DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 145

Y

9:32 Tue, Jul 28

Chapter 145

Chapter 145

Viktor

My eyes slowly widened, and my heart started beating fast. I already knew. I was Vee, her biggest supporter for months. But hearing her say it out loud, trusting me with that secret, hit differently.

“You aren’t saying anything,” she whispered, sounding nervous.

I looked at her and gently held her face with both hands. “Does it matter?” I asked softly. “But tell me, do you want to continue it?”

She swallowed hard. “That’s how I get money. But I have a plan. I’m trying to stop it by the end of this month because I already found a good-paying job.”

I smiled and nodded, then kissed her forehead tenderly. “I’m so proud of you for how far you’ve come. You’re strong, resilient, and you’ve been carrying so much by yourself. Whatever you decide, I’m here. You don’t have to do any of this alone anymore. You’ve already taken such a brave step by opening up to me tonight.”

She relaxed visibly in my arms. “I’m glad I opened up and you treated it like an adult,” she said, relief clear in her voice. Then she yawned softly. “Goodnight… I’m so sleepy.”

“Goodnight,” I whispered, pressing one last kiss to her temple.

She soon fell asleep in my arms, her breathing steady and peaceful.

I stayed awake for a while longer, staring at the ceiling. The confession she had just made kept echoing in my mind. She trusted me enough to tell me she was Red Fox. Should I open up too? Should I tell her that I’m Vee – that I’ve been the one tipping her generously, watching her content, falling for both versions of her?

I sighed softly, careful not to wake her. The fear of ruining this beautiful new beginning kept me silent. Not yet. I didn’t want her to feel exposed or betrayed.

Eventually, exhaustion won, and I drifted off too, still holding her close.

***

Morning light filtered softly through the curtains when I woke up. Scarlett was still sleeping peacefully beside me, her face relaxed, one arm draped across my chest. I watched her for a long moment, a quiet warmth spreading through me. Last night had been everything – the confession, the laughter, the way she had asked me to be her boyfriend. It still felt a little unreal.

I didn’t want to wake her. Instead, I carefully slipped out of bed, pulled on my sweatpants and t-shirt, and headed to the kitchen. I wanted to do something nice for her. I moved quietly, finding eggs, bread, and a few things in her fridge. I decided on scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee-simple but warm,

The pan sizzled softly as I whisked the eggs. The smell of fresh coffee filled the small kitchen, I was just plating everything when I heard soft footsteps behind me,

Scarlett’s arms slid around my waist from behind in a gentle back hug. Her cheek pressed against my back. warm and sleepy.

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9:32 Tue, Jul 28

Chapter 145

“Good morning,” she murmured, her voice still husky from sleep.

I smiled, covering one of her hands with mine. “Good morning. How was your night?”

“Perfect,” she said softly, squeezing me a little tighter. “Best sleep I’ve had in a long time.”

VPN & FE

I turned around in her arms so I could face her. She looked adorable – messy hair, sleepy eyes, wearing one of my t-shirts that was too big on her. My heart did that familiar flip again.

I leaned in, wanting to kiss her.

She pulled back slightly with a small laugh. “Wait!”

“Why?”

“I haven’t brushed my teeth yet.”

I didn’t care. I cupped her face gently and kissed her anyway – slow and sweet, tasting the remnants of sleep and the quiet intimacy of the morning. She melted into it after a second, her hands resting on my chest as she kissed me back.

When we pulled apart, she was smiling, cheeks a little pink. “You’re impossible.”

“You love it,” I teased.

She laughed softly and went to brush her teeth. While she was in the bathroom, I finished setting the small table – plates, forks, and two mugs of coffee.

When she came back, we sat down together and ate. It was simple food, but the moment felt anything but simple. We talked quietly about nothing important – what we might do later, how the coffee tasted, silly little things. Every now and then our eyes would meet and we’d both smile, unable to hide how happy we were.

I watched her across the table, feeling a deep sense of peace. This; waking up together, making breakfast, and sharing a quiet morning was something I had wanted for so long.

And now it was real.

I didn’t leave right away.

After breakfast, Scarlett took my hand and led me back into her bedroom. She seemed a little nervous but determined as she opened her closet and pulled out a box. Inside were the things she used for her content — the red lace mask, the fiery wig, various lingerie sets, toys, and lighting equipment. She laid everything out on the bed quietly, showing me each item without any dramatic explanation.

I just stared.

My mind was spinning. I already knew every single piece. I mean, I had watched her use them for months as Vee after all. Seeing them in real life, in her actual bedroom, made the secret feel heavier than ever, I didn’t ask any questions. I didn’t want to push her or make her feel exposed. I just looked at the items in thoughtful silence

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9:32 Tue, Jul 28

Chapter 145

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Scarlett noticed my quietness. She tilted her head, studying me. “Why aren’t you even curious? You aren’t even asking anything like… what’s your username on the app and all that?”

I smiled softly and shook my head. “I don’t want to know. Since you’re stopping it soon, it doesn’t matter anymore.”

She searched my face for a moment, then smiled back, looking relieved. “Okay.”

We moved to the sitting room after that. She made popcorn and poured us both glasses of juice, and we settled on the couch to watch TV. It was a lazy, comfortable kind of afternoon – some random show playing in the background while we talked about small things, laughed at silly scenes, and occasionally fed each other popcorn. Her head rested on my shoulder at one point, and I wrapped an arm around her, feeling perfectly

content.

But eventually, the real world called.

“I should head back now,” I said reluctantly when the afternoon started turning into evening.

She nodded, though I could see she didn’t want me to go either. We stood up and walked to the door together. In the hallway, we hugged tightly. I held her close for a long moment, breathing in her scent, then pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.

“See you soon,” I whispered.

I turned to leave and froze.

My parents were standing in the passageway, staring at us with wide, shocked eyes.

My mother’s mouth was slightly open. My father looked between Scarlett and me like he couldn’t process what he was seeing.

The silence stretched, thick and awkward.

I felt Scarlett tense beside me. My own heart started racing. Of all the ways they could have found out about us, this was probably the worst possible timing.

“Viktor?” my mother finally said, her voice uncertain.

I swallowed hard, still holding Scarlett’s hand.

This was about to get complicated.

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9:32 Tue, Jul 28