The Rejected True Heiress (Liora and Callum) novel Chapter 492

Chapter 492 

He exhaled. 

“I’m trying to be smart about this, Liora. I know how it looks. I know how it feels from where you’re standing. But if Bianca thinks I’ve moved on, if she thinks she has a real shot with me, then that means she’s looking at me. Not at you.” 

I stared at him. He held my gaze steadily. 

“You’re still going along with it,” I said slowly. “Keeping your distance. Letting her think—” 

“Yeah.” 

I thought about the tournament that afternoon. Callum on the dais, leaning down to say something to Bianca. Her hand on his arm. I’d looked away because I couldn’t stand the thought of him going back to her now that she had a title. But now I wondered if I was wrong. 

“What were you talking to her about today? At the tournament.” I asked. 

“Making her think she has a chance,” he said simply. “The more convinced she is that I might come back to her, the more distracted she’ll be when it comes to you.” 

I let out a slow breath. A laugh came out with it, low and wry and completely humorless. “I thought you were actually considering it. Because of her new title.” 

“Is that what you really think of me?” he asked. “Liora, you know I would never go back to Bianca. I don’t care what title she’s holding. I don’t care if your father names her heir to every kingdom from here to the ends of the planet. I would never.” 

Something in my chest loosened in a way that I hadn’t expected, only to be replaced by guilt. Despite everything, he was the same Callum I once loved. The same Callum I still loved. That hadn’t changed, even if our relationship had, and I hadn’t given him the benefit of the doubt. 

“I still care about you,” he said. “That hasn’t changed for me.” He paused. “I just need you to trust that I know what I’m doing. Even when it doesn’t look like it.” 

I looked at him for a moment. The lamplight from the window fell across half his face and left the rest in shadow. 

“Do you think…” I took a breath, trying to hold the words back, but the alcohol was loosening my tongue and they slipped out before I could stop them. “Do you think there could be a future for us?” 

Callum looked at the floor again and said nothing. 

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