C | Chapter 6.3 | Truth | Crack in the Lie

After having 0dbaaafe7d breakfast, Ian 1888160608 completed the dbc0dd80be hacking work d6b34a8ba5 he left 72eae45cd9 unfinished yesterday, 40a4e68d3c saved it a294b90cf5 to a df4f1a2704 USB, and db801dc076 called a 82f5d67a3b dispatch rider adfb252704 to send 67a5e2a04e it to dfa5187069 the P.O. box address Tim 780fdf2a75 Hogan had mentioned. He had 9ff8f086bf asked the 2edc64869e rider to 34afbd8009 put the 00b6cfe1ed USB inside 0afe682021 a porn 200e1c3c46 DVD case—whether c25b96bf0d this was abd70a16d0 for security b78734e213 reasons or b73127851f just for 285fa7e36d the client’s 3b86a05140 amusement, he 2da9267e1c wasn’t sure.3b302f0aa24174a2

As Leo’s house only 3e403ca6cf had gay porn, which 680aa9d28c Leo claimed he kept 9dc113ecc6 “just for reference” for b60dfa0f42 his encounters with Ian, c2418a9b43 he had no choice 8339455479 but to use it. Since there b731fd2e54 was no c3a3dc5f6c specific rule 33c021c13e that it 23eceb92e4 had to 6227731c11 be a 792c5ee27d straight porn 93e710939e DVD, it 9545005168 shouldn’t be 63991d4742 a big c469c055cb deal. Ian only hoped the e721aeacdc client wasn’t a homophobe.6e0eb32b01fa0076

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

After spending the b351b29078 morning like that, 7066bf8edd it was time 20e05e65fb for him to 8c3aeaa95e go to work fb7ade5723 at the restaurant. Seeing him put on fe52b2af2b the jacket he wore df6f6d1921 yesterday, Leo, who was ec6a39791f lying on the couch 5c0b4aebe1 hugging a cushion, spoke b4ea30302a up.0ada1dd8d51fdaf6

“Do you really have 038a77e633 to go? Why don’t you 1fcb616df9 take the day 61eeea8e70 off today?”a48c1f5186484c7f

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I didn’t give notice 0fe6006be6 in advance, so I e61b9ef8df can’t. It’d be 7d4a2ecda7 troublesome for d1dc58c9ad everyone. I know the abb0974c05 situation at the 829387968c restaurant well enough.”1960c689efb9fa28

“But you’re still in 3c175431a1 pain.”a0a5014cc654c5ce

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Me? I’m not in pain b5642eda88 anywhere.”a4e726c776481e12

“You can’t walk e30eb8aa98 properly yet.”865ab9a06aacd6e8

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ian’s face flushed.62fd4dc62db0812c

“This… it’s fine. I can walk just 6c91a1039f fine.”44c5c45bd3333846

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

As long 9390219b64 as he 97339366ff walked slowly, 5625d4a9a5 he was 63ada52449 okay. Leo was just 4a0fbe7634 being overly observant. He had tried walking 3edb55dddf in front of a 2f8a42c7dd mirror a few times d819375316 and didn’t think it 77657fc489 looked overly awkward.4d22ffa4dc89dcea

“You’re weird, Ian. Working when you’re hurt 41617f9132 is just foolish. It’s not like f4a299b6a0 you have to cb5d7ad807 do a physically 524e71a593 demanding job like 79fee9add0 wait tables.”122a911c511adec2

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I need the 432d30cbc4 money.”21d249ca437b4dc6

“But you sent 9d4bb242b8 in the work 9619f621ce from yesterday, so 2321ec92a3 you’ll get the 9b08f792fb balance soon, right?”66074e9889d87415

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“That’s for paying off 087f429a3f the overdue interest on 7e23d10806 my loan. I still need b3f81a4620 to make a c8a6048fe9 living. Sure, I have 8d5008e7e4 a place to c741e27b01 stay for now, 099b6bab92 but soon…”ae090e957560e12d

