Chapter 17
**Liam’s POV p>
I stood rooted to the spot, watching them retreat into the night. Aria held herself with an elegance that belied the turmoil swirling inside me, her father’s hand resting protectively on her shoulder, a silent shield against the world. And there was Carter — that insufferable bastard— trailing behind them as if he had every right to be part of this moment. The revolving doors spun shut, sealing them away from me, leaving me stranded in the hotel lobby, a solitary figure grappling with the weight of my own humiliation.
My feet felt heavy, as if encased in lead, as I trudged back to the private dining room. The haunting image of Aria nestled in Carter’s embrace replayed in my mind like a broken record- her fingers gripping his lapels, the way she melted into him as if he were the only thing that mattered. That couldn’t have been real. Not my Aria.
As I pushed open the door, a shocking scene unfolded before me. Sophia knelt on the floor, tears cascading down her cheeks, while my mother loomed over her, her words sharp and venomous.
“You manipulative little snake,” Mom spat, her perfectly manicured finger jabbing at Sophia like a dagger. “You’ve destroyed everything. Years of friendship between our families— ruined! All for what? Your pathetic obsession with my son p>
Sophia’s shoulders trembled with each sob, and an overwhelming sense of protectiveness surged within me. I rushed forward, positioning myself as a barrier between them.
“Stop it,” I declared, my voice laced with urgency. “Can’t you see she’s already hurting p>
Sophia looked up, her tear-filled eyes wide with surprise at my sudden intervention. In a swift motion, she surged toward me, wrapping her delicate arms around my waist, her fingers clutching my shirt as if I were her lifeline.
“Liam,” she breathed, her voice cracking in a way that twisted my heart. “I’m so sorry. I never intended for any of this to happen. Please, don’t let me come between you and your family. I’ll leave. I’ll vanish from your life completely if that’s what it takes p>
“You’re not going anywhere,” I murmured, enveloping her trembling form in my embrace, my heart pounding with a fierce need to protect her.
Across the room, Emily scoffed, her disgust palpable. “Are you kidding me right now? She’s playing you like a violin, and you’re just letting her! God, Liam, go see an eye doctor—you’re completely blind when it comes to this woman p>
Before I could muster a response, Sophia pulled away, her hands shaking as she gathered her purse. “I won’t bother you anymore,” she whispered, her voice barely above a whisper as she slipped out of the room, her shoulders hunched in defeat.
The door clicked shut behind her, and I stood frozen, torn between chasing after her and facing the storm brewing within my family.
I turned toward the door, ready to follow-
“Don’t you dare take another step p>
My father’s voice boomed across the room, slicing through the tension like a knife.
I froze in place.
He was already on his feet, fury radiating from him. “You ungrateful bastard,” he spat. “You would abandon Aria for a woman like that p>
I clenched my fists, my heart racing. It wasn’t like that—
“Then what was it?” he snapped, his voice rising. “You tossed aside the woman who stood by you, who loved you, who would’ve given you everything for what p>
I swallowed hard, my throat constricting painfully. “Sophia was sick. She had depression. I—I thought if I left her, she might hurt herself p>
My father let out a cold, bitter laugh. “So you sacrificed Aria to play savior p>
He stepped closer, his voice climbing in intensity. “Do you even understand what you’ve done? The Jones family was our oldest ally. Benjamin Jones stood by me when no one else would during the company’s collapse in ’13. We were days away from shutting our doors, and he put his name, his money, and his reputation on the line to save us p>
He jabbed a finger toward me, his tone sharp as glass. “His daughter grew up alongside you. She loved you-unconditionally. And you threw her away like garbage p>
The weight of his words crashed over me like a tidal wave. I hadn’t anticipated my family would side with Aria so fiercely.
Desperation clawed at me as I glanced down the hallway, longing to fix things with Aria. “I need to go after her p>
“It’s too late,” Emily interjected, shaking her head. “She’s with Aiden Carter now. Did you see how he looked at her? How she looked back at him? That kiss wasn’t for show, Liam p>
The memory of Aria kissing Carter- and worse, him kissing her back with such possessive intensity— made my stomach churn. That couldn’t be real. It just couldn’t.
My mother’s icy voice sliced through my thoughts. “I’ve always supported your decisions, Liam. Always. But this? This is where I draw the line.” Without another word, she turned and walked out, not even glancing back.
My father’s disappointed gaze lingered a moment longer before he followed her, leaving Emily to stare at me with a mixture of disdain and pity.
“You know what the worst part is?” she said quietly, her voice laced with sorrow. “Aria would have forgiven you. Even after everything. But now?” She shook her head slowly. “You’ve lost her for good p>
Left alone, I stared at the champagne flute Aria had dropped earlier, still lying on its side on the carpet. A strange, overwhelming panic surged through me. If I didn’t go to her now-tonight-I might lose her forever.
I bolted toward the parking garage, my heart racing as I resolved to drive to Aria’s house. I needed to explain, to make her understand that what we had wasn’t something to throw away. That Carter was merely using her to get to me.
Halfway there, my phone rang, the screen lighting up with Sophia’s name. “Sophia? What’s wrong?” I asked, my voice thick with concern.
“Liam,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I can’t bear this anymore. Everyone hates me, and it’s all my fault. I should just… disappear from your life. Let you fix things with Aria p>
My blood ran cold at her next words: “Maybe if I die, everything will finally end.” “Sophia! Where are you?” I demanded, panic rising in my throat. “Sophia!” “Don’t come looking for me, Liam,” she said softly. “You should be with Aria p>
The line went dead. I gripped the steering wheel, my knuckles turning white. Aria or Sophia? The woman I had spent twelve years loving or the woman who now needed me to save her life?
With a violent curse, I spun the wheel, turning the car around. Sophia needed me now. I’d go to Aria tomorrow. I’d kneel on her doorstep all day if necessary. She’d forgive me. She always had.
I drove like a madman through the streets, running red lights, praying I wasn’t too late. When I finally reached Sophia’s apartment, I didn’t even bother with the elevator, taking the stairs two at a time until I reached her floor.
“SOPHIA!” I shouted, pounding on her door. When there was no answer,
desperation clawing at me, I stepped back and kicked it open.
The bathroom light spilled into the darkened apartment. I rushed toward it, my heart racing in my throat.
She lay in the bathtub, fully clothed, the water tinged pink with blood flowing from
her wrists. Her eyes fluttered open when I burst in, a small, sad smile gracing her
lips.
“You came,” she whispered, her voice barely above a breath.
I didn’t answer; I scooped her up and ran for the car, my shirt quickly soaking through with her blood. All I could think was: Not like this. Not like this.
The hospital was a blur of harsh lights and shouting voices. They took her from my arms, rushing her through swinging doors marked “Emergency Only.” I stood there, covered in blood-her blood-watching as they wheeled her away.
Hours dragged on in that sterile waiting room. I stared at my phone, Aria’s name highlighted on the screen. I should call her. Explain why I couldn’t come tonight. But what could I possibly say?
“Mr. White p>
I looked up to see a doctor in blood-spattered scrubs standing before me, his expression grave.
“Ms. Clarke is stabilized, but there’s something you should know.” His face was grim, his voice low. “When we were treating her, we found something… unusual p>
My heart stuttered. “What do you mean p>