He raised his hand slightly.
"Before you answer that, I want you to know I'm not forcing you. You can leave now and just ignore what I said."
Samantha was stunned.
The option sounded simple.
But it didn't feel that way.
Because leaving now would mean walking away from information she had already heard. It would mean pretending none of it mattered.
She was being played by him.
"Take your time." Lex wasn't rushing. He gave space, like he was letting her reach the conclusion on her own.
That made it worse.
Because nothing felt forced.
Samantha frowned slightly. "So what happens to me if I know the truth?"
"You have to carry the burden of knowing it."
That detail stuck more than it should have. Her mind tried to form a full picture, but it only filled the blanks with guesses.
"Alright, tell me."
Lex closed his eyes and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, his body moved on instinct. He grabbed her and jumped.
Seconds later, the gas station exploded.
BOOOOM!
