The Price of a Lie

f. I could hear a flicker of confusion in his tone

for me in the lobby, his face a perfect mask o

dred times before, but this time, it felt like being wrapped in a snake' s coils.

ll in his embrace, my body rigid, my heart a block of ice. I wa

my face. "Is everything o

," I said.

ling windows of his "borrowed" apartment. I sat on the edge of the

t' s on the agenda today? More worrying about me?" He chuckled, as if

e was the director of the orphanage where I grew up, the clos

urse. Let me come with you. I' d love to meet her." He was playing t

and his whole demeanor changed. A flicker of annoyance, quickly masked

uldn't hear him

pause. "No, I can' t right now... Fine. Fine, I' m coming. Just give me an h

pped up." He walked back inside, a practiced, apologetic smile on his face. "So sorry, babe. A fam

face a perfect blan

t soar and now just made my skin crawl. He grabbed his

he mask of calm finally fell away. He was still lying. Effortlessly, constantly l