Aria’s POV "Mommy!" Joe’s voice broke through the air like a lifeline, and before I could react, he was in my arms, clutching me tightly. His small body pressed into mine, and I dropped to my knees, hugging him back with all the strength I had left. My breath caught in my throat, the fear of los
Aria’s POVSophia stormed into Liam’s office, her heels clicking sharply against the floor, the tension rising with each step. I watched from the chair across from Liam’s desk, arms folded, knowing exactly what was coming."Liam," she began, her voice high-pitched, almost whiny, as she rounded the c
"You believe me?" I asked, my voice quieter now, unsure of how to interpret his unwavering gaze."Of course," Liam replied without a second’s hesitation, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.I felt a jolt of surprise. For all our history, for all the battles we’d fought over the years,
Liam’s POV"What are you doing?!" Aria’s voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet room as she stood up from her chair, her eyes narrowing at me.I didn’t flinch, keeping my tone calm. "We’re still married. What’s the problem?"Aria scoffed, her hands flying to her hips in a dramatic gesture. "You
Aria’s POVBusy bustle of the hospital surrounded us, but Logan’s voice pulled me back to the present. He sighed, glancing at me with a mixture of concern and relief."Joe was worried about you, Aria. That’s why we came to the hospital." His tone was gentle, but there was an edge to it, as though he
Aria’s POVThe soft clinking of champagne glasses and the low murmur of voices filled the opulent ballroom, but none of it could drown out the tension simmering in the air.Liam’s friends, gathered in a semi-circle, eyed me with surprise as I stood by the entrance.Their eyes darted between me and L
His sweet voice greeted me the moment I finished, no fear in his voice. "Mom, when are you coming home? I want to see Dad!"Before I could respond, Liam snatched the phone out of my hand with a quick swipe."Hey, buddy," he said into the receiver, his voice softening as he spoke to Joe."Uncle Liam!
Aria’s POVDespite his promise, the car ride remained silent.We pulled up to my driveway without having said anything further. Irritation sparked in me.“Liam, you brought me here to talk about our divorce papers. Get on with it.” My tone was firm. He just reached over and popped the door open.“Af
Liam’s POVI hastily shoved the ring back into my pocket, hoping Isabelle hadn’t really seen it or that she would doubt her eyes. Instead, she continued staring right where it was as if she was in a trance.It was an awkward standoff, both of us like deer caught in headlights.My dread helped me rec
Aria’s POV“I am busy,” Liam said. He purposefully stopped tugging on his sleeve, gripping both hands on the laptop and paperwork he carried instead.I knew he was busy. That wasn’t fully a lie. But was he truly so busy that he couldn’t find five minutes to talk to be before Sunday? That, I highly d
Taking the long way, I ascended the stairwell in the headquarters building. There, as I was heading up, Aria came rushing down.“Aria,” I said, spotting her on the landing above.She stopped but turned her head away from me. “Liam.”That was a rather frosty reception, even with how strained things h
Liam’s POVI didn’t need my father’s approval for anything, and I certainly didn’t need his pride. He was clearly up to something here, though what that could be, I wasn’t sure yet.A big part of me what to tell him off, but another side of me, the more reasonable side, insisted that I hold my tongu
Aria’s POVEver since William asked me about the divorce, the question stuck in my brain. If the kids were even able to perceive the many difficulties between us, enough to assume that we were going to split permanently, then Liam and I needed really needed to have a discussion right now, not on Sun
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