Chapter 11

Liam’s POV

“What does he mean by that?” I asked, my eyes narrowing as I caught the odd phrasing in Joe’s words.

The question hovered in the air, tension high between us.

Aria didn’t hesitate. She stepped in quickly, her voice firm and decisive. “He mistook you for someone else.”

“Mistook me?” I repeated, my pulse quickening as the implications of her words began to settle.

Could it be…?

But before I could pursue that line of thought, Joe’s small, trembling voice interrupted.

“Yes, I mistook you for my dad. I’m sorry.” His words came out in a rush, his gaze fixed on the floor, avoiding mine.

The tension in the room seemed to ease slightly, like a rope being loosened just enough to breathe.

But then, just as the moment began to cool, William came barreling out from behind the doorway.

His face was twisted in fury, eyes blazing with an emotion that was too raw for someone his age.

Without warning, he lunged at Joe, shoving him hard. Joe stumbled back, his small frame collapsing to the ground in a heap.

“You’re not just a liar, you’re trying to steal my dad!” William shouted, his voice cracking with anger and hurt.

Aria’s expression hardened instantly. She stepped forward, her presence commanding as she addressed William directly.

“Joe doesn’t lie. Now, tell me what’s really going on.” Her voice was low, controlled, the kind of voice that left no room for defiance.

William faltered, his bravado melting under Aria’s stern gaze. He shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting between Joe and me, like a cornered animal looking for an escape.

“I… I don’t know!” he finally stammered, his voice trembling, a mixture of fear and confusion bleeding into his words.

Joe, still on the ground, seemed to regain his composure. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, broken mechanical spider.

The sight of it was almost pitiful, yet he held it up like it was a prized possession, like it was a key to something important.

“It’s him! My spider recorded everything!”

I knelt down beside Joe, carefully taking the spider from his hand. Inside, there was a tiny camera, just as Joe had said.

I examined it closely, turning it over in my hands. The footage, still stored in the spider’s memory, was shockingly clear: it showed William sneaking away from a group of kids, deliberately smashing Joe’s model, and even stomping on it with a look of smug satisfaction.

William’s defiance crumbled as the evidence was presented. His lower lip quivered, and tears welled up in his eyes, spilling down his cheeks as he struggled to find his voice.

“I… I did it because ever since Joe showed up, my mom said that you didn’t want to be my dad anymore.” His confession came out in a desperate rush, the words tumbling over each other.

Joe scoffed from his spot on the ground, pushing himself up to a sitting position.

“My dad is way better than yours. I wouldn’t want your dad anyway!” His voice was sharp, cutting, as if those words could shield him from the hurt that William’s actions had caused.

Before I could react, a new voice entered the fray.

“Well said,” Logan chimed in, his tone dripping with amusement. He strolled into the room, his presence as commanding as ever.

He moved with the easy confidence of someone who knew exactly how to push everyone’s buttons.

“I think William should compensate Joe to make up for it. How about ten thousand dollars? Or maybe Aria should terminate her contract and leave your club.”

“Not a chance.” The words flew out of my mouth before I even realized I’d spoken.

The thought of Logan taking Aria away, of him having any control over her or this situation, ignited a fierce protectiveness in me, one that burned through the confusion and anger I felt.

Logan didn’t even flinch. His smirk remained, eyes glinting with a knowing gleam.

“Why are you so angry? I thought you didn’t love her. Since you’ve chosen Sophia, why don’t you stop meddling in Aria’s life?”

I stared at him, incredulous. “What choice? What does this have to do with Sophia?”

“Enough,” Aria raised her hand, a sharp, cutting motion that silenced us both.

“This ends here. I’ll have Joe transferred to another school.” her voice cold and final.

Her words hit me like a punch to the gut. I opened my mouth to argue, to protest, but no words came out. She didn’t give me a chance to find them.

Without looking back, she took Joe’s hand and led him toward the car, her back straight, her steps firm.

I watched them go, a storm of emotions raging inside me, but none of them strong enough to break the silence I was left in.

When I finally arrived home, the day had stretched on too long, leaving me feeling wrung out and exhausted.

The moment I stepped inside, Sophia was there, her eyes lighting up with a mixture of surprise and relief as she noticed Joe at my side.

“You brought him back yourself?” she asked, her voice soft and hopeful.

But I wasn’t in the mood for her manipulations.

“I warned you before, Sophia. Stop manipulating William,” I said, my voice flat, drained of any warmth.

Her face shifted, a shadow of guilt passing over her features before being replaced by indignation.

“I’m sorry,” she said, her voice trembling slightly as she tried to defend herself. “I was just afraid, Liam. Afraid that you’d break your promise and leave us. I didn’t know William would take it this way.”

Her attempt to justify her actions only stoked the embers of my anger.

“You had no right to drag him into this,” I snapped, my tone hardening with each word.

Sophia’s eyes flashed with anger, her voice rising as she shot back, “You always believe that bitch over me and William! Do you have any idea what it’s like, seeing you protect her while you barely look at us? She’s been fooling around with Logan for years, probably before your divorce was even finalized!”

Her words were meant to wound, and they hit their mark, but I wasn’t about to show it.

Before I could respond, William, who had been hovering by her side, burst into tears, clutching at her dress as he begged her to stop.

I sighed, the weight of everything bearing down on me. The endless arguments, the deceit, the manipulation—it was all too much.

As William had stopped crying, his small body trembling as he clung to Sophia.

The house settled into an uneasy silence.

I looked at him, feeling a pang of guilt, but I couldn’t bring myself to comfort him, not now.

All I could focus on was the truth—whatever it was, wherever it might be hiding in the web of lies and half-truths that had come to define my life.

Turning away from them, I made my way out to my car. The door closed behind me with a soft click, sealing me in the quiet, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the echoes of everything that had been said.

I pulled out my phone and dialed my assistant. When he picked up, I didn’t waste any time.

“I need you to look into what Aria has been doing all these years, especially anything related to Joe. And keep tabs on Logan’s whereabouts.”

I was done playing games. I needed answers, and I was going to get them, no matter what it took.

The truth was out there, somewhere in the mess that my life had become, and I was going to find it, no matter what it cost me.