Chapter 18: Unwelcome Shadows
Liam yanked the door open, his knuckles white around the handle. Sora held her breath, her heart drumming so loudly she thought Liam might hear it.
But the person standing on the threshold wasn't Harry.
It was Vivian.
She stood there in a sleek red dress, her fiery hair cascading over her shoulders like flames licking at her skin. Her green eyes sparkled with something sharp and dangerous.
"Liam," Vivian purred, her lips curving into a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Miss me?"
Sora's stomach twisted into knots. She stepped back instinctively, her pulse racing.
Liam's expression hardened like stone. "What are you doing here?" he asked, voice low and controlled — but Sora could see the muscle in his jaw twitching.
Vivian tilted her head, feigning innocence. "I was bored after returning back. Thought I'd drop by and check on my favorite ex-fiancé, whom I love so dearly." She crossed her arms, her gaze flicking briefly to Sora. "Oh. You're still here."
Sora bristled, but Liam stepped forward, partially blocking her from Vivian's view. "Whatever game you're playing, Vivian, I'm not interested."
Vivian chuckled, the sound light but laced with venom. "Game? Oh, Liam, this isn't a game." She leaned in slightly, her voice a low murmur. "But if it were, I'm not the one losing."
Sora clenched her fists, her chest burning with unspoken words. But she stayed silent, her heart a battlefield of conflicting emotions.
Liam's glare could've frozen fire. "Leave," he said, his voice sharp as a blade.
But Vivian didn't move. Instead, she slid her gaze back to Sora and smiled wider. "I wonder how long you can keep pretending," she mused, her tone dripping with cruelty, whispering so quietly that only Sora could hear, "Must have been tortured by his cruelness and hatred. He has never liked you, especially after your lovely and romantic past."
With that, she turned on her heel and strutted away, her heels clicking against the stone pathway like the ticking of a bomb.
Her last words were, "See you soon, Liam. I still love you, you know that well. And I'd do anything! Don't underestimate me!"
Liam slammed the door shut, his breathing uneven.
Sora stared at him, chest tight. "What did she mean by that?" she murmured, her voice fragile.
Liam heard Sora's little thought. He turned to look at her scared and hurt face, gently put a hand on her cheek and wiped her tears.
"I really don't know what was she specifically directing to, but yeah, she has feelings for me, even if I told her I don't feel the same about her. And her background is quite mysterious, yet kind of strong! And she's a psycho..."
Sora looked at him, surprised. He actually tried to calm her down! But he didn't know what Vivian had whispered to her, so it's no use anyway. Though Sora was very much hurt and confused at those words. Liam didn't hate her, did he?
Liam's thumb lingered on Sora's cheek, his touch surprisingly tender despite the storm raging in his eyes. Sora wanted to believe the warmth in that moment — but Vivian's words echoed like a cruel melody in her mind.
She swallowed hard, her voice barely above a whisper. "You don't... hate me, right?"
Liam froze. His hand tensed for a second before he pulled it away, as if her skin had burned him. He straightened, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "Why would you ask that?" he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
Sora's heart twisted painfully. "Vivian... she said you've never liked me. That I must be tortured by your cruelty." She bit her lip, blinking back fresh tears. "Is that true?"
Liam stiffened, his jaw clenching so tightly she thought it might shatter. He turned away, running a frustrated hand through his hair. "Vivian knows exactly where to stab," he muttered, voice low and bitter.
Sora waited, her chest tight, but he didn't speak right away. The silence stretched like a suffocating blanket.
Finally, he exhaled sharply, turning back to her. His gaze burned into hers, fierce and conflicted. "I don't hate you," he said, each word measured and deliberate. "But I wish I could."
Sora's breath caught. "What... what do you mean?"
Liam took a step closer, his face inches from hers. His expression was a war — anger, longing, and something else she couldn't place. "It would be easier if I hated you," he confessed, voice rough. "If I could blame you for everything, this marriage, my life falling apart... But I can't."
His words left Sora breathless, her pulse racing. She searched his eyes, trying to understand what he truly meant, but Liam stepped back, as if terrified he'd said too much.
"You should go rest," he muttered, already walking away. "Vivian won't stop, and you'll need your strength."
Sora stood there, her heart pounding so loudly it drowned out everything else. She pressed a trembling hand to her chest, feeling the erratic rhythm beneath her skin.
"I can't hate you..." Liam's voice echoed in her mind.
Maybe, just maybe, the walls around his heart weren't as unbreakable as she thought.
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