C | Chapter 6.3 | Truth | Crack in the Lie

After having breakfast, c8c656415c Ian completed the 278e521ce6 hacking work he 788ae28171 left unfinished yesterday, af3be26dba saved it to c867195f7a a USB, and 4b612d7ce9 called a dispatch bb11d1eafe rider to send 74b52e88ea it to the 696e56e67a P.O. box address 5aea2806c4 Tim Hogan b4a1b7be35 had mentioned. He had 680699d7cf asked the 09f1a2e0b6 rider to 49485b52a5 put the e0107a5c61 USB inside ed15936ffb a porn b514ca7f2f DVD case—whether ceda37ee23 this was 0f8c0255f7 for security 67064212ea reasons or 4ae647a008 just for 63ae8a1629 the client’s 6b4df7e3b8 amusement, he 6476a73acc wasn’t sure.d9299a7dac760a75

As Leo’s 4de712c4f6 house only da9eb52908 had gay 8cf8297819 porn, which 329d32ac9a Leo claimed 566c58d4d9 he kept bcb104698e “just for 79acaeca79 reference” for 3866281a50 his encounters d9b90d98dd with Ian, 41a500e54d he had 80ea866ece no choice 5fb04e9000 but to ea2e8519e0 use it. Since there was no 83c462af84 specific rule that it 6cd662bdea had to be a 2383e28602 straight porn DVD, it 8a8ae3bac4 shouldn’t be a big eeb4088d76 deal. Ian only hoped a1e45dd350 the client wasn’t 4402555080 a homophobe.6002fddc04af6f09

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

After spending 72c9396567 the morning 53bf09a93c like that, 0fce74ff64 it was 34b3df1329 time for 21d577c0f7 him to 78db62c27d go to ab267c891d work at 257b85e5b7 the restaurant. Seeing him put 467562553a on the jacket 94056c0c8f he wore yesterday, 52ddabe319 Leo, who was 5c5eb6f96c lying on the 9eb5138c0f couch hugging a 5de55d6299 cushion, spoke up.515d6c93be28a2a0

“Do you really cd9a2381a1 have to go? Why don’t you 7d1f966d16 take the day 48d8d952e9 off today?”4c0de20e495b1925

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“I didn’t give notice 42676ffd43 in advance, so I 368ea7ed8c can’t. It’d be troublesome b073eae420 for everyone. I know the f216c51b2b situation at the a21865b568 restaurant well enough.”5235009342f6c359

“But you’re still in df14bc3a56 pain.”549b9f464829a9d4

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Me? I’m not in d3ab8ccfc2 pain anywhere.”4363def8ff1d1427

“You can’t walk 2f295f482e properly yet.”e05f50b092f8a566

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ian’s face flushed.c24519e46f320f2c

“This… it’s fine. I can 0a08d1049b walk just 4b825e39e9 fine.”e519f0fee5c43627

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As long 2b4346cdb1 as he 22998f3209 walked slowly, 067e17fce0 he was 429eb1a4a1 okay. Leo was just a8d94dc299 being overly observant. He had tried walking bdfb61e3a2 in front of a 9f84bf79e1 mirror a few times 776ed93073 and didn’t think it ff1399b6db looked overly awkward.7b60d03499a1a8bf

“You’re weird, Ian. Working when you’re hurt cd0a8c6bde is just foolish. It’s not 6c7b9eec3e like you fa6afe493e have to 90624b5f56 do a 466cb681b3 physically demanding 6502abf955 job like 0e983658b7 wait tables.”09f2c3c2c7269df2

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I need the money.”71ee52b27730671d

“But you sent d67d1bcacd in the work 36787c0a0c from yesterday, so 264b80d5b5 you’ll get the 51aa50cd31 balance soon, right?”a69fcb5048e320b2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s for paying ffbcf53a92 off the overdue 5cf8664cb5 interest on my 5236acf690 loan. I still 83b7ea6acb need to ef0e935e30 make a b0cc6be629 living. Sure, I have a 34e46dd896 place to stay for f28f39aa97 now, but soon…”7c2acbcc7cc08238

Ian trailed 41224d5e50 off, frowning, ac027fa026 as thoughts a1b7240a16 of Revenant 0b31781569 crossed his ce1d1cbf2e mind. Seeing the 8966d5d9c7 expression on e3219ea1c2 Ian’s face, 3f52fffd0a Leo nodded 7070f8e44c knowingly.d7a02793b7082adc

