Page 133 of Lust & Lies

“Dolores? She’s on vacation.”

“I know. But I really liked her cooking. If you ask, will she cook for me for a few days?”

It would take me a few days to plot my escape. It couldn’t be a half assed plot that led to me being captured and possibly locked down even tighter.

“Okay,” he whispered, looking hurt that I wanted someone else’s food.

I ignored the guilt humming through me. How dare he have the audacity to look hurt while he had me running around here thinking my name was Noelle?

Fuck your pain, sir. Tell me my real name.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll call her now and have her stop by to prepare a few meals for us.”

“Thank you. I’m going to rest now.”

Get out!

He sat there for a moment, just staring at me. I felt awkward, not wanting to meet his gaze but not knowing where else to look. Finally, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Those damn forehead kisses got me every time. I was going to miss the hell out of his tender forehead kisses. I was going to miss the hell out of this man. At least, this version of him. Finally, he broke the silence, putting me out of my misery.

“I need to make some phone calls for that problem at work. But when I’m done, I’ll come back and check on you.

I nodded, not wanting him to come back, but knowing I couldn’t stop it.

“I’ll contact Dolores and have her bring the food also.”

Again, I nodded.Go away, Aiden.He was stalling, not wanting to leave. And if I was honest, I didn’t want him to leaveeither. I wanted him to climb into bed with me and hold me while we discussed my memories.

However, I couldn’t risk believing in him. Not when my life was on the line. Trusting this man with my heart and my life was too risky. I wouldn’t do it again. I’d already lost my identity and my memory. Love was not worth losing my life over.

“Rest well, love,” he whispered.

Why did my traitorous heart skip a beat whenever he called me love?Calm down, heart. This man doesn’t really belong to you. He belongs to the real Noelle. I think.He started to say something else, his lips parted, but no sound emerged.

Pressing his lips together, he gifted me a sad smile, then rose from the bed and left the room, closing the door behind him, leaving me staring after him. Tears blurred my vision as I stared at the closed door, wishing he’d come back.

I was so confused, so lost, so afraid. The man I wanted to desperately believe in was also the man I feared. He was watching my every move. There was even a chance he’d planned my accident, probably so he could get me here, in this gilded cage.

Though my heart wanted to believe in the fairytale he’d created for me, in his sweet smiles and forehead kisses, my mind could only believe in the facts. And all the facts pointed to Aiden Park not being my husband.

And that hurt. That hurt so fucking bad. Because if I wasn’t Noelle Park, if I wasn’t Aiden Park’s wife, then who was I? The sweet scent of the blooming tea permeated the air, reminding me of the beverage he’d prepared for me.

I looked over at it, staring into the cup. The bloom had opened, its petals unfurling as steam rose around them. Watching that happen felt magical. But it also felt ironic, considering that my life was anything but magical.

Right now, my life felt more like a horror story. I continued staring at the tea as I held back my tears. I watched and waited, wondering if I left the precious flower in the hot water long enough, would its pretty petals begin to wilt the way my life was wilting.

Would it fall apart the way I was slowly falling apart? And once it was wilted, once it was broken, would it no longer be loved? A tear trickled down my cheek. I would not end up like this pretty flower. I would break free of this cage soon.

Very soon.

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

AIDEN

I SAT AT MY DESK, STARINGat Noe on the security camera. She was lying on her side, facing away from me, cover pulled over her head. She hadn’t touched her tea. She stared at it for a long time. However, she hadn’t taken one sip. Was she sleeping now? Or was she lying there, angry with me?

Damn it!