Her eyes flared with anger, meeting mine without backing down. “It wasn’t a game, Liam. I wasn’t trying to mess with you. I was hurt.”“Well, congratulations,” I shot back bitterly, “because that’s exactly what you did. You’ve been dragging me along,and when I finally gave in you threw out the very
Liam’s POVI stood outside the office building, my heart hammering in my chest as thick plumes of smoke billowed into the sky.Sirens screamed from all directions, adding to the dizzying chorus of voices and alarms.But none of those faces belonged to Aria.Frantically, I scanned the crowd, searchin
As we drove to the hospital, I sat beside her, clutching her hand. I didn’t care about the ashes smeared across my skin or the sweat that dripped down my face.All I cared about was the rise and fall of her chest—proof that she was still with me.I hadn’t realized how much I needed her until this mo
Aria’s POVI blink awake, groggy and sore all over. The sterile white of the hospital room comes into focus slowly, and I wince as a sharp sting ripples across my collarbones. The burns.I lift my head, but even that small movement sends pain shooting through my body. Great. This is just fantastic.
We share a smile—one that feels oddly familiar, like a glimpse of what we used to be.But then his phone buzzes, and the moment breaks. Liam glances at the screen, his expression tightening.“It’s work,” he mutters, clearly reluctant. “I have to go. But I’ll be back.”He leans down and presses a kis
Aria’s POVThe office buzzes with life as I step inside, the familiar sounds of keyboards clacking and hushed conversations wrapping around me.It feels good to be back, though a dull ache in my collarbone reminds me that I'm not entirely in fighting shape just yet. But I'm here, and that's what mat
My collarbone still aches, but it’s manageable, and I’m so focused that I barely notice the knock on my office door.“Come in,” I say absentmindedly, still typing away at my computer.The door opens, and I glance up, my fingers freezing mid-typing. It’s Liam, holding two takeout bags.He steps insid
Liam’s POVAs I pull into the parking lot, Joe’s slip of “Dad” echoes in my mind, over and over, like a broken record. The moment I heard it, my heart dropped.I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something more to his connection with Aria than I’ve ever been told. I pull into my usual spot and ta
Liam’s POVI watched my phone as it rang, seeing Joanna’s name on the screen. After talking with the investor, and already receiving texts from the others that mirror his opinions, I had next to no desire to answer this call and speak with Joanna herself.And after what she said on television… She p
Aria’s POVI sat on the couch between Liam and Joe, with William sitting on the other side of Liam, watching as the interview was about to air on television.I’d been nervous, even up to a minute ago, but now I only felt numb. I had no idea what was about to happen, but in this moment, I had nothing
Joe’s POVAfter school the next day, William and Joe are supposed to go to the bus and take it home, but they sidetrack, heading downtown instead. Using one of the kids at school’s phone, they already texted Isabelle their plans, asking her to pick them up. They didn’t stick around to see if there w
Aria’s POVIt was the easiest question of my life. “Of course I do. I love Liam very much.”“Then that’s really all you need,” Jackson said. Seeing I was about to dismiss him, he hurriedly continues. “Listen, I know it sounds cliché, but it’s the honest truth. Does it matter what anyone else thinks?
Liam’s POVI stared at Joanna, as the dread crept up inside of me. She was clearly trying to intimidate me though, as if hoping to see if I’d buckle under pressure, and I absolutely refused to give her that satisfaction. So I rallied myself, standing straighter, and told her plainly, “I won’t be int
Liam’s POVWho the hell did this guy think he was, coming into our home and attacking Aria like that? The interviewer Craig had a bad attitude from the start, but I’d been willing to overlook all of it for the sake of the actual interview. To even get the crew here, I’d had to call in some favors. I
Despite that look, the first half of the interview seemed to go alright. Liam and I introduced Joe and William, and the kids talked for a bit about how much they loved us, as well as some of their favorite pastimes.“I want to be a racecar driver when I get older,” William said. “Just like my dad.”
Aria’s POVThe producer suggested that we start with the full family interview as we eased into things, so, after the crew set up the cameras in lighting in the living room, we sat down.The interviewer, the reporter from the station Liam had called a favor into, kept us waiting for a while, as he s
Aria’s POVUnder my ear, I heard the quick pulsing of Liam’s heart, hammering in his chest. Glancing up at him, I was surprised to find his eyes a little wide. Then, I realized the implications of what I had just said.“I didn’t mean it like that!” I said quickly, blushing hard.I wasn’t ready for s