Chapter 207
Chapter 207
I didn’t move for a long time.
The café had emptied out, sunlight slipping through the blinds in golden slants, but I was still there—staring at the damning documents Peris had left behind.
A war had begun.
One I wasn’t ready for. One that didn’t just threaten me, but Liam. Ryan.
My son.
The door creaked open behind me.
I didn’t have to turn to know who it was.
Liam’s presence filled every room like a storm—silent, powerful, inevitable.
“I saw Ryan outside,” he said quietly. “He looked… off. Then I saw Peris’s car.”
I folded the papers back into the envelope without a word.
He sat beside me, his jaw tightening. “What did he do?”
I slid the envelope across the table.
Liam’s eyes scanned the top sheet, and I watched the blood drain from his face. “DNA test?”
“He’s going after custody.”
Liam’s hand clenched around the paper. “That bastard—”
“He’s giving me 72 hours to walk away from you. Or he releases everything—Ryan’s identity, the Paris video, and claims I seduced you to destroy your engagement.”
A beat of silence.
Then Liam said, “He can’t win this. We’ll fight.”
My eyes met his. “You know how these things work. You’re weeks from a major business deal. Ryan’s already being bullied at school. Your board will flip if this becomes public. And me? They’ll eat me alive.”
“You think I care about my board?”
“I think you care about your son.”
He exhaled harshly, leaning back. “So what, you leave? Just like that?”
“No.” I swallowed. “But we need to be smart. Careful.”
He reached across the table and covered my hand with his. “You’re not doing this alone.”
I nodded, but inside, I was breaking.
I couldn’t let Ryan get dragged into another war. He deserved peace.
He deserved protection.
And so did Liam.
That night, I lay awake in bed, staring at the ceiling, the envelope on the nightstand like a loaded gun.
By morning, I’d made my decision.
I stepped into Ryan’s room. He was still sleeping, his tiny hand clutching his stuffed dinosaur.
My heart broke a little more.
Downstairs, Liam was on the phone, pacing. His eyes met mine, and he hung up immediately.
“I’m calling my lawyer,” he said. “We’ll bury Peris.”
I stepped closer. “No. I need to go somewhere first. Alone.”
Liam frowned. “Where?”
I hesitated. “To fix this before it gets worse.”
His jaw clenched. “Christabel—”
“I’ll be back. I promise.”
I kissed his cheek, memorizing the feel of him.
Then I turned and walked out the door.
As I arrived at the downtown law firm Peris had listed on the documents, I was led to a private office… but instead of a lawyer, I found Maeve waiting there.
And she was smiling.
“Surprise. Did you really think Peris was working alone?”