I Swear I Still Hate Him (Atlas Lawson) novel Chapter 156

Chapter 156

Daisy’s POV

The table went quiet so fast it felt like someone turned the volume off.

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Atlas froze with his fork halfway to his mouth. Emery blinked, br smile slipping like she didn’t know which expression to wear. Rory just looked between us, eyebrows raised, waiting.

I forced myself to keep smiling pleasant and totally casual.

“I’m just thinking,” I added quickly, trying to make it sound like the most logical thing in the world. “Staying with Atlas wouldn’t that be uncomfortable?” I gave a small shrug. “You’d want your privacy. And squatting in your brother’s penthouse…” I let the word brother sit there on purpose. “I mean even if I adored my brother, I wouldn’t want to be all over his space.”

I watched Emery’s arms move immediately, like my little reminger had worked too well. She pulled them into her lap, away from where they’d been grazing Atlas’s arm. Her eyes flicked to im for half a second, then back to me.

Good. At least she understood the point.

Emery cleared her throat. “I… um…”

But Atlas cut in fast, like he could sense her wavering

“Mom,” he said, calm but firm. “Emery’s been through a lot. I don’t think it’s good for her to be alone right now.”

Then he tried to lighten the mood, tilting his head with a half-smile. “And come on… I’m not that hard to live with.”

He spread one hand like he was presenting himself. “I’m low-maintenance. I don’t shed, I don’t bark. I’m basically a really tall houseplant.”

Rory let out a laugh, leaning back in his chair. “That’s true,” he said, amused.

Then he looked at Atlas with this warm, grateful expression that made my plan immediately start falling apart.

“And if there’s anyone I want Emery with right now,” Rory added voice softer, “it’s you.”

I swear, my eyes almost rolled out of my head.

Rory, Honey. Please stop making this worse.

“I understand it’s just…Emmy,” I began as I stared back at her. “You’re gorgeous. Like, ridiculously gorgeous. ..And when you’re that beautiful,” I said softly, “people don’t just watch. They invent stories. Scandals can break out over nothing.” I gave her a sympathetic little look, like I hated the world for being the way it is. “And even when something isn’t true… guess who they point at first?”

I paused, just long enough for the implication to settle.

“You,” I finished gently. “They’d blame you. And I don’t want that for you. Not now. Not ever.”

Across the table, Atlas’s face hardened. His eyes flashed with what I believed was anger and disbelief.

“Mom.” His voice was low. Warning.

I didn’t flinch. I didn’t raise my voice. I just held my smile soft and patient, almost indulgent.

“What?” I asked, sweetly. “I’m just protecting her.”

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Chapter 156

Atlas leaned forward slightly, the muscle in his jaw jumping. “No mom, you’re accusing her.”

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“I’m not accusing anyone, I’m just being realistic.” I sighed, like pained me to be the responsible one. “I’d hate for her to get hurt by rumors. And I’d hate even more for your dad to hear something ugly and…” I glanced at Rory with a soft smile, have his heart broken over something that isn’t even true.”

Rory shifted uncomfortably, torn between wanting peace and wanting to defend his daughter.

Atlas’s hand tightened around his glass. “That’s enough…”

“It’s fine, Atlas,” Emery said, and then she looked at me with a smile on her face. “Atlas has been kind, and I’m grateful. But I’m already talking to my manager about a new place. So you don’t have to worry about privacy or… rumors.”

Atlas snapped his head toward her, eyes locked. “What?”

Emery’s gaze remained fixed on me, not even glancing back at Alas.

“Well, that’s amazing,” I said warmly. The tension eased, just a little, like someone loosened a knot but didn’t untie it. “I just care about your well-being, honey.”

Emery gave a polite nod. “Yeah… thanks, Daisy.”

“Of course,”

Then came the silence, Atlas didn’t say a word again. He just stared at his plate like it suddenly offended him. This was getting sticky, and I needed Rory out of the emotional crossfire before he noticed the weird energy and started asking questions.

So I pivoted.

Fast.

“So, Atlas,” I said brightly, turning to him, “Tell us about your last game.”

It worked like a charm. Rory’s eyes lit up immediately like he’d been waiting for permission. And for the next hour, we talked, or rather, Rory talked about hockey.

Hours passed, and finally, what I dreaded happened. Dinner ended, meaning Rory and I had to head back to his place….and Atlas and Emery would be alone together all night.

I thought about suggesting we stay over, just casually, like Oh, it’s late, why not? But even in my own head, it sounded suspicious as hell.

So I kept my mouth shut.

And the whole drive back, I smiled and nodded like everything was normal while my thoughts chewed through me.

****

Later that night, Rory was already half-asleep beside me, sprawled out on the bed like a man with no worries in the world.

I stared at the ceiling for a long minute before I finally whispered, “Rory.”

“Mmh,” he hummed, voice thick with sleep.

“Are you awake?”

He blinked slowly, turning his head toward me. “Yeah.” But his tone told the truth, he was like seventy percent asleep and thirty percent barely functioning.

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Chapter 156

I swallowed, choosing my words carefully,

“Aren’t you…. Worried about Atlas and Emery staying together?”

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Rory frowned, eyes barely open. “What? No.” He yawned. “It’s ju for a little while.. and honestly, after everything Em went through with that stalker, it’s probably good she’s not by herself

“I know but…you know when they were younger… There was something there.” I lowered my voice. “I just… I don’t want what happened last time to happen again.”

That woke him up. Rory’s eyes opened fully, and he looked at me like he finally heard what I was really saying.

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