Chapter 183

Aria’s POV

There had to be some kind of misunderstanding. Even if Jackson truly had seen what he said he’d seen, there had to be an explanation.

If there wasn’t, then this, combined with those texts Joanna showed me, and the one I had spotted on Liam’s phone last night all added up to only one conclusion.

Liam really was having an affair with Joanna.

“Maybe you should sit down,” Jackson said. “You’re pale.”

I wasn’t going to sit down and relax. I couldn’t, not until I had all the facts in front of me. “Did Liam see you come into the office?”

“Yeah, I confronted them,” Jackson said.

Through my overwhelming hurt, I felt a glimmer of appreciation for Jackson. He was a good friend, willing to go to war with his boss on my behalf.

“What did he say?” I asked.

Jackson sighed. “He denied it. He said it was innocent, and that he only wants you. But… I don’t know, Aria. Why would she be bent over like that? He wasn’t telling her to stop.”

Liam denied it. That was something, at least. Joanna could have threatened him. Maybe his back was against the wall metaphorically and he didn’t have any choice but to go along with what she wanted.

He’d wanted to talk to me last night, and I blew him off, thinking he would just lie to me some more. But what if he actually wanted to tell me the truth at last.

Could these all truly be misunderstandings since we were both failing at communicating with each other?

I had to find out for sure. I should have woken him last night, but I didn’t, instead getting too caught up in my feelings. But today would be different. I would speak with him and hear him out.

If he told me about this and the texts, then I would know he was still on my side.

If he lied to me about everything, then I would know I’d lost him. In that case, he was likely having an affair.

I had to put my own skepticism and hurt to the side to hear him out properly. Then and only then could I make my assessment and reevaluate the situation.

But, as Isabella suggested, I first had to give him a chance to be the good man I had previously believed him to be.

“Thank you for telling me, Jackson, but I can handle it from here,” I said. I patted his shoulder lightly, hoping to emphasize my appreciation. “You should get back on the track. But get your head on straight first. Everything’s okay.”

“You… aren’t mad?”

I was furious, and hurt beyond reason. But the last time Jackson perceived those emotions in me, he confronted Liam in the hallway, looking to start a fight. I couldn’t let that happen again. Jackson had to have his full focus on the track if he was going to drive. He didn’t need to be worried about me.

“I can handle this, Jackson. Don’t worry so much, okay?” I tried to smile. It felt extremely forced but Jackson relaxed marginally seeing it. “And don’t think you are out of trouble for what I saw out there. When you are behind that wheel, you need to think only of the car and yourself, got it? If I think you are a danger at all, I won’t let you race this weekend.”

He lowered his head. “Sorry, Aria.”

“I’m not mad, I’m worried. Don’t give me any more reason to worry.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Get back out there,” I said, and gave his shoulder a friendly shove.

He laughed a little and obeyed.

I waited until near the end of the day to head up towards Liam’s office. Just as I arrived, he and Joanna were leaving together, both wearing their jackets and carrying their briefcases.

Their leaving together could have been a coincidence. Even so, an uncomfortable feeling rose up in my stomach.

They looked good together, side by side. Both so attractive, model-like, even though Joanna seemed much happier than Liam. His unhappiness was what gave me the strength to step forward.

“Liam.”

He blinked, as if surprised to see me. “Aria.”

“Can we talk for a minute?” I asked.

Liam started to smile, looking for all the world like he wanted to say yes. But Joanna, checking her watch, spoke up before he could.

“We are already running late,” she said.

Liam’s face immediately fell. “I’m sorry, Aria. I want to talk but… Joanna and I have an important appointment to keep.”

My throat went a little dry. “What kind of appointment?”

He glanced away. “Just a work thing.”

He was lying. I knew it deep down to my bones. “Liam, I really think you should stay so we can talk. Can’t you reschedule this work thing?”

“He can’t,” Joanna said. “Maybe people like you don’t need to be punctual or keep work commitments, but those of us in management have reputations we need to maintain.”

“I wasn’t speaking to you,” I said.

“I’m sorry, Aria,” Liam told me again. “We’ll talk soon, though, okay? I promise.”

Another promise. He’d made so many over the past few weeks. How many had he actually kept?

I was losing faith in him and our marriage. Couldn’t he see that? Didn’t he care?

But I wouldn’t beg or plead, especially not in front of Joanna. If he had to go, he had to go.

I stepped back and to the side.

“Thank you for understanding,” Joanna said.

“We’ll talk later,” Liam added.

I stood wordlessly and watched him walk away at Joanna’s side.

Liam’s POV

I didn’t want to walk away from Aria, especially when she was willing to talk. But Joanna and I had arranged to speak with Markus after work, and any tardiness, he would see as a slight against him personally. Since we wanted to be on his good side, so that he wouldn’t ask too many questions, we had to be punctual.

Walking away from Aria was difficult, but not as difficult as keeping myself from lashing out against Joanna in the parking lot when she snidely told me, “You are doing the right thing.”

The right thing for whom? Her?

Avoiding an argument, I bit my tongue, but I held no misconceptions that Joanna cared about me or my relationship with my family at all. She was in this only for her own personal gain.

We took two separate cars to Markus’s estate, despite Joanna’s insistence that one car would make us appear more unified. I didn’t want to have to spend any more time with her than absolutely necessary. The minute this meeting was done, I was going to go straight home and spend the evening with Aria and the kids.

Once there, Markus’s butler showed us inside. Markus once more sat in his conservatory. He must have found a type of peace out there, surrounded by the plants.

He smiled when he saw us. “Well, it’s good to see the two of you shadowing my doorstep together for a change. Does this mean you’ve had a change of heart?”

Even though I had been preparing for this moment since even before telling Joanna I agreed with her plan, I still didn’t feel ready.

Forcing the word out, I said, “Yes.”

Joanna happily filled in the rest. “We’re engaged! For real!”

Markus studied my face. “And Aria?”

Joanna looked at me, a flash of warning in her eyes.

Swallowing down bile, I told him, “She will be my mistress.”