+25 BONUS
CHAPTER THIRTY–EIGHT
Liana’s POV
My father looked straight into my eyes, not moving, not blinking.
“Are you sure about what you’re saying?”
I nodded slowly through the tears that refused to stop falling. “Yes. I’m sure. I’ll do anything. Just… please don’t push me
away. I can’t take that.”
“LIANA!”
Killian’s voice sliced through the air like thunder. I didn’t need to turn, I already knew the sound of his rage. He stormed
toward us, his eyes wide with disbelief, fists clenched like he was barely keeping himself together.
“What the hell are you saying?”
I didn’t answer. I couldn’t.
“Please, Dad,” I repeated, my voice shaky but firm. “If it means you’ll forgive me… I’ll leave Killian. I’ll do it.
“The fuck you will,” Killian growled, yanking me gently but firmly toward him. “You’re not doing this. I
“Let go of me,” I said, trying to pull my hand back.
“No,” he barked, his voice raw. “No! Look at me!”
“I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!” I screamed, shoving him off me. “STAY OUT OF THIS, KILLIAN!”
He didn’t back down. His chest was rising and falling fast, his face twisted with pain and rage.
”
let you.
”
“You belong to me,” he said, staring right at me, loud enough for everyone to hear. “You fucking belong to me, Liana. You
think I’ll stand here and watch you walk away again? You think I’ll let that happen? Never! Never! I won’t allow it.”
My father stepped in front of me protectively. “Watch your tone. That’s my daughter you’re talking to.”
Killian’s eyes didn’t even move. “She’s mine,” he snapped. “Mine. Mine!”
He growled low in his throat, as if something inside him was about to snap.
“Liana,” he whispered hoarsely, grabbing both my hands, kissing my palms, his voice breaking “I’ll do anything you want. any damn thing. But don’t do this to me. Don’t leave me. I love you. I can’t… I can’t imagine my life without you again. Please.
Don’t do this.”
His eyes were red and desperate. I could see him breaking right in front of me.
I gently pushed his hands away, even though everything inside me was falling apart. “There are so many reasons why we
can never be together, Killian. So, so many.”
“I don’t care!” he yelled. “I don’t fucking care!”
“Well, I do!” I shouted back. “I care! I care about my father. I care about Ryan. I care about the fact that I’ve been living in shame and confusion for years because of you,”
My dad raised his hand, cutting us both off. “That’s enough. Liana, go inside and pack your things. We’re going home. You and Ryan both.”
I stood frozen.
“Go on,” he said, quieter this time. “No daughter of mine is going to stay in a man’s house when I have a house with her name
1/2
38
+25 BONUS
on it.”
He turned to Killian. “And don’t think I don’t know what you’ve done. You her and made her life revolve around you. You think you’re doing her a favor
Killian opened his mouth, but my dad didn’t stop.
my daughter like a dirty secret. You ruined
“…by offering her a job in your company just so she’d stay under you–what kind of man does that? You can’t even let her
breathe without wanting to control her.”
“That’s not true-”
“To hell with your job offer. To hell with your house. You can’t have everything, Killian. You
own her too.”
destroy her
then try to
Killian’s fists were trembling now, his breathing uneven, as if he was holding back something
He turned to me. “Go inside. Pack up. We’re leaving.”
“It’s over,” my father continued. “She has a dad. I’m still here. and I will give her everything she needs,
never need to rely on you again.”
dignity. She’ll
ས
Killian growled a deep, animalistic sound that made everyone freeze. It wasn’t just anger. It was something darker, deeper, as if the thing inside him had finally snapped.
“Don’t…” he warned. “Don’t take her from me.”
Mother rushed toward him, grabbing his arm.
“Killian, stop it,” she hissed. “Stop it now before you do something you’ll regret.”
He didn’t move. His jaw was locked, his body shaking.
“She’s all I have,” he whispered, his voice breaking. “She’s the only thing that makes sense.”
“And you’re scaring her,” she snapped, dragging him back by the arm. “Get inside. Let her go.”
He didn’t budge. He looked at me, broken. Lost.
“Liana… please…”
I couldn’t say anything. My chest was too tight. My throat too raw.
My dad stepped closer and touched my shoulder gently. “Go pack up. Bring Ryan. We’re going home, where you’ll be respected and taken care of. Where no man can hurt you again.”
I looked one last time at Killian. His eyes said everything. Pain. anger. Fear. Love.
But it wasn’t enough.
Not anymore.
I turned away. And this time, I didn’t look back.
