chapter 34

For the rest of the night, Judith couldn't stop thinking about Liam's words.

It would destroy me.

Three simple words.

Yet they followed her everywhere.

Into her bedroom.

Into her dreams.

Into the quiet hours before sunrise

Years ago, she would've given anything to hear Liam say something like that.

Back then, she would've believed it immediately.

Now she didn't know what to do with it.

Because she believed him.

And that was exactly what scared her.

The next morning, Judith woke to find twenty-three unread messages.

Most were from family.

A few were from Ava.

Three were from Liam.

Good morning.

Did you sleep?

Answer before I call your mother.

Despite herself, she smiled.

Then typed back.

That's blackmail.

His reply came less than a minute later.

It's concern.

It's blackmail with better branding.

Several seconds passed.

Fair enough. Did you sleep?

Judith shook her head.

For some reason, talking to him felt easier these days.

Natural,

Dangerously natural.

By noon, she was officially banned from work.

Not by doctors.

By her family.

Julian had somehow convinced everyone she needed a few days of rest.

"It's only three days."

"It's a violation of my rights."

"You're dramatic."

"I'm pregnant."

"Exactly."

Judith glared at him.

Julian remained unmoved.

She was still complaining when Liam arrived.

Unfortunately.

Because the moment he walked in, Julian pointed at him.

"Tell her she's not allowed to work."

Liam looked at Judith.

Then at Julian.

Then made the worst decision possible.

"I agree."

Judith looked betrayed.

"You too?"

"I'm protecting my child"

"Our child."

Liam smiled.

"Our child."

The correction warmed him more than it should have.

───

That afternoon, Judith found herself sitting in the garden with absolutely nothing to do.

It was awful.

She hated it.

For someone used to running companies and managing projects, relaxation felt suspicious.

A shadow appeared beside her.

Ethan.

"How's house arrest?"

Judith groaned.

"Terrible."

Ethan laughed and handed her a cup of tea.

For a while, they talked about ordinary things.

Movies.

Travel.

Business.

Anything except complicated emotions

Eventually, Ethan became quiet.

The shift was subtle.

But Judith noticed.

"What is it?"

Ethan stared at the lake beyond the garden.

"I saw Liam yesterday."

The answer surprised her.

"Okay."

"We talked."

Now she was interested.

Judith sat up straighter.

"You talked?"

Ethan laughed.

"That shocked?"

"A little."

"Fair."

For several moments, neither spoke.

Then Ethan sighed.

"I wanted to hate him."

Judith blinked.

"What?"

Ethan shook his head.

"It would've made everything easier."

The honesty caught her off guard.

Ethan smiled faintly.

"Unfortunately, he's becoming difficult to hate."

Judith looked away.

Because she understood exactly what he meant.

That was the problem.

Months ago, Liam had been easy to blame.

Easy to resent.

Easy to leave behind.

Now?

Now he kept showing up.

Kept trying.

Kept proving that the man she divorced wasn't the man standing in front of her anymore.

And that complicated everything.

That evening, rain began falling just after sunset.

Heavy rain.

The kind that turned the world gray.

Judith stood near the window watching it.

She loved rain.

Always had.

A soft knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."

Her mother entered.

Eleanor smiled immediately.

"Thinking?"

"Unfortunately."

Her mother laughed and sat beside her.

For a while, they watched the rain together.

Then Eleanor spoke.

"Do you still love him?"

The question was so direct that Judith almost laughed.

"No warning?"

"No."

Typical.

Judith stared out the window.

Watching droplets race down the glass.

The answer should've been difficult.

Instead, it arrived immediately.

"Yes."

Her mother's expression softened.

Because she already knew.

"I never stopped."

The confession felt strangely relieving.

Like setting down something heavy she'd been carrying for months.

Eleanor reached for her hand.

"Then what's holding you back?"

Judith smiled sadly.

"The same thing that's always held me back."

"Fear?"

She nodded.

Fear.

Fear that things would go back to how they were

Fear that Liam would stop trying once he got comfortable.

Fear that she'd give him another chance and lose herself again

Most of all...

Fear that loving him still made her vulnerable.

Her mother squeezed her hand gently.

"Then make him earn it."

Judith looked toward her.

"What if he can't?"

Eleanor smiled.

"Then you'll know"

Simple.

Straightforward.

True.

Later that night, another storm rolled across the city.

Thunder echoed outside.

Lightning flashed across the sky.

Judith woke suddenly.

Breathing hard.

A nightmare.

Nothing unusual.

Pregnancy had made her dreams strange lately.

She sat up slowly.

Trying to calm herself.

Then her phone vibrated.

A message from Liam

At two in the morning.

The storm woke me up. Are you okay?

Judith stared at the screen.

Then laughed softly.

Because somehow, despite living across the city..

Despite the divorce...

Despite everything that had happened...

Liam still knew exactly when something felt wrong.

She typed back.

Couldn't sleep.

His reply came immediately.

Me neither.

For a moment she hesitated.

Then sent another message.

Stay awake with me?

The response appeared almost instantly

Always.

Judith stared at the single word

And somewhere deep inside her, another small crack formed in the wall she'd spent months trying to maintain.

Because some people left.

Some people disappointed you.

Some people broke your heart.

But sometimes...

If you were very lucky...

They came back and spent every day trying to put the pieces together again.