chapter 14

Three days after meeting Liam at the café, Judith was sitting in her office on the top floor of Lux Group headquarters, reviewing the quarterly financial reports.

The numbers weren't difficult. If anything, they were helping distract her from the thoughts she had been trying to avoid all week.

Ever since seeing Liam again, her mind had been annoyingly restless.

And she hated it.

She had spent months rebuilding her life after the divorce. She had finally reached a point where she could go through an entire day without thinking about him.

Now he was somehow back in her thoughts again.

Judith pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the document in front of her.

The company's overseas expansion was progressing faster than expected. There were a few risks she wanted addressed, but overall the report was promising.

Her office phone buzzed.

She pressed the intercom button without looking up.

"Yes?"

"Miss Lux, you have a visitor."

Judith smiled faintly.

"If it's Ava, tell her I refuse to help her escape work."

A soft laugh came through the speaker.

"It's not Miss Morgan."

That made Judith pause.

Her assistant rarely sounded uncertain.

Judith finally looked up from her papers.

"Who is it?"

There was a brief silence.

Then her assistant answered.

"Mrs. Smith."

Judith froze.

For a moment she genuinely wondered if she had heard wrong.

"Mrs. Smith?"

"Yes, Miss Lux."

Judith stared at the phone.

Victoria Smith?

Here?

Without warning?

Her first thought was that something had happened to Liam.

Immediately, concern shot through her.

"Send her in."

"Right away."

The call ended.

Judith sat back in her chair.

Victoria had never once visited her office before.

Not during her marriage not that Judith had even worked in the office then. She was a devoted house wife.

And definitely not after the divorce.

Which meant this wasn't a casual visit.

A few moments later, there was a knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened.

Victoria Smith entered.

As always, she looked flawless.

Her dark suit was elegant and understated. Her posture was straight. Every strand of hair was perfectly in place.

Yet despite her composed appearance, Judith immediately noticed something unusual.

Victoria seemed nervous.

It wasn't obvious.

Most people probably wouldn't have noticed.

But Judith had known her for years.

Something was definitely bothering her.

"Mrs. Smith."

Victoria smiled.

"Judith."

The fact that she used her first name instead of something formal made Judith even more curious.

"Please sit."

Victoria thanked her and took the chair opposite the desk.

For a few seconds, neither woman spoke.

Judith waited.

Eventually she asked the obvious question.

"Is everything alright?"

Victoria let out a small laugh.

"Yes."

Then she paused.

"Actually, no."

Judith's concern deepened.

"What's wrong?"

Victoria folded her hands together.

For the first time since entering the room, she looked genuinely uncertain.

Then she said something Judith never expected.

"I came here to apologize."

Judith blinked.

"Apologize?"

Victoria nodded.

"Yes."

The answer only confused her further.

"For what?"

Victoria was quiet for several seconds.

Long enough that Judith realized she had probably been rehearsing this conversation before arriving.

"When Liam first told me about the marriage arrangement, I didn't support it."

Judith frowned slightly.

"You didn't?"

"No."

That surprised her.

Throughout her marriage, Victoria had always been polite and welcoming. Judith had assumed she approved of the union from the beginning.

Victoria shook her head.

"It wasn't because I disliked you."

"I know."

"You do?"

Judith smiled.

"You were always kind to me."

Victoria's expression softened.

"Because I liked you from the moment I met you."

The honesty in her voice caught Judith off guard.

Victoria continued.

"I opposed the marriage because I knew exactly what my son was like."

That earned a small laugh from Judith.

Victoria smiled too.

"He was married to his work long before he was married to you."

"That's true."

"Unfortunately."

For the first time, the tension between them eased.

Victoria leaned back slightly.

"I warned him."

Judith looked surprised.

"You did?"

"Several times."

"What did you tell him?"

Victoria didn't hesitate.

"I told him that if he wasn't prepared to prioritize his wife, he shouldn't get married."

Judith stared at her.

For some reason, hearing that made something twist painfully inside her chest.

Because it was exactly what had happened.

Liam hadn't been cruel.

That was what made it difficult.

