Tell me what you think😁 Is Aliya making a good choice by taking care of her needs or is she making a grave mistake?😕
Liam’s POVMy heart raced as I leaned against the car seat of the taxi. Sweat dripped down my face, and my mind ran wild as to what must have happened.I was at a meeting with Posh, Brooke, and some of our investors when a call came through from Aliya. She had yelled faintly for me to come home, saying she wasn’t feeling too good, but I barely heard her.I immediately rushed out of that meeting without a second thought. Of course, it earned me some harsh glances from Brooke, but at that moment, nothing or nobody mattered apart from Aliya.At this point, I knew I shouldn’t have gone with her “Fling plan” 3 months ago, but I did, and now—well, now I’m addicted to her like a drug.“We’re here, sir,” the taxi driver announced, pulling me out of my reverie. You would think by now I should be used to the ride, but no, it felt like I’d throw up my lungs if I stayed in any further, so I rushed out.Once stepping into the gate, Marcus, the head of the bodyguards Aliya had hired, snapped his h
Third Person’s POVCamille sat in her car, gritting her teeth as she dialed Philip’s number again. It was the sixtieth time that day, but the result was always the same.“Hi, this is Philip’s voicemail. Drop your information and leave my phone the fuck alone.” His voice, dripping with sarcasm, came through the speaker.“Pick up your damn phone, you idiot,” she muttered, slamming her fist against the steering wheel as though the force of it could somehow make him answer.“Unbelievable!” Camille hissed, shoving her phone into the passenger seat. She slammed the car into gear and sped off, her eyes narrowing with determination. There was only one place she had in mind and that’s where she headed.A few minutes later, she pulled up in front of Philip’s grandmother’s house, the small, rundown place that had given him shelter ever since Aliya began to take every single thing away. At least his grandmother had passed away years ago, leaving him the house in her will, but it didn’t feel like
Aliya’s POVToday was proving to be a very strenuous day.I had been sitting among bald and grey-headed men, who kept babbling nonsense about my company. A company I’ve worked hard to maintain. And now they want to buy me out of it like it’s candy in a 7-Eleven store?“Mrs. Van Alen Johnson, are you listening?” A voice pulled me out of my reverie.I turned my attention to see it was one of my grandpa’s most trusted friends when he was still alive, Mr. Frederick.“It’s a shame, Mr. Frederick,” I said, my voice cutting through the stale air. “It’s a shame what you’re doing right now. I’m pretty certain my grandpa is the reason you are where you are today, but this is how you repay him?”A flicker of guilt flashed in the old man’s eyes before vanishing. “Your grandpa was a lovely friend. God bless his soul,” he said, gazing up at the sky as though Grandpa were watching. “But this is business, Aliya, and we’ve weighed our options.”“And the best option for you all is to let someone else,
Liam’s POVI had woken up that morning, tossing to the side of Aliya’s bed with a wide grin and the hopes of continuing our session, but my grin faltered when I opened my eyes and noticed she was out of bed.I couldn’t deny the fact that my body craved her every day and anywhere, so I paid her a visit, and now she’s stuck panicking with me in the bathroom as the door is being opened.“This is your fault, Nick,” she grumbled, making me chuckle.The door finally opened, revealing none other than my dear sister.“Oh! Aliya,” Brooke exclaimed. “I’m so sorry, I thought it was one of the employees. You know Cynthia, right? She’s been, you know…” Brooke pretended to whisper.Aliya let out a sigh of relief, finally letting go of my hand.“You see? No worries.” I turned to her with a smile, but she just rolled her eyes.She turned her attention back to Brooke. “It’s fine, Brooke. Nick just had something important to tell me, and now I’ll be leaving.”“But—” I started, but she shot me a hard gl
Liam’s POVPosh’s phone hung in the air, right in front of my face, as I stared at a video of the day I had met Aliya in the arms of Philip. Directly beneath it was a picture of her in nothing but a tiny piece of lingerie, barely covering her nipples.“Where did you get this?” I mumbled through gritted teeth.“The trending social media platform, Rona, Boss,” Posh responded, his gaze fixed on me. “It has over a thousand users here in the City.”“And how far has it spread?” My brows creased so deeply they could hold a thread.“W…we don’t know yet, Boss.” Posh stuttered, trembling as the phone in his hand began to slip.In one swift motion, I snatched the phone from his grip and hurled it into the wall with every ounce of strength I could muster. My breathing escalated as I pulled out my own phone and called Aliya.“This is Aliya’s voicemail. Please leave a message after the beep.”I tried again. And again. But it was the same thing every damn time until her line went completely dead.I
Aliya’s POVThe scent of antiseptics flared my nostrils as I struggled to pry my eyes open. The beeping sound of machines was the first thing my ears came in contact with, and when I finally opened my eyes, I became consumed with disappointment.I was alive and well, but what was the essence at this point? I expected to be locked up in a coffin somewhere, dead, but here I was, living for nothing.My eyes were wide open, but it felt wrong. I shouldn’t have been able to open them, not after what I’d been through for years, and certainly not after what happened to me before now.My thoughts immediately traveled back to the day at the office after Nick had left abruptly because I asked a question so easy that even a kindergartener could answer.I was filled with disappointment and decided to keep a closed mind about it, never bringing up my feelings again. Later that evening, I packed up and left for home, and as soon as I got there, I received it.The video I stared at felt so unreal, ye
