Emily's POV. It was Liam. My eyes weren't deceiving me, he really is the one. He was squatting before Aria, stroking her cheeks and whispering things that made her blush. I didn't quite get what was going on, could Liam be Aria's father?If true, then life seem to be playing a really tricky game with me. Of all the schools in New York, I just had to register my kids in the same school with his, and now they are friends.I watched as he leaned closer towards Liam, whispering to him as well. I guess he was aware that they were friends. Suddenly, he grabbed Aria's hands, waving the kids goodbye and made to turn towards the door. I quickly hid behind the door, turning around and hurried down the hallway.When I was certain that he was gone, I came out of my hiding place and hurried back towards the classroom. "Mom, where did you go? Aria's father was here, you would have met him," My heartbeat increased drastically as he further confirmed that Liam was really Aria's father.He r
Liam's POV.I sat freely on the office seat, twirling gently as I awaited Jeremy, and the lady he spoke so highly about.I wondered what was keeping them.Jeremy and I weren't friends, neither are we close, instead we were just business partners. I owned half of his company, he had come to me when he went bankrupt few years ago, and for my assistance, he signed a fifty percent ownership deal and basically his company became co-owned by us.Hence, I was required to be present for most of his business meetings, though I held the power to decline if I wasn't disposed to attend, but their was something about how he kept talking about the lady who was coming with the proposal that made me actually want to see for myself. He spoke so highly of her, he wouldn't stop gushing about her achievements in London where she was based, I could tell he really wanted to give her a shot. Surprisingly, I was interested in what she had to offer, and if she truly was good as he claimed, maybe I could c
Emily's POV."The meeting is not necessary, you have the deal already," he blurted, and I tried to stop myself from bursting into laughter.Why was he acting weird? He was the one who served me the divorce papers in his clear eyes, why then was he acting like he was glad to see me again?"I'm sorry, but I don't do well with unmerited credits," I stared at him deep in the eyes as I spoke, my gaze unwavering. "Emily please," he made to grab my hands but I was quick enough to tuck them away beyond his reach. And did he say "please" to me?That was the first time I was hearing those words from him, it has always been me who was on the pleading stand all through the years of our marriage. "Emily, I'm deeply sorry, I caused you so much pain, you didn't didn't deserve any of that, please forgive me," I exhaled a deep breath and looked away. "Liam, let's not do this please." I found it really weird seeing him plead. It was all new to me. I had thought he would be more pissed to see me
Liam's POV.I sat in my study, my mind filled with the thought of Emily. The study room was the only place where I could be free from Nichole, she had taken the leverage that we were getting married to rub herself all over me at every given chance. If only she knew how complicated things have gotten now.It's been an entire day since the occurrence between Emily and I and I still can't shake her thoughts off my head. I felt a twinge of pain each time I remembered the look in her eyes. They were laced with anger and coldness.Her bitter look, her angry words. It all flashed through my head, haunting me terribly.It wasn't my intention for things to go the way they did. I was misled by my obsession for Nichole that I hadn't realized how badly I was hurting her, but I was willing to make make up for everything, if she will give me the chance. Despite how ugly things had gotten between us, I burned with unfulfilled desires and deep cravings for her. Her thoughts totally consumed my h
Emily's POV. I woke up the next morning feeling a lot more energetic. The flashback of my encounter with Liam flashing through my head. Every bit of his words continued to replay in my head and despite how hard I tried to get it off my head and think of something else, it was persistent. A lot of things seemed to have changed since I left New York, especially with Liam.How was it even possible that he no longer detested me like he used to? Instead, he wanted to get back together with me?I couldn't help but wonder what might have happened to change his mind towards me this much, four years ago, Liam would rather remain single for the rest of his life than stay married to me, now suddenly he's all over me. This is really going to pose to be a huge distraction for me, I have loved him desperately even when he loathed me, what happens now that he felt the same way for me?As much as I was somewhat pleased with his sudden change towards me, I couldn't afford to let anything happen be
Emily's POV.If there was a more quiet way to drive a car, I would have taken such method as I drove into Liam's mansion. It felt just like yesterday when this was my home, not much seemed to have changed.I tried to hold back my laughter as they gate guard was frozen to the point of almost peeing in his pants as he opened the gate for me, catching a sight of me through the window. It was still the same gate guard since four years ago. I couldn't help but wonder why he looked so shocked to see me, did they really think that I was going to die of hunger after my separation with Liam?Well, truly, that could have happened if Adrian didn't come into the picture. "Aria's house is so big!" Nadia squealed as we drove in. "Don't forget to totally be of good behavior okay? Don't disappoint mommy," I said as soon as I came to a halt at the front porch. "Of course, Mom," they chorused climbing down from the car. "Don't forget the gifts," I quickly grabbed the boxes of gifts beside me and
