Too Late To Love Me I Already Left With His Twins (Lydia and Dave) novel Chapter 14

Lydia POV

After the whole wardrobe disaster, I decided I had officially had enough.

Not enough in a drarnatic, suitcase–on–the–floor, I’in–running–away kind of way.

Just enough in the quiet, dangerous way where I realized I had been in that house for almost eight weeks and was starting to behave like a very well–fed prisoner.

Yes, I had peace.

Yes, nobody was breathing down my neck.

Yes, I could wake up whenever I wanted, take my courses in silence, and exist without my mother assigning, me

emotional labor before breakfast.

But also?

I had somehow spent almost two months inside one house like a decorative hostage with Wi–Fi.

And that was insane.

So that morning, after breakfast, I stood in front of my wardrobe and decided I was going out.

Not to the garden. 1

Not to “take in fresh air” like some rich neglected wife in a period drama.

Out.

Into actual civilization.

Into traffic.

Into noise.

Into people.

Into life.

I reached for the only sensible outfit in the entire luxury identity crisis hanging in my wardrobe.

Black fitted shorts.

A white tube top.

A cropped jacket.

Face cap.

Simple.

Comfortable.

I looked at myself in the mirror and nodded once.

Human enough.

1/5

When I came downstairs, Bernard was near the dining area checking something on his tablet.

He looked up immediately.

“Good afternoon, ma’am.”

༩༽

+15 Bonus

is agnus

“Afternoon, Bernard.”

His eyes flicked over my outfit once, professionally neutral.

“Are you heading out?”

“Yes.”

“Would you like the driver to prepare the car?”

I almost laughed.

That was exactly how it starts.

First a driver.

Then a schedule.

Then before you know it, I’m waving from the backseat of a tinted car like a reluctant politician’s wife.

“No,” I said, picking up my phone. “I’m going by myself.”

There was the tiniest pause.

Not judgment.

Just surprise.

Then he nodded. “Very well, ma’am.”

I slipped my sandals on and headed for the door before anyone could “for my safety” me back into captivity.

Outside, the air felt different. 1

Warmer.

Looser.

Alive.

I booked a ride before I could overthink it and got in with the kind of satisfaction usually reserved for criminals escaping a very nice prison.

The city passed in a blur of movement and sound.

Street vendors.

Glass buildings.

Traffic lights.

People crossing roads like laws were optional.

It was noisy and imperfect and real.

2/5

+15 Bonus

is agnus

།

And by the time the car pulled up in front of my favorite café, I was already in a better mood.

The smell hit me before I even stepped fully inside.

Coffee.

Warm milk.

Pastries.

Vanilla.

That low hum of quiet conversations and espresso machines and people minding their own business.

It was ridiculous how relieved I felt.

Like my body had been waiting for proof that the outside world still existed.

I inhaled once and almost smiled.