Chapter 5
“Nina, what are you planning to do?” Sara asked.
“I’m going to file for divorce.”
Sara looked worried. “Liam’s successful now. For the sake of his reputation, he probably won’t agree to a divorce. And you two have always seemed close. Even if you go to court, they probably wouldn’t grant it in the first hearing.”
My phone vibrated with a message:
**[Baby, just give me some time. I’ll take care of everything.]**
An overwhelming sense of disgust washed over me.
By the time I left the bar, it was already 3 a.m. Liam’s car was parked outside. He leaned against the door, smoking, the glow of the cigarette flickering in the dim night. I didn’t even know when he’d picked up smoking. Seeing me, he hastily put out the cigarette and walked
over.
“I went to Sara’s, but no one answered.”
“I was worried about you, so I had a friend check the traffic cameras…”
I cut him off. “I’m fine. Just go back.”
‘The divorce papers will be sent to you in a few days. Just sign them when you get them.”
His face froze. “Nina, don’t joke. After all these years together, you’re saying it’s over?”
I told you I’d handle things with Gianna. Just come home with me.”
He grabbed my arm, trying to pull me toward the car. Sara swung her purse, hitting his arm.
You jerk, don’t touch Nina!” She was carrying a heavy Dior tote today, and it landed hard on him. He took a few hits without dodging, gritting his teeth.
uddenly, the passenger door opened, and Gianna flitted over like a butterfly, standing
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Chapter 5
protectively in front of Liam, her chin lifted defiantly at Sara. “What gives you the right to hit him?”
Sara nearly laughed in disbelief, pointing at Liam and shouting, “Are you an idiot? You come here to apologize and bring this tramp with you?”
“Alright, I’ll beat the both of you!”
She raised her purse to strike Gianna’s face. Afraid it might go too far, I rushed forward to intervene. In the next second, I felt myself shoved aside, landing heavily on the ground. A surge of pain swept through my entire body.
In that critical moment, Liam had pushed me away to protect Gianna in his arms. Everyone froze–even him. He looked at me, panic filling his eyes. I wasn’t surprised, or even angry; I looked back at him with a faint smile.
He started toward me, but Gianna clung to him, whispering, “Liam, I think I twisted my
ankle…”
Sara rolled her eyes dramatically, then slapped Liam across the face. “Get lost, jerk!”
“Take that chicken with you and get as far away as possible!”
Gianna bit her lip, glaring defiantly at Sara. Sara sneered, glaring right back. “What are you
staring at? All night, we’ve heard you clucking away; if you’re not a chicken, what are you?”
Back at Sara’s place, I lay on the soft bed, thoughts churning restlessly in my mind, a poisonous snake gnawing at my heart, suffocating me. He loves her. That instinctual preference can’t lie.
The phone on my pillow lit up with a series of messages from Liam:
**[Does it still hurt? Is your leg acting up?]**
**[I didn’t realize it was you; it all happened so fast. My fault.]**
**[We’ve never stayed mad this long. Can we talk when you’re ready?]**
**[Please don’t cry. I don’t want you to feel bad.]**
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Empty Heart
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Chapter S
Gripping the phone, a sharp pain tore through my heart. Since discovering his affair, I hadn’t shed a single tear–until now. Suddenly, I was sobbing, the cold, composed shell
around me cracking open, revealing a heart scraped raw.
I buried my face under the blanket, crying silently.
He knew how long it had taken me to escape the shadow my parents‘ actions cast over me.
How could he do this? Every time I woke up from nightmares, sobbing in the dark, it was Liam who gently pulled me back. He’d always been a deep sleeper, but after being with me, he became so sensitive that even a hitch in my breathing would wake him.
He used to say he didn’t want me to stay in nightmares for even a second longer.
And now, he’d created one I could never wake from.
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