Emily's POV."Aria, take your friends to your room to play, I'll come get you guys once the dining is set," Nichole said. Aria nodded, signalling Ryan and Nadia to come with her. They turned towards me, a wide grin playing on their lips. "Bye mom," "Bye bunnies," I smiled, watching as they scurried off with Aria towards her room. "They are so adorable," Mrs Johnson giggled. "They really are," I replied, casting Aria a side glance as I spoke. "Oh shoot! I totally forgot I had something on fire," Mrs Johnson suddenly exclaimed. "I'll go check it out, Nichole please prepare the dining, and Emily darling, please make yourself comfortable," she reached out to tap my shoulder before rushing off to the kitchen. Just as I had expected, Nichole quickly turned around to face me, a huge scowl on her face. "If it isn't the maltreated housewife, Emily," she chuckled. "What are you doing here?"I giggled amusedly. "Well, it's nice to finally meet the real you, Nichole, and not that facade yo
Emily's POV."Shall we?" He stretched forth his hand towards me. I dragged my gaze from his hand to his face in confusion, not making any attempt to take his hand."C'mon Emily, I'm not going to hurt you, trust me." I breathed in, slowly raising my hands to place on his. An instant blitz of electric rush surged through me as our hands came in contact.This can't be happening. I have to find a way to overcome these feelings. I felt my legs wobble as he led us through the hallway. "Uhm... Where are we going?" I couldn't hold it in anymore. I needed to know where he was taking me."Relax, we are almost there, trust me." His grip on me tightened firmly. He squeezed my hand gently as if trying to reassure me of my safety. I tried to hold back my smile as he led us to the terrace of a big swimming pool. It was really beautiful, and somehow I was beginning to crave a dip."I like to swim when I have so much in my head, we both have so much going on, maybe we could clear it up with a lit
The restaurant was warm, the golden lights casting a cozy glow over the sleek wooden tables. Soft jazz music played in the background, mingling with the murmurs of the other diners, the clinking of silverware against fine china.I sat by the window, stirring my drink absentmindedly as I watched the city move outside. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was alone. No responsibilities pressing on my shoulders, no demands clawing at my time. Just me, a beautifully plated meal, and the illusion of peace.I let out a long sigh, sinking into the plush chair, allowing myself to bask in the moment. Life had been... exhausting. For years, I had been running. Not literally, but emotionally, mentally. Running to fix things, to prove myself, to erase the shadows of the past. And on top of that, I had a daughter now—a beautiful, sweet little girl who meant everything to me. She had Ryan’s piercing eyes, his lips, but my face. Every time I looked at her, it was like seeing pieces of him
Aria's POV. It had been two years since everything changed... since the scandal that turned my world upside down. And then my parents had it fixed. Christie, Josh and I were done with highschool and now in our first year in college. And just like every other day, we were laughing about some stupid class project as we made our way down the sidewalk.Suddenly, my phone tucked in my pocket and I quickly fetched it from my pocket, I didn't recognize the number, but it was an unknown area code, and something about it made my stomach drop.“Hold on, guys,” I said to Christie and Josh before picking the call “Hello?” “Is this Aria Liam's?” a calm voice on the other end asked.“Yes,” I replied, getting confused now. “This is city hall hospital. We need you to come in immediately. Your presence is required.”My mind raced. The urgency in the voice sent a chill down my spine. “What happened? Is everything okay?”“I’m afraid I can’t give you any details over the phone,” she said. “But it’s
Aria's POV.I had never been so relieved to return to school. Two weeks off, two long weeks of hiding away in my room, avoiding the pitying stares from neighbors, and the whispers of strangers who thought they knew everything. But today, today I was going back. I wasn’t going alone either. My parents were walking beside me, I didn’t know exactly what they had planned, but I knew they were going to do something about the scandal. Something that would either make everything better.. or make it worse.I adjusted the strap of my bag, glancing at my parents as we walked through the front gate of the school. Mom was standing tall, shoulders squared, walking with a determined pace. Dad, on the other hand, had his hands jammed deep into his pockets. They looked like the same parents I had known my whole life, though today felt different. They were on a mission.The moment we stepped onto school grounds, I could feel the tension. The eyes. People were still talking about us.. about the scanda
