Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 280

Chapter 280

Grayson’s POV-

Lillian leaned down and picked up the newspaper. With it in her hands, she stepped even farther away from me, putting more distance between us. Not Just physically. The gap between our hearts seemed to be opening again, like an impassable canyon.

Odette’s intrusion had been for this exact purpose, no doubt. With how conniving she was, I wouldn’t be surprised if I learned she had planted that reporter in the gardens simply to capture a photo of Lillian and I together to

fabricate this exact moment.

“Lily,” I said, stepping toward her.

She stepped away, maintaining the same distance.

“Don’t worry what the newspapers say,” I told her. “That paper specifically has always been sensational. They will post everything to get readership.”

“But is it wrong?” she asked, her voice quiet, lilting. Not like her at all. “You are engaged to someone else now. I am a homewrecker, aren’t I?”

Anger surged through me. Not at Lillian, but at this misapprehension she seemed to still hold about all of this. Moving toward her, I grabbed the newspaper from her hands and tossed it away.

“I don’t want this marriage with Odette,” I stressed. “I’ve never wanted her. If there’s any hardship about this farce, let Odette and the Queen figure it out.”

“But… maybe it would be easier if I just left…”

“No,” I said, my entire body completely rejecting that idea down to my sinew and bone. I clutched her by the upper arms, made her look at me. “My life is better because you and the children are in it. Before you returned, I was walking around entirely lost, trapped in darkness. You and the children are the only bright spots in my life now.”

“Grayson…”

I could sense her softening toward me. My words must have affected her. This gave me hope, however foolishly, that I might have still have a chance into Lillian’s heart.

A future with her and the children was enough to give me strength to continue on.

I wanted to kiss her, to force the issue, but I held myself back. This was not the place, and certainly not the time.

Lillian had experienced a trauma, and she needed me to be here for her. I would. Easily. I would be her strength when she had none.

She lowered her head a moment. “Do you believe me? That I truly saw Teacher in the crowd?”

Did I? She had experienced a severe trauma. It would make sense for her to imagine anything that might give her

comfort in that moment.

But… she believed she had seen it, and that was enough for me.

“It would make sense for him to be here,” I reasoned. “He had a previous relationship with Gamma, right? When he was training you at your mother’s behest. He had an opinion of the man from then, no doubt. He could have wanted to see the deed done himself.”

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“But how could he disappear?”

don’t know, “Tadmitted. “But I have no reason to doubt you.”

Still clutching her arms, I inched closer.

“I believe you, Lily. I believe in you. I have for a long time, and I always will.”

She softened farther, and nodded. “Thank you.”

“You don’t have to thank me for that.”

“I do,” she said. “You don’t know how truly rare it is to have infallible support like that. I’m not even sure I had seen him for myself, but you are confident. And that helps me feel less… crazy.”

“You aren’t crazy,” I insisted.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she looked away. After a moment, she looked back at me, stronger. “If he was really there, then he ran away when I came near. Why? Why run? Why hide? Why not show himself so we could at least have a conversation?”

“I don’t know,” I told her. “He’s a mysterious man. There are many unanswered questions about him. I wish I had the answers for you, Lily, but I don’t.”

“Only he knows,” she said. “Even if I could ask him, he might not tell me.” She sighed. “I just wish he would give me the chance to ask him.”

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