9
CHAPTER NINE
LIANA’S POV
+25 BONUS
a
The car was dead silent. The only thing I could hear was my own shaky breathing. Killian didn’t say word. Not once. His
hands held the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles turned white, and his jaw–God–his jaw was locked so tight it looked as if he was seconds away from exploding.
I didn’t even realize where we were going until I saw the road we were on. My stomach dropped. I knew this path.
We were going home.
Well… what used to be mine and Ryan’s home, but now suddenly belonged to someone else.
He pulled up to the front of the house and stopped suddenly. Without a word, he stepped out. I stayed in the car, frozen, my arms wrapped tightly around myself as if they could protect me from whatever was about to hap
happen.
Then I saw him walk to the back, pop the trunk, and start loading in our stuff, my bags, our clothes, even Ryan’s toys, without even looking at me.
My heart started racing.
“Killian…” I called out softly.
He ignored me.
I jumped out of the car and ran over when I saw Ryan’s little bag. His favorite toy was peeking out of the zipper. I tried to
grab it before Killian saw.
“No please just leave that,” I said quickly, holding it like it was the only thing keeping me standing.
But he took it from me easily. He glanced at the name tag. Ryan.
His jaw tightened. He didn’t say anything. Just threw it into the trunk and slammed it shut. I flinched at the sound.
Then he turned to me, his eyes dark and furious.
“Where is he?” he asked.
I blinked “Where is who?”
His face was cold and unreadable. “Where. The fuck. Is my son, Liana?”
I felt like the world had stopped moving. I couldn’t breathe.
“I–I don’t know what you mean,” I said quickly, trying to lie even though my hands were shaking.
His eyebrow raised Just that small movement felt like a knife.
“Don’t Lie. To me.”
But I had to lie I had to protect Ryan I couldn’t let Killian take over his life and mess everything up
“He’s not yours,” I said, my voice trembling “I got pregnant after I left. It was with someone else. a one–night stand I had I- It’s complicated “I laughed nervously. “He’s not your son.”
Killian didn’t move. Didn’t speak. But his silence was worse than yelling.
His jaw locked again His voice, when it came, was cold, so cold it made my skin crawl.
1/3
+25 BONUS
“Where. Did. You. Keep. My. Son?!”
Tears filled my eyes. “Killian please-”
“Where, Liana?!” he snapped, loud and angry. I jumped.
My lips trembled. “He’s… he’s with his nanny’s family,” I whispered. “Just for tonight.”
He didn’t even blink.
“Get in,” he ordered.
I didn’t argue this time. I was too scared.
We drove in silence. The kind of silence that felt as if it could crush you. I gave
out.
him the address, barely able to get the words
གྱང་འགའདོར་གནས་ན་ཞང།། དེང་དང་། རེ་དག་གད་དང་པར་
ધારવા મા
We arrived a few minutes later.
Killian stepped out first, walking straight to the door like he had one mission, to get his back.
I followed behind, my legs shaking. My chest felt tight. I couldn’t swallow properly.
He knocked. The door opened almost right away.
Mr. Clark smiled as soon as he saw me. “Oh Liana. You’re here for Ryan? He’s asleep already.‘
Then his eyes moved to Killian. His face lit up.
“Ah–you must be Ryan’s dad,” he said with a smile. “He looks just like you.”
I froze.
My mouth opened to say something, anything, but Killian beat me to it.
“Yes,” he said calmly. “I’m here to pick him up.”
I wanted to vanish.
Mrs. Clark came to the door, then Rosa. all of them were smiling like this was normal.
“Oh wow,” Mrs. Clark laughed, eyeing Killian. “You never told us your man was this fine, Li!”
I forced the fakest smile I could manage.
”
“He served in the military right?” she added. “Rosa said he was away. When did he come back?”
Killian glanced at me but answered smoothly. “Not long ago. Just got back.”
My mouth went dry. This couldn’t be real.
Then Mr. Clark left and came back holding Ryan
He was fast asleep in his little pajamas, breathing softly and looking so peaceful.
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Killian stepped forward and took him into his arms like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like he belonged there.
My chest tightened I couldn’t look away.
Mrs Clark smiled “You guys should come in for tea. Just a quick one.”
Killian shook his head, polite but firm “Thanks, but we have a flight. Need to take my family home.”
2/3
+25 BONUS
Family.
The word hit me so hard I could barely stand.
“Oh of course!” Mrs. Clark said, then hugged me. “You never said he was this handsome,” she teased.
I gave her another fake smile and hugged her back, barely holding in my tears.
“Take care, dear,” she said before waving us off.
I followed Killian to the car, quite numb. He gently buckled Ryan in the back like he hadn’t just yelled at me minutes ago.
I got in beside him. He started the car without a word.
I stared at him. My heart was racing.
Ryan slept peacefully behind us, unaware of the storm his parents were about to face.
Everything I had spent seven years hiding just fell apart in a single night.
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