stay away from his business, I wanted to push it off out of anger, but now I'm certain that I don't.

Days passed quickly, nights turning heavier but quieter too. The storm we had gone through felt like it had faded on the outside but inside me it was still there, like smoke after a fire.

I didn't like how he chose to push me away, when we could have faced whatever it was that was bothering him, together. And instead of pressing him, instead of demanding answers, I chose silence.

I no longer asked him why he pulled away or why he sometimes looked at me like he was afraid I would leave too. I didn’t even bring up Dr. Richard anymore, though the man’s shadow stayed heavy in my mind. I couldn’t. If I did, I knew Garrett would collapse under the weight of it all.

So I carried that part alone.

One afternoon, Garrett came to me. His expression was unreadable, as always, but softer at the edges. He stood at the doorway while I sat on the couch, folding a blanket I hadn’t even used.

“You didn’t forget, did you?” he asked.

I looked up, confused. “Forget what?”

“Your appointment,” he said. “With the doctor. About your health. The… poisoning.” He hesitated at the word, like saying it might bring it back again.

I had almost forgotten. My chest tightened a little bit I tried to brush it off.

He studied me carefully, waiting for any spark or reaction. “Don’t tell me you’re trying to skip it.”

I shook my head quickly. “No. I’ll go.”

“Then I’ll come with you,” he said. His tone was calm but firm, like it wasn’t a suggestion. But I wasn’t ready for that. Not with him. Not with the secrets between us now.

So I forced a small smile, stood up and said, “No, I’ll be fine. You don’t have to.”

His brows drew together. “Why are you being closed off lately? Did I—did I do something?”

I froze at his question. I wanted to tell him no, it’s not you, it’s everything else, but the words got stuck in my throat. Instead I just shook my head again. “I’m not angry. Really.”

“Then why—”

“I just want to go alone, Garrett,” I said softly, almost pleading.

For a moment I thought he would argue, but he didn’t. He just stared at me with that heavy look, the one that said he didn’t believe me but wouldn’t push. Then he nodded once and stepped back. “Be careful out there.”

I dressed quickly after that, pulling on something simple, something that wouldn’t make me feel like I had to impress anyone.

Not that I didn't want to dress the best, but because I was too tired to even put in the effort. I didn’t bother applying heavy makeup, just something light and then I was good. My reflection in the mirror looked tired but determined, and maybe that was enough.

The drive to the hospital was quiet. My mind replayed Garrett’s words, the way his voice had softened when he asked if he had done something wrong.

Guilt twisted inside me. If only he knew how much I was hurt when he pushed me away, how much I kept back just so we won't have anything to argue about.

By the time I reached the hospital, I was already exhausted. The walls smelled of disinfectant and old air, the lights too bright, too clean. I checked in and started walking down the hall toward the doctor's office.

And that’s when I saw her.

Vivian.

She was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, dressed too perfectly for someone just “passing by.” Her eyes locked on me the second I spotted her. A cold smile stretched across her lips and it made my stomach sink.

“Lila,” she said, her voice smooth but sharp underneath. “What a coincidence.”

I didn’t answer, just kept walking. But she pushed off the wall and fell in step beside me like a shadow.

“You really don’t know, do you?” she said.

I stopped, turned slightly. “Don’t know what?”

She tilted her head, looking at me like I was some clueless child. “Who Garrett really is, do you? You cling to him like a bug to light, but you don’t even realize the kind of man you’ve tied yourself to.”

Her words cut, but I tried not to show it. My voice came out steadier than I felt. “I know enough.”

Vivian laughed quietly, shaking her head.

“I know what you're trying to, Vivian . It won't work.” I said, not letting her have the time to plot her plan.

She smiled and laughed cruelly. “If you knew enough, you’d have walked away already. But no, here you are. Still here, you’re still here, playing the loyal little partner. Do yourself a favor, Lila. Use your brain for once.”

I flinched, already asking myself what she meant by that. She leaned closer, her perfume sickly sweet, her whisper colder than her smile.

“You don’t know him. Not really. And by the time you figure it out, it’ll be too late.”

Then she straightened, adjusted her dress, and walked away like she hadn’t just stabbed me with words sharper than any knife.

I stood there frozen, my heart racing, my mind screaming, but my body wouldn’t move.

Use your brain.

Her voice echoed in my head, over and over.

I wanted to scream back that I had used my brain, that I knew Garrett better than anyone, that I wasn’t blind to his coldness, his walls, his scars. But the words stayed inside my mouth.

I just stood there until her footsteps faded down the hall, leaving me alone with the silence and my pounding heartbeat.

Then, slowly, I turned toward the doctor's office, forcing my legs to move.

I was done letting Vivian get to me. I was done letting her say whatever she wanted and then I would be there to pick up the little pieces of my sanity.

No more!!