chapter 43

The Answer....

Judith barely slept that night.

Not because she didn't know what she wanted.

The problem was that she did.

For years, she had imagined Liam standing in front of her and telling her he loved her. She had imagined him fighting for her, choosing her, seeing her.

Now that it had happened, she couldn't stop thinking about everything that came with it.

Love wasn't the issue.

Trust was.

Liam had spent months proving he had changed, but part of her still remembered the woman who used to sit alone at dinner while her husband worked late.

The woman who waited for calls that never came.

The woman who convinced herself that being lonely was normal.

By the time the sun rose, Judith was still awake.

And exhausted.

Around eight o'clock, there was a knock on her bedroom door.

Before she could answer, Ava walked in carrying coffee and a bag of pastries.

"You look terrible."

"Good morning to you too."

Ava sat down on the bed.

"You didn't sleep."

Judith groaned.

"Is it that obvious?"

"You have the face of someone who's having an emotional crisis."

"That's because I am having an emotional crisis."

Ava took a sip of coffee.

"Is this about Liam?"

Judith gave her a look.

Ava nodded.

"Right. Stupid question."

For a moment neither spoke.

Then Judith sighed.

"He asked me to come back."

Ava's eyes widened.

"He what?"

"He didn't exactly propose."

A pause.

"Actually, it sounded suspiciously close to a proposal."

Ava immediately sat up straighter.

"Details."

"No."

"Judith."

"No."

"You're rude."

Judith laughed despite herself.

Then her smile faded.

"What if I get hurt again?"

The question came out quietly.

More quietly than she intended.

Ava's expression softened.

For once, she didn't joke.

Didn't tease.

Didn't interrupt.

"What if you do?"

Judith frowned.

"That's not helpful."

"I'm serious."

Ava set down her coffee.

"What if you do get hurt again?"

Judith looked away.

Ava continued.

"You survived the divorce."

The words hung in the air.

"You survived loving him when he didn't know how to love you back."

Another pause.

"You survived losing the marriage."

She reached over and squeezed Judith's hand.

"If the worst happens, you'll survive that too."

Judith stared at her friend.

Because strangely enough, it was exactly what she needed to hear.

Not guarantees.

Not promises.

Just the reminder that she was stronger than her fears.

Later that afternoon, Liam was in a meeting when his phone rang.

Judith.

Every executive at the table watched his expression change instantly.

He answered before the second ring.

"Hi."

The smile in his voice was impossible to miss.

On the other end, Judith rolled her eyes.

"We need to talk."

Liam stood immediately.

The executives exchanged knowing looks.

One of them actually started packing up his laptop.

The meeting was clearly over.

"Where are you?" Liam asked.

"The estate."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes."

It took him fifteen.

When he arrived, he found Judith sitting in the garden near the lake.

She looked calm.

Too calm.

That made him nervous.

For months he had imagined this conversation.

Now that it was here, he wasn't sure what to expect.

He sat down across from her.

Neither spoke immediately.

Finally, Liam broke the silence.

"You've been thinking."

"Unfortunately."

That earned a small laugh.

A good sign.

Maybe.

"I have a question."

Liam nodded.

"Okay."

Judith looked directly at him.

"If we get back together..."

She paused.

"...what happens when things become normal again?"

Liam frowned slightly.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean right now you're trying."

Her voice remained calm.

"You're showing up. You're paying attention. You're fighting for us."

She held his gaze.

"What happens when you don't have to fight anymore?"

The question hit harder than he expected.

Because it wasn't unfair.

It wasn't cruel.

It was honest.

Liam took his time answering.

"I don't know."

Judith blinked.

That wasn't the answer she expected.

"I don't know exactly what our future will look like."

He leaned forward slightly.

"But I know what I want it to look like."

She remained silent.

Listening.

"I want to come home and tell you about my day."

A small smile appeared on his face.

"I want to argue with you about ridiculous things."

"You already do that."

"True."

The smile widened briefly.

Then his expression became serious again.

"I want our child to grow up seeing parents who actually like each other."

Judith's chest tightened.

"And I want you to never doubt that you're important to me again."

There was no hesitation in his voice.

No uncertainty.

Just conviction.

For a long moment, Judith said nothing.

Then she asked the question she had been carrying for months.

"Why didn't you realize it sooner?"

Liam looked away.

The answer wasn't flattering.

"Because I was arrogant."

Judith raised an eyebrow.

The honesty surprised her.

Liam laughed quietly.

"It's true."

He shook his head.

"I thought providing for you was enough."

A bitter smile crossed his face.

"I thought because I wasn't cheating and wasn't mistreating you, I was a good husband."

The smile disappeared.

"I didn't realize how badly I was failing you."

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Liam looked back at her.

"I can't fix that."

His voice softened.

"I can't change who I was."

A pause.

"But I can make sure I never become that man again."

The sincerity in his eyes made it impossible to look away.

Judith felt something inside her finally settle.

Not because he was perfect.

Not because she suddenly forgot the past.

But because she believed him.

For the first time in years, she believed him.

A slow smile appeared on her face.

Liam noticed immediately.

His heart started pounding.

"Judith?"

She shook her head softly.

Then laughed.

A real laugh.

The kind he hadn't heard enough during their marriage.

"You know," she said, "for someone who runs a billion-dollar company, you're surprisingly bad at waiting."

Liam stared at her.

Not understanding.

Then understanding all at once.

"Wait."

The word came out almost as a whisper.

Judith smiled wider.

And finally gave him the answer he had been waiting months to hear.

"Let's try again."

For a second, Liam just sat there.

As if his brain had stopped working.

Then he laughed.

A genuine, relieved laugh.

The kind that came from pure happiness.

Before Judith could react, he pulled her into his arms.

Carefully because of the baby.

But firmly enough that she could feel him shaking slightly.

And for the first time since their divorce, neither of them felt like they were trying to find their way back.

Because they finally had.