Chapter 17
1238 Words
Liam’s POV
Aurora is Damon’s f*****g fiancé. The words kept slamming into my skull. How the hell is this possible? Where did they even meet? How did she slip into his life so cleanly while I was still picking up the pieces of what we destroyed?
“Do you two know each other?” Damon asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
“No, we don’t,” Aurora answered immediately, voice smooth and steady.
I scoffed, the sound bitter and sharp. “Of course we know each other, dear Aurora.” I let the words drip with mockery. “Won’t you tell your fiancé that I’m your ex-husband?” Her eyes widened a fraction. “Or did you change your entire identity just so you could sink your claws into another man?”
“With due respect, Liam,” Damon cut in, irritation thick in his tone, “you do not speak to my fiancée that way.”
I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my disgust. “Oh, I didn’t mean to disrespect her. I simply told the truth since she wouldn’t.” A tight smile stretched across my face as I stared at her. All these years I thought I’d broken her beyond repair. Yet here she was—standing tall, looking me dead in the eye without a trace of the fear I used to love seeing. And not just with anyone. With Damon. The man who had stayed single as long as I’d known him, now ready to marry her. The realization burned like acid in my gut.
“Liam, you can leave now. Our meeting is over,” Damon said coldly.
I nodded once, but before stepping away, I gave Aurora one last glance. That familiar fear I always saw in her eyes… it was gone. Completely gone. My hand clenched into a fist at my side as I walked out.
The moment I reached my car, the rage exploded. I slammed my fists into the steering wheel again and again, knuckles screaming, until the pain in my hands matched the storm tearing through my chest. This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. She should’ve been shattered. Ruined. How the f**k is she still standing? How is she thriving? And with him—the bastard I never saw coming.
I started the engine with a vicious twist and drove straight to Lucian’s house.
I stormed into his private room without knocking. Surprisingly, there was no stench of alcohol or cigarettes. He was alone, calm as ever.
“You know, it would be a little decent if you informed me before showing up,” he said, voice cool.
“You were f*****g right,” I growled, the frustration boiling over. “She’s moved on. Whatever we did… it didn’t work. She seems different. Stronger.”
Lucian’s eyes sharpened. “You met her?”
“Yeah. She’s the fiancée of f*****g Damon.”
His eyebrows shot up. “So that man I saw… that’s the infamous Damon.” He paused. “Wait—did you say fiancée?”
“Yes.”
His eyes widened in genuine shock. “She’s about to get married? Not even dating—straight to marriage. Wow.”
“We need to do something to stop it,” I said, my voice low and venomous.
Lucian leaned back, studying me. “What do you mean, Liam? I won’t get involved in this.”
Annoyance flared hot in my chest. I stared at him, jaw tight, the rage and disbelief still clawing at my insides. She had no right to be happy. Not after what she put me through. Not after what I did to her.
“What the hell do you mean you aren’t getting involved?” I snapped, my voice rising with pure annoyance. “You started this with me. You don’t get to back out now.”
Lucian leaned back in his chair, an amused smirk tugging at his lips. “Do you know how you sound right now? Like a spoiled child throwing a tantrum because he isn’t getting his way.”
“I’m being f*****g serious here!” The words came out through gritted teeth, my hands curling into fists at my sides.
He let out a low chuckle. “What will you even gain from this, Liam? Because right now you sound like a pathetic loser who can’t stand watching his ex-wife be happy.”
The words struck hard. My fist clenched so tightly that my nails bit into my palm, sending sharp pain up my arm. Heat flooded my face as fury and something uglier twisted in my chest.
“You know what? I was wrong about you,” I shot back, my voice cold and cutting. “I thought your charm was irresistible, that no woman could ever get over you. But it took her f*****g weeks, Lucian. Weeks.” I watched the smile vanish from his face, satisfaction mixing with my rage. “I feel cheated. She wasn’t broken. Not really. So you owe me.”
Lucian dragged a hand down his face, exhaling sharply. “For the love of God, Liam, let it go. Fine, maybe she is different and I…” He paused, then shook his head. “You know what? Forget it. You won’t stop until I give in, right?”
A smirk pulled at my lips despite the storm still raging inside me. “Now you’re speaking my language.”
“What do you want, Liam?” he asked, irritation bleeding into his tone.
“We’re going to make sure that marriage never happens,” I said. “The wounds are still fresh. You can still woo her. Tell her how sorry you are for everything, how much you still love her, how you can’t stop thinking about her.”
Lucian stared at me like I had lost my mind. “You know, maybe you should go for guidance and counseling because you are actually insane.”
“Are you going to do it or not?” I demanded, stepping closer.
“I’m not doing it. I won’t indulge in this.” His eyes narrowed as he studied me. “With what I’m seeing, I think you haven’t moved on from her. Maybe that’s why you’re this mad. Am I right?”
My eyes widened slightly before I could stop myself. The suggestion sent a fresh wave of discomfort crawling under my skin.
“I never even loved her to begin with, so why would I care?” I spat.
“Trust me, you do care. And it might be deeper than you think. Maybe it’s not just your ego she hurt… it might be your heart.”
“f**k you talking about?” I growled, my pulse hammering in my ears. “I have no one in my heart apart from Ashley.”
Lucian raised an eyebrow. “When was the last time you even spoke about her? You used to talk about Ashley all the time, but now I hardly hear her name.” He leaned forward, voice dropping. “Tell me, Liam… are you perhaps in love with Aurora?”
The question hit like a punch I didn’t see coming. My chest tightened painfully, a confusing mix of anger, denial, and something raw I refused to name twisting inside me. I stood there, breathing hard, staring at him as the words echoed in my head.
No. Impossible.
- Writer
