The Thief's Stolen Heart

Chapter Sixteen

Lynn was exhausted, but she really didn't mind. The reason was completely worth it.

Last night she spent hours with her father, talking and crying. There was a lot of crying. But it only meant that they were on the way to healing.

Lynn nearly fell asleep in the shower more than once and she almost fell asleep while getting dressed. But she was finally awake and moving, though she was taking her sweet time. She dressed in a loose tank top and a pair of black skinny jeans, then she jogged down to the kitchen for breakfast, even though it was nearly noon.

When she finished eating she went looking for Reece. He was the first to tell her to talk to her dad about things, so she wanted to share what had gone down yesterday. And she just wanted to hang out with him.

Reece was in the guest house feeling sick, but not from a health stand point. He knew that his time with Lynn had to end, the sooner the better. He had finally made the decision to run away, before she found out about the con. It was a cowardly thing to do, but he felt it was for the best.

He was throwing his things into his duffle bag when a knock sounded on his door. He froze, knowing that he and Lynn were the only ones at the mansion right now. His heart was beating harder than usual, for more than one reason. "It's open." He managed.

Lynn stepped into the room. "Finally cleaning up?" She teased.

"S-something like that." Reece dropped the bag onto the floor and turned to face her. "Hey, Princess. Sleep well?"

She shrugged. "Ish. I, uh, I actually took your advice. I talked to my dad."

Reece couldn't help his smile. "Really? That's good. How did things turn out?"

"Good... So far, anyway. We spent all night talking and... yeah." Lynn smiled as she met his eyes. "I don't know if I would have done it without you suggesting it first."

He shook his head. "No, you would have stood up to him without me. I mean, come on, you're Adalynn Caine."

Lynn blushed but laughed. "Okay, I suppose you're right."

Reece knew in that moment that Lynn had his heart in her hands, all to herself. And that made his decision even harder. "Lynn-"

"Oh! I saw something funny last night. You'll think it's hilarious." Lynn reached for her phone and frowned. "I left it in my room. I'll be right back."

"Lynn-" she was already out of the room. Reece fell onto the bed, running his hands over his face. "Shit." This was going to be the hardest thing he would probably ever do. He didn't want to let her go, but he had to.

Lynn ran into her room, and she found her phone easily because it was ringing. She looked at the number, and it looked somewhat familiar, so she answered. "Hello?"

"Hi, is this Adalynn Caine?" A girl's voice came.

"Um, yeah, this is her. May I ask who is calling?"

"I'm Leela Jonas, a fellow millionaire's daughter. I'm glad you answered, I was afraid you wouldn't since it was a random number calling you."

"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry, but is there a reason that you are calling me?" Lynn asked, completely thrown off by this girl. What could she want?

"I just wanted to warn you before it's too late. The other day I thought I saw you out with a guy named Reece."

Lynn was confused, and unease was creeping in. "What about Reece?"

"So it was him. Reece showed up in my life randomly a few months ago. It was amazing, but it wasn't for very long." Leela paused. "Reece is a con man. He is only getting close to you to get your money. I know because it's what he did to me."

The world fell out from under Lynn's feet, and it felt like an icicle shot through her chest. "Wh-what? That- that's not true. It can't be."

"I'm sorry, Adalynn. I'm just looking out for others that could be tricked like I was." Leela sounded genuine, but Lynn barely heard her.

Her ears were ringing, her vision was darkening. The phone fell from her hand, thudding onto the carpet.

It was all a lie? Every moment, every feeling was a lie? A trick? Reece was acting the whole time just to get close to her for money? She didn't have her own money.

Lynn's heart fell shattered in her chest, and it felt like she couldn't breathe. Her eyes burned with tears. None of it was real.

With numb legs, Lynn left her room and went to the guest house as everything inside her froze over and broke. She pushed the bedroom door open, eyes wide and blurry with unshed tears.

Reece looked up from his phone and stopped short when he saw her. "What's wrong?"

"It was all a lie, wasn't it?" Lynn's voice came out small, barely audible. Her eyes met his, the look in her green irises broke his heart.

"What?"

The dam seemed to break. "It was all a damn lie!" Lynn cried, voice breaking. "I trusted you, Reece! Do you know how hard it is for me to trust anyone?"

Reece's world stopped. She knew. "Lynn-"

"Don't." Lynn took an abrupt step back. "Don't call me that, don't touch me. I can't believe I was so stupid!" Anger was boiling up in her chest, and she let it. "Everything you ever did, everything you said was a lie, and I believed all of it!"

"Let me explain-"

"What the hell is there to explain, Reece? You came here for money. Well, news flash, I don't have money! My father does." Her throat tightened. "You toyed with my heart just to satisfy your greed."

Reece was feeling desperate, scared, and heart broken all at once. He had to explain everything. "Please listen to me."

"Why would I? Just to hear you spout more lies?" Lynn stepped back again as Reece tried reaching for her again. "You're right about one thing. You're not like the assholes I'm surrounded by." She met his eyes. "You are worse."

She just ripped his heart out, and still he wanted to wipe away her tears and hold her again. "Lynn, I-"

"Get out." She snapped bitterly. "I don't want to see you or your grandfather ever again. I should call the police and have you arrested, but..." Her voice broke again. "I can't." She whispered.

"Lynn, my grandfather-"

"Get out, Reece!" Lynn shoved him. "Just leave! I don't want to hear from you or see you ever again!" She was still pushing him, and he let her. "Just go before I change my mind!"

"Lynn!"

She ran out of there, needing to get away from him for good. When she got in her room she slammed the door closed and fell back against it. She slid to the ground and a heart broken sob ripped from her chest as she dropped her head into her hands.

Lynn fell for Reece. Hard. But it wasn't real. None of it was. She opened her heart to him and he smashed it into pieces. Her whole body shook with her sobs as she cried with anger and sadness. Anger that she believed the lies. Sadness that she really was alone, that she couldn't truly share things with him.

But no words could describe the true amount of hurt that she was feeling. No words could heal her.

* * *

Reece knew there was no fixing this. He had waited too long. And now Lynn was hurt because of him. She had every right to hate him. He just wished that he could explain himself. But he knew better than anyone that broken hearts couldn't listen.

So he finished packing his things, and he left the Caine mansion for good.

Not trusting his voice, he messaged his grandfather that they were found out, and to avoid stealing from Mr. Caine so that they weren't arrested.

As he drove away from the mansion, from the girl that gave him life, Reece only felt a dark, crushing weight on his mind and heart. A feeling that he knew would be there for the rest of his life.

Lynn was gone. She would never be his, and he would never be hers. Even as he left his heart behind.

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Am I evil? Maybe :-P Thanks for reading (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)