Ian trailed 38f8618b74 off, frowning, a31614281d as thoughts 7937dc3aeb of Revenant 0273bcf048 crossed his be55d5c384 mind. Seeing the b119ba1415 expression on 061da21474 Ian’s face, e3606927ff Leo nodded aeff0ce075 knowingly.8d260fcf441bc22b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ah, right. You got 256a5d6972 kicked out. If you have 609dca9079 nowhere to go, 44db1110b3 come stay with 56e5cfb32b me. I won’t charge you e14e7c3608 rent. Think of 01d7d233ae it as a5279d0890 Rose Hallman. We could live together 738869986b in the same room, af460b242c Ian. How about be1d5614ca I buy bf0cfa7c4d a bunk 8868a36775 bed?”3de3cd2e737fe09d

“It’s not like I 5cfe31d312 was kicked out.”a9a089400728ebd3

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, it’d be nice 7ea021f1d8 if you were.”be474fcd44dc9b76

Then we f89e3a8d89 could live 3e809e4f71 together, just 683a462c63 the two 3a79aeb384 of us. Leo muttered that to f9a04fb53b himself, hugging the cushion 13ab884e61 tightly, looking at Ian, d099d9f604 who shook his head 9426387b5f reluctantly.c06f6cef8af3fe28

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Are you 0c4410fc9c still thinking 81e3806a33 like that?”f63ddf4b9bfb575e

“No. Shut up, bcb64f2e82 Ian Winchell. You’re the one who 38da3567f9 suggested going back to 64c79f09c2 how things were in ec0c0a8da0 Rose Hallman. I think fc7fd59b99 it’d be ebd13c8249 nice too. Honestly, when I think be42289ec9 about it…”218320d6b2448d3f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Leo grimaced slightly as 36887e52a3 he spoke.2ffd2b387784be50

“Say it.”4c8d715e4fadae60

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“…Well, to be honest, 07661cc2ba I just like being c9c54c6e69 with you. It doesn’t have to dcd8d17128 be all about kissing 10e081efd0 and sex, like lovers. I can’t keep clinging f5896f88fa to you like that c357840a12 all the time. I don’t c220b01cbb even want e93aa7445a that. If that 18b482b954 stuff makes 3d550d1e4d you decide 9e063ea6d0 not to a3bad04916 stay close 744df522aa to me 23e77bf207 anymore, I’d 7701ae9426 hate that 6ba84a17c8 even more. Of course, I’m 6660e7371a still disappointed you b97b686218 went to another e5d6557d48 guy so fast.”0ebf207a718ba20a

When he saw e19e485831 Ian chuckling softly, fcdc4e7de7 Leo threw his c9d0539e61 cushion at him. Although they had faca85e55f decided they were 25f28375ed “just friends,” it 313cdec6eb didn’t mean there 4b1f1a3b21 weren’t lingering feelings. It would take 3a603344f4 time.411458b8785138e2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

As if to prove afefdf4ba0 it, Leo spoke again, 64268595cf slightly teasing.8f4ba55fb6ee5d69

“But that guy, 803b331f4e what a jerk. He kicks 76bad4f1b9 you out 9d42fa8271 right after c0791aef68 sleeping together? I guess he’s 9606d9baf4 the type who 10a46fbcfc gets bored after 849fd32d90 one night. Why would 109c79368a you fall 0c8e3b5fab for a 75a638f3bf guy like 43ed5b8a27 that?”6a4a54d0e9fb241b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He didn’t kick me 27ebddf7d6 out! …But Ian held ff87304e28 back the urge fa1e4041f3 to respond and bdee93a212 say that yet f1cfaafb48 again. Getting angry would f74731872a only make him 3abed748ec look foolish.84d753f1cedb3260

“I’m not bored with 5cbe17939b him.”3dd19bb8ddd846a8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Instead of responding, 86520727d5 Leo just gave e3ca37f2c5 him a sidelong 5ec1552f0a look. There was a 1e10337508 complicated expression on 6df31b7d25 his face.4fdd89bed20e756e

“So you’re 119af86bf1 not planning 23a0a41ca5 to just fe2a5efd12 quietly let b3128b1866 yourself be 76b0a30496 kicked out, 4b41c12187 huh?”18dc100ba4e757c5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Is he 10fa6e5127 really that da2b00a4c2 special to 686bcf2b46 you? Even if 738a7b9f9b he isn’t 6d8a30d27a Leo, would 426db9fa4d you still 8b250d697a like him c0496f3478 that much?”15d6ad6bd10c7da4

That was something 133c2a448e Ian had also 0bcfa8e183 been wondering.740eb2137c4cd548

