Chapter <b>83 </b>


    “What? Mom, no,” I scoffed, instantly flustered. “I mean, yes, Liam and I are together. But… I don’t know what we are right now. He’s been distant. Weird. That whole Cassie thing…now I see him on the street like he didn’t drop off the face of the for days.”


    She held up a hand. “You don’t have to exin anything to me, baby.”


    I exhaled slowly. “Goodnight, Mom.”


    “Goodnight, sweetheart.”


    But even after she disappeared down the hall, her words stayed with me.


    You’re in love with my


    And the worst part?


    I knew she was right.


    client.


    Because the silence hurts too much not to be love.


    And if it wasn’t?


    Then I was just another girl waiting for a man who already let go.


    Sleep was a stranger all night. I tossed and turned until my sheets twisted around me like a trap. My mind wouldn’t stop racing. Liam was back. Back in L.A. Back in town. And still, he hadn’t reached out to me. Not a call. Not a text. Not even a damn emoji. <fnd8b2> Original content can be found at find?novel</fnd8b2>


    Where did that leave me? Us? Were we still even a ‘we‘?


    It hadn’t even been a full month since I agreed to be his girlfriend, and here I was, lying awake in a bed that suddenly felt too cold, too big, too filled with doubt. I knew dating Liam ck wouldn’t be a fairy tale. I didn’t sign up expecting roses and lubies. But I hadn’t expected… this. Silence. Confusion. Hurt that tasted like betrayal.


    I stared at the ceiling, counting the seconds until sunrise, until I could knock some answers out of him face to face. Because I couldn’t do this not–knowing thing anymore. I needed the truth. And if there was nothing left to fight for, I needed to hear that too.


    11:01 0


    When I finally fell asleep, it was morning already. My body gave out before my <b>mind </b>did


    Barely an hourter,ughter woke me.


    At first I thought I was dreaming. My mom’sughter, loud and carefree, floated from the living room. Mixed with another voice. Familiar. Softer. Sassier.


    Sophia.


    I groaned, buried my face into the pillow, and tried to block them out. But the giggles got louder. Now I was curious.


    Dragging myself out of bed, I padded toward the living room, eyes still half–closed.


    They both looked up when I walked in. “And the princess finally wakes,” Sophia teased, arms wide open.


    I slumped onto the couch beside her, letting her pull me into a warm, tight hug.


    “What’s that for?” I asked, voice still rough with sleep.


    She grinned. “Liam’s in one of his moods today. So, obviously, you two are fighting. That means I get to hug the wounded party.”


    I shook my head. “You’re never serious.”


    My mom chuckled. “Well, it’s nice seeing you both in one piece. Sophia, you should stop by more often.”


    “Oh, I n to,” Sophia said with mock formality. “So often you’ll be tempted to give me a key,”


    My momughed. “Don’t test me. I’ll do it.”


    Sophia winked. “If your daughter would just hurry up and marry my brother, we could be official family.”


    “Sophia,” I groaned, smacking her shoulder yfully.


    “What?” she said with a grin. “I’m just saying. You two are endgame.”


    My mom rose from the couch. “Alright, I’ll leave you two to your gossip. I need to unpack. y nice.”


    288 Vouchers


    Once she was gone, Sophia turned serious.


    “You okay?”


    I hesitated. Then I sighed. “No. Not really.”


    She looked at me quietly, patiently.


    “He just… disappeared,” I said. “After he sent an angry text, I replied, and then? Nothing. Like I didn’t matter. Like I was a ghost.”


    Sophia frowned. “He’s been distant, yeah. Broody. Annoying, even. But ignoring you like this? That’s not okay.”


    I looked at her. “Who is Cassie Scott?”


    That made her pause.


    She exhaled. “I think that’s a conversation you need to have with Liam first. I don’t want to give you half the story.”


    “So you do know who she is.


    <i>” </i>


    Sophia nodded slowly. “Talk to him, Em. He’s home today. Working from his study. You should go. Let it all out. Yell. Break something if you want. Then maybe have makeup sex. You know, the usual.”


    “Sophia!”


    Sheughed. “I’m just saying. Don’t let this linger. You deserve rity.”


    I looked down at my hands. “I miss you:”


    She squeezed my arm. “Of course you do. I’m the fun one.”


    I smiled, faintly.


    “Go clean up,” she said. “Handle your man.”


    An hourter, I was standing in front of Liam’s front door, heart pounding like a warning drum. The house was quiet when I walked in. Too quiet. I checked the bedroom. Empty Then the kitchen. Nothing.


    Only one ce left. His home office.


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