THE TRUTH THAT BURNS
Chapter 1: The Pain of a Lie
Riven Hale sat behind his massive desk, his fingers tapping rhythmically against the polished wood. Across from him, a man in a tailored suit was speaking—his voice smooth, practiced. But Riven wasn’t listening to the words. He was waiting for the pain.
And then it came.
A sharp, stabbing sensation spread across his chest, like a knife twisting beneath his ribs. His jaw tightened.
The man kept talking, unaware that every false word felt like fire against Riven’s skin.
"Our company has always been loyal to Hale Industries, Mr. Hale. We only seek a fair partnership."
Another sharp pang. Another lie.
Riven leaned back in his chair, his expression unreadable. He had mastered the art of hiding his reactions. If there was one thing he had learned over the years, it was that people would always lie to him. They lied for money. They lied for power. They lied for love.Another sharp pang. Another lie.
"I will personally ensure this deal benefits both of us."
The pain in his chest spiked, but Riven didn’t flinch. He simply exhaled, slow and measured. Then he stood up.
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
You’re wasting my time. *His voice was calm, almost bored*
The man blinked. “Excuse me?”
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
I said, you’re wasting my time. *Riven adjusted his cufflinks, his tone like ice* I don’t work with liars.
The man’s face paled. “I—I don’t understand—”
Riven shot him a cold, knowing look. The silence stretched. The man swallowed hard. Then, without another word, he grabbed his briefcase and left the office.
He had built his empire on logic, not trust. No one got close. No one mattered. That was how he survived.
AUTHOR
A girl/boy told me to make a story similar to my other story 'my second life'
Chapter 2: When the Lies Began
Riven was ten years old when he first felt it.
At first, it was just a dull ache—a strange tightness in his chest, like something wasn’t right. But then, as his mother spoke, it sharpened into a piercing pain that made him wince.
STELLA HALE/ELLA/MC'S MOTHER
Riven, sweetheart, I’ll be home tonight. I promise
He believed her.
That night, he sat at the grand dining table, his legs swinging beneath the chair, waiting. The clock ticked. His food grew cold. The ache in his chest remained.
Midnight came.
His mother never did.
The next morning, when she finally returned—her silk dress wrinkled, her lipstick faded—she kissed his forehead and smiled.
STELLA HALE/ELLA/MC'S MOTHER
I missed you, my love
The pain stabbed through him so suddenly he gasped.
It wasn’t confusion. It wasn’t sadness. It was something deeper—something he couldn’t understand yet.
But he knew, somehow, that she wasn’t telling the truth.
That was the first time. But it wasn’t the last.
> "Your father is in a meeting, sweetheart. He wanted to be here."
Lie.
> "Your friends like you for who you are, not because of your name."
Lie.
> "I'll always be here for you."
Lie. Lie. Lie.
At twelve, he stopped asking questions. It was easier that way. If he didn’t ask, he wouldn’t have to feel the pain of knowing.
At thirteen, he tried telling himself it didn’t matter.
> "Everyone lies. That doesn’t mean they don’t love you."
But when he told himself that, the pain came.
And that was when he realized—
Even he couldn’t lie to himself.
---
At fourteen, he decided to test it.
He asked his best friend, Oliver, a simple question.
> "Would you still be my friend if I wasn’t a Hale?”
Oliver laughed. “Obviously, man. You’re like my brother.”
The pain hit him instantly.
Riven smiled, nodded, and walked away. That was the last time they ever spoke.
By fifteen, he had mastered the art of silence. He stopped asking, stopped hoping, stopped believing in people altogether.
By sixteen, he realized something else.
Love was just another kind of lie.
Present Day – Age 28
Riven stood at the floor-to-ceiling windows of his penthouse, staring down at the city. It was a view most people would envy—the endless skyline, the bright lights of success.
But to him, it was just a reminder.
He had built this empire on cold, hard truth. He didn’t let people close. He didn’t trust. He didn’t love.
And he didn’t need to.
Because love was a lie. And lies burned.
And Riven Hale refused to burn for anyone ever again.
Chapter 3: The New Assistant
The elevator doors slid open with a soft chime.
Ethan Park stepped into the towering Hale Industries headquarters, his hands clutching a leather-bound notebook. His heart pounded in his chest.
He had read all about Riven Hale—the ruthless CEO, the man who built his empire with nothing but raw intelligence and an almost terrifying ability to see through people. Some called him a genius. Others called him a monster.
ETHAN PARK/ETHAN/MC'S ASSISTANT
This is it, my first day
Ethan wasn’t sure which one was true.
But he was about to find out.
The office was pristine. Sleek. Cold.
Ethan swallowed as he stood outside the massive doors of the CEO’s office. The secretary, a woman with sharp eyes, barely spared him a glance.
“Good luck,” she muttered, pressing a button to unlock the door.
That… wasn’t comforting.
Ethan took a deep breath and stepped inside.
The first thing he noticed was the silence.
The second was Riven Hale.
The man sat behind an imposing desk, dressed in a crisp black suit, his sleeves rolled up just enough to reveal strong forearms. He was effortlessly elegant, his dark eyes sharp and unreadable.
He didn’t look up.
ETHAN PARK/ETHAN/MC'S ASSISTANT
*Ethan scrambled into the chair across from him, gripping his notebook tighter* Uh—yes, sir.
Riven finally glanced at him, his gaze cool and assessing.
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
You’re the new assistant?
ETHAN PARK/ETHAN/MC'S ASSISTANT
Yes, Mr. Hale. Ethan Park.
Silence.
Ethan shifted in his seat, suddenly feeling very small under Riven’s stare. He had prepared for this job. He was organized, hardworking, and determined to do well.
But something about Riven made him nervous.
It wasn’t his presence. It wasn’t even the rumors.
It was the way Riven was looking at him now—like he was waiting for something.
Then Riven spoke.
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
Are you lying to me, Ethan Park?
ETHAN PARK/ETHAN/MC'S ASSISTANT
*Blinked* W-What?
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
*Riven leaned back, studying him with a gaze that felt almost… curious* I asked if you were lying.
ETHAN PARK/ETHAN/MC'S ASSISTANT
*Frowned* About what?
Another long pause. Then, to his shock, Riven’s lips curved into something almost like amusement.
RIVEN HALE/RIVEN/MC
Interesting, *he murmured*
Ethan had no idea what that meant.
But he had a feeling working for Riven Hale was going to be nothing like he expected.
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