Liam’s POVThe thought of having my own family one day had never crossed my mind. All I could think about my entire life was revenge on the Van Alen family for making my family’s life miserable, and it seemed like my quest for vengeance had taken a toll on me. I lost my unborn baby because of it and drove the woman I love into darkness.It had been two days since Aliya was finally released from the hospital, and it had been two days of long silence. She wouldn’t speak or eat, wouldn’t cry, wouldn’t leave her room. It hurt to see her this way, but what hurt the most was knowing I played a vital roll in her pain she went through.The bubbly sound of the soup pot pulled me from my reverie. Immediately, I turned off the stove and continued shredding some chicken. Once I was done, I poured the soup into a bowl, made some sandwiches, and arranged everything on the tray.My grip tightened around it as I made my way upstairs to Aliya’s bedroom. I exhaled deeply at the door before pushing it o
Aliya’s POVI stood before my floor-length mirror, fastening the buttons of my blouse when my eyes drifted to my belly. Slowly, I placed my hand on it, rubbing gently as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes, but I fought them back.The doctor’s words flashed through my mind for a split second. I was infertile, and never would I have a child to call my own. I had wanted to take my life, but instead, I took that of my innocent baby.I stared at the broken reflection before me, unsure whether to just sit back and give up fighting or continue as if nothing had happened. As I battled with my emotions, a knock on the door jolted me.“Aliya,” Nick said, closing the door slightly behind him as he stepped toward me.“Good morning,” I replied, not taking my eyes off the mirror.“You’re all dressed up,” he noted, scanning my body with a frown. “Going somewhere?”“Yes. I have a company to run, remember?” I responded.“But you’re not fine yet,” he argued.“Says who exactly?” I shot back, my gaz
Aliya’s POV “William?” I shook my head in disbelief. “That’s impossible. For all I know, you could be making this up just to get me to help you.” “I may be a lot of things, but I would never make up something like this,” Nala said, her tone tinged with disappointment. “Open your mind, Aliya. If no one else has told you this, then let me be the first. You’re too naive. I’m not insane enough to bring this up if I didn’t think I could gather real evidence.” My eyes stung. Was I really naive just because I refused to believe the man I’d known as a second father—though technically a butler—had helped end my mother’s life? No. That was literally impossible. William was a kind soul. He couldn’t have. Nala stood, walked up to me, and held my hands. “Aliya, I swear to you, this is the truth. All you have to do is help me get back into that mansion so I can secure some inheritance for my mother and me, and I’ll help you search for the evidence. Just get Camille out.” I didn’t kn
Aliya’s POVCuriosity overwhelmed me as I twirled in my seat. Documents lay before me awaiting my signature, but all I could do was fidget—waiting for Nala like my life depended on it. Suddenly, a knock came at the door, jolting me. “Hi, ma’am.” My other assistant who had filled in for Brooke, walked in with a practiced smile. For some reason, Brooke hadn’t come to work for two days now, and I couldn’t reach her either. I had this nagging feeling that something was terribly wrong, though I couldn’t quite place what. “A certain Miss Nala is here to—” “Send her in.” I cut her off quickly, startling her for a brief moment. With a nod, she exited, and seconds later the door opened again, revealing Nala. She offered a faint smile, standing just at the entrance. “Never thought I’d be this eager to talk to you, sis.” “Neither did I,” I replied. “Please, come in.” Nala moved with poise—like the queen she had always forced herself into becoming. Her red heels clicked acros
Third Person’s POVNala paced the room, then turned abruptly and threw a dart at the wall missing, her target.“Fuck!” she cried out, running a hand through her damp hair.“Let’s do this one last time,” she muttered, stepping back, narrowing her eyes, then aiming again. This time, the dart landed precisely on the spot she wanted—Camille’s forehead.“Bingo!” she cheered.“Let’s see how you make baseless accusations without a brain to think with,” Nala laughed hysterically, picking up the glass of scotch from the table and downing it in one go.She threw herself onto the bed, eyes staring at the unfamiliar ceiling. She had spent two nights already at the Masini Hotel and was beginning to lose her mind.Just two nights ago, she had been seated by the pool at the Van Alen mansion, punching on her cell phone and giggling like a little girl, when Camille stormed in.“What’s so funny?” Camille hovered above her, crossing her arms over her chest.Nala raised her eyes slowly, gazing at her bri
