Chapter 181 Still Fighting For Us

Chapter 181 Still Fighting For Us
Mia’s POV

I kept walking as the music from the fountain followed me across the park, forcing myself not to look back. If I saw Liam standing where I had left him with my ring in his hand, I wasn’t sure I would have the strength to keep going.

My thumb brushed over my bare ring finger, and the emptiness there made my chest ache.

By the time I reached my car, tears had blurred my vision. I climbed inside, closed the door, and finally let myself cry. For several minutes, I sat there with my hands covering my face, knowing that replaying every word Liam and I had exchanged would only make me question the decision I had just made.

So I wiped my cheeks, started the car, and drove to Josh’s place.

He opened the door before I could knock twice, his gaze going straight to my face before dropping to my bare hand.

“You gave it back.”

“Yes.”

He stepped aside. “Come in.”

I walked past him and headed for the living room. “Where’s Allen?”

“Still at work. He’ll be home later.”

I sat on the couch while Josh took the chair across from me.

“How did Liam take it?”

A humorless laugh escaped me. “How do you think?”

“Badly?”

“Very. He refused to accept it and begged me to stay.”

My voice broke, and I looked away.

“Mia.”

“I almost did.” Saying it aloud hurt more than I expected. “I almost took everything back, but I couldn’t. If I stay, Liam will fight with his father until the end, and I can’t be part of that.”

“That’s between Liam and his father.”

“That’s what he said.”

“Because it’s true.”

“Maybe.” I glanced at my bare finger. “But knowing that doesn’t make any of this easier.”

Josh was quiet for a moment. “You still love him.”

It wasn’t really a question.

I gave him a tired look. “You already know I do.”

“Yeah. I do.”

He moved beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. For once, Josh didn’t tell me what I should do. He simply stayed there, and I was grateful because I didn’t need advice. I needed someone who would let me fall apart without asking me to explain why.

That night, I stayed at his place.

Or tried to.

By morning, I felt as though I had barely closed my eyes. I showered, changed into clothes I had left there, and decided to stop by my condo before work to pick up a few things.

Josh offered to drive me, but I shook my head. “I can manage.”

He gave me a skeptical look. “Call me when you get there.”

“I will.”

The drive was quiet. I kept the radio off and focused on the road, determined to get through the morning without letting my thoughts wander back to Liam.

That determination lasted until the elevator doors opened on my floor.

I froze.

Liam was sitting on the floor outside my unit.

His back rested against the wall, his head tilted slightly to one side. His shirt was wrinkled, his sleeves pushed up to his elbows, and his hair was a mess. Dark circles shadowed his eyes.

He looked like he had spent the night there.

My heart broke all over again.

“Liam.”

His eyes opened, and the moment he saw me, he stood.

“Mia.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was waiting for you.”

I stared at him. “All night?”

He said nothing, which was answer enough.

“You should have gone home.”

“I did. Then I stared at your ring for two hours and came here.”

My throat tightened. “Liam…”

“I thought you might come back.”

“I stayed with Josh.”

“I figured that out eventually.”

There was no anger in his voice, only exhaustion, and somehow that was worse.

I reached into my bag for my keys. “You need to go home and sleep.”

“I need you.”

My hand stilled.

He stepped closer. “Mia, look at me.”

I did, and instantly wished I hadn’t. Seeing him exhausted and miserable made it harder to remember why I had walked away in the first place.

“You made your decision yesterday,” he said. “I heard everything you said, and I understand why you think this is the right thing to do.”

“It is the right thing for you.”

“That’s not your decision to make.”

“Liam—”

“You want space? Fine. I’ll give you space. You want time? Take it. But handing my ring back doesn’t erase what I feel for you.”

My eyes burned. “You’re making this harder.”

“I know.”

“Then why?”

“Because I’m not going to make it easy for you to convince yourself I want this too.”

I swallowed. “I meant what I said yesterday. Your father needs you.”

“And I can be there for him without marrying Glydel.”

“He doesn’t see it that way.”

