Chapter 26
Aria’s POV
The weight of Liam’s warning lingered in my mind like a storm cloud I couldn’t shake. His words echoed in my head every time I thought about Logan:
“There’s a side to Logan you haven’t seen.”
But was it just bitterness over our failed marriage, or was there something more?
I needed answers. Answers Liam was clearly too stubborn to give me. So, I decided to find them myself.
I parked my car a few blocks away from the quiet café where I was supposed to meet Nathan, an old friend who had known both Liam and Logan long before I entered the picture.
Nathan had always been one of those people who saw and heard everything, and I hoped he’d have the missing pieces I needed.
When I arrived, Nathan was already seated at a corner table, tapping his fingers rhythmically against a coffee cup, his eyes darting to the door every few seconds.
“Thanks for meeting me,” I said, sliding into the chair across from him.
Nathan gave me a curt nod, his expression cautious. “No problem. But you sounded...urgent.”
I glanced around, ensuring no one was within earshot. “I need to know what happened between Liam and Logan. The truth, not the version I get from either of them.”
Nathan leaned back, crossing his arms. “That’s a long story. And it’s not pretty.” “Just tell me,” I insisted, my voice laced with a mix of frustration and desperation.
I was tired of being kept in the dark, tired of feeling like I was missing something critical. Nathan sighed, running a hand through his hair.
“A few years back, Liam and Logan were partners in a tech venture. It was going well until Logan made a side deal that blindsided Liam. It was supposed to be a win-win, but Logan’s deal nearly bankrupted the company. Liam took the fall, pulled every string he could to keep them afloat, and Logan walked away without a scratch.”
I stared at Nathan, trying to piece together the implications. “So Logan screwed Liam over?” Nathan shrugged.
“Depends on who you ask. Logan claims he was trying to save the company. Liam sees it as betrayal. Whatever the truth, it destroyed their friendship and left a lot of bad blood. Logan got out with his reputation intact, and Liam… well, you know how he is with trust now.”
The revelation hit harder than I’d expected. Logan had always been charming, considerate, attentive—but now I couldn’t help but see the cracks.
Was he really the good guy I’d painted him to be, or was Liam right all along?
Before I could ask more, my phone buzzed. Liam’s name flashed on the screen. I hesitated, debating whether to ignore it, but something about the urgency in my chest compelled me to answer.
“Aria,” Liam’s voice came through, tense and edged with worry. “Someone’s been snooping around my office. Papers were moved, files weren’t where I left them.”
“What? Are you okay?” I asked, my mind racing with possibilities. I couldn’t help but wonder if this was connected to the blackmail, or if someone was trying to dig up more dirt.
“I’m fine, but I need you to be careful,” Liam said, his tone softening. “I don’t know who’s behind this, but they’re getting bolder.”
The anxiety that had been simmering beneath the surface now boiled over. “What do you want me to do?”
“Just stay put. I’ll come by and take you home. It’s safer that way,” Liam replied, his voice brokering no argument.
Liam was waiting for me outside the café when I left, leaning against his car, eyes scanning the street.
I could see the weariness in his face, lines of stress and exhaustion etched deeply. He opened the passenger door, and I slid in, the silence between us heavy with unspoken concerns.
As we drove, I couldn’t stop thinking about Nathan’s words.
Part of me wanted to confront Liam, to throw everything I’d learned back at him and demand the whole truth. But I hesitated, caught between anger and the nagging suspicion that there were still more layers to this story.
When we finally reached my place, Liam escorted me up to the door, his hand hovering protectively near my back.
“I promise, Aria, this will be over soon,” he said as we stepped inside. “I won’t let anyone hurt you or Joe.”
Before I could respond, Joe bounded down the hallway, his little face lighting up when he saw Liam. “Mommy! Liam’s here!”
Liam knelt down, ruffling Joe’s hair with a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes. “Hey, buddy. How’s it going?”
Joe looked between us, his smile fading as he picked up on the tension. “Is there a monster? Are you and Mommy scared of a monster?”
I saw the flicker of fear in Joe’s eyes and cursed myself for not being more careful.
Before I could reassure him, Liam stepped in, his voice calm and warm. “Nah, buddy. We were just talking about a story—like the ones we read together. Nothing to worry about.”
Joe looked skeptical, glancing from me to Liam, but Liam kept his smile steady. “How about I read you a bedtime story? One with heroes who beat the bad guys, just like you.”
Joe nodded, and I watched as Liam took his hand, leading him to his room. I lingered in the hallway, my arms wrapped around myself, feeling an ache I couldn’t quite place.
Liam settled onto Joe’s bed, picking up a well-worn storybook from the nightstand. As he read, his voice softened, coaxing Joe’s fears away with each word.
I leaned against the doorframe, watching them, and for a moment, everything else faded—the blackmail, the secrets, the distrust.
All I could see was Liam, fully engaged with our son, his expression tender in a way I hadn’t seen in a long time. It was so natural, so effortless, as if this was where he belonged.
Joe’s eyes fluttered shut as Liam finished the story, his small hand clutching the edge of the blanket. Liam tucked him in before carefully standing and making his way back to the door.
“He’s a great kid,” Liam said quietly as he joined me in the hallway. “Takes after his mom.”
I gave a faint smile, but my mind was still racing.
I didn’t know what to believe anymore, or who to trust. Liam’s actions tonight had been so genuine, and yet, the shadow of Logan’s betrayal loomed over everything.
“This whole mess... it’s tearing everything apart,” I admitted, my voice wavering. “It’s like every time I think I’ve got it figured out, something else gets thrown in my face.”
Liam reached out, hesitating for a fraction of a second before resting his hand on my shoulder. “I know I’ve made this harder. But I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, Aria. Or Joe.”
His touch was firm, reassuring, and I felt the pull between us, the echo of something that I once had longed for.
But it was too late for that. I had given Liam a chance to make things right, years ago. “Just... be careful,” I finally said, pulling away. “For Joe’s sake.”
Liam nodded, his hand dropping back to his side, but his eyes never left mine. “I will.”
As he left, the door clicking softly behind him, I sank onto the edge of Joe’s bed, watching my son sleep peacefully. The sight filled me with a bittersweet mix of love and fear.
It seemed like my whole life had exploded since Liam came back into the picture, and yet, I couldn’t deny how good he was with Joe. How, despite everything, part of me still wanted to believe in him.
But with Logan’s past still hanging in the balance and the blackmail threat growing more dangerous by the day, I knew one thing for sure: the truth would come out eventually. And when it did, nothing would ever be the same.
