“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“Well, you’re pregnant!”!” The doctor turned the ultrasound screen toward me, pointing to a tiny, almost imperceptible form.My world stopped. I reached down, my fingers brushing the barely noticeable swell of my abdomen. A wave of warmth and excitement surged through me.I couldn't wait
Aria’s POVWhen I woke up, the sterile scent of antiseptic filled my nostrils, and the harsh fluorescent lights above me made my head throb. I blinked, trying to make sense of where I was. The hospital.Panic rose in my chest as I reached down, my hands trembling as they settled over my abdomen. The
Aria’s POV“Get out of my way!” Liam’s voice thundered through the room, his eyes blazing with anger as he glared at me.I stood frozen, unable to move, the words stinging like a slap. But before I could even register what was happening, he scooped up Sophia in his arms and stormed past me, heading
Third Person POVThe bustling noise of the airport surrounded them as Joe walked with wide-eyed curiosity through the busy terminal. His mother, Aria, was a few steps ahead, her mind focused on getting to their gate on time.They had just returned from a week-long retreat with some of Aria’s high-pr
Aria’s POV"Mom, you can’t wear that!" Joe stood with his hands on his hips, his tiny face scrunched up in disapproval. He looked so serious that I had to bite back a smile."You need to dress up properly before heading to work," he insisted, pointing to the closet as if he were the parent and I the
Aria’s POVI sneered, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "And what does it matter to you? It’s not yours anyway."Jackson shifted uncomfortably beside me, clearly caught in the middle of this tense standoff.His usual bravado melted away as he glanced nervously at Liam, who stood across fr
Aria’s POV“William!”I whipped my head around at the sound of the shout, my heart leaping in my chest. My eyes went wide as I saw who had walked in—it was Liam’s assistant, looking just as shocked to see me as I was to see him.But it wasn’t just him that caught me off guard. Clinging to his leg, w
“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
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,
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 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
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
Aria’s POV After Liam had gone, Isabella left Joe to play in his room while she came down to talk to me. “I know you are already thinking of moving, but before you do anything drastic, why don’t you and Joe just come to stay with me for a while?” she offered. “You’d be out of the house but still
Aria’s POV Back at home, I paced back and forth in the kitchen. Joe was out in the living room, finishing his homework with the television on. I didn’t have the heart to force him to focus, not when I wanted to make certain he wouldn’t overhear this conversation. Isabella sat on one of the kitch
“All this time, he has been lying to you,” she said. She walked toward me the way a cat would towards its prey. When she was close enough, she held out the letter for me. “What’s this?” I asked. “Proof,” Sophia said, without any clarification. Reaching up, I accepted the letter and then opened
Aria’s POV After pushing the doorbell for the third time, I knocked on the door to Sophia’s house instead. “Mom…” Joe sounded nervous. Maybe we should leave. I could call the police and have them do a wellness check rather than have us out here, possibly endangering ourselves. Turning to Joe,