Liam’s POVThe room smelled of antiseptics and bad news.I sat on the edge of the hospital bed, the thin gown loose against my frame, eyes cast down, and my heart spiraling with each passing second as I waited for the results of my test.This wasn’t what I had planned for today, nor was it where I thought I would be, but here I was, waiting for the results of something I already knew the answer to.The door to the doctor’s office creaked open, and he stepped in. A paper in one hand, a stethoscope hanging from his neck, a lab coat as white as snow, and an expression that couldn’t quite hide itself.He took a seat opposite me, removing his glasses before speaking. “Mr. Liam, the results are in.”I straightened up, looking him in the eye. “And?”Dr. Ken cleared his throat, his eyes darting between me and the paper in his hands. “It’s positive. The tumor has returned. It’s smaller, but this time it’s more severe than the last.”My heart sank the moment he uttered the word positive. I knew
Liam’s POVEver felt like your lies are beginning to close in on you and there’s no escape? Well, that was exactly the position I found myself in.God knows if Aliya had managed to open that text from Monica before I walked in, it would’ve been catastrophic. Now I stared at her furious face, unsure of what to do.“I can’t do that.” I cleared my throat, taking the phone from her hand.She folded her arms, brows furrowed. “Why, Nick? Unless there’s some truth to what I’m saying.”“There’s no truth to what you’re saying, Aliya. There’s nothing going on between Monica and me,” I said, my voice firm.Aliya let out a dry chuckle. “Unbelievable. I can’t believe how much trust I put in you.”I dropped the phone on the bed, walking toward her gently. I grazed her cheek with the back of my hand, staring into her teary eyes—but I saw more than just tears. I saw disappointment.“Believe me, baby. Monica probably just needs a favor,” I explained, but she shook her head, snapping away from my touch
Aliya’s POVSo Monica and Nick, huh? Didn’t see that coming.I got into my car and drove home after the long day at the shop, which I was certain I wouldn’t be stepping foot in for a while.Nick had left for his secret adventures with Posh, as usual, and all I could do was nod without complaint. Sometimes it felt like he didn’t trust me enough to let me into his world. I mean, take a look at how I found out my old friend used to be his girlfriend.There was this strange feeling I had when I saw the way they looked at each other. Was it jealousy? Or fear—fear that they hadn’t told me the whole truth about their past.I pulled over and stepped into the house, ready to unwind and melt into the warm blankets waiting on my bed. But my stomach had other plans—I hadn’t eaten anything all day.After a soothing bath, I made my way to the kitchen. Soft jazz drifted through the speakers as I played around with the knives and vegetables.“Might as well make something for Nick, since he always doe
Third Person’s POVNick stood still, eyes fixated on her, but he didn’t flinch—not even for a second.“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked, furrowing his brows.Monica ignored his question and stepped even closer. Her red lingerie sparkled under the chandelier. Rising on her toes, she placed a soft kiss on Nick’s cheek.“I’m in town because I’ve missed you, Nick,” she murmured, her voice low and seductive. “You know we were never supposed to end our relationship—if not for…”Nick suddenly grabbed her arm. “Don’t you dare say it. That’s supposed to stay between us, remember?”Monica chuckled. “Right. What happens in Peru stays in Peru.”He let go of her arm, and she rubbed the spot slowly before locking eyes with him.“I should be the one you’re with, not her. I was there for you through it all, and now that everything’s going great, you never reached out.”Nick ran a hand through his ruffled hair for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He brushed past her to the mini bar
Liam’s POVWalking in on your ex-girlfriend hand in hand with your present girlfriend is something you might see in your everyday life—but walking in on your ex-girlfriend, who knows everything about you, standing with your present girlfriend? That feels like the end of a game.“Monica?” I murmured, trying to mask my shock, but it was futile and Aliya noticed instantly.“Liam?” Aliya chuckled. “No, this is Nick, my husband.”“Excuse me, do you two know each other?” she asked, breaking the long, awkward staring contest I was having with Monica.“Uh… Aliya, this is Liam—my ex-boyfriend,” Monica said, turning to Aliya whose smile began to falter.“Ex-boyfriend from way back,” I added quickly, trying to lighten the tension.“Why is she calling you Nick?” Monica questioned, her eyes narrowing as Aliya looked at me for what felt like the fiftieth time today.“That’s because Nick is my actual name,” I said with a forced chuckle, not even sure what I was saying or how I’d explain it later.I
Aliya’s POVEver felt like the more you get closer to someone, the more you know them less?Well, that was Nick and me. We had taken things to the next level and it’s been a week now, but he still felt like a stranger to me. Always having errands to run, never letting me know anything about his life—I’ve always been in the shadows, and I still am.Aside from that, he was everything I ever wanted—everything Philip wasn’t. One way or another, I was going to bring down those walls he had built completely.I fastened my hands on the steering wheel as my phone buzzed, jolting me. I took a quick glance at the screen, tapped on it, and focused my attention back on driving.“Hey, baby!” Nick’s voice came through the speakers, and a smile spread across my lips.“You didn’t wake me, and now I didn’t get to stare at your face before you left,” he said.“I know, Nick, I’m sorry. It was an urgent call about my fashion shop, so I just had to step out real quick,” I explained.“Uhh, is everything ok