Too Late to Beg: I'm No Longer Yours novel · Chapter 22 of 24
Chapter 22: Paid in Full
Marin's POV
On the thirtieth day, at eight at night, nine people at Caldecott Studio were eating pizza off drafting tables when the elevator opened.
I had asked for the pizza on purpose, and for the same nine people.
The receptionist had asked why.
"Because last time the audience was an accident," I said. "This time I want them to enjoy it."
Troy stepped out of the elevator alone.
He wore a plain gray jacket I had never seen, and his hands were empty.
He had lost weight.
There were no roses and no tan, and the leather bracelet was gone from his wrist.
He looked around the glass lobby, at the pizza and the nine faces, and he did not smile.
"Hi, Marin," he said.
"Hi."
"May I come in?"
"You're already in."
He nodded.
He took an envelope out of his jacket and held it in both hands.
"I'm supposed to say something first," he said. "My mother made me promise. Can I?"
"Say it."
"Not in front of..." He glanced at the room.
"This is where you came last time," I said. "Say it here."
He drew a breath.
"I lied to you for five years," he said. "I said I loved you, and I said it often because it was easy. When you asked questions I sent you to a hotel so I wouldn't have to hear them. Then I told a room full of people you were the thief, so nobody would look at me."
Somebody put a slice of pizza down very quietly.
"I called you rigid so you'd feel it was you," Troy said. "It was never you. You were careful because I was not."
Keep reading free with an account. Start Too Late to Beg: I'm No Longer Yours from Chapter 1, then sign up free to read the rest of this chapter.
← Chapter 21 · All chapters · Chapter 23 →
Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend