Two Lovers Entwined

18. Un amour pour toujours.

Liam watched her for a second longer, his mind swirling with conflicting emotions. He wanted to protect her, to be there for her in a way that Noah never had. But after what Rosie had said, a shadow of doubt loomed over him. Was he just another temporary fixture in her life? Another object in her collection?

Shaking the thought away, he joined her in the kitchen, watching as she skillfully began preparing dinner. She moved with ease, her bare feet padding softly against the floor, still wrapped in the towel. The casual intimacy of the moment felt almost surreal.

“So... what are you making?” Liam asked, leaning against the counter, trying to focus on the here and now, pushing aside the insecurities that threatened to creep in.

Sophia glanced over her shoulder, her eyes sparkling with amusement. “You’ll see. It’s a surprise.”

He smirked, grateful for the distraction. As he watched her, he couldn’t help but admire her resilience, her ability to carry on despite the emotional weight she clearly bore. But he also knew that they needed to talk—about Noah, about Rosie, and about the doubts that had begun to take root in his heart.

As Sophia chopped vegetables, humming softly to herself, Liam made a silent promise: he wouldn’t let someone else’s words define how he saw her. He would give her the chance to show him who she truly was. But as the night unfolded, the tension between them would inevitably have to be confronted, and he wasn’t sure if either of them were ready for what might come next.

As he sipped his glass of wine, he decided he couldn’t hold it in any longer. He set the glass down and leaned back in his chair, watching Sophia as she absentmindedly twirled her fork in her hand, avoiding his gaze.

“I saw Rosie at the gallery,” he finally said, breaking the silence.

Sophia froze for a moment, her fork hovering above her plate before she slowly placed it down. Her eyes met his, and for the first time that night, Liam saw a flicker of unease in them. She didn’t say anything, but the tension in her body was unmistakable.

Liam hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. He didn’t want to accuse her, didn’t want to place blame without knowing the full story. But he couldn’t ignore the gnawing doubts that Rosie had planted in his mind.

“She... implied some things,” he said carefully, watching Sophia’s reaction. “About you and Noah. About how she thinks you stole him from her.”

Sophia’s face tightened, her lips pressing into a thin line. She leaned back in her chair, crossing her arms defensively. “Rosie’s always blamed me for that,” she said, her voice a little sharper now. “She and Noah were together for a long time, but they were never right for each other. He always told me that.”

Liam nodded, but something still didn’t sit right with him. He couldn’t ignore the nagging feeling that there was more to the story. “Did Noah cheat on Rosie with you?” he asked quietly, his eyes searching hers for the truth.

Sophia looked away, her gaze fixed on the flickering flame of the candle in the middle of the table. For a long moment, she said nothing, the silence stretching between them like a chasm.

“I don’t know,” she finally admitted, her voice barely audible. “I’ve never known.”

Liam’s heart sank at her words. He had hoped for a clear answer, something that would either confirm or dismiss his doubts. But Sophia’s uncertainty only deepened his own.

“I thought... I thought I knew Noah,” Sophia continued, her voice trembling slightly. “He always told me that things with Rosie were over, that they had been over for a long time. But sometimes, I wonder if he ever really told me the whole truth.”

Liam studied her face, trying to gauge her sincerity. He wanted to believe her, wanted to trust that she was telling him everything. But Rosie’s words echoed in his mind, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was still something Sophia wasn’t saying.

“Do you trust him?” Liam asked, his voice gentle but firm. “Do you trust Noah?”

Sophia blinked, clearly caught off guard by the question. She opened her mouth to respond but hesitated, her brow furrowing as she considered her answer. After a long pause, she finally spoke.

“I used to,” she admitted. “But now... I’m not so sure.”

Liam nodded, absorbing her words. He wanted to trust Sophia, wanted to believe that whatever had happened between her and Noah was in the past. But the doubt that had been planted in his mind, the doubt that Rosie had nurtured with her accusations, refused to go away.

“You know,” Liam began slowly, “Rosie told me that I’m just another piece in your collection. That you’ll go back to Noah, and I’ll just be someone you leave behind.”

Sophia’s eyes widened, and she shook her head vehemently. “No, Liam. That’s not true. I’m not... I’m not like that.”

Sophia reached across the table, taking his hand in hers. Her touch was warm, but there was a desperation in her grip, as if she was trying to hold on to him before he slipped away.

“You’re not a second choice,” she whispered. “I don’t know what’s going to happen with Noah. I don’t know what the future holds. But right now, I’m here with you. And that’s all I know.”

Sophia saw for the first time, when she held his hand, a tattoo of a phrase on his forearm. Un amour pour toujours, it said.

Liam looked into her eyes, searching for the truth in her words. He wanted to believe her. He wanted to trust her. But the shadow of doubt, the questions left unanswered, lingered between them.

For now, he decided, he would let it go. But deep down, he knew that the conversation wasn’t over. There was still so much they hadn’t said, so much that needed to be confronted. And whether or not their relationship could survive those unanswered questions remained to be seen.

''I'm really telling you the truth, Liam, why would I lie to you?''

Liam didn't say anything, he rested his forehead against hers and remembered something from the past. Something he will never forget. He knows he has lost a lot of people in his life, right now he doesn't want to lose Sophia. He wants to find himself again.