Chapter oozo
“You believe me?” I asked, my voice quieter now, unsure of how to interpret his unwavering gaze.
“Of course,” Liam replied without a second’s hesitation, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
I felt a jolt of surprise. For all our history, for all the battles we’d fought over the years, this was unexpected.
Maybe I’d been holding on to the past for too long. Maybe I hadn’t been seeing Liam for who he was now, but for who he used to
be
Before I could dwell on the thought, Liam’s face contorted in pain. He clutched his stomach, doubling over in his chair as a cold
swear broke out across his forehead.
“Liam!” I rushed to his side, my hands instinctively moving to support him. His usually composed face was twisted in agony.
He gripped the edge of the desk with one hand, his knuckles white from the force of his grip. His assistant, who had been lingering quietly by the door, rushed over in a near panic, his face filled with concern.
“It’s his chronic stomach issues,” the assistant explained quickly, his eyes darting between me and Liam. “It flares up when he’s
under stress. He needs to go to the hospital–now.”
Π
I nodded, my focus on Liam, whose shallow breathing made it clear he was in no state to argue. I helped him to his feet, and as we made our way toward the door, his hand shot out and grabbed mine, his grip tight and desperate.
“Liam, we need to get you to the hospital,” I urged, trying to guide him toward the exit, but his hand held fast to mine. There was something almost pleading in the way he clung to me.
The assistant glanced at me, his expression imploring. “Please stay with him, Aria,” he said softly.
I hesitated for a moment, the weight of the request sinking in, but when Liam’s eyes met mine, the decision was made.
“Alright,” I muttered, adjusting my stance to support him as we headed out of the building and toward the car.
At the hospital, the doctor confirmed what the assistant had suspected–acute gastritis, brought on by stress. Liam needed to be
admitted for observation.
I stood by his bedside, arms crossed, watching as the nurses moved around, setting up IV lines and monitoring his vitals.
Once we were alone in the room, Liam, looking pale and exhausted, leaned back against the pillow, his eyes closed. The hospital lights cast a dull glow across the sterile room, the steady beeping of machines the only sound.
“You never explained why you left back then,” Liam said suddenly, his eyes still shut.
I stiffened at the question, caught off guard
12
“There’s nothing to explain,” I replied, my voice clipped. “It’s in the past. No need to dig it up again.”
+15 Bonus
Liam’s eyes opened, and he turned his head slightly to look at me. But before he could say anything else, my phone buzzed in my
pocket.
I pulled it out, seeing Logan’s name flash across the screen.
I’d almost forgotten about him. He had been on a business trip for the past few days, and today was the day he was supposed to
return.
I hesitated, glancing between the phone and Liam, who watched me with a curious expression.
Before I could decide what to do, Liam reached out, snatching the phone from my hand. He answered it with a swift press of a
button, lifting the phone to his ear.
“She’ll be with me tonight,” Liam said coldly, his eyes never leaving mine. Then, without waiting for a response, he hung up and
tossed the phone onto the table beside him
I stood there, stunned, as the weight of what had just happened settled over me.