Aria's POV.The moment I broke the hug, a strange sensation crawled through my body. It wasn’t pain, but something that felt like an overwhelming wave, an unsettling force pulling at my insides. My stomach twisted, and a sudden wave of nausea surged up through my chest, catching me off guard. My vision blurred, and I swayed, struggling to keep myself upright. I gripped the edge of the chair, my fingers digging into the hard surface in an attempt to ground myself. But her body wasn’t listening to me. It felt like it had betrayed me, as if it had no control of its own."Hey, Aria, what's wrong?" I heard distant voices but I couldn't make out who they belonged to.My head spun, the room seeming to tilt at an impossible angle. The world around me began to dissolve, the sounds muffled as if underwater. I gasped for air, trying to steady myself, but it was as though the air itself had become thick, too heavy for me to breathe. My chest tightened, and my pulse raced, the noise of my heartbea
Aria's POV.The days dragged on, each one stretching endlessly without Ryan. The grief was a living thing, wrapping around me, suffocating me. I missed him in ways that words could never capture. It wasn’t just his presence; it was the way he made me feel, the way he could make even the worst moments bearable. Now, everything was unbearable.I hadn’t left my room much, only stepping out when my body physically forced me to. I barely ate. I barely slept. When I did sleep, it was restless, haunted by dreams of Ryan... his voice, his touch, his warmth. Only to wake up to the cruel reality that he was gone.Christie and Josh had been my lifeline, visiting almost daily. They would knock, call my name softly, and even if I didn’t answer, they would sit outside my door for hours, talking about everything and nothing at all. I didn’t deserve them, but I needed them. Even if I could barely acknowledge it.It was a week of my suspension today, after spending hours lying in bed, staring blankly
Ryan's POV.It had been days. Days since Ryan had disappeared from my life, leaving nothing but an empty hole where my heart used to be. I could still feel the echoes of his presence, haunting the corners of the house, in the space where his laughter used to ring, in the quiet that used to be filled with his voice. But now, everything felt hollow. I hadn’t heard from him since that video, that live confession. And with every passing moment, the silence grew louder, consuming me more and more until I couldn’t tell where I ended and the emptiness began.I sat on the floor in the far corner of my room, my knees drawn up to my chest, arms wrapped tightly around them as if I could protect myself from the overwhelming emptiness that consumed me. The walls felt like they were closing in. The quiet, the stillness, it suffocated me. My mind wouldn’t let me escape the thoughts of him. Of what he said. Of what he did. Of what he could have done to escape this nightmare.My heart kept trying to
Aria's POV.I didn’t think. I just ran.My feet slammed against the cold floor of the hallway as I hurtled down the stairs, my heart racing, pounding in chaotic rhythm. It was as though my entire body was trying to escape the terror and helplessness that consumed me, trying to outrun the suffocating fear that had taken over my mind. My thoughts were a blur, a haze of desperate urgency, but they all had one single, overpowering focus: Ryan.I had to find him. I had to stop him.I absolutely don't know where he is or where to find him but one thing was sure, I will get him back.The words from his confession echoed in my head, over and over again: “I’m leaving. I’ll disappear.”No. He couldn’t. He couldn’t just leave me. Not after everything. Not after the bond we shared, the love, the years of quiet, stolen moments that had built up between us. Ryan was my everything. He was my protector, my constant, the one person who had never looked at me with judgment, never turned his back on me,
Aria’s POV. my heart pounded against my ribcage, each beat echoing in my ears like a warning. Something felt wrong... deeply wrong. I couldn't quite place it, but it clawed at my insides. The silence in the house was unnerving, oppressive, like the air itself had thickened. The usual heated house filled with laughter and happiness was absent since the day Ryan and I got outed, but today's emptiness felt different. It was as if the whole house had been drained of sound, leaving behind only an unsettling stillness.My eyes darted nervously over the hallway as I reached Ryan’s door. My hand trembled slightly as I pushed it open, the door creaked softly and I stepped inside, expecting to find him lounging on the bed, headphones in, oblivious to the world as he has been doing since the whole scandal. But when I looked around, my stomach sank.His room was completely… empty.The bed was made finely as though no one has laid on it for a while, the edges of the blanket smooth. The chair at h
Aria's POV.I laid lifelessly on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling. I could tell my eyes has gotten swollen and red from crying, but no matter how much I tried, the tears wouldn’t stop threatening to spill over again. I curled up tightly under my blanket, trying to block out the whirlwind of emotions threatening to consume mr. It's the second day of my suspension and it felt like it had already lasted a lifetime, and the thought of enduring this for two weeks was unbearable.The silence in the house was oppressive, broken only by the faint hum of the air conditioning. I have been replaying every moment of the ordeal in my mind, trying to understand how things had spiraled so far out of control. I wanted so desperately for things to go back to how they were, to have my parents' love and trust again, and for the world to stop feeling like it was closing in on me. Each time I thought I had run out of tears, a fresh wave of sorrow would crash over me, leaving me sobbing into my pill