He Married Me for the Heart Inside My Chest Chapter 06

He Married Me for the Heart Inside My Chest Chapter 06

“Lila, there’s a man downstairs asking for you.” 

It was the third morning. I was scrolling job sites when Wren’s landlord called. 

My heart sank. “What does he look like?” 

“Tall, broad, wears glasses, looks nice. Been standing at the door for almost an hour.” 

Silas Hale. 

I walked to the window, pulling back the curtain a crack. 

He stood at the building entrance, holding a paper bag, his jacket wrinkled like he’d slept on the plane. 

Wren peeked over my shoulder. “Want me to go send him away?” 

“No.” 

“What are you gonna do if he stays?” 

“Let him stand.” 

I closed the curtain, going back to the couch. 

But my heart raced, out of control. 

Not from nerves. Not from weakness. 

The heart itself was racing. 

It recognized the man downstairs. 

An hour later, the doorbell rang. 

I didn’t move. 

Wren glanced at me, then walked to the door. 

“Hi. I’m looking for Lila.” 

Silas’s voice, rougher than it was on the phone. 

“She doesn’t want to see you.” Wren blocked the 

doorway. 

“I know. But I need to talk to her in person.” 

“She doesn’t want to hear anything you have to 

say.” 

“Five minutes. That’s all.” 

“Silas,” Wren’s voice turned cold. “She blocked you. 

You flew all the way to the city. What do you call 

that?” 

“I call it not wanting to lose her.” 

I sat on the couch, listening, nails digging into my 

palms. 

Lose her. 

Lose her… or lose the heart in her chest? 

“Let him in,” I said. 

Wren turned, and I nodded. 

She stepped aside, and Silas walked in. 

Three days apart, and he looked gaunt, dark 

circles under his eyes, stubble on his jaw–like he’d 

lost his will to live. 

The second he saw me, his eyes glistened. 

“Lila.” 

“Sit.” I gestured to the chair across from me. 

He didn’t sit, just stood there, staring. 

“I read everything you wrote in the letter.” 

“Good. Did you sign the petition?” 

“Lila, let me explain…” 

“I don’t want explanations. I want you to answer 

one question.” 

He tightened his grip on the paper bag. “Ask.” 

“If the person who got Elowen’s heart three years. 

ago wasn’t me… would you have shown up to that 

blind date dinner?” 

His mouth opened. 

No sound came out. 

“Answer me.” 

“…I would have.” 

“You’re lying.” 

“I’m not! Lila, I admit I found you because of the 

heart at first, but after that…” 

“After what? After you fell in love with me?” I stood 

1. up. “Silas, you can’t even remember what I’m 

allergic to. And you say you love me?” 

His face went pale. “The vanilla thing was a mistake…” 

“What about our anniversary? You added it to your memo at 11:47 p.m. last night. Three years, and 

you never remembered it once.” 

He froze. 

“And the braised pork ribs, the white roses your 

leave at her grave every week, the folder on your 

hard drive labeled 520.” 

I listed each thing, my voice calm. 

“None of the kindness you gave me was mine. It 

was all hers.” 

Tears spilled down Silas’s cheeks. 

A six–foot man crying in someone’s living room- 

utterly pathetic. 

“Lila, I’m sorry.” 

“I don’t want your apology. I want you to sign the 

petition.” 

“I won’t sign it.” 

“Then wait two years. The court will grant it.” 

“Lila!” He stepped forward. I stepped back. 

“Don’t come near me.” 

He stopped, hands hanging useless at his sides. 

“I know I messed up. But these three years weren’t all fake. My feelings for you…” 

“Silas, your feelings for me are built on a heart. If I 

got someone else’s heart tomorrow, would you 

still be standing here?” 

Silence. 

The silence was the answer. 

Wren walked in from the kitchen, opening the door. 

“Time’s up. Leave.” 

Silas stared at me, lips moving, but no words 

came out. 

He set the paper bag on the shoe rack, then walked out. 

The second the door closed, my legs gave out, 

and I sank onto the couch. 

Wren walked over, glancing at the bag. 

“What’d he bring?” 

I didn’t move. She opened it, then fell quiet. 

“Well?” 

“Sweet & sour pork ribs,” she said. “Still warm.” 

I stared for a long time. 

Sweet & sour pork ribs. 

He finally remembered. 

But it was too late.