The Lie She Has to Survive

Lilith’s POV Lucian’s question hit me so sharply that for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. My whole body felt like it had been caught under a spotlight.  I knew better than to answer too fast, just as I knew better than to hesitate too long. Still, the silence stretched, and that was already dangerous.  Lucian didn’t always care about the words I spoke; he cared about how my heartbeat changed when I said them. “So tell me, Lilith… who were you meeting?” he asked again, softly, like the calm before a blade settles at your throat. I swallowed. My hands felt cold. I tried to steady my breathing, but the more I tried, the worse it got.  Finally, I forced the lie out, quietly but as evenly as I could manage. “I wasn’t meeting anyone. I just… needed air. I felt suffocated, so I left the estate early. I planned to visit the orphanage after, but I wanted a little space first.” The moment the words left my mouth, I knew it wasn’t a perfect lie. It didn’t sound rehearsed or clever. I