Chapter 97: Secrets on Trial

It seemed as though Ethan's penthouse walls were closing in on him. Like a noose tightening around his neck, the weight of the last few days weighed heavily on him. This moment—the unavoidable reckoning—had been the result of every action and choice he made.

With her arms crossed and an enigmatic expression on her face, Lily sat across from him at the dining table. He recognized that expression. Every time she suspected he was hiding anything from her, she gave him the same one.

"Ethan," she murmured in a forceful yet hushed voice. "Be honest with me. No more dodging, no more half-answers. What do you not tell me?

He let out a breath and wiped his face. He had been practicing lying for years, but he couldn't hide from Lily. She was too quick to see right through him.

Finally, with a hint of hesitation in his voice, he said, "There's something you need to know." "There's something I ought to have mentioned to you long ago."