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She doesn't reply. After a moment, I'm sure the phone has gone dead.
I don't wait for her to come out. I go in after her.
My heart wants this to be wrong somehow, a misunderstanding. Her face, when she comes out of the closet, tells me it's not. She smiles and puts the phone in her back pocket. She opens her mouth to lie to me again.
"Fabien, I--"
"Silence!"
Mia -- or is it Lily? -- shrinks back until she's against the wall.
"I wanted to tell you," she whispers, "I just...couldn't think of how."
"You...lied to me?"
She nods, tears rolling down her cheeks.
"About your name? About who you are?"
She nods again.
"Fabien, I'm so sorry."
"You're with the police? Undercover?"
She nods, her perfect blond hair sliding down her shoulders.
"And our marriage?Us?"
She looks up at me.
"No! That's not a lie. I've wanted to leave my job, but I don't know how. If anyone found out who I really am, they'd kill me. And my boss has already threatened to blow my cover and get me killed.
"I swear to you, Fabien. I’dnever hurt you or this family. I want to switch sides, but I just can't figure it out. Please..."
She reaches for me, but I pull away. Her big blue eyes look wounded by the gesture.
"What's your real name?"
"Lily. Fabien, I--"
“Lily? Is this another lie? Am I truly supposed to believe this?”
He sounds almost offended by my name, but I can’t imagine why. And it isn’t important. I need to calm him down so I can explain.
“It’s true. My real name is Lily. Now, please, Fabien…”
"Shut your mouth, Lily. Listen to me now. You have until sunset to leave this place. Don't ever return, and don't ever let us catch you on the streets again. I won't hurt you, but I won't be able to stop my family from killing you."
It takes everything I have in me to leave and slam the door behind me.
I wish it could be different. But how could it be? She's an undercover agent? A cop gathering evidence? I can't even tell anyone the truth or they'll kill her.
And if my father knew... Octavian would be chosen as his heir, no question. There'd be a black mark on my record forever. I'd be the one who brought the rat into our home.
Even though I didn't choose her.
It wouldn't take much for them to figure out the spell Arabella Black used to bring Mia --Lily-- here. Only now do I understand the witch's jokes and jibes with me. She must’ve known my love would be a curse that could destroy everything.
And she’d gleefully report it to either my father or Octavian if they demanded it of her.
