第60章 第60章

**The 60th Chapter: The Rift**

Lemuel's words hung in the air, like a challenge thrown down. Nova's face was a mask of anger and hurt, her eyes blazing with a fury that made Lemuel's heart skip a beat. For a moment, they just stared at each other, the tension between them palpable.

"I know I should have told you the truth," Lemuel repeated, his voice low and measured. "But I didn't think you'd be able to handle it."

Nova's laughter was a cold, mirthless thing. "Handle it?" she spat, her voice venomous. "You think I can't handle the truth? You think I'm some fragile little flower that's going to shatter into a million pieces because you lied to me?"

Lemuel winced at the venom in her words, but he stood his ground. "I didn't mean to hurt you, Nova. I just...I didn't think it was worth the risk."

Nova's eyes narrowed. "Worth the risk? You mean the risk of me finding out the truth and leaving you? Of me not being the same person I was when you met me?"

Lemuel's eyes dropped, his shoulders sagging under the weight of her words. "I didn't think about it like that," he admitted, feeling a pang of guilt.

Nova's laughter was a cold, cruel thing. "Of course you didn't," she said, her voice dripping with disdain. "You're a hunter, Lemuel. You're used to manipulating people, using them to get what you want. But I'm not one of your pawns, Lemuel. I'm not one of your playthings."

Lemuel's eyes flashed with anger at her words, but he knew she was right. He had used her, manipulated her, to get to the information he needed. And now, it seemed, she was done with him.

Nova turned on her heel and walked away, leaving Lemuel standing there, feeling like the lowest piece of garbage in the galaxy.

As he watched her go, Lemuel felt a pang of regret. He had never meant to hurt her, never meant to betray her trust. But he had, and now it seemed, it was too late to fix things.

He stood there for a long time, feeling the weight of his mistakes bearing down on him. Finally, with a heavy heart, he turned and walked away, wondering what the future held for him, and for his relationship with Nova.

But as he walked, he couldn't shake the feeling that Nova was far from done with him yet. That she was just biding her time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike back.

And Lemuel knew that when that moment came, he would be ready. For he was a hunter, and he would not go down without a fight.

The chapter ends with a sense of tension and unease, as Lemuel walks away from Nova, unsure of what the future holds. But one thing is certain: the storm that has been brewing between them is far from over.