Chapter 60

Liam’s POV

The morning sun filters through the windshield as I drive William to school. The radio’s on, playing softly in the background, but the weight in the car feels heavier than usual.

I glance at William in the rearview mirror. He’s unusually quiet today, which isn’t like him.

Normally, he’d be chatting nonstop about school or asking what we’ve got planned for the weekend, but today? Silence.

I stop at a red light, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel. Something’s off. “You okay, bud?” I ask, turning my head slightly. “You’re awfully quiet this morning.”

William doesn’t answer right away, his legs swinging back and forth as if he's deep in thought. Finally, he speaks, and his question hits me like a sucker punch.

“Are you gonna stop being my dad?”

For a second, I forget how to breathe. I shift in my seat, turning to face him fully. “What? Why would you even ask that?”

William shrugs, his eyes fixed on the cars passing outside.

“Because… you’re spending a lot of time with Joe’s mom. Does that mean you’re Joe’s dad now? And not mine?”

The light turns green, but I can’t just drive through this conversation.

My foot presses on the gas automatically, but I’m not focused on the road anymore.

William’s question shakes me. I pull the car over, needing to give him my full attention. Once we’re parked, I turn all the way toward him.

“William,” I say, my voice firm but soft, “I am always going to be here for you. No matter what. Whether I spend time with Joe’s mom or not, that doesn’t change how much I love you. That doesn’t change how much I’m here for you.”

He’s fiddling with the zipper on his backpack, avoiding my eyes. “But what if… what if you start to like Joe more?”

I lean in, locking eyes with him.

“That’s not going to happen, William. You’re important to me, just like I am to you, right? Now, Joe might be important to me, too, but that doesn’t mean you’re competing with each other. It just means I’ve got a lot of love for you guys to go around,.” I reach over, ruffling his hair. “And guess what? I’ll be at every one of your games next season, no matter what. Every single one.”

Finally, he looks up at me, a small smile tugging at his lips. “You promise?”

I raise my hand in mock seriousness. “I swear. Every single game.”

He nods, his smile growing a little bigger, and for a moment, everything feels right again.

But as I drop him off at school and watch him run toward the entrance, his backpack bouncing on his back, I can’t shake the feeling that I’ve missed something.

I’ve been so focused on Aria, so wrapped up in chasing the truth about Joe, that I never thought about how all of this might affect William.

I pull back onto the road, but the conversation plays in my mind on repeat. And then my phone buzzes. I glance at the screen—it's a message from my assistant.

Found the birth certificate you asked for. I’ll have it on your desk when you get in.

My jaw tightens as I remember the breakthrough we made. Joe’s birth certificate. Something about it’s been bothering me ever since I first laid eyes on it, like there’s a piece of the puzzle I’m missing.

When I arrive at the office, I go straight to my desk, where the document is waiting, spread out just as I’d asked.

I sit down and start scanning the details. Every date, every line. And then, suddenly, it hits me. Joe was born only nine months after Aria and I split.

That means she would have had to get pregnant either right after we separated... or during our marriage.

My chest tightens, my heart pounding in my ears.

Could she have been unfaithful? Could Joe be the result of an affair? My mind spirals, replaying the moments from the end of our marriage.

The fights, the distance, the cold silences that filled our home like a slow poison. I never let myself believe it could be something like this, but the timeline doesn’t lie.

I sit back in my chair, staring at the papers in front of me. What the hell am I supposed to do now?

Aria’s POV

I step into the office, my heels clicking against the floor with more confidence than I feel inside. My mind’s been spinning ever since my conversation with Logan.

And Liam... the way he looked at me at the park, the playful ease of that day, keeps replaying in my head.

But none of that matters right now. Today, I need to focus.

As soon as I sit down, my phone rings. The number flashes on the screen—the executive team. My heart skips a beat, and I take a deep breath before answering.

“Good morning, Aria,” the familiar voice on the other end greets me, smooth and professional. “We just wanted to check in. Have you had time to consider our offer?”

I nod out of habit, even though they can’t see me. The promotion has been on my mind constantly. It’s a career-defining opportunity—something I’ve worked for.

But every time I get close to saying yes, doubts creep in. Can I really handle the increased responsibility while balancing everything with Joe... and Liam?

“We’ve reviewed the details again,” the executive continues. “This is a significant step up for you, not just in responsibility but also in visibility within the company. We’re confident you can handle it, and we’re eager to have you lead this new division.”

I listen, my mind in overdrive. Isabel’s voice echoes in my head: Trust your gut. You’re young. If it doesn’t feel right, you don’t have to do it.

But turning this down feels like backing away from something huge, something I’ve sacrificed for.

The voice on the phone pauses, waiting for me to speak. “So, Aria,” they prompt, “have you come to a decision?”

My fingers grip the edge of my desk, steadying myself. “Yes,” I say, even though I still feel the tug of uncertainty pulling at me. “I’ve come to a decision…”