EMILIAThe week leading up to Zane’s cruise goes by faster than I thought it would.I keep myself busy at the bakery, but it’s impossible to ignore how empty it feels without Liam popping in like he used to. Cam stops by once or twice, but after a while, he starts making excuses — something about Coach doubling down on practice. I don’t push. I know it’s really about Liam.I told Liam not to contact me until the cruise, and to my surprise, he’s actually listening. No texts. No calls. Nothing.It should feel like a win. It doesn’t.By the time Friday rolls around, I’m packed and ready to leave for Chicago. The bakery is closing early, so I spend the afternoon in Tessa’s apartment, double-checking my suitcase and trying not to check my phone.But when I finally do, there’s nothing. No missed calls. No messages. Just silence.I exhale and shake it off. This is what I wanted.Right?I toss my phone onto the bed and zip up my suitcase, trying to ignore the weird knot in my stomach. It’s no
LIAM The drive to the airport is quiet. Not the comfortable kind of quiet — the kind that sits heavy in the air, making it hard to breathe. Emilia shifts beside me, her fingers playing with the hem of her skirt. I can tell she wants to say something, but every time she glances my way, she looks down at her lap instead. I tap my fingers against the steering wheel, debating whether to turn on the radio. Maybe music would make this less awkward. But before I can, I hear Emilia take a slow breath. “You sleep okay?” I ask. My voice comes out rougher than I intended. It’s such an awkward question. I don’t think I’ve ever even asked anyone this before. She exhales a laugh, barely more than a breath. “Not really. You?” “Same.” Silence again. A car honks somewhere behind us, breaking the tension for half a second. But the quiet settles back in, just as heavy as before. I want to say more. Ask her if she’s been eating well, if she’s okay, if we’re okay. But the words knot in my throat,
LIAM The hum of the plane fills the silence between us. Emilia’s fingers are still laced with mine, her grip is not as tight as before but it’s still there. I don’t mention it, though. I also don’t mention how warm her hand is, or how her thumb rests just slightly against mine, like she forgot to move it. She’s staring out the window now, her book abandoned in her lap. She hasn’t turned a page in fifteen minutes. “See anything interesting?” I ask, my voice low. She turns her head, eyes flicking to mine. “Clouds.” “Fascinating.” She rolls her eyes, but there’s a small, almost reluctant smile playing on her lips. “You asked.” I lean back in my seat, shifting slightly so our arms touch again. “I did. But you could’ve lied. Told me you saw something cool. A UFO. A portal to another dimension. Something.” She huffs a quiet laugh. “Right. Next time, I’ll make up a story.” “Looking forward to it.” Her fingers twitch slightly against mine, and I swear I feel a spark run up my arm.
EMILIAWhen I finally wake up, we’re already in Chicago.I blink, trying to shake off the fog of sleep, only to realize—I’m way too close to Liam.Like, basically pressed against him.My cheek is on his shoulder, my hand resting somewhere near his chest, and — oh God — his arm is draped across my lap like it just ended up there.Heat floods my face as I sit up way too fast.Liam stirs beside me, lifting his head. His voice is rough with sleep. “You’re up?”“You let me sleep?” I whisper, my eyes darting around. The plane is still moving, taxiing down the runway, but people are already stretching, gathering their bags.“You looked comfortable.” He shrugs, running a hand through his hair. His very messy, just-woke-up hair.I swallow. “You should’ve woken me.”He smirks, lazily, like he knows something I don’t. “Yeah? You seemed pretty happy where you were.”I open my mouth, then close it again. I was not.Was I?No. Definitely not.I clear my throat, looking away. “Well… thanks, I guess
EMILIALiam doesn’t stop moving, doesn’t loosen his grip, doesn’t even look back. He just pulls me through the chaos like he’s the only thing keeping me grounded. And maybe he is. The cameras flash, reporters shout, but all I can focus on is the warmth of his hand wrapped around mine.We break through the crowd, and only then does he slow down. But his grip? Still firm. Like he’s afraid if he lets go, I’ll disappear.He turns to me, his jaw tight, his chest rising and falling like he’s barely holding himself together. “If something is ever not okay,” he starts, voice low but edged with anger. Then he looks at me, and the anger melts into something else — something raw. “Tell me.”I open my mouth, but nothing comes out.Liam shakes his head, his fingers tightening around mine. “You’re not going on this cruise alone, Emilia. I’m here. With you. So when something makes you uncomfortable, when you don’t like something — what’s the first thing you should do?”My heart is still thump, thump
EMILIA He’s standing near the entrance, laughing at something one of his friends said. Becca is tucked into his side, she’s practically glowing with happiness. Her smile is so breathtaking it knocks the breath out of my lungs.She looks beautiful, but for once, that painful knot of jealousy in my chest that grows around a beautiful woman doesn’t come. Not even a little.Not like it used to.I think back on how insecure I used to be around Tessa. Sometimes it’s hard not to be, but I don’t find myself comparing my every flaw to her perfections anymore.Or maybe it’s because I tossed out the maternity gowns Zane loved to stuff me into and finally started doing what I want. Wearing clothes I like, putting on makeup because I want to.A smile tugs at my lips.But before it can fully form, Zane looks up.And freezes.I can see shock take over him like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over his head. He looks at me from head to toe, like he can’t quite trust his eyes.It must be horrible, k
