Chapter 0021
Liam’s POV
“What are you doing?” Aria’s voice was sharp, cutting through the quiet room as she stood up from her chair, her eyes
narrowing at me.
I didn’t flinch, keeping my tone calm. “We’re still married. What’s the problem?”
Aria scoffed, her hands flying to her hips in a dramatic gesture. “You just don’t want to lose your free babysitter! You already had a child with Sophia. This only makes you look like a complete jerk!”
Before I could respond, my assistant, who had been standing awkwardly by the door, shifted uncomfortably. He fidgeted with his tie, his eyes darting between us, clearly unsure if he should intervene.
After what seemed like an internal debate, he cleared his throat.
“Actually, Sophia is-”
I cut him off with a quick wave of my hand and a sharp glare. He stopped mid–sentence, clearly regretting his decision to speak
- up.
“Do you really
Do you really have to talk to me like this?” I asked, turning my attention back to Aria.
She crossed her arms, leaning slightly to one side. Her stance was defiant, her foot tapping lightly against the floor. I noticed the
tension in her body–the way her muscles tightened at my question. The air between us felt thick, almost suffocating.
But Aria’s voice sliced through my thoughts. “I’ve always been this way. You just never bothered to get to know me.”
The words hit harder than I expected, but I kept my expression neutral. An awkward silence fell between us, heavy and
uncomfortable
I could see the fatigue weighing on her, her shoulders sagging under the tension of our argument.
Aria’s lips pressed into a thin line, and eventually, she broke eye contact, glancing toward the window.
Eventually, without another word, she sat back down in the chair beside the bed and rested her head on the side, falling asleep almost immediately
My assistant, still hovering near the door, shuffled his feet before awkwardly stepping forward again. His gaze shifted to the floor, and when he spoke, it was barely above a whisper.
“Sir, why don’t you just explain the situation with Sophia to her? It might help clear things up.”
I narrowed my eyes at him, irritation bubbling beneath the surface. “Mind your own business,” I interrupted, my tone as cold as before
His shoulders stiffened under the weight of my words. For a moment, he looked as if he might argue but quickly thought better of
- it.
+15 Bonus
Without another word, he turned and left the room, closing the door quietly behind him.
I exhaled slowly, feeling the slight pressure in my chest case. Silence returned, except for the steady hum of the machines and the occasional distant sound of hospital staff moving about the hallways.
I turned toward Aria, watching her for a moment… Her arms were still crossed, though her posture had relaxed slightly as she dozed off.
My eyes drifted to the black device on the nightstand next to my bed.
It had caught my attention earlier–small, sleek, and clearly some kind of modern gadget. I picked it up, examining its smooth surface. There were a few buttons on the side, one of which had a faint glow around it.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I pressed the button.
Almost immediately, a soft alarm sounded from the device, followed by a melodic tune. The sudden noise cut through the quiet, startling Aria awake. Her eyes flew open, and she shot upright, her gaze immediately locking onto the device in my hand.
“What the hell are you doing?” she snapped, reaching over and snatching the gadget from my grasp with a swift motion.
I raised an eyebrow, unfazed.
“Did Logan give that to you?” I asked, my voice level, but the question hung heavily in the air.
She hesitated for just a moment before answering. “That’s none of your business.” Her grip on the device tightened as she
slipped it back into her pocket.
Aria didn’t answer right away, her expression guarded.
I pressed further, my irritation rising. “You have terrible taste, you know that?”
She barely glanced at me, her face unreadable. “I’ve always had terrible taste. Otherwise, why would I have married you?”
The jab hit its mark, but I refused to show it. Instead, I leaned back in the bed, my eyes fixed on her.
“Do you even know who Logan really is?” I asked, my voice low. “How much do you actually like him?”
Aria’s jaw tightened, but she didn’t rise to the bait. “That’s none of your business.”
Her refusal to answer only fueled my irritation. I had never felt so humiliated.
“What makes him better than me?” The question slipped out before I could stop it.
The sound of footsteps echoed in the hallway, and a moment later, the door creaked open.
Logan stepped in, Joe at his side. Joe’s eyes lit up when he saw me, and he rushed forward without hesitation, clambering onto the bed with surprising speed.
“ticle, are your sick?” Joe asked, his voice small but filled with concern. His tiny hands clung to the edge of the bedsheet as he settled himself next to me.
I ruffled his hair with a smile. “Just a little under the weather, buddy. I’ll be fine
Logan lingered by the door, his gaze sweeping the room before settling on Aria. He tilted his head slightly toward the hallway
“Can I talk to you for a minute?” he asked, his voice calin but insistent.
Aria glanced at me briefly, her eyes unreadable, before nodding. She followed Logan out of the room, leaving me alone with Joe
Joe wasted no time, leaning in closer, his small face filled with curiosity. He tilted his head to one side, studying me with wide,
inquisitive eyes
“Do you like my mom?” he asked, his voice soft but direct.
I froze, unsure how to respond.
The kid had a knack for cutting straight to the heart of things, just like his mother. There was no way I could sidestep this one, not with Joe’s wide, expectant eyes fixed on me, waiting.
Why would he ask that?
