Page 89 of A Lie so Dangerous and Fragile

I sighed. I knew she was pissed at me for hiding my escape plan from her. The plan had changed immediately when Tristan returned. Now, it was impossible to leave everything behind.

“I don’t know where to go from here with Tristan, with the twins. The path ahead is all blurry,” I admitted.

“Are you still in love with him?”

I stayed silent, staring at the mark on the table as if it had the answer to that question. I couldn’t explain it. I wasn’t sure what I was feeling. I was conflicted with every single emotion.

“Chloe?” Vina called, taking my hand.

“Eww, your hand is greasy,” I said, withdrawing my hand away from her grip.

She rolled her eyes and continued eating.

“You still have feelings for him, don’t you?” she pressed.

“It’s complicated.”

“How was he in Cuba? How did he react to almost losing Kayla?”

“He was collected, quiet, but he freaked out when he found out there was a possibility we might not get her back. He was so scared, saying it was his punishment for what he had done to me. I think the journey brought some closure, and we were able to talk about those three years apart. We kissed in the heat of the moment—”

“Wait, what?! Really?” She didn’t look happy. I knew how much she hated Tristan.

“It was nothing deep. It was just calming and a moment of relief. We shared a shower and a bed with some cuddling, and that was it,” I clarified, trying not to blush. “But he has grown so much as a person, Vee,” I mumbled, and she scoffed. “What are you most afraid of with us getting back together?”

“Fiona and Nadia. I’m scared he might never get over what happened. But do you wanna get back together because of the kids or because of your feelings?”

That was the hardest question I had ever faced in my life. I had no answer to that question.

“I don’t know, Vee. I’m going crazy here.” I buried my face in my palms and groaned in aggravation.

“I won’t tell you to listen to your heart or to go with your gut. Weigh the cons and pros, think about what you want and how your decision is going to affect you in the long run, see it play out in the future. I know you want the best for the twins, but I also want you to be happy. Don’t feel obligated to be with him because of the kids. It’s okay if you’re still hurting and need more time to heal. The process is different for everyone. If you wanna be with him because you’re still in love, that’s fine. But don’t force it because he’s the father of your kids.”

“It’s like one moment, I find a reason to be happy, and then the next moment, I feel miserable. Maybe it was right for him to come back. Now, I’m just picturing how it’d be for me in a few years. If my plan had worked for me to get my degree and move to New York with Kayden, imagine him growing up and finding out I’d separated him from his sister and hidden him from everyone. He would never want to look at me again.” I sniffled.

“I was mad at Tristan for coming back and ruining my plans. I wanted to blame him for taking away the happiness I had earned for myself, but then I realized I always blamed him for all my bad decisions,” I said and looked my best friend in the eyes.

“None of this is your fault. Don’t ever put it all on you. Talk to him, Chlo.”

“I will,” I said and grabbed her drink to take a sip.

“How is living with Adrian Parker treating you?” She’d been crashing at Adrian’s place since Grey ruined our apartment.

“He’s too touchy. He needs a hug twenty-four/seven,” she hissed, and I laughed.

We spent a few more minutes talking before we left. Vina dropped me off at the Sanchesters’ estate and left. I entered the house quietly and tiptoed to the stairs.

“Chloe?”

I jumped at the sound of my name from a corner. I looked back at the dim living room and saw a small figure sitting on the couch. The lights came on as I squinted my eyes to figure out who it was.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. Can we talk?” Mrs. Sanchester asked, adjusting on the couch and pulling her exotic robe against her body.

I was exhausted, but I forced a smile and said, “Sure.”

I sat across from her as she sipped some herbal tea; it must be the thing keeping her looking so young and ageless.

“How was work?”

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