The staff takes care of our luggage, wheeling it away toward the cabins. But since they’re off-limits until midnight, Liam and I are left with nothing to do. It doesn’t take much to convince me to go exploring with him, so we run off the second we can and leave Becca and Zane to their own world. I thought the ship was massive when I first stepped on, but now, as I take it all in, I realize I underestimated just how big it really is. It’s gorgeous, but also overwhelming. Like a city floating on water. There are three floors above the one we’re currently walking through, and if the rest of the ship looks anything like this, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. We’re at the atrium now, and it’s breathtaking. A massive glass dome stretches above us, letting the last bits of sunlight pour through. There’s a grand staircase in the center, wide and elegant, leading to the upper decks. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a golden glow over everything. Soft music plays in the back
I don’t realize I’m shaking until Liam gently rubs his thumb over my knuckles. The anger, the fire — I felt invincible a second ago, but now? Now, my hands feel ice cold.“You okay?” Liam asks, voice low.I nod. Then I lie. “Yeah.”But when he tugs me closer, when I feel the warmth of him against me, something cracks deep inside my chest.It’s not just the name-calling. It’s not just being labeled the hockey slut or called a puck bunny. It’s the way that’s all I’ve ever been treated like.Wanting to stay by Zane’s side turned into years of watching my autonomy slip through my fingers, piece by piece. And I let it happen — because I was so convinced that the ring on my finger, his last name next to mine, would make it all worth it. That losing myself would somehow be worth it.I didn’t want to be just Zane’s pocket girlfriend, always by his side, on every plane to his games, tucked away in every hotel room in case he needed a release.It was so fucking exhausting.Pretending to hate gi
EMILIALiam has been gone longer than I expected.I frown. Didn’t he just go to get the door? It shouldn’t take this long.I try not to let my mind spiral, but it’s hard when everything seems to be crashing down around me.First, Stone and all the memories he dragged back into my life. Now, this — my family’s name, plastered across the internet like a headline in some twisted fairy tale.I force myself to move. I slip into the bathroom, letting the hot water run over me, washing away the weight in my chest. I focus on breathing, on standing still, on the small victory of not collapsing under the pressure of everything that’s gone wrong.I try not to think about the last time I spoke to my family.My mother’s voice, sharp and unrelenting. My father’s heavy silence, his disappointment louder than any words he could have said. My younger sister’s glare, filled with a resentment I fully understand.I shut my eyes. Think of the good things, Em. Don’t drown in everything that’s happened.By
BECCASometimes, I wonder why I even try.A year and a half ago, I stared down at those two pink lines, my hands shaking, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst. I was finally going to be a mother. Just like I’d always dreamed of.But dreams are funny things, aren’t they?Because the reality was nothing like the fairytale I’d imagined.The father of my baby — the man I loved — wasn't the man I thought he was. He hadn’t just broken up with his girlfriend of ten years like he’d claimed. No, he was still with her. Still choosing her.But he had an excuse, of course. She’s fragile, he told me. If I leave too soon, she might do something to herself. Just be patient, Becca. Just wait.So I did.I counted the days, the weeks, the months, waiting for the moment he’d finally be mine.But when my belly grew and my career stalled, when I had to disappear from the world to hide my pregnancy — where was he then?Not with me.I gave up job offers. I went on a year-long hiatus. I spent m
LIAMIs this what people mean by saved by the bell?Because in no universe do I want to talk about what Jess means to me right now. Not with Emilia. Not when I can’t even explain the dark, ugly feeling that sank its claws into my chest the second I saw that headline. The second Emilia broke down in my arms.Like there wasn’t a damn thing I wouldn’t do to make whoever wrote that article pay.And they will pay. Even if it’s the last thing I do.I push off the bed and grab the chocolate-stained containers from Emilia’s hands. I can’t help but smirk. She eats like a chipmunk, cheeks puffed, a little smear of chocolate at the corner of her mouth. The sight makes something tight in my chest loosen just a little.Knock. Knock.The sound cuts through the room. Again. I can already feel a headache coming. Hopefully, the intruder will realise they’re really not wanted and turn back around or whatever.I sigh. “How about you go wash up? I’ll get the door.”She nods, looking almost relieved that
