Chapter 3

Moira's voice grew softer as she spoke, and she sounded a lot more guilty, too.

The man who'd been quiet at her side suddenly intervened, as if to remind us of his presence. He wrapped an arm around Moira as he said gently, "Sorry about all this, Liam. I only asked that Moira help me with this favor, but nothing's going on between us.

"Please don't get the wrong idea. Once my parents go home, we'll show up at your place to thank you properly for helping us out."

Noah's explanation was seamless, as if he truly had asked Moira for an innocent favor. But it wasn't hard for me to hear the smug undertone of his words.

An awkward look flickered past his features when he registered my silence and grim expression.

When the tension got too much for Moira, she made to speak, only for Noah to raise a hand and stop her. "It's only normal for you to be upset, Liam. After all, I didn't ask you for permission before I pulled Moira into this.

"I don't want to come between you and Moira, either. So, how about I offer you my sincerest apologies?"

With that, he made a point to bow his head at me in deep apology and said sorry to me over and over. He looked distressed when I didn't respond.

A moment later, he seemed to have made up his mind. He said emphatically, "You must forgive me, Liam, or I'll never live this down. I'll… I'll get on my knees and ask for your forgiveness!"

Looking resolute, he began to lower himself on his knees as he spoke.

Beside him, Moira grew antsy and quickly reached out to pull up Noah, sympathy flooding her gaze. She turned to level a disapproving look at me. "Are you done here, Liam? Noah's already gone to lengths to apologize to you. Aren't you going to say something?

"Are you always this heartless? It's no wonder you grew up unloved, and your parents left you in your grandmother's care!

"I'm so disappointed in you, Liam. A heartless, apathetic man like you doesn't deserve to be loved!"

When she finished speaking, she grabbed Noah by the arm and turned to leave. She took a few steps, then, seemingly remembering something, suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Shooting me a glance over her shoulder, she heaved a sigh of grim resignation. "Then again, with your naturally poor social skills, I doubt you have friends in this city. I'll wire you some cash later so you can put yourself up in a motel somewhere.

"For the next couple of days, don't call me unless I call you first. I told you I'm busy."

Moira spun on her heels after that and left without turning back, pulling Noah alongside her.

I stood in place and watched as her figure grew smaller in the distance. My heart twisted with a sudden, seizing pain, and I felt as if all the strength had been drained from me.

I couldn't hold it together anymore. Clutching my chest, I doubled over with agony shining in my eyes.

When I told Moira the things I'd gone through growing up, she'd looked sympathetic and reassured me that none of those were my fault, promising me that she'd love me fully.

I never thought she would one day turn my confessions into a knife and stab me with it. It hurt me more than I could ever imagine.

I didn't have naturally poor social skills, nor was I without friends.

After we started dating, Moira had told me that my female friends made her insecure, so I deleted their numbers in front of her. After that, she asked that I spend all my free time with her and told me she didn't like it when I hung out with my buddies. So, I gradually cut them off.

I spent these years pouring my heart into my job, heeding Moira's every word about everything. But I never thought she would put me down like that in the end.

My phone suddenly chimed with notifications.

"Hey, Liam. It's Noah. Moira's picking out presents for the baby's one-month birthday. She told me to send you some cash for your motel stay."

I quirked my mouth to the side and clicked on the message from PayPal. Liam had sent me 50 dollars.

It wasn't long before Liam sent me another voice note: "Moira said 50 dollars should be enough for you to get a motel room somewhere. She said you'd be fine… After all, you've slept in worse places, like next to a dumpster…"