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
Aria’s POVThe house was unnervingly quiet as I walked through. The silence pressed against my ears, making the faint sounds from the bedroom more pronounced.Curious, I followed the noise, my footsteps soft on the familiar floor.As I reached the doorway, the sound of running water ceased abruptly,
Liam’s POVFriday morning, I was filled with dread and trepidation. I wasn’t looking forward to this coming weekend, not even slightly. The engagement party set for Saturday night was sure to be terrible, but it’s the potential fallout with Aria that had me on edge the most.I hoped she could see my
Aria’s POVThe question blindsided me, and I had no idea how to answer it. How did William know Liam and I were having troubles? We’d tried so hard not to fight in front of them anymore. And even though we’d been distant with each other, we always tried to be friendly when the kids were around.But
Liam’s POVI placed my hands on William’s shoulders, hoping to ease him. His posture had gotten all tense, when he’d confronted Jackson. I was a little worried he might start a fight with Jackson now, too.“Thanks William, but it’s okay,” I said. “Jackson isn’t wrong. I have been failing Aria by not
Aria’s POV“William? What are you doing here?”William, with Liam holding his hand, come into my office.“Can I hang out with you today?” William asked me.I looked up at Liam, searching for explanation.“Someone got into a fight with the school bully,” Liam said. “He’s been suspended for the rest o
“This is my son, William,” I said. To William, I added, “William, this is my co-worker Joanna.”“Just a co-worker? How cruel?”“Joanna,” I snapped. I wouldn’t tolerate her attempting to drag my kids into this unpleasant arrangement between us, and if she even wanted to try it, I’d burn the whole thi
Liam’s POVAs William had been suspended from school for a couple of days, I had no choice but to take him back to the office with me, at least for today. We could later make accommodations for the rest of the week, but it was difficult to get a full day nanny at the last minute.“Now, Liam,” I tol
Right now, however, I had bigger things to worry about. I rushed out of the headquarters building and drove to the other side of town to the kids’ school. Inside, William was waiting for me, sitting on a seat outside of the principal’s office.The principal’s door was open, with her waiting within.
William’s POVWilliam’s worries stayed with him, making him stay awake all night, tossing and turning in his bed. By morning, he was dead tired, dragging his way through breakfast and to the school bus. Even as tired as he was, he knew that if he stayed home, claiming to be sick, he wouldn’t find an
Aria’s POVFinding no luck at Markus’s, I returned home. I wanted to tell Liam about the strange invitation I’d found, that asked me to be at some fancy venue on a Saturday night, but something about Liam that evening was making me hold my tongue.After all, didn’t he say he was also going to be out