Semua Bab Ties That Bind: Bab 111 - Bab 120

PIPER’S POVThe moment I turned and saw him at the resort, my heart skipped. For a second, I thought maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. The same guy from the restaurant…of all places, all times…standing right there in South Africa.“Piper?” His voice carried surprise, but also a warm familiarity, the kind that made me hesitate before answering.“Yes,” I managed, forcing a small smile. “It’s… you.”He laughed softly, shaking his head. “Wow, what are the odds? Last time I saw you, we were across yunno at the bar. And now…here?”“Life has a funny way of throwing coincidences at us,” I replied, trying to keep my tone casual. But inside, I felt a strange tug. Part of me wanted to ask him why fate kept crossing our paths, and another part of me reminded me sharply of Rowan.We walked a bit closer, away from the crowd at the resort lobby.“So, vacation?” I asked, breaking the silence.“Yes,” he nodded. “I needed a break, honestly. Work’s been suffocating, and my friends ditched me last

LIA’S POVI was pacing around the house, my slippers dragging noisily across the tiled floor. My chest rose and fell quickly, like the walls themselves were closing in on me. Every corner of the house reminded me of the emptiness in my pockets. The bills are piling up. My own reflection in the mirror, hair rough, face tired, eyes sunken from worry.I grabbed my phone again and dialed. It rang and rang. No answer. I tried again. Still nothing.“Pick up, Piper ,” I whispered into the phone. “Just pick up this once.”But silence was all I got. My daughter wasn’t answering me, and I knew why. The last time I went to her place, it was awkward. I begged. She had turned me away. Since then, she has gone cold on me.I threw the phone onto the couch with a frustrated groan and kept pacing. My palms were sweating, my thoughts racing.That was when the door creaked open, and Thames walked in. My husband.“Lia?” he said, surprise flashing on his face when he saw me pacing. “What’s wrong with you

PIPER’S POVThe moment the words slipped from my mouth, I regretted them. I hadn’t meant to say it out loud, but the silence in the room made it impossible to swallow them back. His eyes locked onto mine, sharp and unblinking, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe.“Explain in detail,” he said, his voice steady, calm…too calm for what I had just confessed.My lips trembled, but I forced myself to speak. I told him everything. From the moment it started, how fear had gripped me, how things had spiraled, and how I had reacted without even thinking. The words poured out of me in a rush. I didn’t leave anything out, not the shaking of my hands, not the way my chest had tightened, not the overwhelming terror that I would be the one lying lifeless if I hadn’t done what I did.When I finally stopped, my throat felt dry, like I had swallowed sand. My heart pounded against my ribs, waiting for judgment, waiting for his reaction.He leaned back slowly, studying me with those piercing eyes

PIPER’S POVThe moment he told me that there wasn’t anybody again, my whole body went cold. My hands started to shake so badly that I almost dropped my wine glass.“What… what do you mean there’s nobody?” I whispered, my voice trembling like a leaf caught in the wind.On the other end of the wall where he was standing, his tone stayed low but firm. “Piper, listen to me. Calm down. It’s being handled.”“Handled?” I almost choked on the word. “No, don’t just say it’s handled! Tell me exactly what’s going on. Where is the person? Where did he go?”“I told you. There’s nobody again,” he repeated, slower this time. “Stop panicking. I’m going to the site right now. Just… stay where you are. Don’t follow me.”My heart was thundering in my ears. “No, please, let me come. I can help. I don’t want to stay here alone and…”“No,” he cut me off sharply. “Piper, you’re not coming. You’ll only make things worse. Stay home. Trust me.”The walls of my room felt like they were closing in. I couldn’t si

PIPER’S POVTo be honest, I felt lighter after that phone call with my mother. My chest wasn’t as heavy anymore, and for the first time in weeks, I had actually spoken my truth to her. It wasn’t pretty, and it definitely wasn’t polite, but it was honest …and that honesty felt like a weight lifting off me.I was still lying in bed, towel wrapped around me, hair damp, staring up at the ceiling when my phone buzzed again.I groaned loudly. “Oh, come on,” I muttered, dragging my body toward the nightstand. My head was still buzzing from the wine, and all I wanted was silence.When I picked up the phone and looked at the screen, my eyes narrowed. Lucia.“What’s with everyone calling me tonight?” I mumbled under my breath before answering. “Hello?”“Piper?” Lucia's voice came through soft but concerned. “Are you okay?”I sighed and sank deeper into the bed. “Define okay.”“That doesn’t sound good,” she said with a little laugh. “What happened?”I hesitated for a moment. “Nothing… or maybe e