Who’s real? Who’s not? Emilia Janice Carter, the poor bakery owner, or Emily Margaux Vanderbilt, the estranged daughter of billionaire couple Genevieve and Andrew Vanderbilt?The headline loops in my mind, over and over, like a bad dream I can’t wake up from.My stomach twists violently, and I hunch over the toilet, retching.Liam is right beside me, one hand rubbing slow, soothing circles on my back, the other holding my hair away from my face. His touch is steady and reassuring, but I can hear the worry in his voice.“Breathe, love. Just breathe.”I squeeze my eyes shut. I can’t breathe.Because it’s out now.The truth.The secret I’ve spent years protecting.Exposed for the whole world to see.Liam helps me up and I stand in front of the mirror, leaning onto the sink for support. I open the tap, rinse my mouth and face. My movements are automated and I can vaguely feel Liam let go of me.Then I hear the sound of the toilet flush.My chest tightens.The air feels too thick, too heav
I stare at the bed.The one bed.The undeniably soft, luxurious, way-too-small-for-this-situation bed.But it’s still just one bed.I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.Logically, I should have expected this. It makes no sense for them to give us separate beds, but my cheeks still heat up at the thought of…Of…Sharing a bed with Liam.No matter how natural and easy things have felt between us, it doesn’t change the fact that this relationship is fake. Just words on paper. A contract.So why does that thought make my stomach twist in a way I can’t explain?Liam, of course, is completely unbothered. He scans the room, taking in the luxury like he actually expected something worse. Then, to my absolute horror, he leans against the doorway, grinning like this is the funniest thing to ever happen.“They really went all out, huh?” He chuckles. “Maybe we should send them a thank-you card. This surpassed my every expectation.”I gape at him. We are not thinking about the same thing right no
EMILIA Evening comes around faster than I expect, and to my absolute horror, Liam and I are forced to drag ourselves to the deck for some grand announcement from the soon-to-be-weds. I feel like I’ve said this a million times, but the cruise is massive — so big that the thirty-something guests on board feel like a drop in the ocean. Either they’re too busy lounging in their luxury suites, avoiding Liam and me, or this ship is just that enormous, because after running into Stone, we don’t see a single familiar face. Not that I’m complaining. Liam’s hand is warm in mine as we make our way to the deck, his thumb tracing idle circles against my skin like he doesn’t even realise he’s doing it. I don’t know if it’s meant to be comforting or if he just likes touching me, but either way, it’s convincing enough. My heart shouldn’t be beating this fast from something so simple. “Remind me again why we’re going to this thing?” I mumble, leaning into him slightly. “Because we’re technical
I don’t realize I’m shaking until Liam gently rubs his thumb over my knuckles. The anger, the fire — I felt invincible a second ago, but now? Now, my hands feel ice cold.“You okay?” Liam asks, voice low.I nod. Then I lie. “Yeah.”But when he tugs me closer, when I feel the warmth of him against me, something cracks deep inside my chest.It’s not just the name-calling. It’s not just being labeled the hockey slut or called a puck bunny. It’s the way that’s all I’ve ever been treated like.Wanting to stay by Zane’s side turned into years of watching my autonomy slip through my fingers, piece by piece. And I let it happen — because I was so convinced that the ring on my finger, his last name next to mine, would make it all worth it. That losing myself would somehow be worth it.I didn’t want to be just Zane’s pocket girlfriend, always by his side, on every plane to his games, tucked away in every hotel room in case he needed a release.It was so fucking exhausting.Pretending to hate gi
The staff takes care of our luggage, wheeling it away toward the cabins. But since they’re off-limits until midnight, Liam and I are left with nothing to do. It doesn’t take much to convince me to go exploring with him, so we run off the second we can and leave Becca and Zane to their own world. I thought the ship was massive when I first stepped on, but now, as I take it all in, I realize I underestimated just how big it really is. It’s gorgeous, but also overwhelming. Like a city floating on water. There are three floors above the one we’re currently walking through, and if the rest of the ship looks anything like this, I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. We’re at the atrium now, and it’s breathtaking. A massive glass dome stretches above us, letting the last bits of sunlight pour through. There’s a grand staircase in the center, wide and elegant, leading to the upper decks. Chandeliers hang from the ceiling, casting a golden glow over everything. Soft music plays in the back
EMILIA He’s standing near the entrance, laughing at something one of his friends said. Becca is tucked into his side, she’s practically glowing with happiness. Her smile is so breathtaking it knocks the breath out of my lungs.She looks beautiful, but for once, that painful knot of jealousy in my chest that grows around a beautiful woman doesn’t come. Not even a little.Not like it used to.I think back on how insecure I used to be around Tessa. Sometimes it’s hard not to be, but I don’t find myself comparing my every flaw to her perfections anymore.Or maybe it’s because I tossed out the maternity gowns Zane loved to stuff me into and finally started doing what I want. Wearing clothes I like, putting on makeup because I want to.A smile tugs at my lips.But before it can fully form, Zane looks up.And freezes.I can see shock take over him like a bucket of ice-cold water dumped over his head. He looks at me from head to toe, like he can’t quite trust his eyes.It must be horrible, k