Page 49 of Petals and Fangs

“All ears,” she rolls her eyes and looks back at me.

“What are the odds of you having a secret identity, Lily?”

“A what? You've lost me there,” she laughs.

“I know your secret, Lily. You are the mysterious girl who goes around messaging people with dating advice for humble amounts of money,” I whisper, and I can feel her shivering.

“Ethan, no.”

“I can smell the guilt, Lily. It's all over your face,” I whisper and gently touch her face with the tip of my fingers.

She doesn't say anything back. She just stares at me, her mouth slightly open, her eyes not meeting mine.

“Come on, admit it. I won't judge. I am just curious.”

“How did you come up with such a theory? I am also curious to know.”

“That doesn't matter, does it? Even you find it hard to believe?” I ask her, and gently caress her cheek.

“Well, yeah.”

“Lily, you've always had a heart of gold, but I have a feeling that money is not the only reason. It's your passion, isn't it?”

“I'm not telling you a thing,” she says, a tiny smile appearing on her face.

“Oh, you're such a tease.”

“I am impressed with your critical thinking skills, Ethan Rothschild. But I am sure you've invested them in the wrong subject here.”

“You haven't denied it yet,” I tell her, gently stroking her hair behind her ears.

“I'm not saying a word. I'd rather keep my mouth shut and focus on what's more important,” she says.

“Your eyes are giving you away.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Certainly.”

“That is kind of funny because I have always thought your eyes would do that instead, but aren't you just so good at keeping secrets too, Ethan?”

“Secrets?” I echo after her, my lips curling up into a smile.

“Yes. “Lots of them,” she says and smiles.

I can't stop staring at her. There is something different about her, something that's making me want to lose control and have her all to myself.

There is also something sinister about the way her energy switched up, and the way she started talking to me.

“What's gotten into you?” I ask her and grab her hand.

“What do you mean?” she asks, taking her hand away.

“Are you interrogating me or something, Lily Snow?”

“I don't need to when I know the truth.”

“Which is?”

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