Chapter 25
Aria’s POV
I crossed my arms, leaning against the doorframe. Liam stood rigid, his jaw clenched, eyes narrowing as he stared at me. The tension in the room felt suffocating, thick and heavy.
"So, you and Logan spent the day at the fair with Joe," Liam said, his voice tight, like he was holding back a wave of frustration. "And you didn’t think that was important enough to mention?"
I exhaled, fighting the urge to roll my eyes. "Tell you? Why would I need to tell you, Liam? You’re not my husband anymore, and you sure as hell don’t get to dictate who I spend my time with."
Liam’s nostrils flared, and he took a step closer, his voice lowering. "I’m not trying to control you, Aria. But you don’t know him like I do. There’s a side to Logan you haven’t seen."
I frowned, pushing off the doorframe to face him. "Oh, and what would that be? You’re just going to stand here throwing vague accusations around, hoping I’ll get scared and run? Try again."
His frustration spiked, his hand running through his hair. "You don’t understand. We have history. There are things—things you’re not aware of. Things that could hurt you."
"I don’t care about your history with Logan!" I snapped, stepping closer until we were nearly nose-to-nose. "Whatever happened between you two has nothing to do with me. I don’t need you swooping in like some knight in shining armor, acting like you know what's best for me."
Liam’s fists clenched at his sides. "I’m trying to protect you!"
"From what, exactly?" I shot back, my voice rising. "Logan’s been more of a friend to me than you have in months. He’s been there for Joe. And if you have some problem with that, then that’s on you."
His mouth twisted into a grimace, and for a moment, I thought he might shout, but instead, he exhaled sharply. "You think this is just about jealousy? This is about keeping you safe."
"Safe from what? Some ghost from your past?" I asked, arms crossing again as I tilted my head. "Or is this just your way of keeping me tied to your problems? Because, Liam, if you think dragging me into your mess with Greg and this blackmail situation is what’s going to keep us connected, you’re wrong."
Liam’s face hardened, and for a moment, the fight seemed to drain from him. His shoulders dropped slightly, and when he spoke again, his voice was quieter, more controlled. "We made a deal, Aria. I promised I’d sign the divorce papers."
The reminder hit like a punch to the gut. The only reason I’d been staying involved, the only reason I hadn’t fully walked away yet, was because of that promise.
But now, with the way he was acting, possessive and cryptic, it felt like he was playing a game I didn’t want any part of.
I moved toward the door, ready to end the conversation, but I paused, turning to look back at him.
"If you’re really worried about protecting your company, then you should be spending your time finding something that can bring Greg down, not standing here trying to guilt me over Logan."
Without another word, I stepped out, the door clicking shut behind me.
The following week at the track, I tried my best to push the fight with Liam out of my mind. But no matter how hard I focused on work, the tension lingered, gnawing at the edges of my thoughts.
"Aria!" Jackson’s voice rang out, pulling me from my haze.
I looked up to see him jogging over, a grin plastered on his face, helmet in hand. He shook his head, letting his hair fall back into place as he stopped beside me.
"You look more stressed than usual," he teased, leaning against the railing next to me. "Everything alright?"
I forced a smile, glancing toward the track where Liam stood, arms crossed, deep in conversation with the engineers. On the opposite side, Logan watched the cars speed past. The sight of the two of them in such close proximity made my stomach twist with unease.
Jackson followed my gaze and let out a low whistle. "Let me guess... Liam and Logan, huh?"
He paid more attention than I gave him credit for.
I rolled my eyes but couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped. "Something like that."
He chuckled, nudging my arm. "I’ve seen a lot of drama in this team, but I think your situation might take the cake."
"Yeah, well," I sighed, glancing back at Liam and Logan. "It’s definitely not the kind of attention I signed up for."
Jackson grinned, his usual carefree energy lighting up his face. "Tell you what—if you need a break from all that, I’m still waiting on that first date you owe me. I promise, no drama. Just fun."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Jackson, the last thing I need right now is more dating complications."
He leaned in closer, lowering his voice playfully. "Who said anything about complications? It’s just one date. What’s the worst that could happen?"
I gave him a playful shove, grinning. "I’ll keep it in mind."
As Jackson walked away, still chuckling to himself, I felt a momentary lightness settle over me. He always knew how to make me smile, how to break through the tension, even if only for a second. But the moment I turned back to the track, that heaviness returned.
Logan caught my eye from across the pit lane and gave a small nod, his expression unreadable. I nodded back, forcing my thoughts to settle on the race at hand.
Later that evening, the weight of the day hung over me like a storm cloud. I found myself back in Liam’s office, arms crossed as I stared out the window, watching the city lights flicker in the distance.
He was sitting behind his desk, his eyes on a stack of documents that seemed to grow larger every time I saw him.
"You’re quiet," I muttered, turning back to face him.
Liam didn’t look up, but I could see the tension in his posture. "There’s a lot at stake."
"Yeah," I said, stepping closer to his desk. "And dragging me into it isn’t going to help."
He finally looked up, his expression grim. "I’m not trying to drag you into anything, Aria. I’m just... I don’t know what to do."
His admission caught me off guard. For a moment, I just stared at him, trying to reconcile the man sitting in front of me with the one I used to know.
"You should start by signing the papers," I said softly, but firmly.
Liam’s eyes flicked down to the documents on his desk, and he gave a slight nod. "I will."
But as I turned to leave, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still more he wasn’t telling me. Something bigger, something that had him so rattled that even now, with everything falling apart, he wasn’t ready to let go.
Whatever it was, I had a sinking feeling it wasn’t just about the business.
And somehow, despite everything, I knew this was far from over.
