For a moment, I couldn’t breathe.Not because I believed her.Not even because I didn’t.But because those words hit the one place I’d spent weeks trying to stop bleeding.Liam's hand stayed wrapped around mine under the table, firm like he was anchoring me to the ground, holding me steady.But I didn’t look at him.My eyes were locked on her.Cassie–poised, serpent-smiling, one manicured hand resting on her stomach like she was cradling power, not life.“You’re lying,” Liam said, his voice cold and flat. “And the only thing more pathetic than this stunt is thinking I’d fall for it.”Cassie arched her brow. “Are you sure about that?”“You think I wouldn’t know if I touched you?”“You were too drunk to remember anything. Now,” she smiled wider, “there’s a piece of you growing inside me, and it’s not going away.”My throat burned, but I kept my voice steady. “Do you have proof?”She blinked, surprised I was the one who asked.“Would you like a copy of the ultrasound? I could get one pri
I didn’t answer Liam right away.My heart was racing, palms cold, throat tight. Cassie in his bed. Naked. It clung to my thoughts like smoke I couldn’t blow away. But when I looked into Liam’s eyes, I didn’t see lies. I saw torment. Regret. A man who would rather bleed than break what we had.“I believe you,” I finally said, softly. “Because love without trust isn’t love at all. And I love you, Liam. So yes, I believe you.”The breath he released was jagged and loud, like it had been strangled in his chest for too long. “You just made me the happiest man alive.”He held me like I was the only thing keeping him upright. “I swear to you, Emily. You’ll never regret trusting me. Not for one second.”And I believed him.---Over the next few weeks, we found our rhythm again.Not the curated kind people post on Instagram, with matching pajamas or soft-filtered sunsets. Ours was messy, warm, alive. Tangled sheets and sleepy mornings. Burnt pancakes and laughter in the kitchen. Liam crashin
I didn’t know what I expected when I opened the door that night.But it definitely wasn’t Henry Black.He stood with the calm stillness of someone who didn’t waste words, shoulders squared, and the passenger door of a waiting SUV already open behind him.“I know it’s late,” he said, voice quiet but firm. “But I was hoping you’d give me a few minutes.”I hesitated. Then nodded.His driver waited beside a matte Range Rover Autobiography. I followed Henry into the backseat, nerves slowly coiling inside me.We sat in silence for a full minute. The kind of silence that holds too much weight to be casual. Then finally, he spoke.“Back in St. Barts, when I first saw you with Liam… I saw a version of my son I hadn’t seen in years. Grounded. Like someone who’d finally stopped searching.”I stayed quiet, waiting to understand where he was going with this.“You’re probably wondering why I’m telling you this,” he continued. “It’s because I had a meeting with Liam yesterday. It was supposed to be
Liam didn’t understand what I meant when I said I needed space.Because he spent the entire day calling. Texting. Leaving voice notes that tried to sound calm, but weren’t.He was falling apart in his own way. And if I was honest, so was I.Don’t overthink this, Emily.We’re okay. You and me, we’re solid.Please don’t shut me out.I read every message. Every word.I didn’t respond. Not because I didn’t want to. But because I didn’t know how.So I packed a bag and left.I booked a last-minute flight to New York, threw my phone on airplane mode, and disappeared for a breath.---Lisa opened the door in pajama bottoms and a wrinkled T-shirt, her hair a glorious mess. She blinked twice, then screamed.“Shut up! You’re in New York? Are you freaking serious?!”I dropped my bag and smiled. “Missed me?”She launched herself at me in a hug that knocked the breath from my chest. Her grip was bone-crushing, exactly what I didn’t know I needed.Her apartment looked like creativity had thrown a pa
Liam came back from his call looking like a man ready to pick up where we left off.I smiled at him.Soft. Sweet. Convincing.Because pretending everything was fine was easier than asking questions I wasn’t ready to hear answers to.“Everything okay?” he asked, tossing his phone onto the nearby chair.“Yeah.” I leaned in, kissing him lightly. “Just tired.”He studied me. His fingers brushed my cheek. “Are you sure?”I nodded again. “Positive.”But inside, my thoughts were anything but quiet.Kelvin’s message looped over and over in my head.He’s giving up his inheritance for that.What did that mean? And why was it something Liam never told me?If I wanted to know the truth, I had to start with someone who wouldn’t lie to protect him.Sophia.---The next day moved in a blur. I filmed my usual cooking segment, smiled for the camera, greeted my viewers, and said all the right things. But my hands shook when I cracked eggs, and I burned the top layer of my soufflé twice.When it was ove
I didn’t need the internet to remind me I was lucky. I already knew.But I wanted Liam to know it too.That was why I ended up calling Sophia for help. Something I never thought I’d do.“I want to plan something special for your brother. Something… big. But not Liam-big like a yacht or a jet. Something real. Something that’ll reach him.”Her laugh had been instant. “You’re in love. Like, the scary, gooey, selfless kind.”“I need ideas, not commentary.”“Okay, okay,” she giggled. “You want to blow him away without spending a billion dollars. Hmm... maybe a limited-edition sports car? Or a private island for the weekend?”I pulled the phone away for a second. “Is this you helping or reminding me that your brother is a billionaire?”“Fine. Real talk? Liam's taste is private… maybe something sentimental? But honestly, anything from you will get him mushy.”I rolled my eyes. “Thanks for the confusion. I’ll figure it out.”And I did.Somewhere between going home and lying awake that night,