Chapter 0017
Liam’s POV
The silence in the car was unbearable, but I kept my focus on the road.
The tension between Sophia and me was at a breaking point, and I knew it was only a matter of time before she let her
frustrations loose.
“I saw you go into her fitting room!” she finally snapped, her voice sharp with accusation, breaking the silence like glass
shattering
“What were you doing in there with her, Liam? Do you think I didn’t notice?” Her words came fast, driven by frustration.
I didn’t answer. My hands tightened around the steering wheel, fingers gripping it until my knuckles turned white. My jaw was clenched, eyes fixed on the road ahead, refusing to engage.
What was the point?
She wouldn’t understand, and I wasn’t about to explain myself. Not now.
“She only wants to divorce you now! Don’t you see? You’re making it worse!” Sophia’s words kept coming, her tone rising with anger as if the louder she got, the more truth she believed she could force out of me.
She was pushing for a confrontation, but I had no patience for it. Not today.
Without thinking, I slammed on the brakes. The tires screeched as the car jerked to a sudden stop, and Sophia was thrown) forward, her hand grabbing the dashboard to steady herself.
Her face paled, her wide eyes staring at me in shock.
“Sophia.” My voice came out low, almost a growl, heavy with warning. “This is the last time I’m going to say this. You have no
right to comment on matters between Aria and me.”
Her face twisted in frustration, lips pressed into a thin line as she fought to control her emotions. Before she could say another
word, I cut her off.
“What?” She blinked, disbelief and irritation flashing across her face.
“I said, get out” I didn’t raise my voice, but the command was final. There was no room for negotiation, no space for further
discussion
Sophia hesitated for a moment, her expression torn between anger and confusion. Her fingers fumbled with the door handle before she finally stepped out, slamming the door shut behind her.
The sound of it echoed, sharp and final.
+15 Bonus
As I drove off, the silence returned, even heavier than before. Her outburst was already fading from my thoughts, her words no
longer holding weight.
My phone buzzed in my hand, and I glanced down. It was my assistant.
I answered immediately. “What is it?”
“Liam,” He said, his voice calm but with a hint of urgency. “I’ve found something important. It’s about Logan.”
I stopped pacing, feeling the tension coil in my gut. “What did you find?”
“He’s been making regular trips to that foreign city,” He said. “The first one was three years ago.”
Right around when Joe was born.
“Thanks.” I said gruffly, hanging up the phone.
Was it just a coincidence? Or was there something more? The question gnawed at me as I drove, the pieces slowly coming
together in my mind.
By the time I pulled into the driveway, the tension in my shoulders had shifted to something else. I still didn’t have answers, but I
had to focus on work for now.
I couldn’t let my
mind wander too far from what was at h
hand.
Once inside, I headed straight to my study. There was a video conference scheduled, and despite everything swirling in my head, I
needed to get through it.
I logged into the meeting, the faces of my colleagues popping up on the screen one by one as the usual formalities started.
The discussion was running smoothly until a sudden mechanical voice broke through the professional atmosphere:
“I am a big dumb pig! I am a big dumb pig!” It echoed, followed by the sound of laughter–a boy’s laughter. Joe’s laughter.
I froze for a second, momentarily disoriented. The meeting went silent, everyone pausing mid–sentence, their faces a mix of
confusion and amusement
I glanced down at my desk, realizing with a start that the sound was coming from the small model Joe had left behind. It must have accidentally turned on when I moved it earlier.
Muting the conference, I picked up the model, shaking my head. The memory of Joe’s sad face when it broke flashed in my mind.
I had forgotten how much I loved tinkering with mechanics when I was younger–just like Joe. It was strange how much he
reminded me of myself at that age.
Later that night, after the meeting ended, I found myself at my desk again, working on the model. The hours passed without me realizing it as I fixed its gears, carefully adjusting its mechanisms.
But I didn’t just repair it. I enhanced it, tweaking the design until it was more intricate than before.
+15 Bonus
By
the time I finished, the spider looked more like a sleek F1 race car, a tribute to both Joe’s fascination with mechanics and my
own love for racing.
I held it up, admiring the upgrades. I wondered if Joe would notice the changes.
Aria’s POV
The next day, Jackson sauntered over during a break at the club, a teasing grin on his face.
“You’ve been distracted a lot today, Aria. Something on your mind? Or are you still embarrassed after rejecting my public
confession?” he joked, his eyes twinkling mischievously.
1 forced a smile, not in the mood for his playful banter,
“Oh, stop it, Jackson. You know that was just a joke,” I replied, waving him off.
Jackson’s expression softened as he leaned against the wall, crossing his arms. “All right, all right. I’ll lay off. But
you’ve seemed off. Is something up?”
I hesitated, unsure if I should confide in him.
After a few moments, I sighed and spoke.
iously,
“It’s nothing, really. I’ve just been thinking about… a friend’s situation. You know, her ex has been acting strange lately. Do you
think that means he wants to get back together?”
Jackson raised an eyebrow, clearly sensing there was more to the story.
“Your ‘friend,‘ huh? Well, from what you’re telling me, it sounds like he either wants to get back together or he’s trying to have
his cake and eat it too.”
I frowned at his blunt response. “But he doesn’t love my- I mean, her.”
Jackson rolled his eyes, exasperated.
“Come on, Aria. If you don’t believe me, why not ask him yourself? Cut through the guessing game and just get some answers.”
Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen–Isabella.
I answered quickly, but her panicked voice immediately filled me with dread.
“Aria! I took Joe out to the park, but he’s gone! I turned around for just a second, and he disappeared!”
My heart raced as I grabbed my things, ruling out the door. Jackson followed behind me, concerned.
a’s guilt was evident as I met her at the park. We searched frantically, calling out Joe’s name, but there was no sign of him.
Isabella’s guilt
My mind raced as I remembered the tracking device Joe had made for me. It could pinpoint his exact location, but I had left it at
home in my hurry
Suddenly, my phone rang again. It was Liam. I ignored the call, focused on finding Joe, but it rang again.
“I don’t have time to talk to you right now, Liam,” I answered, my voice breathless.
“Relax,” Liam’s calm voice came through the line. “Joe is with me.”
Relief washed over me. “Oh, okay… I’ll be there right away.”
