“But I guess you’d know all about sticking your nose where it doesn’t belong.”She stepped closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “You think Liam’s gonna just forget everything that happened between you two? He’s moved on, Aria. And Logan? He’s just stringing you along because it’s
Liam’s POVLogan barged into my office without knocking, arms crossed and that holier-than-thou look on his face. I knew what was coming before he even opened his mouth.“You need to stop dragging Aria into this mess,” he said, his voice laced with accusation.I didn’t even bother looking up from th
“Great,” I said, maybe too quickly. “See you then.”I hung up before she could ask any more questions, tossing my phone onto the desk. What the hell was I doing?---I was leaning against the car when Aria showed up, right on time. She was always on time—hadn’t changed a bit in that regard.Her hair
Aria’s POVI pulled up in front of Joe’s school, watching as the kids trickled out of the building. Joe spotted me from across the playground, his face lighting up as he waved.I smiled back, stepping out of the car as he ran over, his backpack bouncing with every step.“Hey, bud,” I greeted, openin
Liam was unpredictable, and I couldn’t risk Joe getting hurt if things fell apart again.“I get it.” I said finally, leaning down to kiss his forehead. “Goodnight, bud.”“Night, Mom,” Joe whispered, closing his eyes as I turned off the light and left the room.---The next morning, I arrived at the
Aria’s POVThe next few days were a blur of cold, tense exchanges between Liam and me. I kept my distance, barely speaking to him unless it was necessary, and when we did talk, the words were clipped and sharp.It didn’t go unnoticed—gossip buzzed around the office, the team clearly picking up on th
It was one thing after another—sponsors needing information, crew members asking about last-minute adjustments, and Jackson checking in with me between laps.“Aria, we’ve got an issue with the front left tire,” one of the pit crew members said through the comms, his voice tight with urgency.I swore
Aria’s POVThe office buzzed with the typical hum of activity—people typing, phones ringing, muted conversations in the background. But none of that noise reached me.“You’re not listening to me, Liam,” I snapped, leaning forward in my chair. The conference room felt too small, like his frustration
I could easily guess who had told him that, but I still wanted to hear the verbal acknowledgement. “Who told you that?” “That new supervisor,” Jackson said. “Joanna.” Of course. “I heard she’s engaged to Liam,” Jackson continued. “I really don’t want to make waves with the boss.” “They aren’
Aria’s POV As soon as the work day officially began, every employee was called into the conference room for an emergency meeting. Given the new employees, the space was crowded again, and I once more opted to stand near the back of the room, rather than to be cramped among the chairs. Liam and J
Aria’s POV “He wasn’t a good father,” Liam continued. “In fact, he’s someone that I’ve come to hate. But I never really thought about the bastard actually dying. Now he wants to inherit the family business and continue his legacy. In the past, I was never good enough, but now suddenly, Markus is d
Liam’s POV I didn’t care how much work was left that day, when five o’clock rolled around, I packed up my briefcase and headed for the door. My assistant, at her desk, gave me a curious look, but didn’t utter a word. “Don’t stay too late,” I told her. Work was very important, but so was life
Aria’s POV When I walked to Joanna’s office, her assistant sat behind the reception desk, glaring at me. I could only imagine the lies Joanna had told this assistant about me, to get her to hate me this much without even knowing me. Regardless, I held my head up high. If I had to walk through th
Liam’s POV “I’ve been expecting your call,” my father – Markus – said on the other end of the phone. “You are a stubborn one to have kept me waiting for so long.” “I foolishly thought that you decided to mind your own business,” I replied. “You haven’t tried anything like this in a while.” In
Liam’s POV In a flash, I grabbed Joanna’s wrist and pulled her hand away from my chest. “Don’t presume to touch me.” Joanna’s flirty smile slipped right off of her face. “I don’t care how long we’ve known each other, Joanna. Aria is the one that I love. You will not change that. And if I conti
Aria’s POV Finally Liam stilled. Slowly, he turned around to look at me, then studied my face as if he was trying to determine if I was being serious or not. Once he realized I was, his face twisted into disbelief. “Don’t be ridiculous, Aria.” “That’s what the rumors are all saying.” “You kn
Aria’s POV My co-workers could have been sharing more gossip, but it seemed more likely, judging by the words they said behind my back, that Joanna had been talking about me with everyone. For that to be true, she wasn’t just on some professional vendetta against me based on my work and work eth