So much pain. I pulled Joe into a tight hug. “Me, too, honey,” I told him. “But some things just aren’t meant to be.” Joe lowered his head onto my shoulder, and mother and son, we clung to each other as we would to a life raft, if we were adrift out on the ocean. “It’s going to be okay,” I tol
Liam’s POV The next morning, as I walked into the office, I carried with me a confusing mixture of different feelings. It was nice to be on good terms with Sophia and William, though I still felt like they both were hiding things from me. Sophia seemed determined to act like everything was fine, a
Liam’s POV “Be serious, Sophia.” “You think I’m not serious?” Her voice carried a harsh edge, but even that, I’d heard before. She was ever the kind who cried wolf, but never actually meant it. “Just put your clothes back on and take a nap,” I said. “Maybe eat something.” “I’m not a child, L
Liam’s POV As I waited for my assistant to spread word about the encroaching press conference, I entirely gave up on attempting any work today. With Sophia’s threats at the forefront of my mind, I didn’t have the mental capacity to handle much else. If I wasn’t needed here to do this conference,
“Yes,” she replied. She hesitated, as if gathering her courage, but then asked, “I wanted to make sure you were okay.” Another pause. “Are you okay?” “No. Not really.” My assistant had been with me long enough that she already knew the answer before she even asked. Maybe she expected me to lie. Ma
Aria’s POV I stared at the television in absolute shock. To my knowledge, no one had been asking about Liam and my relationship. And even if they had, this was not the response I would have expected him to give. Hadn’t he himself wanted to come forward about our relationship not all that long ag
Aria’s POV “I was driving by,” Logan said. I strained to listen to the conversation happening at the front door, from my arm chair perch in the living room. “I saw Aria’s car here. I thought, what better time to see if she and the kids wanted to go out for some ice cream?” The suggestion itself
Liam’s POV Nerves spiking, I tapped my hands against the wooden armrests of the uncomfortable chair I found myself sitting in. I was in my lawyer’s office, with him occasionally peering at me from overtop the mountain of paperwork towering on his desk. When he looked, I stopped fidgeting. As his
Aria’s POV Those were harrowing words. A cheating scandal was bad enough – how could this only be the beginning? And how could Joanna know that, unless she had been the one to start all this. “Are you responsible for this?” I asked her, point blank, as we stood in the back of the conference room
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