Chapter 21 She Gave Her Heart To Him
“What?” Her eyes widened in disbelief. “Impossible!”
Donovan would never do that to me!
No one spared her a glance. The officers had already turned back to their work, leaving Lila teetering on the edge of hysteria.
She gripped the iron railing, her fingers turning white. “I need to see Donovan! You’re lying to me–he would never say that!
Her voice grew shrill as desperation took hold. “We’re about to get married! The wedding is right around the corner! Why am I being locked up for taking something from my fiance’s house?”
She shouted until her throat turned hoarse, but no one acknowledged her. Exhaustion eventually settled in, and she curled into a corner, closing her eyes in restless sleep.
“Sometime later, a familiar voice cut through the haze of her dreams.
Lila’s eyes snapped open.”
“Donovan!”
Sure enough, there he was, seated in front of the officer’s desk.
Lila scrambled to her feet, rushing to the railing as she gripped it tightly.
“Donovan, you came to take me home, right?” Her voice was laced with desperation.
His gaze flickered toward her, cool and detached.
For the first time, a sliver of unease crept into Lila’s chest.
“Donovan, I can’t stay here. Get me out.” Her voice trembled as anxiety took hold.
The officer spoke to him in hushed tones, and Donovan responded with a simple nod before making his way toward her.
Today, he was dressed in a sleek black suit, complemented by a burgundy tie.
His long legs were clad in impeccably tailored dress pants, and each step he took sent the crisp sound of polished leather against the floor echoing through the room.
He stopped in front of her, towering over her, his gaze cool and unreadable–like a stranger’s.
Lila’s breath hitched. “Donovan, I know I shouldn’t have taken Shelby’s things, but I had my reasons. Please, help me. Just hear me out–I’ll explain everything.”
Donovan regarded her with the same unwavering coldness. “Ms. Brock, actions have consequences. You should face yours”
Lila’s stomach churned. He shouldn’t have even known–only a few pieces of jewelry were missing.
A sudden realization sent a shiver down her spine. “That night… you knew I was there, didn’t you?”
Donovan lowered his gaze, his long lashes casting faint shadows over his eyes. That night, he hadn’t noticed a thing. But when he woke the next morning, he found Lila curled up beneath the bed.
The mere thought of her presence in Shelby’s room made his stomach turn,
He knew Lila wouldn’t have entered that room without a reason…
It didn’t take long for him to uncover the truth–someone had been blackmailing her. And then, piece by piece, everything fell into place. The jewelry she sold wasn’t just Shelby’s. It was a gift he had given her.
Donovan remained silent, offering no denial. Yes–he had known she was there.
A cold sensation gripped Lila’s heart.
“Donovan, are you really going to do this?” she stepped closer, desperation creeping into her voice. “Don’t forget–Shelby betrayed you. I was the one who pulled you back from the brink of death. I sacrificed my most beloved career to save you. I nearly lost my life because of nw heart condition!”
At the mention of her heart, a flicker of something unreadable crossed Donovan’s expression.
But
Lila, too caught up in her own words, failed to notice.
“Donovan,” she pressed on, her voice turning sharp, “if you had even an ounce of decency, you wouldn’t treat me like this Shelby is dead.”
Suddenly, Lila couldn’t utter another word.
Donovan’s grip tightened around her neck, cutting off her breath. If not for the officers stepping in, she was certain–he Jwould have strangled her without hesitation.
Gasping as she was finally released, Lila staggered back, clutching her throat. A violent cough racked her body, and aching pain throbbed in her chest
“Donovan.. are you trying to kill me?” Tears streamed down her face, dripping onto the cold floor.
“Shut up.” His icy gaze bore into her. “If it weren’t for Shelby’s heart, do you really think you’d still be alive today!
Boom!
Lila’s mind went completely blank.
Shelby’s heart… was transplanted into me? Stunned, she swayed on her feet, struggling to process his words.
What kind of joke is this? She hated me. Why would she ever donate her heart to me?
Before she could voice her confusion, Donovan’s cold voice shattered the silence. “Years ago, you orchestrated that accident -had someone run me down. I’ve found the evidence. The rest of your life will be spent in prison.
“No!” she screamed at his retreating figure. “I didn’t! Who told you that?”
I can’t lose Donovan. I can’t go to jail My friends all know I’m about to marry him. If I end up in prison… my life will be over.
Donovan didn’t spare her a single glance.
The evidence against Lila was irrefutable, and she was swiftly prosecuted. A court date was set.
Before the trial began, an unexpected visitor arrived.
Dressed in a baggy prison uniform, the number *31056* stamped on the upper left corner, Lila sat rigidly. She had lost weight–her once–radiant face now pale and weary, her eyes hollow.
A smirk curled Kyler’s lips as he took in her state.
“The day you handed me Maggie’s video,” he drawled, eyes gleaming with mockery, “I bet you never imagined you’d end up like this, did you?
Kyler was no saint. His moral compass had never pointed due north, so he didn’t mind troublemakers like Lila.
In fact, back then, in an effort to ensure a clean break between Shelby and Donovan, they had even struck a deal.
Ironically, neither of them had gotten what they wanted.
“I despise him,” Lila muttered, her voice laced with bitterness.
2/3
Kyler crossed his arms, lowering his head with a quiet chuckle. “I heard Shelby’s heart is inside you.”
At the mention of it, Lila’s irritation flared. “Get out. I don’t want to see you.”
“Lila, I’ll wait for you to come out.” Kyler didn’t move, watching as she turned away. His gaze lingered on the left side of her back–where Shelby’s heart beat steadily within her chest.
Shelby was gone, yet a piece of her still lived on.
