Chapter 238

Liam’s POV

I watched my phone as it rang, seeing Joanna’s name on the screen. After talking with the investor, and already receiving texts from the others that mirror his opinions, I had next to no desire to answer this call and speak with Joanna herself.

And after what she said on television… She probably had no idea how much she revealed about herself. In saying those things about money, she likely thought the majority of people would feel the same way she felt and choose her side.

Instead, from what I could tell through the texts, the investors at least were pleased by my decision to choose love over money, even an amount that large. It showed character, that I could not be bought, that I would always choose what I felt was right.

The call went to message without me picking up. Immediately she started calling again. I half-wanted to just turn off my phone and ignores her, but I needed to be available in case more investors called, or if there was any other kind of fallout from this interview or the deny of sale to Joanna.

Then Joanna’s text message bombardment began. Text after text. So many, I couldn’t even finish reading on before the next notification appeared on the screen.

YOU ARE MAKING A MISTAKE.

THIS WAS A SET-UP.

ARIA IS BAD FOR YOU.

After that, I turned the phone to silent and set it aside. Any other conversations could wait until morning, though I was already planning to talk to the board about what to do with Joanna’s position in the club. With luck, she would simply resign, but Joanna had never made things easy. Why start now?

As I set aside the phone, face down on the coffee table, Aria watched me.

“Just the usual trash,” I told her.

She seemed to understand and nodded.

While the kids were in their own little world, happily chatting away about how successful their plans had been – what plans? – I tugged Aria to the side, near the doorway and held her hands in my own.

As she laced our fingers together, easily returning my affection, my heart soared. This was exactly the kind of thing I had hoped for, that I thought I’d never have again after my mistakes of the past. How lucky I was to have a second chance like this, to have Aria’s forgiveness and her love.

I was blessed beyond measure.

After the interview, I had worried that Craig would be able to shift the public perception into thinking what he wanted. And while that was still a concern, many people might actually take Joanna’s side, unwilling to pass up that kind of money for love, I was hopeful that the majority would see that love is the ultimate choice.

Leaning in, I kissed Aria lightly.

We stayed like this for a time, talking softly while the kids did their own thing.

Then, the doorbell rang. It was immediately followed by sharp pounding on the door.

All of us looked that way at once.

“Liam! I know you are in there!” That was Joanna’s voice coming from outside the door. “Get out here and talk to me, you coward!”

“Liam,” Aria said, some warning in her voice. “Maybe I should just call the police.”

As angry as she was, I would be no benefit to Joanna dead. Besides, while her arrogance matched Sophia’s in many ways, Joanna would never throw her cushy life away by doing anything too drastic. I couldn’t imagine her ever visiting a jail cell.

“Keep the kids away from the door,” I told Aria.

“Liam.”

“It will be alright.”

I wasn’t a coward. I would defend my family from this woman.

Heading toward the door, I stood so that I would block Joanna’s view from the rest of the house. Then I opened the door just enough to speak with her.

“Go home, Joanna.”

Her face was twisted with anger. She was wearing some comfortable silk pajamas, which told me she had stormed over here without thought or reason. Her chauffeur was standing near the car looking somewhat helpless.

“You are making a mistake,” she said. “Stop avoiding me and this situation, and confront it head on, Liam. You cannot look me in the eye and turn down a billion dollars.”

“I already have,” I told her. “I made my choice, even before hearing the reading of the will. I knew Markus would try some bullshit like this. He’s only ever wanted to control my life, and he hoped he could continue to do so from beyond the grave.”

“Billions, Liam.”

“Joanna, I already have everything I need,” I told her. “And so do you. Is there anything that you want that you can’t already afford? What do you even need so much money for?”

“Liam –” Joanna started. She paused when Aria came up behind me.

Aria touched my shoulder and I turned, allowing her room to be seen and see Joanna.

“I love Liam, and he loves me,” Aria said to Joanna. “I’m sorry that you wasted so much time pursuing him. Markus manipulated you too, forcing you into all this, having you do such terrible acts for the sake of his inheritance. Don’t you want to find love for yourself?”

“The money is more important,” Joanna said, but I could see the doubt start to rise in her eyes. Aria was right, saying she had been manipulated. She was a smart woman, but perhaps, in her greed, she hadn’t realized that she too had been just a pawn in Markus’s game.

“Markus doesn’t control us anymore,” I added. “Any of us.”

Joanna seemed flabbergasted. “But the money…”

“There isn’t any money,” I told her. “Go home, Joanna. To your mansion and your life. You must miss your friends and your lovers. There’s no need to pretend anymore.”

“But Liam…” She didn’t sound convincing anymore, her self-doubt clear.

Aria placed her hand on my chest, palm flat right over my heart.

“You can have any other man in the whole world,” Aria said. “But Liam is mine.”

Joanna, stunned, watched us for a moment more, before his chauffeur called out to her. In a daze, she turned from us and walked back to her car. She didn’t say one more word as the chauffeur held open her door and she disappeared inside of the car.

As they drove away, Aria asked, “Do you think we got through to her?”

“I think she’s done with us,” I admitted. “I’m sure she’ll be happily plotting away to chase someone else’s fortune soon enough.”

Stepping back into the house, I closed the door behind us and thought of the future. With this chapter resolved, with Aria and my love cultivating once more, with our family whole… there was really only one thing left to do.

“Aria,” I said. She was halfway into the living room again. The kids were still talking on the couch. All three pairs of eyes turned to me as I spoke.

“What is it?” Aria asked, looking at me with curiosity.

From the doorway to the living room, I looked at her, at her beauty and the love in her eyes.

“I have a question for you,” I said. “An important one.”