CHAPTER 6 : THE PERFECT LIE
1214 Words
Lilliana’s POV
They say if you can endure the storm, you won’t drown in it.
That was exactly what I did.
I endured it.
I signed the divorce papers. I walked away from the empire we built together. I swallowed the love I still had for Taryn and forced myself to let it die. I left the house. I left the memories. I left the dreams.
And what did I get in return?
Public humiliation.
No.
This shouldn’t be happening.
Even if I was cursed. Even if destiny hated me. Even if the moon goddess herself had written suffering into my fate — it still shouldn’t be like this.
This is too much.
My hands wouldn’t stop shaking. My chest felt tight, like something heavy was pressing against it. There was heat in the room, yet my body felt cold. A chill crawled up my spine.
Why am I shivering?
My lips parted slowly as I stared at my phone screen.
And then I read it.
Every word.
Every lie.
“I want to say it out here now that me and Lilliana are no longer together. The reason is that she cheated with my driver. Not only that, she is barren. She couldn’t give birth because of the many abortions she had before marrying me…”
My vision blurred.
“I didn’t know all of that until I married her. With everything she did, she put the blame on me and even divorced me to continue her love life with the driver…”
My breathing grew uneven.
“I understand her. Though it is painful, I will let her follow her love life. Since I am not enough for her, I hope she finds peace with whoever she is with now…”
My hands dropped.
It wasn’t finished.
“Since all these years, she did not only cheat on me and fail to bear me a child, she never took care of me as a wife. She hardly gave me her time. Even when I was depressed and needed to talk, she ignored me…”
Liar.
“I have never hurt her feelings even once, but she always hurt mine. Thanks to Emily, my assistant, she has always supported me emotionally and physically…”
Emily.
Of course.
“Since Lilliana has left me for her love, it is not wrong if I also accept someone who loves and supports me. Therefore, I proclaim Emily my fiancée. We will get married soon. I hope you all support us.”
And then the final blow.
“And please don’t hate on Lilliana. I think I just have bad luck. I will be fine. Thank you.”
What?
What?
What the hell is this?
I started laughing.
A broken laugh. It came out shaky and strange. And then it turned into tears. I was laughing and crying at the same time like a madwoman.
Abortion?
Me?
I have never had one.
Barren?
I am not barren!
You never even had time for me, Taryn! You were never home long enough to try!
Cheated with your driver?
You are the one who cheated. You are the villain playing the victim so perfectly.
Two-faced.
I never imagined someone could lie this effortlessly. I never imagined my ex-husband could destroy me like this just to protect his own image.
You humiliated me.
You dragged my name into the mud.
Why?
Just because I divorced you?
Just because I refused to continue being your silent fool?
I was still drowning in my thoughts when my phone rang.
Justice.
I wiped my tears quickly and answered.
“Hi… are you okay?”
His voice was careful. Hesitant.
“Have you seen the… the post?”
“Yes,” I whispered.
“I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “Don’t mind him. I know whatever he’s saying isn’t true. He’s just trying to pull you down.”
“I know… but this is cruel.”
“I tried to comment,” Justice continued. “I tried to defend you, but people are too engrossed in the lie. They don’t want the truth.”
My heart dropped.
“The comments…?”
There was a pause.
“Are they… cursing me?” I asked quietly.
Another pause.
“It’s more than that,” he said gently. “Don’t check it. Please. Eat something. Rest. Sleep. We’ll handle tomorrow when it comes.”
“Alright,” I forced out.
“Take care of yourself, Ana.”
“I will.”
But I knew I wouldn’t.
The moment the call ended, my fingers betrayed me.
I opened the comments.
I shouldn’t have.
But I did.
“She is so unbelievable.”
“A cheating wife. Ungrateful bitch.”
“How dare she do that?”
“You don’t need to apologize. If it was me, I would strangle her.”
“A barren woman still cheating?”
“Even ghosts have better morals.”
“So beautiful for nothing.”
“I was crushing on her. How many babies did she abort?”
“She must have slept with thousands of men.”
“Green snake under green grass.”
“I can help her satisfy her s****l urges if the driver isn’t enough.”
The words became knives.
Stabbing.
Cutting.
Burning.
“Report anyone supporting her.”
“People like her deserve hell.”
“She’s a disgrace to women.”
There were over 500 comments.
I couldn’t finish reading them.
The world I thought I knew turned against me in less than an hour.
Only Justin defended me. And they attacked him too. Threatened him. Called him names for standing beside me.
Life is unfair.
The innocent suffer.
The wicked celebrate.
Taryn destroyed my reputation in one post and painted himself as the poor, broken husband who found comfort in his loyal assistant.
Emily must be smiling right now.
I pressed my hand over my mouth and cried quietly.
How will I survive this?
How will I face people?
How will I live in a world where everyone already believes I am a w***e?
Before I could spiral deeper, a knock sounded on my door.
My heart jumped.
“Who is it?” My voice came out weak.
“The maid, ma.”
“Yes?”
“Mr. Darian asked you to come outside.”
Darian?
My heartbeat increased instantly.
“Come… for what?” I asked.
“I don’t know, ma.”
The footsteps faded.
I stood frozen.
What does he want?
Did he see the post?
Of course he saw it. Everyone saw it.
Is he going to kick me out too?
Will he believe his brother over me?
I wrapped my arms around myself.
Prepare for the worst, Lilliana.
Expect nothing.
Hope for nothing.
I wiped my face, but my eyes were swollen and red. There was no hiding it.
Each step toward the stairs felt heavier than the last. My anxiety grew the closer I got to the living room.
My palms were sweaty.
My chest tight.
I could hear my heartbeat in my ears.
This is it.
If Darian throws me out too, I will truly have nowhere to go.
Everything is falling apart.
Everything.
And I am standing in the middle of the storm, trying not to drown.
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