Chapter 124

Liam’s POV

Only with knowing that William was safe did I feel like a vital part of myself had been restored to me. All throughout our desperate search, I had struggled and suffered, knowing that my kid was out there somewhere, without his dad, needing me. And I couldn’t find him.

It was not a feeling I was likely to forget for a long time.

It might even haunt me until the day I die.

“You’re here,” William said, awe and wonder in his voice, like he’d never expected this to happen. What kind of terrible example of my fatherly love had I shown to my son that he would question if I would search for him?

I resolved to make it up to him, for the rest of my life if necessary. He would never doubt how much he meant to me ever again.

“Of course, we’re here, William,” I said. “Your mom and I were going crazy, worrying about you.”

“Don’t ever scare us like that again, William. Please,” Aria said. “My heart couldn’t take it.”

“You said Mom and Dad,” William replied. “But you aren’t my Mom and Dad.” He sniffed, tears pooling under his eyes. “We aren’t related at all.”

“We don’t need to be,” I said firmly.

“Families are moms and dads and their kids,” William said, matter-of-factly. “We aren’t that.”

“We are that,” Aria corrected lightly. “Some kids are born to the right moms and dads. Others get to choose.”

“Your mom’s right,” I added. “We may not be bound by blood, but our bond is just as strong, if not stronger. You know why?”

William shook his head.

“Because we choose to be a family. We’ve found each other and chosen each other, and I’ll be damned if I let anything as silly as blood tear us apart.”

“Language,” Aria chides gently.

“Sorry,” I replied. “Don’t repeat my swear words,” I said to William.

William, wide-eyed, nodded. After a quick glance behind him at the house, “I thought I might belong here. My birth-mom said that I didn’t matter much. She said I’d probably stay forever at this house, and she’d have to take care of me.” William lowered his head. “She hated me.”

“Sophia needs help,” I said. I didn’t want to bad-mouth his mother, but hearing about the things she said to her own son made my blood boil. “She never should have said those things to you.”

“They are lies,” Aria added. “You do matter. So much. To me and to your dad, and to your brother.”

“Joe…” William said, frowning deeply. “I told him I hated him.”

“Did you mean it?” Aria asked.

“No!” William said at once. “I just thought… He has you as his mom and dad. And I don’t have anyone.”

“You have us,” Aria said. “I’m your Mom.”

“And I’m your Dad,” I said. “Nothing in the world is going to change that. You are as much a part of this family as Joe is.”

“You are,” Aria agreed.

William started crying again, in earnest this time. Both Aria and I held onto him until the waterworks dried up. Then, after looking around, William asked, “Can we go home now?”

I had never been so happy to take anyone anywhere in my whole life.

Leaving this place in my rear-view mirror, I hoped I never had to look at it again.

The moment we arrived back at the house, William went straight to Joe’s room and knocked on the door.

Aria and I stood nearby, offering encouragement.

Joe opened the door. Looking out from where he was, he could only see William. “What do you want?”

“I’m sorry,” William said at once, like a dam had burst inside of him. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

Joe perked at once. “You didn’t?”

“No. I don’t hate you. You are my brother.”

As the two embraced, Aria and I exchanged a glance and a small smile.

Our family again was whole.

Aria’s POV

I stayed with the boys, reading them stories and helping them get ready for bed, even after Liam excused himself, needing to check on a few things for work.

I didn’t mind his absence in this case. As much as I loved the four of us together, it was nice to be able to reinforce bonds between William, Joe, and I on our own.

Toward the end of the evening, Liam did appear to tuck in the boys and tell them goodnight, but then he immediately disappeared again.

As I was about to turn off the light in William’s room, I heard his small voice.

“M-mom? Do you think you could stay in here for a while? Until I fall asleep?”

The request made my heart ache. I didn’t have the heart to deny it.

“Of course, William,” I said and took up vigil at the edge of his bed. He must have been exhausted from his full day. Not only did he have such emotional stress, but he’d also walked clear to his old neighborhood. That was no small trek for such a young boy and his small legs.

As such, it didn’t take long until his eyes closed and his breathing evened out.

I waited a few minutes, making sure he was out. I didn’t want to have him waking up and realize that I was gone.

Once it was clear he was asleep, I stood and walked out of the room.

After today, I think Liam and I had been putting off William’s mental healthcare for long enough. Today, if anything, was evidence that he really needed to talk to a professional, to help him work through his feelings of abandonment and hurt.

Not wanting to wait any longer to discuss it, I searched the house for Liam.

He seemed to be in his study, as the door was closed. Drawing closer, I could hear talking from within.

Not thinking anything of it, I opened the door to his study and waltzed inside.

We worked for the same company, after all, and we were working on our relationship as well. I didn’t think we were in the kind of place with a need to keep secrets from each other.

The thought hadn’t even crossed my mind.

Not until, after entering the room, Liam looked at me, eyes wide, and said into the phone, “I have to go.” As he hastily hung up, I could have sworn I heard a woman’s voice calling from him through the receiver.

“Who was that?” I asked, thinking that perhaps it was his assistant. Likely, he’d contacted her about William and wanted to let her know the resolution before too many troops could be rallied for William’s search.

“No one,” Liam said quickly.

What a weird thing to say. If he’d been on the phone with his assistant, he would have just admitted that. It had happened before.

For him to play it off like it’s no one…

“It didn’t sound like no one,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it, Aria,” Liam said, looking away.

After the day we had, I didn’t want to be suspicious about Liam and who he could have been talking to.

Yet, for him to deny it so quickly and so easily.

Logan’s words returned to my mind.

What kind of secrets could Liam have been keeping?