All Chapters of THE WEIGHT OF LOVING YOU: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

LIAMI didn’t move.Not at first.Just sat there on the ground like my body forgot how to function. The cold from the floor seeped through my jeans, but I barely felt it. My chest was tight—like something was lodged between my ribs and couldn’t come out, no matter how hard I breathed.I’d watched her get into his car. I’d watched the way she didn’t look back. And I just sat there, like an idiot, blinking at the empty space she left behind.Jessica was gone.And this time… she really meant it.“Fuck,” I whispered, dragging my hands down my face. “What the fuck just happened?”My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out instinctively—hoping, praying it was her.It wasn’t.I stared at the screen, my heart thudding like it was trying to escape my chest. I didn’t know who to call. No one felt right.But my thumb moved on its own.Jessica’s mom.God, I hadn’t even thought about what time it was. My hand shook as I held the phone to my ear.She picked up on the second ring. “Hello?”“Hi, m

LIAMI walked into the office like a man who hadn’t seen the sun in weeks. Like a man who didn’t even know what day it was, or how he’d gotten here.My shirt was wrinkled like I’d wrestled with my nightmares in it. My tie was hanging on for dear life, half-knotted and sad. And my shoes—I didn’t even remember putting them on. For all I knew, I’d walked in here barefoot and someone handed them to me at the door.Everything just felt... loud. The lights overhead were too white. Too sharp. The hum of the air conditioner grated against the inside of my skull. Even the click of my own damn footsteps sounded like gunshots on the floor.I was barely two steps in when Maria looked up from her desk and blinked. Hard.“Boss?” she said, like she wasn’t sure it was me. “You’re not looking good at all.”I paused and offered her a smile that felt more like a grimace. “Hi. How are you today?”She tilted her head, concern blooming in her expression. “I’m fine,” she said slowly, “but you… you look like

JESSICALiam straightened the moment he saw me step closer, his posture stiff but hopeful. His expression gave nothing away—just that blank, unreadable face he wore whenever he was trying not to break first.Then, without a word, he moved. One step. Two. And suddenly, I was wrapped in his arms.Tight. Familiar. Almost cruel.I didn’t hug him back. I couldn’t. I stood there, rigid, arms hanging limp at my sides while silence screamed in my ears.I should scream. I should slap him. I should tell him not to touch me. But all I could do was stand there, caged in warmth I no longer trusted.His breath brushed the top of my head, and then came the softest kiss to my forehead. Gentle. A ghost of old routines.He pulled back, not saying anything, just opened the car door like muscle memory. I got in because my legs were shaking, and I hated that he noticed. I hated that he still knew me well enough to wait until I was settled before closing the door softly behind me.The car was cool, the hum

JESSICA The second I stepped into my hotel room after meeting Liam outside, I didn’t even bother to switch on the lights. My bag slid right off my shoulder and hit the floor with a soft thud, landing halfway on the rug like it had given up mid-fall. I kicked off my slippers—one skidding under the armchair, the other flopping somewhere by the mini fridge—and collapsed facedown on the bed. My cheek pressed into the cool sheets, and I let out a long, exhausted sigh that seemed to drain the last bit of energy I had.“Phew,” I muttered to no one but the ceiling. “At least I got that over with.”The ceiling didn’t respond, which was fine. I wasn’t sure I wanted answers anyway. My heart was still beating too fast, like my body hadn’t gotten the memo that the conversation with Liam was over. My thoughts were scrambled, tumbling over each other like laundry in a dryer—his face, his voice, the way I’d tried to sound casual but ended up feeling like I was holding my breath the entire time.I

JESSICA The sky was the kind of heavy gray that made you wonder if it was worth washing your car. Clouds rolled slow and low, pressing the day into something softer.I pulled up outside the little café Samantha had suggested, the soft hum of passing cars and the occasional honk drifting through the cracked window.I was early—of course I was. I’ve never liked walking into a meeting late, especially one like this. It’s not that I need control over everything, but controlling the seating arrangement? That I’ll take. A good spot means an edge.I slipped inside and was immediately wrapped in the scent of fresh bread, the hiss and steam of the coffee machine, and the comfortable rise-and-fall of chatter. It wasn’t busy enough to feel crowded, just… lived-in. My eyes went straight to the window table, the one where you could see the street but still feel tucked away.I claimed it, shedding my jacket and sliding into the chair.The server came over with a smile. “What can I get you?”“Coff