Chapter 48

Liam’s POV

The hum of voices filled the ballroom, but all I could focus on was Logan, standing across the room, laughing with a group of colleagues.

The past few days had been a blur of questions, doubts, and more questions. I couldn’t let it go any longer. Tonight, I was going to get the truth from him. No more lies. No more hiding.

I made my way through the crowd, my eyes locked on him. The noise around me—the clinking glasses, the laughter, the small talk—faded into the background.

All I could hear was my pulse, quickening with every step I took closer to Logan.

When I reached him, I didn’t waste time. “Logan,” I said, tapping him on the shoulder. My voice was low but firm, the anger barely contained. “We need to talk.”

He turned, the easy grin on his face faltering when he saw me. “Liam,” he greeted, trying to play it cool, but I could see the tension in his eyes. “What’s up?”

I didn’t bother with pleasantries. “It’s about Joe.” I stepped closer, lowering my voice, but keeping the intensity. “And it’s about what you’re not telling me.”

Logan’s smile disappeared, and he glanced around, clearly uncomfortable. “This isn’t the place, man,” he said, his voice tight.

“I don’t care where we are,” I snapped. “I’ve been patient long enough. You’re not Joe’s father, are you?”

Logan stiffened, the color draining from his face. “What are you talking about? Of course I’m Joe’s father.”

I stared him down, the weight of the past few days pressing on me. I’d spent too many nights going over every interaction, every look between Logan and Aria, every moment that didn’t make sense.

The pieces weren’t adding up, and I wasn’t leaving tonight without answers.

“Stop lying,” I said, my voice a growl. “I’ve been digging, and nothing fits. I need the truth. Now.”

Logan’s eyes darted around the room again, his jaw tightening. “I told you, this isn’t the time or place—”

“Enough!” I cut him off, grabbing him by the arm and pulling him toward a quiet corner.

I didn’t care if anyone saw us. “You’re not Joe’s biological father, are you?” I demanded. “Tell me the truth.”

He hesitated, his face twisted in frustration. For a second, I thought he’d lie again, but then he let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair.

“No,” he finally admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. “I’m not Joe’s biological father.”

It hit me like a ton of bricks. Even though I’d suspected it, hearing him say it out loud knocked the wind out of me.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides. I took a step back, my mind racing. I felt... everything at once—anger, betrayal, relief.

“Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked, my voice rough. “Why the hell would you keep something like that from me?”

Logan’s expression darkened, bitterness creeping into his voice. “Because I saw a chance, Liam. You’ve always had everything, and I thought maybe this time I could have something for myself.”

He met my gaze, and the resentment in his eyes was unmistakable. “At first, it was about beating you. Being the father Joe needed, being the man Aria turned to. But then... things changed. I started to care about them. About Joe. About her.”

My blood boiled.

“So you used a kid—a child—as a pawn to get back at me?” I spat. I wanted to hit him, to make him feel the weight of what he’d done. “Is that what this has been about the whole time?”

Logan looked away, shame flickering across his face. “It wasn’t supposed to get this far,” he muttered. “And it wasn’t just that. Aria needed– Liam, I really can’t tell you more.” His face looked troubled.

I couldn’t take it anymore. I turned and walked away, my chest tight with anger, betrayal, and confusion.

Logan called my name, but I didn’t stop. I needed to get out of there. I needed to breathe.

---

Later that evening, I found myself standing at Aria’s front door. My hand hesitated before knocking.

I wasn’t even sure why I was here.

Maybe it was the need to see her, to see Joe, to remind myself that not everything was built on lies. I raised my hand and knocked.

The door swung open almost immediately, and Joe’s face lit up when he saw me. “Liam!” he shouted, practically bouncing on his toes. “Mom! Liam’s here!”

I forced a smile. “Hey, buddy,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt.

“Guess what?” Joe beamed, his excitement contagious. “Mom’s trying to find me a baseball team! I told her I wanna play, but we haven’t found one yet.”

My heart twisted. Baseball. Something simple, something pure.

I could do that. I could teach him.

I could be there for him in a way that wasn’t wrapped up in the mess of Logan’s lies.

“How about I teach you some things?” I offered, hoping the distraction would help clear my head.

Joe’s eyes went wide. “Really? You know how to play?”

I chuckled, ruffling his hair. “I know a thing or two. Go grab your glove.”

Just then, Aria appeared in the hallway, her eyes flicking between me and Joe, clearly surprised. “Are you sure?” she asked, her voice careful.

I nodded. “Yeah. It’s just baseball. And he’s eager to learn.”

She hesitated, and for a moment, I thought she’d say no, but then she gave a small nod. “Okay. Just... don’t let him stay up too late.”

I took Joe out to the backyard, and we got started. I showed him how to hold the ball, how to grip it properly, and how to throw with his whole body.

“Now snap your wrist when you throw,” I said, showing him the motion.

Joe’s face was scrunched up in concentration, and his first few throws were all over the place. The ball went wide, bouncing off the fence or the ground, but he didn’t give up.

He kept trying, and I kept guiding him, step by step.

“You’re getting better,” I said, smiling as one of his throws finally hit the target. “Try it again.”

This time, Joe’s throw was perfect, the ball smacking into my glove with a satisfying thud.

“Nice throw, buddy! You’re getting the hang of it,” I said, genuinely impressed.

Joe grinned up at me, his chest puffed out with pride.

A few minutes later, Aria came outside with two glasses of lemonade. “Thought you guys might need a break,” she said, handing a glass to each of us.

I took mine gratefully, wiping the sweat from my forehead. “Thanks,” I said, taking a sip.

Aria glanced at Joe, who was still glowing with excitement. “Looks like he’s having fun,” she said softly, her voice full of something I couldn’t quite place.

“He’s a natural,” I replied, smiling at Joe, who was already talking about wanting to practice more. For a moment, everything felt... normal.

Like maybe this could work. Like maybe I could be a part of this.

“Thanks, Liam,” Aria said, her voice quieter now. “He really likes having you around.”

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I looked at Joe, who was happily chugging his lemonade, and for a second, I let myself imagine it—being a real family. Aria, Joe, and me.

No lies. No secrets. Just... us.

But the thought was quickly interrupted by the buzzing of my phone in my pocket. I pulled it out, glancing at the screen.

Sophia. Again.

I ignored it. For now, this was all that mattered.

It was a decision I would come to regret a few hours later. Stepping up onto the porch of my front stoop, Sophia rocked back and forth in the rocking chair, her face sour.

“So,” she said, her voice sharp, “you’re running back to her now, huh?”

I clenched my jaw, trying to keep my cool. “It’s not like that,” I said quietly, not wanting to make a scene.

“Really?” she raised an eyebrow. “Because it sure looks like you’re trying to have it both ways.”

I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. “Sophia, I’m not doing this right now.”

“You never want to do this,” she snapped, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “Always avoiding, always running away.”

I closed my eyes for a second, feeling the weight of everything pressing down on me. “I’m not going to tell you again: my relationship with Aria is none of your business.,” I muttered, knowing it didn’t matter what I said.

But as she walked away, I couldn’t shake the question burning in my mind: Could I really fix this with Aria, or was I fighting a losing battle?