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
“You don’t have to eat it all,” I told them, having already finished my cone, though even that might have been a mistake. My stomach was already topsy-turvy since Sophia had fired at us. I’d never been shot at before. The kids still didn’t understand what had happened though, thinking instead th
Aria’s POV After ice cream, Logan drove William, Joe, and me back to Isabella’s house to collect our suitcases, and then back to my own house. Joe was delighted to be back home. William was confused. “My mom will be expecting me,” he said as he rubbed his hand up and down the opposite arm. He di
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