“Then that’s something he and I need to deal with.”

I shook my head. “This is exactly what I was afraid of. I don’t want you fighting with him because of me.”

“Mia, you’re not the reason we’re fighting. He announced a future for me without asking what I wanted. That problem existed before you walked away.”

His words struck deeper than I wanted them to.

Part of me wanted to argue, but another part knew Liam had a point. Still, I wasn’t ready to undo everything because seeing him hurt made me weak.

“I need to get ready for work.”

He stared at me for several seconds before nodding.

I unlocked my door, but his voice stopped me before I stepped inside.

“I’ll respect the space you asked for.”

I turned.

He looked exhausted, heartbroken, and completely certain.

“But I’m never surrendering.”

My heart stumbled.

“Liam…”

“You can ask me to give you time, and I will. But you can’t ask me to stop loving you or fighting for the life we planned together.”

He stepped away. “Go get ready.”

I watched him walk toward the elevator, and only after the doors closed did I enter my condo.

For several seconds, I stood there with my hand still wrapped around the doorknob before finally releasing the breath I had been holding.

Apparently, breaking off our engagement had been the easy part.

Convincing Liam Alcaraz to accept it was going to be something else entirely.

The following morning, Caroline appeared in my office doorway carrying an enormous bouquet.

I stared at it. “No.”

She blinked. “Good morning to you too.”

“Please tell me those aren’t for me.”

“They have your name on them.”

She placed the flowers on my desk, and I immediately spotted the card tucked between them.

Caroline smiled. “Someone appears to be trying very hard.”

“Caroline.”

“I’m leaving.”

She disappeared before I could respond.

I pulled out the card.

Still fighting for us.

Liam.

Of course.

I should have sent the flowers back.

Instead, they stayed on the corner of my desk for the rest of the day.

When I returned to my condo that evening, another bouquet was waiting at reception.

“Ms. Villaruiz,” the receptionist called as I crossed the lobby. “These arrived for you.”

I stopped. “You have got to be kidding me.”

She smiled. “Someone likes flowers.”

Apparently, Liam had lost his mind.

I carried the bouquet upstairs and found another card tucked inside.

Thinking of you.

I stared at it before setting the card beside the bouquet I had brought home from the office.

“Liam Alcaraz,” I muttered, “what am I supposed to do with all these flowers?”

My phone rang.

Josh.

“Are you coming over tonight?”

“I wasn’t planning to.”

“Allen ordered too much food.”

“That sounds suspiciously like you ordered too much food.”

“Same household. Technicality.”

Despite myself, I smiled. “Fine. I’ll come over.”

An hour later, Josh opened the door wearing an expression I immediately distrusted.

“What?”

He said nothing and simply stepped aside.

I walked inside and stopped.

Another enormous bouquet sat on the table.

I stared at it, then at Josh. “You have got to be kidding me.”

He folded his arms across his chest as I walked toward the flowers and found my name on the card.

“Liam?”

“Who else?”

“How did he even know I was coming here?”

“He didn’t. They arrived this afternoon.”

I stared at him. “So he’s just sending flowers everywhere I might possibly exist?”

“That seems to be the strategy.”

I pulled the card free.

In case you’re here tonight.

A laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

Josh’s eyebrows rose. “You laughed.”

“I did not.”

“You absolutely did.”

“It was frustration.”

“Sounded suspiciously happy to me.”

I gave him a warning look, but he ignored it and glanced at the bouquet taking over half his table.

“Mia, you need to talk to your ex-fiancé.”

My smile faded slightly at the word ex-fiancé. “Why?”

Josh gestured toward the flowers. “Because if Liam plans to keep sending these to my house every day, tell him I have no intention of changing careers and becoming a florist.”

I stared at him for a second before laughing again.

Josh grinned. “There she is.”

I shook my head and looked at the flowers.

Three bouquets in one day. One at my office, one at my condo, and one at Josh’s place.

Liam had promised he wouldn’t surrender.

Clearly, he intended to prove it one flower at a time.