CHAPTER 142: THE LIE

Hailee’s POV

Frederick’s gaze lingered on me for a moment, calm and unreadable, before he finally moved closer. His steps were quiet, almost too quiet, as if he glided more than walked.

"Hailee," he said, his voice low but polite. He extended his hand.

For a second, I hesitated—every warning about vampires echoed in my head. But something about his expression... it wasn’t threatening. It was calm, almost respectful. Slowly, I reached out and placed my hand in his.

His grip was cool but firm, comforting me in a strange way. "Welcome," he said simply, giving my hand a gentle shake before releasing it.

I swallowed, nodding slightly. "Thank you." My voice was quiet, almost lost in the grand space of the hall.

"Come," he said, picking up my bag with surprising ease. "I’ll show you your room."

I followed him up the staircase, my hand brushing the carved railing as we climbed. The hallways were lined with tall windows and velvet curtains, everything elegant but carrying that faint metallic scent I tried not to notice.

We stopped at a door halfway down the corridor. Frederick pushed it open and stepped aside, gesturing for me to go in first.

The room was warm, lit by soft golden lamps. A wide bed stood against the far wall, the blankets neat and inviting. A small desk sat by the window, and there was even a wardrobe already half-filled with clothes. My chest tightened at the thought that they had prepared this for me.

I turned back to Frederick, who set my bag down gently at the foot of the bed. "This is yours now," he said. "If you need anything, just knock."

My brows furrowed. "Knock?"

He gave a faint nod, his lips curving into the slightest smile. "My room is right next door."

The words settled heavy in my chest, stirring something I couldn’t name. His gaze held mine for a moment longer than it should have before he stepped back toward the door.

"Rest, Hailee," he said softly, his tone unreadable. "You’ve had enough for one day."

And with that, he left, the door closing quietly behind him.

I sank onto the bed, my heart racing again—but this time, it wasn’t just from fear but worry.

I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind racing. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t rest. The silence of this place only made my thoughts louder. There was one thing I still needed to do... one call I needed to make.

I pushed myself up and walked to the door. My steps were hesitant, but my decision was firm. I couldn’t leave things the way they were—not without hearing their voices, not without letting them know I was safe.

I knocked softly on the next door. Frederick opened it almost at once, as if he had been expecting me. His calm eyes studied me for a moment before he asked, "What is it?"

I swallowed hard. "I... I need to make a call. But it can’t be traced. If my father or anyone finds out, it’ll be worse for me. Do you... have a way?"

For a moment, his expression was unreadable. Then he gave a small nod, turned, and crossed to a drawer near his bed. He pulled out a sleek black phone, one that didn’t look like anything I’d seen before.

"Here," he said, handing it to me. "Once you’re done, I’ll destroy the SIM. No one will follow it back here."

Relief washed through me, and I managed a faint smile. "Thank you, Frederick. Truly."

He gave a short nod, not asking questions, not pressing me for details. Just steady, quiet help.

I carried the phone back to my room, my palms sweaty as I dialed the number I knew by heart. My chest ached with every ring, my heart thudding painfully.

And then—

"Hello?" Nathan’s voice. Low, steady, but with an edge that made my breath catch.

"Nath."

"Hailee?" Nathan’s breath caught. "Is it really you?"

My chest tightened. "It’s me," I whispered, trying to steady my shaking voice. "I just wanted you to know I’m fine."

Silence followed, but I could hear his uneven breathing. "Fine?" he repeated, almost disbelieving. "Do you have any idea what it’s been like? I’ve been going mad not knowing where you are. I thought—" His words broke, and for a heartbeat, all I heard was the sound of his breathing, heavy with worry.

My hand trembled around the phone. I closed my eyes, fighting the ache in my chest. "I’m okay," I said again, softer. "You don’t have to worry about me anymore."

