Chapter 0018
Aria’s POV
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“Mommy!” Joe’s voice broke through the air like a lifeline, and before I could react, he was in my arms, clutching me tightly.
His small body pressed into mine, and I dropped to my knees, hugging him back with all the strength I had left. My breath caught in my throat, the fear of losing him still clinging to me like a shadow.
“Joe, baby,” I whispered into his curls, feeling the warmth of his skin against my cheek. The rapid thumping of his heart was a sharp reminder of how close I had come to losing him
I barely registered the footsteps behind us until a voice, cold and accusing, sliced through the moment.
“Aria, how could you be so careless?” Liam’s tone was biting, and I looked up, my heart sinking at the sight of him standing over
- us.
His eyes were hard, judgmental. “Where’s his father? Where is he?”
I swallowed the lump in my throat, my mind reeling. “His father is you! The words screamed inside my head, threatening to burst out.
But I couldn’t–wouldn’t let them. Not now. My hands tightened around Joe, drawing strength from his tiny presence.
“You’re the last person who has the right to criticize me!” I shot back, my voice shaking more from anger than fear.
The words tumbled out before I could stop them, each one laced with years of frustration.
Liam’s brow furrowed, his eyes narrowing as if I had said something completely foreign to him. “What are you getting so angry about?”
Before I could say another word, a gentle hand gripped my arm. I turned to see Isabella, her calm expression urging me to stop before I said something I’d regret.
Her touch grounded me, pulling me back from the edge. I let out a shaky breath, biting back the words that threatened to expose everything.
Joe, blissfully unaware of the tension in the air, looked up at me with those wide, innocent e
eyes.
“Mommy, Uncle Liam saved me. I got lost and almost got hit by a car.” His voice wavered, the memory still fresh and frightening
for him.
He turned to Liam, concern replacing his earlier excitement. “And Uncle got hurt saving me too.”
I blinked, my eyes snapping to Liam. It was only then that I noticed the fresh cut on his arm, blood staining the sleeve of his Jacket
My stomach twisted at the sight, and my breath hitched in my throat. Liam had saved Joe–our son and had gotten hurt in the
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process.
“What were you doing here?” I asked, my voice sharper than I intended, as I struggled to make sense of everything. Why was he outside my building? How had he known?
Liam met my gaze, his expression softening slightly, though I could still sense the tension beneath the surface. “I came to drop something off for Joe.”
Before I could respond, Joe’s eyes lit up with excitement. “It’s my model!” He wriggled out of my arms and ran to Liam, throwing
his small arms around him in a tight hug. “Thank you, Uncle Liam!”
I stared at them, surprised. The model? The one William had broken? I thought it was beyond repair, shattered like so many
things in our lives.
Yet Liam had fixed it?
My feelings swirled in a confusing mess. Joe adored him, and I could see it in every glance, every hug. He longed to be close to
Liam in a way that made my chest ache
Liam’s phone buzzed, breaking the moment. His face changed as he glanced at the screen.
“William is sick?” he muttered, his voice more to himself than to anyone else. Without another word, he turned on his heel and
headed toward his car, the conversation forgotten.
I watched him leave, the sound of the engine starting and fading away.
He was going to her again. Just like all those years ago, he was rushing off to be by Sophia’s side.
My heart clenched with a bitter pang, but I forced myself to look away before the feeling swallowed me whole.
The roar of the engines filled the air as Jackson’s car came to a halt. The track, usually buzzing with excitement, now felt like it
was coated in disappointment.
His performance had plummeted, and it was clear from the pit crew’s grim faces that no one was happy about it. Tools clinked
against metal, but there was no chatter–just tension hanging heavy in the air?
I stood at the edge of the pit, watching as Jackson climbed out of the car. His face was flushed, a mix of sweat and frustration
visible under his helmet. The sharp lines of exhaustion around his eyes told the story without words.
He ripped it off and stalked toward me, shaking his head. “I messed up,” he muttered, his voice barely above a growl. He wiped
the back of his hand across his forehead, smearing the dirt and sweat.
I opened my mouth to respond, but before I could, the team’s coach was in my face.
“This is on you,” he snapped, his eyes drilling into mine. “The changes you made to the training plan–they’re not working.”
I didn’t flinch. “There’s nothing wrong with my plan,” I said, meeting his glare head–on The pit crew shuffled behind him,
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stealing glances at our confrontation.
His scowl deepened. “I’m reporting this to the boss. We might need to reconsider this partnership.”
what.
“Do what you have to,” I replied, keeping my voice steady. “The results will prove you wrong.
Jackson stood beside me, his face filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, Aria. I didn’t mean to drag you into this:
I shook my head, placing a hand on his arm. “Don’t worry about it, Jackson. Focus on your training. The rest will work itself out.”
Later, I found myself sitting in the lobby of Liam’s company, feeling strangely out of place.
His assistant had ushered me in with an unusual level of attentiveness, offering coffee and a selection of magazines, as if I were a
guest of honor.
“The boss is in a meeting,” He had said with a bright smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
I checked my phone again, glancing at the time. It wasn’t like Liam to summon me like this without explanation, and the unease I felt only grew with each passing minute.
The sharp click of heels on the marble floor pulled my attention.
1 looked up just as Sophia swept into the room, her presence demanding attention. The secretary tried to stop her, but Sophia waved her off like she was swatting away a fly.
“I’ve never needed an appointment to see Liam,” Sophia said, her voice carrying that familiar tone of entitlement. Her eyes landed on me, narrowing into slits. “What are you doing here?”
Before I could respond, Liam stepped into the room, his face unreadable. “I was about to ask you the same question,” he said
coolly, his gaze flicking between Sophia and me.
Sophia’s posture straightened, her eyes flashing with anger. “I don’t need your permission to be here, Liam.”
I stayed silent, gripping the armrest of the chair tightly as I watched the tension between them rise.
Whatever reason Liam had for calling me here, I had a sinking feeling that things were about to get a lot more complicated.
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