Chapter 13

Two years ago, when Leila had started this deception, she'd worn a mask around Ian every day. She'd carefully maintained the lie. Even though she wasn't used to living in a cheap apartment that was smaller than her bathroom back home, she'd still acted like it was her home. She wasn't used to the cheap clothes Ian had bought her online, but she'd still acted like she loved them. She also wasn't used to the cheap food from roadside stalls, but she'd dug in with him each time. Gradually, she'd gotten used to life being like that—it was without wealth, but it was filled with warmth and liveliness. The rented apartment was tiny but was more like a home than the icy villa in which she'd grown up. Her clothes weren't the most comfortable, but they came with sincere love. Only then did Leila realize that she'd fallen for Ian after leading a regular life for the past two years. She'd fallen in love with being with him. However, the relationship had started based on a lie, and that fragil