Chapter 0022
Aria’s POV
Busy bustle of the hospital surrounded us, but Logan’s voice pulled me back to the present. He sighed, glancing at me with a mixture of concern and relief.
“Joe was worried about you, Aria. That’s why we came to the hospital.” His tone was gentle, but there was an edge to it, as though he’d been carrying that worry too.
I shifted uncomfortably, unable to shake the feeling of embarrassment.
“There’s no need to worry. It’s not what it looks like,” I said, trying to explain the situation.
The last thing I wanted was for Logan to misunderstand why I was here. Liam had been sick, and staying by his side was more out of obligation than anything else. Nothing more.
Or at least that’s what I told myself.
Logan let out a slow breath, his shoulders relaxing just a little. “Good. As long as you’re not thinking about getting back together
with him.”
His comment caught me off guard, and I blinked, turning to him with a frown. “What do you mean by that?” I was about to press
further when a soft voice drifted from inside the room.
Joe’s voice, filled with curiosity, broke through the quiet. “Do you like my mom?”
I froze, my hand hovering just over the door handle, my breath catching in my throat.
I couldn’t see them, but I could imagine the look on Liam’s face as Joe asked the question. A part of me, a part 1 didn’t quite
understand, waited for Liam’s answer.
Before he could respond, though, Logan pushed the door open, his entrance cutting through the moment. I tried not to let myself
feel disappointed.
His voice was firm as he addressed Liam.
“Aria is not your caretaker. She has no obligation to be here looking after you.”
Liam scoffed, sitting up straighter in the bed. His expression was tight, his eyes narrowed as he glanced at Logan. “And what right do you have to make decisions for her?”
Their words flew back and forth, but I tuned them out, my focus shifting to Joc.
Ig
He was watching the exchange with wide eyes, and I quickly decided it was time to go. I gathered Joe’s hand in mine and gently tugged him toward the door.
“Come on, Joe. Let’s go.
+15 Bonus
Logan fell into step behind us, and as we walked out, Liam’s voice followed us down the hallway.
“Aria, it seems you haven’t told him that we’re still married.”
I felt a spark of irritation. Logan paused behind me, but he didn’t respond.
Instead, he continued walking, his footsteps
volumes.
y as if Liam’s words hadn’t fazed him at all. But I knew better. His silence spok
Once we were outside, the cool evening air washing over us, I couldn’t wait any longer.
I finally broke the silence. “I should explain-“I started, but Logan stopped me with a gentle hand on my arm.
“You don’t need to explain anything, Aria,” he said softly. But there was a tightness to his words, as though he was holding
something back
I sighed, knowing I had to clear the air. “Liam hasn’t signed the divorce papers yet,” I admitted. “It’s complicated, but we’re not together. I just haven’t been able to finalize things.”
To my surprise, Logan’s expression softened, and he nodded. “If you want, I can help. I can handle the divorce negotiations for
you.”
I blinked, caught off guard by his offer. “Why would you do that?”
He met my gaze steadily, his eyes sincere. “Because I care about you, Aria. I’ve cared about you for a long time.”
His confession hung in the air between us, and I felt the world tilt slightly beneath my feet.
Logan had always been a steady presence in my life, especially with Joe, but I hadn’t expected this.
He continued, his voice quiet but sure. “I hope you don’t rush to reject me. Just give me a chance to show you how serious I am.”
I opened my mouth to respond, but no words came out.
The weight of his sudden declaration left me momentarily speechless, and all I could do was nod faintly as he smiled and said his
goodbyes.
Watching him walk away, I felt overwhelmed, struggling to process everything that had just happened
Later that night, I was finishing getting Joe ready for bed. I had noticed that all night he had seemed quieter than usual.
He climbed into his bed, tucking himself under the covers, and glanced up at me with a hesitant expression.
“Mom,” he started, his small voice breaking the silence. “Can we visit Uncle Liam tomorrow?”
The question caught me off guard, and I shook my head gently. “No, we can’t, Joe”
His face fell, and he looked down at his blanket, fiddling with the edges. “But Uncle is all alone It’s so sad.”
2/3
1 knelt beside his bed, smoothing the hair from his forehead. I didn’t want to admit the way that Joe’s words softened something
inside me.
“Someone will take care of him, Joe. Don’t worry about it.”
I said, wondering if my words were true. He nodded, but his disappointment lingered in the air.
As I kissed his forehead and tucked him in, my mind wandered, tangled with thoughts of Sophia and William. How had things gotten so complicated?
And Logan’s confession… it sat in the back of my mind, unresolved and lingering like a question I wasn’t ready to answer.
All I had wanted when we moved here was a fresh start, and now things seemed to keep getting more complicated.
The next evening came quickly, and I found myself standing in front of the full–length mirror, adjusting the sleek, elegant gown I’d chosen for the gala.
Logan had invited me as his date, and while I still wasn’t sure what to make of his feelings for me, I figured I could handle one
night of pleasantries,
The gala was a glittering affair, filled with people dressed to the nines and sipping champagne. As I passed by, I felt the weight of
their gazes on me.
It wasn’t long before someone saw Logan across the room and called us over to chat.
I didn’t understand much of the business discussions happening around me, so I focused on the appetizers, analyzing the ingredients and quietly critiquing their execution,
I was midway through identifying an odd spice in one of the canapés when a familiar voice pulled me from my thoughts, “Aria? What are you doing here?”
I turned, and there was Liam, looking a little paler than usual but still carrying that same commanding presence
He had a group of business associates with him, but his eyes were locked on ine, Intense and scrutinizing.
My heart skipped a beat.
I hadn’t expected to see him here, especially so soon after everything that had happened at the hospital. He was still recovering
from his illness, but the look he gave me was anythi but gentle–it was intense, almost predatory.
For a moment, I fell the effects of it in the chills that ran down my back. I fought the sense that Liam might always have this
effect on me.
