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
“Liam, I’m sorry, I—”But he cut me off with a cold, measured tone that sent a shiver down my spine. “No, Aria. You’ve made yourself incredibly clear. If that’s what you think of me, then we don’t have anything further to discuss.”I opened my mouth to argue, to apologize again, but the finality in
Aria’s POVThe office buzzed around me, but the tension between Liam and me was almost suffocating. It had been days since our fight, and though I threw myself into my work, I couldn’t shake the lingering sense of regret.Every time I passed Liam in the hallway or sat across from him in meetings, it
Logan’s expression flickered, but he kept his cool. “What do you mean?”“I mean... maybe your interest in me wasn’t as genuine as I thought. Maybe it had more to do with Liam than with me.”He didn’t deny it. Instead, he smiled that charming, disarming smile of his. “You’re smarter than people give
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