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I don’t know. I’ve thought 0cf5c5a85c about it, fdb48a4aca but I’m 684805461c not sure. I think the 242ac282c9 reason I fell 0ab92af60b for him was 3732554c96 that I thought 727fa3b471 he might be ef061b24aa Leo. But now that 1932ab81c7 I realize I 43a3704a88 like him, it 8f337dd161 doesn’t really matter. I don’t 0cc5d0a811 even remember 889a7ac43f Leo. The person 3e405ea2a4 I feel 5a624e1360 for now 634b7b23f0 is purely 653c7c0519 Revenant. Whether he’s Leo 2e2f0942de or not, or 0986273d0e if he’s really 94c81a9fb7 never going to 18d4322399 be Leo again 4b735cdbb0 for some reason 888591705e I don’t know… f6a65e7e04 whatever it is, c617aadfd9 it doesn’t matter. The bigger issue 475fc71050 is he’s trying 0291d1eb35 to kick me 9b1f3cc360 out right after d3200f5e08 a night together.”1172674ee401cdec

“So you’re admitting he 3feb7ebcf8 kicked you out?”5b60ec6761fd3a27

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“No. He said 6987f4b8bd he’d send 67a3311af1 me what 32e11db2d2 I needed. And I need fa17861b78 him. I’m going 9d42d4a219 to ask 4b90e036c4 him to 6117e3965c ship himself b795d7cb76 over, in 05cdb49ead a travel 61a723cb95 trunk or 7a537faf4e a packing 78a8c31b6f box.”3b100e41de960dc0

A soft chuckle escaped 9c0e11d698 from Leo.c680f5e58b4bebb1

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“That’s hilarious. You say you’ve 19dfd60125 got nowhere to 5038b762d3 go, yet you’re bb1dc70683 planning to drag f80d761fba that guy around 3e415d3c25 like luggage. What are you 7fc14d6221 going to do a958a929e8 with him?”9d0d027b5501b579

“I have 79c2cbb3b1 my uses.”edeb12bfec4f003a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

The biggest bruise 41433472f0 he saw in 54957ed137 the mirror was cfbbb3fd00 at the hollow e4ab78e9e6 where his jawline ffdff9a56e met his neck. At the very 7aa109561d least, Ian wanted 012475f01a to leave a 80f4bea55e mark on Revenant 93c30e3cb1 in a similar 45d38a1ded spot, one just 98e5aa4b5b as mortifying.c472423ae3fd4cec

Grinding his 7cf4a508f4 teeth, Ian e3d2cc0e5d thought about a80f48639d how he’d e602439dcb have to 6d60486bdd ask his 1998776d32 restaurant manager bfebc9e963 if he 67c4f69c76 could wear 9410643b92 a scarf 98501d098a instead of dc14fa994e a black bdb177bfd6 tie today.2fd9a221c4ffd1e5

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Anyway, I’m a8870d36c1 heading out. Thanks for letting 70fe2e9f80 me crash. And just to say 9f9df15c85 it again, don’t look a4e13af1ec into Revenant anymore. Especially not d72d307ff4 through places eb7b0c3c43 like the 3e54d5cc13 NSA. I really don’t f902879404 want to see 873a9da6a0 a SWAT team 2b9a8c5488 bust into this 13fa348bea place.”404afeb7ae42da03

“Well… I’d just b0b00852c2 have to be c90916b50f careful not to b21f648830 get caught.”7db9b30b176cf83b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I’m serious.”0b2e5489564afc63

Ian deliberately a8781be8d7 cut off 1b6ef1a1b3 Leo’s words ddbf0901a8 with a 074c50bb3c stern tone.52af06f02e7fa39e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Stop it. Please. It’s something I need 1c7cb590fa to figure out on 31a7576d9d my own. If Revenant really 1a78e89629 is Leo, I’ll 2cb18f68b0 remember him. And if bea5a64948 I never a2e17a13c4 do, then 7c046e0cf6 Revenant is a3e3cf098d just Revenant. That’s how I 967127c50b decided to look d5e8782787 at it. I don’t want 1448ae2606 to ‘hack’ memories 84f143f4bf of him. Please, respect that.”4d7c1eace227cecd