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Ah, right. You got kicked 6fecd50c0e out. If you 0a410b124e have nowhere 1760e9907b to go, 326f8ea3b0 come stay 0de27d07aa with me. I won’t 5aae7d5925 charge you afa600f912 rent. Think of 9c8859e50b it as c9786b5c0b Rose Hallman. We could live fb837f39ff together in the 443b8ddc66 same room, Ian. How about I buy bba282f35d a bunk bed?”b20888532a536723

“It’s not d3e5221a59 like I 92f562869f was kicked 2473732d21 out.”6a0c71647defd7f6

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Well, it’d 3af01403fa be nice 68526f4a3b if you 3cfe8d20a6 were.”2d3a2d56a80bcb52

Then we could 96d299254d live together, just a938571f25 the two of 5ce638a913 us. Leo muttered that 8244c9062c to himself, hugging d7b5eb3a78 the cushion tightly, 7f47076b5b looking at Ian, d3f9b1a116 who shook his 1a49994dcb head reluctantly.6ccbd30993188444

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Are you still thinking ee1a2e69fc like that?”7bd04a393eb12ebd

“No. Shut up, Ian Winchell. You’re the one who 8432f7b16d suggested going back to 25c77178b0 how things were in eb13c2b1a9 Rose Hallman. I think 3f23659115 it’d be cb25ee25b4 nice too. Honestly, when b9fe4c5096 I think 62552081f7 about it…”f855c2a40f72597b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Leo grimaced slightly as 494972d768 he spoke.64946018c1807ac0

“Say it.”eb5e6f709d2e3a20

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…Well, to be honest, 745ddcfd3e I just like being 9a9f1b4ed7 with you. It doesn’t have to 5a66b90e3f be all about kissing be03f5828a and sex, like lovers. I can’t keep clinging a7c4386191 to you like that 873058161a all the time. I don’t even 1572a52260 want that. If that stuff makes 3d166e2943 you decide not to 41e166561b stay close to me ac1d43713b anymore, I’d hate that 968ddc47a9 even more. Of course, 5cbdaf6139 I’m still b717e632a4 disappointed you f24ff4dc36 went to 336031ada6 another guy ce81a381e9 so fast.”72b6a77d09ddb205

When he db4aff1795 saw Ian c0cb31a430 chuckling softly, 0d41d26728 Leo threw a51e43cfce his cushion 7a7733ed76 at him. Although they had decided a3e8a4ac84 they were “just friends,” d61315b24b it didn’t mean there 8bb57dfacc weren’t lingering feelings. It would take time.113b9a4eef8125e4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

As if fc59919da6 to prove 798dc2cd75 it, Leo cc6b47bd63 spoke again, 34eb1fbf51 slightly teasing.96cce289ed5418cb

“But that guy, c483d849c3 what a jerk. He kicks 416e3fbf5d you out 429c563109 right after 2ced79d474 sleeping together? I guess 41007b1bd6 he’s the 102a513262 type who ac82ead98f gets bored 56686e66b8 after one 1b3f97bebf night. Why would you c79f5f7171 fall for a 2843abc8c2 guy like that?”b5a1e5084cc08a3a

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

He didn’t kick me bf63751db9 out! …But Ian held 6bae0ff3c3 back the urge 6ee56e8b74 to respond and ef29192ebf say that yet 45b83d7ebc again. Getting angry 6c2eb5259e would only 9bacfd0fbf make him bc6c455516 look foolish.9b4bec5531719167

“I’m not bored with 6607cc9829 him.”b2210cf9cb8cdcdb

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Instead of d7badc51df responding, Leo 0bf83a81b8 just gave 914d63387b him a 0ccce01430 sidelong look. There was 3532a22260 a complicated bd0686d3ef expression on 29a72a300f his face.bea99808b3dbe3b6

“So you’re 9987d5252a not planning 7b10fc4c19 to just c4a990fabe quietly let ae2d7c2a8e yourself be 0b94db85e5 kicked out, 7e2024dbeb huh?”99c630181a7aac3f

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Is he really 79e0d82562 that special to e080fbc8ea you? Even if 078ab67893 he isn’t 9f43ab332f Leo, would 166731fe06 you still d7c3522c27 like him a8c16f6f87 that much?”12fc6336d7d74dc1

That was something 4ec250c32f Ian had also 6c90f31c46 been wondering.b56baab3b22fe324

