Chapter 74 Chapter 74
LIANA'S POV
I lingered there, staring at my phone screen for too long. My thumbs hovered over Stanley's name as if touching it would make him vanish. I didn't know what scared me more, the thought that he would not pick up, or that he would but after the conversation with mum, I was convinced I needed to talk to him.
Finally, I pressed the call button.
It rang once and then it kept ringing but no answer came. My heart was pounding as I dialed it again.
"Hello?" His voice was deep and groggy.
For a moment, I was paralysed. My mouth opened but nothing came out. That voice, Lord,it was like a pull to everything I wanted to disown and everything I secretly desired.
"Are you there?" he asked, soft, hesitating.
I swallowed. "Yeah. I'm here."
There was a pause. Then his voice returned, panicked and on the verge of being out of breath. "I'm… I can’t believe you phoned. I mean, I'm so grateful you phoned."
"Hold on," I said, trying to stop my voice from trembling. "Don't be thankful yet."
"No?" he said forcefully, and I could sense the hurt in it. "Well, I'm grateful that you even called me. I've been wanting to hear from you so badly."
I took a breath, grappling with the tide of emotion. "What are you doing now?"
"Not much. Just thinking taking a bit of a break to rest."
I closed my eyes. "I think we need to talk."
His silence was a silence of incredulity and relief. "I think so too. You… you really want to meet with me?"
"I won't be calling you if I didn't want to. I will need to go pick up Cam from school. Maybe later this evening."
"God, yes. Yes! Whenever you say just name the location."
"She misses you," I said softly before I could stop myself. "She's been asking for you."
His voice cracked. "I miss her too. And I miss you, Liana. I'm sorry about everything. I was afraid. I should have explained it all to you from the start."
"Save them apologies for when you're seeing me," I whispered. "I think you're going to need a lot of them."
He laughed softly, but it was taut. "Fair enough.".
Immediately I picked Cam up and dropped her off with my mum, I got changed into something more relaxed but decent. Beige turtleneck in soft fabric, black jeans, ankle boots. My hair was in a careless twist, the kind that signaled to people that I wasn't trying, even though my pulse gave me away.
The type of restaurant Stanley chose was one of those high-class establishments that had dim lights and privacy drapes. The type of place that customers paid for the food and the peace and quiet.
I parked across the street. I stared at myself in the rearview mirror and fixed my lipstick. Just a pale plum color. Assertive, but not obnoxious. I stepped out of the car, legs shaking slightly, and walked towards the door. A hostess came over to me but I waved her off, knowing where I was going.
The private section was in the back, divided by sheer drapes and golden amber lights. My eyes instinctively fixed on it. I could spot the outline of him.
He did not move when I parted the curtain.
We both paused for an instant and then our eyes met. It was like everything inside me dropped. The silence, the noise, the tension. I couldn't hear anything else but my own heart beating. He was in a blue shirt, open at the neck, sleeves rolled up over his forearms. Exhausted. Pale but drop dead gorgeous.
"Hi," I said.
"Hi," he breathed. "You came."
I slid into the seat opposite him. "I meant it."
He gave a suggestion of a smile. "I am glad."
We just sat there looking at each other for a moment.
Then I said, "So… let's talk."
He nodded, clearing his throat. "I don't know where to start. There's too much."
"Then start with the truth." He nodded again, his eyes soft. "I lied to you. From the beginning. Not everything. But a lot. Enough to destroy something sacred." I didn't respond. I waited. "Domnic is my half-brother," he said. "We share the same father. When I dwas growing, Dominic wasn't the kindest, he and his mother did not treat me right, they robbed me from my parents riches and denied me access to the company. All I wanted was revenge. Since he had everything, the name, the empire, the respect while I stayed hidden in the shadows, I decided to fight back and It was around that period I found out what happened between you too."
My throat closed. It hurt differently to hear it again. "S
And so you manipulated me?"
He was regretful. "At first, yes. You were his ex wife and you were doing exploits, your comback was not one anybody saw coming, you were definitely a force to recorn with. I knew he hated that so I thought that if I could get to collaborate with you, we would pull Dominic to rhe ground. But then you were more than the vengeful, powerful woman. Much more."
"You should have informed me."
"I know," he said, gasping. "But I was scared. By the time I realized that I loved you, I thought the truth would ruin everything. And then I lost you anyway."
I took a slow breath. My chest ached as if being constricted. "You hurt me, Stanley. You took advantage of my trust."
"I know. And if I could go back, I would. A thousand times, but I can't. I can only apologize and I will show you how sorry I am for as long as it takes."
I stared at my hands for what seemed like an eternity. "Cam misses you."
He cracked his voice again. "She was the first person to make me feel like family. Like I belonged."
"I don't think I can forgive you," I murmured. "But I want to, I just don't know." He nodded, slowly reaching out his hand across the table, palm open. He didn't touch me, he just left it there.
"Liana, let me earn it. One day at a time. I'll wait, Liana. As long as you need me to."
I didn't take his hand. But I didn't back away from it either. I simply sat there, staring at the space between us. Balancing whether or not it was worth risking my heart again.
And seeing, maybe, that it already was.
Stanley leaned in, forearms on the table, eyes on me like I was the only person that mattered. "Thanks… for calling. You have no idea how much this means to me."
I nodded, fingers around the lip of my teacup. His earlier apology had been sincere, his voice even breaking at one point but something was still eating away at my insides. There was more than love on the line here. There was survival. Dignity. Power.