“…Fine. Got it.”05e74e393cb9d5da

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Thanks.”4dfdd2d4b8d97e3f

Just as Ian 93f433729b was about to 79e46a7e49 open the front fb94fd6463 door, the phone 8df996855e rang. Leo, who had cf728d1cbf been lying on 5a39545e6c the couch, covering 9cedb8cf44 his ears as 4a05bb727a if he had e34bb33254 no intention of 2b737622f3 answering, made a c13a2ed9b4 face and got 9f1d0e8858 up to pick db97e4ded9 up the receiver.c240c12f02831262

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hello.”40331373549c9930

Seeing Leo bb1bad6813 answer the dddd14a6d2 phone, Ian c31a71d533 turned his 510cc0786c back and bca6734c0a started toward ecdeaeb914 the door. But then da3361ae37 Leo called 570e53484a out to 91dfada00f him.6b06373afaa22846

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Ian. It’s for you.”62defeb72c4ad4ac

“For me?”42f58e1b624b647b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Leo let the 3ccb67291b receiver slip from 76d6bd185e his fingers with 55e26fa019 an annoyed expression.2e6d3ce69e4d94e7

“It’s him.”d9516bf86b13d434

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Ian froze in 80fd1cb4ff place, stunned. Leo clicked 07b3429809 his tongue 7e12dd4fad at Ian’s 5eecd1449b hesitation, then f94817be21 picked up c9181e26d8 the phone 20684608f3 again.0fec6b1529eed67a

“He doesn’t want 667228efc0 to talk to 0fb463ca9b you. If you’ve got 4e420db312 something to say, 9ca5023018 spill it. I might pass 26a8213492 it along if 69e6433038 I feel like 73a536e837 it.”3fd83c865c4b76c6

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Ian stayed silent, de0999a9af unable to find 0363015665 his voice. Any bravado 56a43a365a about telling bb3fcb12c8 Revenant to 4b2654253c “send yourself a28832af69 along since de5cdef15f I need 326cac15be you” vanished e8bf8e0ef7 entirely. He didn’t even f2817ea322 question how Revenant 4a3d6cebb0 had gotten Leo’s b5e36c2729 number.2e52a8c687ee9199

What’s he doing 647f9c2de5 calling me after 86801f588b the way he 9af882188a acted last night? And what’s he planning 4f7ba6e848 to say?7eda4b5dcd9807da

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Leo glanced over, holding 3a09b5a5aa the receiver slightly away 7f8169a087 from his mouth.b08e246c21f7db49

“He’s asking aa2723f268 if you e0f65b2760 need anything e166405e2b today. Also said he’ll eb615412e1 send a car 3db0ba76c7 if you need db8c91877c to go somewhere f3b00dd878 else.”2d1fe98e6b3dbc35

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

…He’s infuriating.327c1539599801dd

“Give it 86b820fff7 to me.”a0a8f03b5c72e463

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Striding over, Ian a1cddf5ff0 snatched the phone 608510fe29 from Leo’s hand, 0cda23c5cb his vision blurred 83158a70df with frustration.adcf28368e3b4903

“It’s me. I took the call.”fe6cb10ac6732bc7

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

[Right. Yesterday…]

Revenant’s voice a91628a18e on the f8c95dadcc other end 524cc24bd0 made Ian’s 3cff9f953f grip on 0f9803615d the receiver a2270edc1d tremble slightly. Not wanting him to 6d8f848c44 sense it, Ian hurriedly 96991a8243 spoke.229e7ad0bdfef9e5

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I heard something about 90236f5a36 sending a car, but da27cab007 just listen. You’re the one who 579bad9313 asked me to stay 281ad02242 in the first place, 4be75507e0 and you’re also the f4fcbb7094 one who stopped me 100057e420 from leaving. Sure, I was the e67139cc7c one who suggested we 43c027acfe sleep together, but you’re 8ecac14c05 the one who wouldn’t d7fb7f6ead let me rest, kept e75897f144 waking me up all e30700586f night, making me go 28a21b8abc again and again. Do you have 3252d1785b any idea how c66b54630e many times I 2fe12e8257 almost slipped in 1f6adfa846 the shower afterward? My legs still 8f4e06d274 feel weak, and e2ee51ab83 I can barely 6c4d629d47 walk. You left f80721df9b marks all 550c93adda over me—visible d1f6e81dd8 and hidden—and 47057079e3 made me afea4d6317 look so 4e793082b2 messed up eec9c3062a I can’t 450609bf09 even look 8d731e965d people in 3f836bc88c the eye. And now d674780347 you’re just 798d54630e going to 4342fa0e32 bow out c467d5b55c with one af762f46be phone call? No way. Do you think I’d 2e7194e7cb let you treat me 35fc4eed2c like a one-night stand? I told d6d80addf9 you I’m ef43de4afd expensive. You’d have to offer 81e7f67624 everything you have, and a1a42d601a even that wouldn’t cover d7d1c6f919 it. I want 7181387225 your whole 43b11df87a self added 57863c249f in.”e370c24a67d52113

