His words hit me like a blow, leaving me momentarily speechless. I had always believed that if I tried hard enough, I could make up for Joe not having a father in his life.But Joe’s innocent question shattered that illusion. For a moment, I just sat there, struggling to find the right words.I coul
Aria's POVMy heart pounded in my chest, the sound almost deafening as I tried to regain my composure. Liam was too close, his presence overwhelming in the small fitting room.I couldn't let him see how rattled I was, not now, not ever. I needed him gone."Leave, Liam," I demanded, my voice low and
Liam’s POV The silence in the car was unbearable, but I kept my focus on the road. The tension between Sophia and me was at a breaking point, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she let her frustrations loose. “I saw you go into her fitting room!” she finally snapped, her voice shar
Aria’s POV "Mommy!" Joe’s voice broke through the air like a lifeline, and before I could react, he was in my arms, clutching me tightly. His small body pressed into mine, and I dropped to my knees, hugging him back with all the strength I had left. My breath caught in my throat, the fear of los
Aria’s POVSophia stormed into Liam’s office, her heels clicking sharply against the floor, the tension rising with each step. I watched from the chair across from Liam’s desk, arms folded, knowing exactly what was coming."Liam," she began, her voice high-pitched, almost whiny, as she rounded the c
"You believe me?" I asked, my voice quieter now, unsure of how to interpret his unwavering gaze."Of course," Liam replied without a second’s hesitation, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.I felt a jolt of surprise. For all our history, for all the battles we’d fought over the years,
Liam’s POV"What are you doing?!" Aria’s voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet room as she stood up from her chair, her eyes narrowing at me.I didn’t flinch, keeping my tone calm. "We’re still married. What’s the problem?"Aria scoffed, her hands flying to her hips in a dramatic gesture. "You
Aria’s POVBusy bustle of the hospital surrounded us, but Logan’s voice pulled me back to the present. He sighed, glancing at me with a mixture of concern and relief."Joe was worried about you, Aria. That’s why we came to the hospital." His tone was gentle, but there was an edge to it, as though he
Aria’s POVEver since William asked me about the divorce, the question stuck in my brain. If the kids were even able to perceive the many difficulties between us, enough to assume that we were going to split permanently, then Liam and I needed really needed to have a discussion right now, not on Sun
Liam’s POVFriday morning, I was filled with dread and trepidation. I wasn’t looking forward to this coming weekend, not even slightly. The engagement party set for Saturday night was sure to be terrible, but it’s the potential fallout with Aria that had me on edge the most.I hoped she could see my
Aria’s POVThe question blindsided me, and I had no idea how to answer it. How did William know Liam and I were having troubles? We’d tried so hard not to fight in front of them anymore. And even though we’d been distant with each other, we always tried to be friendly when the kids were around.But
Liam’s POVI placed my hands on William’s shoulders, hoping to ease him. His posture had gotten all tense, when he’d confronted Jackson. I was a little worried he might start a fight with Jackson now, too.“Thanks William, but it’s okay,” I said. “Jackson isn’t wrong. I have been failing Aria by not
Aria’s POV“William? What are you doing here?”William, with Liam holding his hand, come into my office.“Can I hang out with you today?” William asked me.I looked up at Liam, searching for explanation.“Someone got into a fight with the school bully,” Liam said. “He’s been suspended for the rest o
“This is my son, William,” I said. To William, I added, “William, this is my co-worker Joanna.”“Just a co-worker? How cruel?”“Joanna,” I snapped. I wouldn’t tolerate her attempting to drag my kids into this unpleasant arrangement between us, and if she even wanted to try it, I’d burn the whole thi
Liam’s POVAs William had been suspended from school for a couple of days, I had no choice but to take him back to the office with me, at least for today. We could later make accommodations for the rest of the week, but it was difficult to get a full day nanny at the last minute.“Now, Liam,” I tol
Right now, however, I had bigger things to worry about. I rushed out of the headquarters building and drove to the other side of town to the kids’ school. Inside, William was waiting for me, sitting on a seat outside of the principal’s office.The principal’s door was open, with her waiting within.
William’s POVWilliam’s worries stayed with him, making him stay awake all night, tossing and turning in his bed. By morning, he was dead tired, dragging his way through breakfast and to the school bus. Even as tired as he was, he knew that if he stayed home, claiming to be sick, he wouldn’t find an