Page 228 of The Obedient Lie
There were always ways. Clean. Quiet. No suspicion. Not even the victims’ families would know what they’d lost—until it was done.
Luca finally exhaled and nodded.
Because this wasn’t about strategy anymore.
It was war.
And if we wanted to win it, we’d have to play the long game.
We’d have to build somethingso fucking untouchablein Villain, that by the time we made our move, there wouldn’t be anything left for them to counter it with.
Not Alexander. Not her suitors. Not our grandfather.
Not the empire trying to take her from us.
He stared at the wall, jaw locked. “You think she’ll still want us? After this?”
Her wanting us wasn’t safe. Not right now.
Becausewe were still boys trying to become kings.
And kings don’t beg.
They build.
They plot.
They wait until they can win.
The silence stretched between us.
Hours later—just before midnight, the door creaked open again.
She just walked back in and started packing. Neat. Calm. Quiet. Luca moved first, helping her fold. I followed. No one said what they wanted to say.
And maybe that was mercy.
Because we didn’t ask her to stay.
We didn’t make her promise to wait.
We didn’t tell her the plan.
We let her go.