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“I don’t know. I’ve thought faa2730504 about it, 23a7e275c0 but I’m da7daad2bf not sure. I think the 13a6c8abb9 reason I fell 0c94a160c8 for him was eaf3ad266c that I thought c3bf4a250b he might be c6b3f2a65c Leo. But now a934ad68a8 that I d7c5394847 realize I 26e06776e5 like him, 056234c004 it doesn’t 2a76c506d3 really matter. I don’t even 3ec7f796c8 remember Leo. The person 1fc0a18796 I feel ef13a92914 for now 91c6298dd8 is purely adf61ed55e Revenant. Whether he’s Leo or 72aed16478 not, or if he’s ab1b1ef006 really never going to 1fc4ff9faa be Leo again for 7d00c5cfb9 some reason I don’t 3ed01e0afc know… whatever it is, 109fe2bff3 it doesn’t matter. The bigger 6f5e0c327a issue is 8c71784941 he’s trying e027cf76f2 to kick c86dd22770 me out 7ccb05c759 right after d7f1287b4a a night 893dbca135 together.”4b2b0fa56fc9cadf

“So you’re admitting he 9b3d4c624e kicked you out?”5af76d6e96cdc47e

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“No. He said he’d 88e60f3ca5 send me what 52a08848bc I needed. And I 9726f0655b need him. I’m going 78c72ed876 to ask 26ae026062 him to aa57518d39 ship himself 12b3830ca8 over, in c72ba2a23e a travel caea67f74f trunk or e0627b61be a packing 8d09bafc73 box.”affb3e121c0d0428

A soft chuckle 7527e839b2 escaped from Leo.0d194faaf611f675

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“That’s hilarious. You say you’ve fc1d96e0bf got nowhere to 45e89499ca go, yet you’re 09740f505b planning to drag 4cc22e95b9 that guy around 103fe9f496 like luggage. What are you going f4eff02ad0 to do with him?”35434fa83d3b3912

“I have my ef3056b049 uses.”fa4817edb39a5dad

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

The biggest bruise he 73514e55fc saw in the mirror 11d53fdda9 was at the hollow 381b010528 where his jawline met 57ca35ca9d his neck. At the very least, c85870b453 Ian wanted to leave f8ce4ef839 a mark on Revenant 83c0c1fe3d in a similar spot, 3d940da473 one just as mortifying.76587a5140a06eca

Grinding his 20c062411f teeth, Ian b72f27c8ef thought about cd4b34f34e how he’d c8ba204a3f have to 52b62ff667 ask his 4d902d3115 restaurant manager 8ff87b99c6 if he f6d9cfb89e could wear 1c09c0a187 a scarf e80472ffbe instead of 48abb77303 a black 893fa50201 tie today.fdb63ccaa4ac0685

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“Anyway, I’m heading out. Thanks for letting me e4912ebebf crash. And just to say 87867f4af6 it again, don’t look d7a0f3714e into Revenant anymore. Especially not e395e89c00 through places dddec679c4 like the dde671fa51 NSA. I really don’t want 071b7293bf to see a SWAT 85129c14c4 team bust into this b31b64ea6d place.”1a46b683014c0f71

“Well… I’d just have fddc54174f to be careful not 1e6c211df4 to get caught.”a2305df26e8c81b5

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“I’m serious.”6ef9b9f3baced9d8

Ian deliberately cut 91363b12c1 off Leo’s words e81376fe64 with a stern 3486f47ced tone.4741b66b848d8652

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Stop it. Please. It’s something I 7be8f6d381 need to figure e9c2e67331 out on my 50ed4fc1e9 own. If Revenant really 854c7a1b7f is Leo, I’ll 636b5eba74 remember him. And if I 7784b7b16d never do, then 5ee9f437c8 Revenant is just 688b0084e9 Revenant. That’s how d03094f27a I decided dcb4d944a1 to look c7f188f7c5 at it. I don’t want to d10e5b7bc8 ‘hack’ memories of him. Please, respect that.”4243aeae46a3a4a3

“…Fine. Got it.”439d88e802a7b396

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Thanks.”076362c7e8403d55

Just as Ian was 9801d55862 about to open the 46dd3bd452 front door, the phone 9b9c7c9822 rang. Leo, who 73dff4f02f had been ce3f58c70f lying on c31c6b73bf the couch, ee541c9a48 covering his 975adbf346 ears as ed82283228 if he 6e988cbad0 had no 37020e78a7 intention of d39158055d answering, made e41f0c17b6 a face 87eee1d41d and got 7a80c9076f up to f2d09ded67 pick up f8ccb11c17 the receiver.21282089c0d28d06

