Episode 10
884 Words
Lanesra’s heart pounded as she stared at Erin standing in her doorway. Her instincts screamed at her to slam the door shut, to turn and walk away, but something in Erin’s expression made her pause. It wasn’t smugness or victory—it was something else. Something that almost looked like…pity.
“What do you want?” Lanesra’s voice was ice.
Erin tilted her head, a slow smirk spreading across her face. “We need to talk.”
Lanesra’s grip tightened on the doorknob. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”
“Oh, but I think you do.” Erin leaned against the doorframe. “You see, Kade isn’t the only one keeping secrets, is he?”
Lanesra’s stomach twisted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Erin let out a short, humorless laugh. “Oh, come on, Lanesra. You’ve been playing the victim, acting like Kade betrayed you, but let’s be honest—you’re no saint either.”
Lanesra felt a cold sweat break out along her spine. “Leave.”
Erin shrugged. “Fine. But you might want to tell Kade before I do. He won’t take it well.”
Lanesra’s chest tightened as she slammed the door in Erin’s face. She pressed her back against it, trying to steady her breathing. How did Erin know? Had she been digging into her past? Or had she always known?
Memories she had buried years ago came rushing back, threatening to drown her. She had worked so hard to forget—to move on. And now, it was all unraveling.
Eli.
She glanced toward her son’s bedroom door, her heart aching. He was still asleep, blissfully unaware of the storm brewing. She couldn’t let this destroy him. She had to keep this secret buried.
But Erin had just made one thing clear—time was running out.
Later that evening, Lanesra found herself standing outside Kade’s apartment. She had tried to push away Erin’s words, to pretend like everything was fine, but she couldn’t. If Kade was going to hate her, if he was going to walk away, it had to be on her terms. Not Erin’s.
She knocked.
The door swung open, and there he was—his eyes dark with exhaustion, his jaw clenched as though he’d been expecting another fight. “Lanesra.”
She hesitated. “Can I come in?”
Kade stepped aside, allowing her in. The room felt smaller than usual, the air thick with unspoken words.
“I need to tell you something,” she said quietly.
His brow furrowed, and he crossed his arms. “Okay.”
Lanesra swallowed hard. “You’re not the only one who’s been keeping things from me. I have a secret too.”
Kade’s face was unreadable. “What kind of secret?”
She took a shaky breath. “It’s about Eli’s father.”
Kade went rigid. “I thought you said he was never in the picture.”
Lanesra looked away. “That’s what I wanted you to believe.”
Silence filled the room, heavy and suffocating.
Kade took a step back. “What are you saying?”
She forced herself to meet his gaze. “I lied. I know who Eli’s father is. And he’s not some absent stranger.”
Kade’s fists clenched. “Then who is he?”
Lanesra hesitated, the weight of the truth crushing her. She had never imagined this moment would come—not like this. She closed her eyes for a second before whispering, “He’s someone you know.”
Kade’s breath hitched. “Tell me.”
She opened her mouth, but the words refused to come out. Instead, she watched as realization dawned in Kade’s eyes. His face darkened, his entire body tensing.
“Lanesra,” he said, his voice dangerously low. “Who is Eli’s father?”
Tears burned at the back of her eyes as she whispered the name that would change everything.
Kade took a step back, as if she had physically struck him.
“No,” he breathed, his voice laced with disbelief. “You’re lying.”
Lanesra shook her head, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
Kade’s expression shattered into something raw and unrecognizable. “How could you not tell me?”
“I was trying to protect Eli,” she choked out. “To protect you.”
His hands balled into fists at his sides. “No, Lanesra. You were protecting yourself.”
A tear slid down her cheek. “I never wanted this.”
Kade turned away, running a shaky hand through his hair. He let out a hollow laugh, but there was no humor in it. “You think Erin was the problem? You think I was the one keeping secrets? Jesus, Lanesra. What else have you been lying about?”
She reached for him, but he stepped back as if her touch would burn him.
“Don’t,” he warned. “I can’t even look at you right now.”
Her heart cracked open, the pain unbearable. “Kade, please—”
But he was already walking away, his back turned to her, his entire body rigid with betrayal.
Lanesra stood there, frozen, as the walls she had carefully built came crashing down around her.
To be continued…
- Writer