But Nathan let out a bitter, broken laugh. "Don’t have to worry? You disappear, no word, no trace—and then I hear rumors..." His voice grew rougher, like gravel. "Tell me, Hailee. Tell me it isn’t true. That you’re not—"

He paused for a moment. "—married."

My stomach dropped. My fingers trembled around the phone. Married? That’s what he thought? That’s what he had been told?

My lips parted, but no words came at first. Then, before I could stop myself, I forced the lie out. "...Yes."

The single word felt like a blade in my chest, hurting me even as it left my lips.

On the other end, I heard Nathan’s breath catch sharply, as though I had just struck him.

I wanted to take it back. To scream that it wasn’t true. That I loved him. I loved all three of them. That they were the only ones my heart had ever chosen, the only ones my soul would ever belong to. I wanted to cry out that no vow, no lie, no forced marriage could ever change what was written into my very blood.

But the words died in my throat, strangled by fear.

Because this was the only way. The only way to keep him safe. To keep them all safe. If they believed I belonged to another, if they turned their backs on me in anger, then they would stop searching, stop risking themselves for me. They would live.

Tears slipped down my face as I whispered, barely audible, "I’m sorry."

The silence on the line stretched so long I thought maybe he had hung up. But then Nathan’s voice came back, broken and sharp like shattered glass.

"Then you should never talk to me again."

I froze. My whole body felt cold, like the words had turned into ice inside me.

"Don’t call me. Don’t text me. Don’t even think about me." Nathan’s voice shook, like he was trying not to cry, but he forced the words out anyway.

"You made your choice, Hailee." His breathing was rough, heavy, like every word was hard for him to say. "You picked someone else over me. Over us." His voice cracked, and I could almost feel his heart breaking through the phone.

"Now live with it." His tone turned sharp and hard, like a door slamming shut. "Live with your new life, with your so-called husband. But don’t come running back when it all falls apart. Don’t you dare."

The silence after that felt endless. For a moment, I hoped he’d take it back, that he’d tell me he didn’t mean it.

But then his last words cut through me like a knife.

"I hate you, Hailee."

And then the line went dead.

The phone slipped from my hand and landed on the bed. My chest felt hollow, like someone had carved the heart right out of me. Tears poured down my face, but I didn’t wipe them away.

Still... I couldn’t stop. I needed them to hear it. To believe the lie. To let me go.

With trembling hands, I dialed Callum’s number.

He picked up almost instantly.

"Callum..."

"Hailee? Is it really—"

"Yes," I cut in, forcing the words out before my courage failed. "It’s me. I just... I wanted you to know. I’m married now. To my betrothed."

The silence that followed burned worse than any scream.

When Callum finally spoke, his voice was raw, shaking with fury and pain. "Married? Just like that? After everything? You’re heartless, Hailee. Do you even realize what you’ve done to me? To us?"

My tears blurred everything. "I’m sorry, Callum. I—"

"Don’t," he snapped, his voice cracking. "Don’t ever call me again."

The line went dead again.

My hands shook so violently I nearly dropped the phone. But I wasn’t finished. I dialed Dane’s line.

"Hi Dane."

He answered slower than the others, his voice cautious. "Hailee?"

I swallowed hard, forcing the blade back into my own chest. "Dane... I’m married."

The silence was deafening. Then, his laugh—bitter, broken. "So it’s true. All through the night I told myself they were lying, that you’d never... and now you tell me this?" His voice trembled, his breath hitching. "You’re cruel, Hailee. Cruel."

I pressed my hand to my mouth, choking back a sob. "Dane, I didn’t mean to—"

"You’ve made your choice," he cut me off, his tone flat and dead. "Don’t ever call me again."

The call ended.

And that was it.

Three hearts broken by a lie.

I curled into myself on the bed, the phone slipping from my fingers.

My heart ached, but I knew this was for the best. Because this was the path I had chosen. To protect them. I don’t want them paying for my mess. Even if it meant destroying myself in the process. Even if it meant them hating me forever.