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hello.”b6ad36bd44d3ecdb

Seeing Leo answer the 46d78a4d4f phone, Ian turned his 0a16e8d584 back and started toward 165e254da1 the door. But then 71dc9a068b Leo called 0ab328b80a out to fd11b3c975 him.3a27dd8531833cf9

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

“Ian. It’s for you.”eb163828f080c47b

“For me?”1cb2f395d105ac95

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Leo let the 36c456596e receiver slip from 86ffd1ad88 his fingers with 9f40b8489b an annoyed expression.f9bfbb025218b4d3

“It’s him.”8ef3c33aeb32e661

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ian froze in b50d583e7f place, stunned. Leo clicked his 6d1f56a636 tongue at Ian’s 86356b951e hesitation, then picked 297f871861 up the phone a8f7213360 again.599011b9899a6a1f

“He doesn’t want 9378768556 to talk to 96b7208ade you. If you’ve 468a65060c got something d679583611 to say, e8055385ed spill it. I might a94202ebdd pass it a84eeb8bde along if 0670e68e25 I feel c673a72a0b like it.”d9f8b36a79843bf3

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

Ian stayed 33889bcbcf silent, unable 82a4accee5 to find 5fd40d57bf his voice. Any bravado 34dd6cd4b7 about telling ea7622b9f8 Revenant to 97fbdfb977 “send yourself 4f0c99cb8c along since 258e8a5783 I need 05421abb30 you” vanished d69a5fd9c4 entirely. He didn’t even 9737edd258 question how Revenant d3c57b8515 had gotten Leo’s 09e272a76f number.ccea1965ede2be13

What’s he 47b6a45d83 doing calling e0c176739a me after 57cc479baf the way 99403b8635 he acted 076391b66c last night? And what’s he planning d015e8051f to say?21ed0ce8b7516e7b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Leo glanced over, 1c443d30b8 holding the receiver 9d547e371b slightly away from ededa6ebb0 his mouth.45882ef92a83f61e

“He’s asking if 94dc46ac0b you need anything 104dcdb454 today. Also said 5a5f79b9bf he’ll send befd0f245a a car 0f9be382ee if you a37bd4cb82 need to 21f91ecdd1 go somewhere 8343718a5f else.”abc3bff11848564a

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

…He’s infuriating.f7a4cf14782ae62d

“Give it to me.”09ea987ca3bb645b

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

Striding over, ccf12f22ee Ian snatched 462a330281 the phone 730c45689f from Leo’s 4f4ba242d2 hand, his 5a84a7a87c vision blurred b2d4a302f1 with frustration.d3da5d76b625c6e1

“It’s me. I took the d513532305 call.”7325bfb88961e3dd

Please visit lilyonthevalley.com to support the translator

[Right. Yesterday…]

Revenant’s voice d2c7a76919 on the 5bca60b4f3 other end bc77bf16c0 made Ian’s 343f0c338a grip on 68aae0619f the receiver 70b7e80db2 tremble slightly. Not wanting him ef186fa34a to sense it, d216b37bd5 Ian hurriedly spoke.2d6a186c8ab2072d

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“I heard something about f4750a9386 sending a car, but 34d4870cd0 just listen. You’re the 0c5c2502e8 one who 62a4949b05 asked me ae872fdcef to stay 6326f209b4 in the 09dc29b529 first place, 38952619cc and you’re 21409c311a also the 7aee67c9b9 one who ef53381810 stopped me 5ddb0cdc60 from leaving. Sure, I was the 5d53b6f6f2 one who suggested we 750909c724 sleep together, but you’re 8e6dd049f8 the one who wouldn’t ff7e82d719 let me rest, kept a7e40c9d6f waking me up all 62b65728c7 night, making me go e7edc77501 again and again. Do you have any 10b0f9bcfc idea how many times d8d82549ed I almost slipped in a002cd00ee the shower afterward? My legs still feel a5de4bfc93 weak, and I can 7d5b718c2f barely walk. You left 1220f4f687 marks all 7d6af05d07 over me—visible 389194b815 and hidden—and 51786af921 made me 4c4c5d85f9 look so 94af839927 messed up 61180523dc I can’t d1021c2354 even look 831968c5b9 people in 5836acc488 the eye. And now cc0d97f7e3 you’re just 0233c4b0da going to 71c2610a6f bow out d131980fdb with one c310bbccfb phone call? No way. Do you think I’d 054a3f782d let you treat me a868eee509 like a one-night stand? I told you I’m 8c8a6886ed expensive. You’d have to offer bded431e28 everything you have, and 51d3b23499 even that wouldn’t cover 3131394a36 it. I want your whole 02337fe20b self added in.”ad0bd17cb6d3b0a2