If he had cheated of which she wasn't sure about or lied or treated her badly, leaving would have been easier.

Instead, he had simply failed to show up.

Day after day.

Month after month.

Year after year.

Until she finally couldn't do it anymore.

Victoria seemed to understand exactly where Judith's thoughts had gone.

"You're still hurt."

It wasn't a question.

Judith looked down at the desk.

"I think part of me always will be."

The words came out more honestly than she intended.

Victoria nodded slowly.

"I understand."

And strangely enough, Judith believed she did.

The older woman wasn't trying to defend Liam.

She wasn't making excuses.

And she definitely wasn't asking Judith to forgive him.

She was simply acknowledging the damage that had been done.

That alone made Judith appreciate her.

The conversation continued naturally after that.

They talked about work.

About family.

About the pregnancy.

About things completely unrelated to Liam.

For nearly an hour, it felt less like a conversation between former in-laws and more like a conversation between two people who genuinely respected one another.

At one point, Victoria laughed and shook her head.

"You know, I've never been angrier with Liam than I was after the divorce."

Judith smiled.

"Only after the divorce?"

Victoria laughed.

"Fair enough. There were other times."

They both knew exactly what those times were.

After the laughter faded, Victoria became serious again.

"He didn't understand what he was losing."

Judith's smile disappeared.

She looked toward the large windows overlooking the city.

Part of her wanted to believe that.

Part of her wanted to believe Liam finally understood.

The problem was that understanding after the fact didn't erase what had happened.

Victoria studied her quietly.

"You don't fully trust him."

Again, not a question.

Judith sighed.

"I don't know."

The answer was honest.

Because she truly didn't know.

She trusted that Liam cared.

She trusted that he regretted the divorce.

She even trusted that he wanted another chance.

What she wasn't sure about was whether people could really change.

Whether things would be different this time.

Whether she could survive having her heart broken twice by the same man.

Victoria seemed to understand without needing an explanation.

"That's fair."

Judith looked back at her.

"Aren't you going to defend him?"

Victoria raised an eyebrow.

"Why would I do that?"

"You're his mother."

"Exactly."

Her expression became dry.

"I've spent thirty-one years dealing with him. I know his flaws better than anyone."

That made Judith laugh.

A genuine laugh.

Victoria smiled.

"He's trying, Judith."

The words were simple and honest.

"I know."

"And that's all I'll say about it."

Judith appreciated that more than she could explain.

Victoria wasn't trying to pressure her.

The decision was still hers.

As it should be.

A few minutes later, Victoria stood to leave.

"I should stop taking up your workday."

Judith stood as well.

"You weren't."

Victoria picked up her handbag.

Then suddenly remembered something.

"Oh."

She reached inside and pulled out a small gift bag.

"I almost forgot."

Judith frowned.

"You brought me a gift?"

"Technically, I brought the baby a gift."

Judith accepted the bag.

"You didn't have to."

"I know."

Curious, she looked inside.

The moment she saw the contents, her expression softened.

A tiny pair of white baby socks.

They were ridiculously small.

Small enough to fit in the palm of her hand.

Judith stared at them for several seconds.

For some reason, those tiny socks affected her more than any ultrasound picture had.

More than any doctor's appointment.

More than any medical report.

Because suddenly she could imagine it.

A real baby.

A tiny human being.

Someone she would soon be holding in her arms.

Victoria watched her reaction with a smile.

"I bought them the day after I found out about the pregnancy."

Judith looked up.

The older woman's eyes were warm.

Filled with excitement.

Filled with love.

And suddenly Judith realized something she hadn't thought about before.

This baby already had people waiting for it.

Her parents.

Julian.

Ava.

Victoria.

Even Liam.

The baby wasn't entering the world alone.

It was entering a family.

A large, complicated, slightly chaotic family.

One that would love it endlessly.

For the first time since discovering the pregnancy, the future didn't feel quite so overwhelming.

It felt manageable.

Victoria squeezed her hand gently before heading toward the door.

As she left, Judith looked down at the tiny socks again.

Then, without realizing it, she smiled.

Maybe some things were worth believing in again.