Chapter 214: The Weight of a Lie

Skylar held her breath. Chris's fingers rested against her cheek, light as a whisper, but his presence felt suffocating. His gaze, dark and knowing, searched her face for answers.

"You wouldn't lie to me, would you?"

Her heart pounded in her chest. The truth sat heavy on her tongue, but she swallowed it down.

"Of course not," she said, her voice steady.

Chris's expression didn't change.

"Then where did you go?"

Skylar forced a soft smile, slipping into the role she had played for years. The woman by his side, the one who stood with him through everything.

"I needed fresh air. I've been feeling trapped lately."

Chris studied her for a moment longer, then, slowly, he nodded. His fingers trailed down her jaw before he pulled away.

"I understand," he said simply.

But she knew him too well. He didn't believe her.

Chris never pressed for more. He didn't ask if she was sure or demand details. That was what scared her the most.

Because when Chris Blackwood didn't push for the truth—it meant he would find it himself.

—

Later that night, as Skylar lay in bed beside him, staring at the ceiling, Chris was awake too. He faced the opposite direction, but she could feel the tension in his body.

He was thinking. Calculating.

And as she closed her eyes, she wondered if she had just made the biggest mistake of her life.