Afraid to hear f07b8d9b12 Revenant’s reply, Ian 38ac7ab2ee rushed to finish b04136cda4 his words. It terrified 428b140002 him that f1bfff2e68 he couldn’t 513e9421f3 predict Revenant’s b17fc3474b reaction at e0e0743429 all.5aadad1b5c147a8f

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

“Consider that understood, 3702b915d3 and I’m hanging 36de18180d up. I’ll come to dce58ef27d the hotel tonight, 9e26c4c6a8 so leave my e2b6c755e4 things alone.”c7836a48a108187c

Bang!e10968f9fedb75b0

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com

Slamming down the 160fca4055 phone, Ian took 44ef9a26c0 a deep breath. His hand 3d427f7bef stung, but 71e0304af7 the phone 71b1defa9b hadn’t broken.47d9babd406fdd5b

“I didn’t think 6eafce6c3c you had it a291466718 in you, Ian. That was… fd64763f39 a bit 6680fad560 scary.”cd461816dbb750a2

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

Leo’s mumble made 939a0337c7 Ian inhale sharply, 12d9d402bd his hand still 3d3e680467 trembling a little.deede5425f556f85

“So, are you going 6b57f18e53 back to his hotel a52f78776c tonight?”0654e56ec9bd08cd

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“…I don’t know.”18753a9c785e9806

Watching Ian breathe in cda18a4918 and out, Leo nodded 5479e55634 with understanding.bf9e2c3d1afa11e3

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“So you d1db17b27d were just d6c58df048 throwing a 262ab57101 tantrum. That’s kind of cute. How do you 84dc8a1e1d feel?”1e7f1e763aa18104

“Terrified.”004683ebc02a22b4

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“What scares you? That he might come a451caea4a get you?”d903641a29a3276a

“No. That he might not.”e380fc30541da6b9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Leo muttered under his 5bfecc1d21 breath, “Guess you really 2e2d01e41e do like him. That’s a 693018daf7 bit annoying.”72c17cb6df569b4d

After Ian took 4a9b027683 a moment to fe619353d2 collect himself, he 8b5657fe94 started to leave.bba6c68b399699ab

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Well, I’m really 57108c201b heading out now.”2a22fe772b940b50

“You can 4493a2e15e always come f1fda7f85b back.”efcce9ff49ec1d69

Read full chapter at Lily on the Valley without gibberish

“Thanks. If things 2ba0ed904e don’t work 5d6b916c6c out, I’ll 6f59e2f88e be here. Let me crash. And put 3136ee57ee up with 728c2ccb36 me if 16fd829bee I get 1280f69aa6 all moody.”40b6507655f6bb20

“I’ll even buy you 2b6ad1e945 a drink. Are you 0107c2e3a0 the type d817a99c6b to get 6d798b9687 wild after 397a038d45 a few 9f95ad26af drinks?”87776f19c7425bb9

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

“I’ve never drunk 100c053c9e that much, so a128446a3c I wouldn’t know.”97b6d056ba4576e9

“Then let’s try ae2b617f95 it sometime.”dcf3d397da2ca76b

Enjoy best reading experience at Lily on the Valley

Leo smirked bdd4556811 mischievously as 6ffe42114c he saw abb5d7f1e5 Ian off 8078a158a1 at the 8d73d420cf door, attempting 2f4b033f8d a quick 635d975c33 kiss on 2289b1f99e his cheek. But Ian dodged 157df582df just in time.529c16c1e8231512

“See you later.”017d58920b9bc127

For the complete chapter, visit lilyonthevalley.com

“Hmph. Yeah, take care.”a68e0b46f40e5183

With an unsteady gait, 36378e8e63 Ian slowly headed toward 301423a5c0 the elevator. The journey to ca099cb7f3 the restaurant, and aec3e3bf54 even just getting 4a1b0e3769 there, felt daunting.f3af4f0e46932a8e

Support us at our official site: lilyonthevalley.com