Never Lie Chapter 40 (Chapter 39): Adrienne Confronts EJ’s Ultimate Demand

⚠️ Spoiler Notice

This page contains detailed spoilers for Chapter 40 of Never Lie. If you have not yet read through this chapter, proceed with caution.

Summary

Adrienne sends Luke home early, pretending to have a headache. She does not tell him about the video EJ has been using to blackmail her or about the meeting she agreed to. She believes she must handle the situation alone. Her plan is to offer EJ a large sum of money to make him disappear.

When EJ arrives, Adrienne immediately offers him a check, but he dismisses money. He informs her that his parents recently died in a car crash—exactly as he had described to her in a session—and that he inherited their estate. He no longer needs pills or cash. Instead, he reveals his true demand: he wants Adrienne to strip and let him do anything he wishes to her.

Adrienne refuses and threatens to call the police. EJ then pulls out his phone and shows her a second video—this one of Luke breaking into EJ’s house to steal the laptop containing the first video. The footage documents Luke using a letter opener to open a desk drawer and accessing the computer. EJ blackmails her with this new evidence, threatening Luke’s career unless she complies.

Trapped, Adrienne feels physically ill. EJ offers her a few days to think it over, then leaves. The chapter ends with her alone, trembling on the sofa, uncertain what to do.

Key Events

Adrienne fakes a headache and sends Luke away to keep him out of danger.
She waits for EJ alone, intending to bribe him with cash.
EJ arrives and announces his parents’ death, rendering money irrelevant.
He makes a sexual demand: Adrienne must submit to any act he desires.
Adrienne refuses and threatens to call the police.
EJ reveals a second video showing Luke breaking into his house.
He uses the video of Luke to tighten his hold on Adrienne.
He leaves her to think it over, confident she will give in.

Character Development

Adrienne Hale — She tries to take control of the crisis but quickly discovers her leverage is gone. Her determination to protect Luke forces her to consider sacrificing herself. This chapter shows her deepening desperation and guilt for having involved Luke.
EJ — His earlier narcissistic tendencies are confirmed as full psychopathy. He is patient, calculating, and willing to destroy multiple lives to get what he wants. His inheritance and second video reveal a methodical predator who planned this escalation.
Luke — Though absent from the scene, his fate hangs in the balance. The video evidence threatens his career as a security specialist, making him an innocent victim of Adrienne’s choices.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Blackmail as a weapon — EJ uses surveillance footage not only to control Adrienne but also to attack Luke, showing how a single recorded moment can be twisted into a cage.
The illusion of control — Adrienne believes she can negotiate her way out, but EJ’s inheritance strips away every option she prepared. The theme of professional versus personal power is echoed: as a psychiatrist she misdiagnosed him, and as a woman she now faces a predator.
Psychopathy vs. narcissism — The chapter draws a clear line between the two. EJ’s charm was a mask; underneath lies a complete lack of empathy. His description of his parents’ death mirrors his earlier fantasy, emphasizing the pathology.
Sacrifice and guilt — Adrienne’s willingness to endure assault to protect Luke illustrates the weight of her earlier decision to involve him.

Why This Chapter Matters

This is the turning point of the novel. The stakes escalate from professional ruin to physical violation, and the threat now targets Luke as well. Adrienne’s last hope—money—vanishes with EJ’s inheritance. The chapter leaves the reader with an urgent question: how far will she go to save herself and the people she cares about? It also deepens the psychological horror genre by showing a villain who exploits every vulnerability.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Adrienne send Luke away before EJ arrives? She wants to protect Luke from the danger and from her shame. She also fears his anger if he learns about the second video, and she believes she must confront the mess she created on her own.

2. How does EJ’s inheritance change the power dynamic? Without needing money or pills, EJ is no longer susceptible to the usual bribes. His wealth gives him freedom to focus on sexual coercion, and the video of Luke gives him leverage over both Adrienne and Luke simultaneously, eliminating her last bargaining chip.

3. What does the second video reveal about EJ’s character? It shows he anticipated Adrienne’s attempt to retrieve the footage and set a trap. The video proves he is not merely impulsive but a patient, strategic predator who enjoys watching his victims squirm before he closes the net.