EPISODE 16: The Man Behind The Name
1227 Words
Liam Asterion had always been known as the person who had everything.
A respected family name.
A wealthy background.
A promising future.
A face that made people turn their heads.
A life that many people would gladly trade places with.
But what most people never saw was the weight that came with everything he had.
Because being Liam Asterion was not just a privilege.
It was a responsibility.
---
The sound of his alarm filled his room before sunrise.
Unlike most university students who would complain about waking up early, Liam simply reached out, turned it off, and sat up.
His room was perfectly organized.
Everything had its place.
His schedule was already planned.
Lectures.
Assignments.
Company training.
Meetings.
There was no room for laziness.
No room for wasting time.
After getting ready, Liam stood in front of the mirror for a moment.
The person staring back at him looked exactly like what everyone expected.
Calm.
Collected.
Untouchable.
But Liam knew better than anyone that appearances were sometimes just carefully built walls.
---
The Asterion family was complicated.
His father had built Asterion Global Group, a powerful company that had grown into one of the most successful corporations in the country.
But after his father's passing, the responsibility of that company became a question.
His older brother, Adrian Asterion, had always been brilliant.
The first child.
The pride of the family.
Adrian had chosen medicine and became a highly respected neurosurgeon, dedicating his life to saving others.
His younger brother, Ryan Asterion, was completely different.
The youngest.
The energetic one.
Ryan had always loved basketball and was determined to make a name for himself in the sport.
Then there was Liam.
The second child.
The one standing between two brothers who had clear dreams.
And somehow...
The one who became the answer to the company's future.
Their mother was already a successful fashion designer with a career that demanded most of her attention. After their father's death, she couldn't completely dedicate herself to running Asterion Global Group.
So Liam stepped forward.
Not because he was forced.
But because he knew someone had to.
---
After finishing his morning classes at Westbridge National University, one of the most prestigious universities in the country, Liam headed toward the company.
Being in his final year studying Mass and Business Communication wasn't an accident.
Everything he did had a purpose.
His father had built a company that required more than just business knowledge.
It needed someone who understood people.
Someone who could communicate.
Someone who could represent the company.
And Liam was preparing himself for that future.
---
Inside the company building, everyone treated him differently.
Not badly.
But differently.
Some saw him as the young heir.
Some saw him as his father's replacement.
Some saw him as someone who had been handed everything.
But none of them truly knew him.
They didn't know the nights he spent studying.
The pressure he carried.
The fear of disappointing a man who was no longer there to guide him.
They only saw the result.
Never the process.
---
Years ago, Liam had thought he understood love.
Her name was Mitchell Laurent.
She had been beautiful.
Charming.
Confident.
At first, Liam believed she was someone who genuinely cared about him.
But eventually, he discovered the truth.
Mitchell wasn't interested in Liam.
She was interested in the Asterion name.
The lifestyle.
The wealth.
And when he found out she had been seeing someone else behind his back, Liam ended everything immediately.
There was no dramatic scene.
No begging.
No second chances.
He simply walked away.
After that, Liam decided relationships were unnecessary.
They distracted people.
They created weaknesses.
So he focused on what mattered.
His education.
His future.
His father's company.
And for years, that had been enough.
Until Noah appeared.
---
Ava found Liam in the study, not because she was looking for him, but because she knew that was where he went whenever he wanted to escape the noise of the house.
The room was quiet except for the sound of papers being moved.
Liam sat behind the desk, reviewing documents from Asterion Global Group.
Ava leaned against the doorway.
"You know, for someone who claims he doesn't like being bothered, you spend a lot of time worrying about other people."
Liam didn't look up.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
Ava smiled.
"Of course you don't."
She walked inside.
"Liam, how long have we known each other?"
He finally looked up.
"What kind of question is that?"
"A serious one."
She sat across from him.
"I have watched you for years."
"I watched you date Mitchell and pretend you didn't notice she was only interested in your family name."
"I watched you stop letting people get close after that."
Liam's expression changed slightly.
"Ava..."
"I'm not bringing it up to hurt you."
She softened her voice.
"I'm saying this because I know you."
"You don't usually ask questions about people."
"You don't usually remember little things about them."
"You don't usually worry whether someone has eaten or whether they got home safely."
Liam became quiet.
Because he knew exactly who she was talking about.
"Noah is just..."
He paused.
Ava raised an eyebrow.
"Just what?"
Liam didn't answer immediately.
"He's different."
Ava smiled slightly.
"There it is."
Liam frowned.
"What?"
"That."
"What?"
"You didn't say he's interesting."
"You didn't say he's funny."
"You said he's different."
Liam looked away.
Ava continued.
"And before you start denying anything, I'm not saying you and Noah are something."
"Because you're not."
"Noah doesn't look at you that way."
"Liam, from what I've seen, Noah is simply comfortable around you."
"He trusts you."
"And honestly, after everything he's been through, that alone means something."
Liam stayed silent.
Ava leaned forward.
"But the question isn't about Noah."
"It's about you."
"What are you feeling?"
Liam looked down.
"I don't know."
And that answer surprised Ava.
Because Liam Asterion always knew.
He always had a plan.
A direction.
An answer.
But this time...
He didn't.
Ava smiled gently.
"Then don't rush to name it."
"Just be honest with yourself."
"Don't help Noah because you feel responsible for him."
"Don't stay close because you think he needs saving."
"Stay close only if you genuinely want to know him."
A pause.
"And Liam..."
She stood up.
"Don't let the fact that something is unfamiliar make you think it's wrong."
Then she walked away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
---
Instead of Liam sitting in his room again:
That night, Liam didn't go to his bedroom immediately.
He stood outside on the balcony of the house, looking over the city lights.
For most of his life, Liam had understood exactly what was expected of him.
Be responsible.
Be successful.
Be someone his family could rely on.
There was comfort in having a clear path.
But Noah had somehow stepped into his life without asking permission.
No expectations.
No hidden agenda.
No interest in his family name.
Just simple conversations.
Simple laughter.
Simple moments.
And maybe that was what bothered him the most.
Because Liam had spent years surrounded by people who wanted something from him.
But Noah...
Noah just treated him like a person.
A normal person.
Not an heir.
Not the future CEO of Asterion Global Group.
Just Liam.
And that feeling...
Was something he wasn't used to.
- Writer