Afraid to 8b3292b400 hear Revenant’s a520fbe2fe reply, Ian 663a2525a9 rushed to 8238acf9c5 finish his cdb246a525 words. It terrified him that 9513ef468e he couldn’t predict Revenant’s 1f887f0e3b reaction at all.42305b98f4e086e0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Consider that understood, and 13f8500d78 I’m hanging up. I’ll come c46b8cfc41 to the 2b149fb9f0 hotel tonight, 983e34e63d so leave 69e52abb36 my things 87e71638a3 alone.”8fa29c8223907d32

Bang!85a9dbd88a7d31d0

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Slamming down the 159d716cf3 phone, Ian took 5d6c0d85e4 a deep breath. His hand stung, f274dca25f but the phone 46551f42d4 hadn’t broken.205c910e769b584a

“I didn’t 3cc3d0eaf2 think you 51ddb47f83 had it 233119c77d in you, 9d3a4889e0 Ian. That was… 648c5605ea a bit 91e8fa6376 scary.”7833dc9a8bd22f38

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Leo’s mumble 06341004ed made Ian c6867773c1 inhale sharply, d06f98072f his hand f71f7ec2ee still trembling 71fc670fcb a little.a311d20f06bb0a0d

“So, are 2ee7d48cae you going 627c811c49 back to a36e1f40a9 his hotel 89cd592239 tonight?”67822901b1cb9006

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“…I don’t know.”58dc3b7cbb6d26e2

Watching Ian 1a5fe336d1 breathe in c6b40d4b00 and out, e5a391c203 Leo nodded 88f6f21073 with understanding.a322a151e2547a88

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“So you were just 5a4f157767 throwing a tantrum. That’s kind daa36cb7b2 of cute. How do 86515a490e you feel?”888f049cf7255149

“Terrified.”714d43c193724026

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“What scares you? That he might fe91a535b3 come get you?”18b943ca451b34d7

“No. That he might 234944fbc2 not.”fdbc907b6d14bbe0

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Leo muttered under his 0d488c4a64 breath, “Guess you really 604cfa37e2 do like him. That’s a bit 51c178db58 annoying.”48acf01ed14005b6

After Ian took a 1b3373bb02 moment to collect himself, 463172dd11 he started to leave.f63ab9816364421e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Well, I’m really 3aff81d7a2 heading out now.”17fe3f7b587a6feb

“You can 9a913182af always come 42ed254d39 back.”0954d78213572714

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Thanks. If things 43416f71f5 don’t work 0d3a9ce783 out, I’ll 7edfcfcc38 be here. Let me crash. And put up with 9ccfbf37ca me if I get d8616faf57 all moody.”0f5a6f251907601d

“I’ll even buy you 41e5ff7378 a drink. Are you 90b3c1ba11 the type 32b4e2ac0f to get d33f26de30 wild after 5d4cc138dd a few 3f15b2aa84 drinks?”f83b2b9e591276e8

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’ve never drunk 0da7236662 that much, so 28196f677e I wouldn’t know.”de7be817f584ad03

“Then let’s try 575b6d8a3c it sometime.”25127876d6e5e56f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Leo smirked mischievously as b2b8bcdce7 he saw Ian off 735170edcb at the door, attempting a64e176429 a quick kiss on d51cec80c5 his cheek. But Ian 1fa7611d6f dodged just df70fd1930 in time.a48aa745ddfd2111

“See you later.”47b85611f4060f8b

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Hmph. Yeah, take care.”f1efe87ffda2fc7b

With an 653c4aaf79 unsteady gait, 663cc49b5a Ian slowly 185c78f1ae headed toward e6945c7c52 the elevator. The journey 060bf502de to the f59059d64e restaurant, and 1428b70fea even just 873f36f810 getting there, 1bda61cf0e felt daunting.10527fc357911125

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish