The drive home from the engagement party felt like an eternity. Lila stared out the window, her mind a chaotic storm of questions and doubts. Aiden tried to make small talk beside her, but her responses were mechanical, her thoughts elsewhere. What had just happened with Damon Steele? And why did his words keep echoing in her mind?
Aiden parked the car in the driveway of his family's opulent estate, his grip tight on the steering wheel. "Lila, can we talk for a minute?"
Lila forced a smile, trying to shake off the unease. "Sure, Aiden."
They walked into the spacious foyer, and Aiden shut the door behind them, his expression serious. "Lila, what's going on? You've been so quiet since we left the party."
Lila hesitated, then turned to face him, her heart heavy. "Aiden, what did Damon mean back there?"
Aiden's brow furrowed. "Damon? What do you mean?"
Lila crossed her arms, her voice brittle. "When he said I wasn't who you think I am. What was he talking about?"
Aiden's expression darkened. "Damon is just being Damon. He's always had it out for me. Don't let him get to you, Lila."
"But Aiden," Lila pressed, "his words… they didn't make sense. He seemed to know something I don't."
Aiden sighed, running a hand through his dark hair. "Lila, it doesn't matter what Damon thinks. You're my fiancée, and that's all that matters."
Lila's heart sank. Was Aiden really going to brush off what Damon had said? Did he not realize the implications?
"Aiden, please. Just tell me what's going on," Lila pleaded, her voice breaking.
Aiden's expression softened, his eyes troubled. "Lila, there's something you should know. Damon… he's had it out for me ever since… well, ever since he found out about you."
Lila's stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"
Aiden hesitated, his jaw clenched. "Damon… he's had issues with the Steele family for a long time. He thinks he should be the heir, not me. And when he found out I was engaged to you, he didn't take it well."
"Why?" Lila whispered, her heart pounding.
Aiden looked away, his voice heavy. "Because… because he thinks you're not good enough for me. He thinks I could do better."
Lila's eyes widened. "But… I don't understand. What does he know about me? We've only been dating for a few years."
Aiden sighed. "Lila, there's something I didn't tell you. Damon… he has this… sixth sense, I guess. He always sees through people. And… well, he's not wrong about you."
Lila's breath hitched. "Not wrong about me? What do you mean?"
Aiden glanced away, his expression pained. "Damon thinks there's something off about you, Lila. Something you're hiding."
Lila's heart dropped. "But… I'm not hiding anything! I love you, Aiden. I'm not hiding anything from you."
Aiden sighed, running a hand through his hair again. "I know, Lila. But Damon… he's convinced there's more to you than meets the eye. And I don't know what he means."
Lila's mind whirled. Could Damon really be right? Was there something about her that even she didn't know? She felt suddenly adrift, her sense of reality crumbling.
"Aiden, please," Lila whispered, her voice breaking. "What if he's right? What if there is something I'm not telling you?"
Aiden's expression softened, his hand reaching out to her. "Lila, don't listen to Damon. He's just… he's jealous. He doesn't know you like I do."
Lila shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. "But what if he does? What if there's something I don't even know about myself?"
Aiden pulled her into his arms, his embrace comforting but distant. "Lila, I love you. That's all that matters. Damon's just trying to mess with us. Don't let him win."
But Lila's heart wasn't so sure. Damon's words haunted her, worming their way into her mind like a dark seed. She couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to her past, something Damon had touched on, something she didn't want to believe.
The night stretched on, Aiden trying to comfort her, but Lila's mind was a blur of confusion and fear. What if Damon was right? What if there was some truth to his words? And if there was, what did it mean for her relationship with Aiden?
The next morning, Lila woke with a heavy heart, her mind a mess of unanswered questions. She went about her morning routine mechanically, trying to shake off the lingering doubts. Aiden's reassuring words echoed in her head, but they felt hollow. She needed answers.
Lila decided to confront Damon. If anyone knew the truth, it would be him. She found him in the expansive living room, a glass of whiskey in hand, staring out at the city skyline.
"Damon," she said, her voice steady despite her nerves.
Damon glanced over his shoulder, his expression unreadable. "Lila. What do you want?"
"I want to know what you meant last night," Lila said, her voice firm. "What did you mean about me not being who Aiden thinks I am?"
Damon's eyes flickered over her, cold and calculating. "You really don't know, do you?"
Lila's stomach churned. "Know what?"
Damon sighed, his expression shifting. "Lila, there's something you're not telling anyone. Something that's been kept from you."
Lila's heart raced. "What is it?"
Damon's gaze was intense, his voice low. "You're not who you think you are, Lila. You have a past—one that doesn't fit with the life you've built here. A past that's been hidden from you."
Lila's breath caught in her throat. "What are you talking about?"
Damon's expression was a mixture of pity and frustration. "I don't know all the details, Lila. But I know enough to see that you're not just some innocent girl. You have secrets—dark ones."
Tears stung Lila's eyes. "That can't be true."
Damon's eyes softened for a moment, a flicker of something that might have been sympathy. "Believe me, Lila. I don't want to believe it either. But there's something about you that doesn't add up. And Aiden deserves to know the truth."
Lila's world tilted. How could this be happening? Everything she thought she knew about herself was crumbling. Was there really something Damon was right about? And if so, what did it mean for her future with Aiden?
Damon turned away, leaving Lila standing there, her heart shattered. The truth felt closer now, and yet, so far away. How could something so fundamental be hidden from her for so long? And how could she ever face Aiden with the truth Damon had hinted at?