19.

Liam's POV

The rest of the day passed in a blur, but I couldn’t stop thinking about Vera.

It was almost as if she was trying too hard. She was working like a machine—every movement efficient, every task precise. She had retreated to her study in the mansion, and I could hear her typing away relentlessly, each stroke of the keys loud in the otherwise quiet house. The evening was creeping in, but she was still locked away in that room, absorbed in whatever she was working on.

She didn’t even pause for a proper dinner. I had the feeling that if I didn’t make an effort to intervene, she would just keep going, one task after another, until there was nothing left of her.

I could hear her on the phone, talking quickly, her voice tight with purpose, as if each call was a race against the clock. There was no break in her routine, no moment to simply breathe. The Vera I knew—who would at least pause for a meal, or to look at the world around her—was gone. All that remained was this relentless machine, churning through work, no care for anything else.

I stood in the doorway, watching her from the shadows, unsure of how to approach her. It was like watching someone run themselves into the ground.

She was so different from the woman I had seen just a few days ago—the one who had broken down, her exhaustion evident, her will to fight nearly extinguished. Now, she was a force of nature. Efficient. Ruthless. But not with the vigor that once came naturally to her. This was something darker.

Her eyes didn’t leave the screen, her fingers never stopped moving. I could see the intensity, the drive. But there was no warmth, no humanity left in her gaze. She was lost in her own world, consumed by it.

"Vera," I said, walking into the room. My tone was firm, not harsh, but with a bite of authority. She had been going nonstop, and I needed her to listen.

She didn’t even flinch, didn’t acknowledge me beyond a quick glance. "You need to take a break," I continued, stepping closer. "You’ve been at this for hours."

She nodded absently, not bothering to look up from her work. "I’m fine," she said in a clipped voice, barely audible over the clicking of the keyboard. "I have a lot to do."

I didn’t believe her. She wasn’t fine. Her eyes, the way her body slouched slightly with every movement—she was tired. I could see it in the way she refused to rest.

"Vera," I said again, softer this time, though the frustration was starting to creep in. "You can’t keep going like this. It’s not healthy."

She paused, but only for a moment, before going back to her work. There was something in her expression, something behind those dull eyes that made my chest tighten. She was running from something. And I wasn’t sure what it was.

I stood there for a moment longer, just watching her, but I didn’t know what else to say. What could I say that would make her listen? She wasn’t the woman who would break down anymore. She had built this wall of productivity around herself, and I wasn’t sure how to tear it down.

With a sigh, I turned to leave.

But I couldn’t help but feel a knot form in my stomach. The Vera I had known and once relied on—so full of life, of energy, of emotion—was slipping away from me. In her place was someone I didn’t recognize.

I walked down the hall, leaving her in her self-imposed isolation, but my thoughts lingered on her. What was she trying to prove? Why was she pushing herself to the limit? And most of all—what was she running from?

I didn’t have the answers, but for now, I wasn’t going to get them. She would deal with it in her own way, like she always did. She’d bury herself in her work, in whatever was easier than confronting whatever was eating at her inside.

And maybe that was the hardest part of all. She didn’t need me. Not anymore.

Vera's POV

I had become numb to it. But when Daniel had said I should be "more lively," I had to comply, didn't I?

So I did.

I put on a smile that didn’t reach my eyes, faked the enthusiasm I didn’t have, and acted like everything was fine. The facade came naturally by now—so much so that I almost believed it myself, at least for a moment.

I knew the drill. I was supposed to be his perfect wife, even though nothing about us was perfect.

But deep down, I could feel it—a weight pressing on my chest, a heaviness that wouldn’t let up. Behind the smile, I felt empty. It was like I was playing a role in my own life, trying to make everyone else believe it was real.

When Liam retired to his room after dinner, I finally let myself breathe. I didn’t want him to see me like this, this hollow version of myself. He would see through the act, I knew that much.

I couldn’t hold it in any longer. The suffocating weight of it all had been too much. I needed to talk, to get it out somehow, even if it was just for a few moments. So, I picked up my phone and dialed Cecily’s number, hoping she would pick up.

The screen lit up with her face, her tired eyes staring back at me. She was sitting at her desk, the glow of her computer screen casting shadows across her face. She smiled when she saw me, but it was strained, like she knew something was wrong before I even spoke.

"Vera," she greeted softly, her voice warm but cautious. "What’s going on?"

I hesitated, looking at her through the screen. I wanted to say everything, to pour out all the emotions that had been building up inside me for so long, but the words felt stuck in my throat. Instead, I took a deep breath, trying to sound normal.

"I don’t know, Cecily," I finally said, my voice trembling just slightly. "I’m trying... but it’s like I’m just... existing. I’m pretending to be okay, pretending everything’s fine, but it’s not. I don’t know how much longer I can keep this up."

Cecily’s face softened, her expression filled with concern. "Vera, you don’t have to pretend for me. I’ve been telling you for days that you need to take a step back, to breathe and process everything. You can’t keep living like this."

I bit my lip, nodding in agreement, though the truth was, I didn’t know how to stop. I didn’t know how to break free from this role I had created for myself.

"I just..." I started, but I couldn’t finish. My emotions felt like they were rising, threatening to spill over, but I couldn’t let them. Not yet.

"You don’t have to say it all right now," Cecily said, her voice gentle. "I can see you’re struggling, but don’t do this alone. You don’t have to keep everything inside. Let me help you."

I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape. "I don’t know how to let it out," I whispered. "I’m scared, Cecily. I’m scared of what will happen if I stop pretending."

There was a long silence as Cecily seemed to take in my words, her gaze soft and understanding. "It’s okay to be scared, Vera. It’s okay to feel everything, even the bad stuff. You don’t have to carry it all by yourself. I’m here for you, always."

I could feel the tears welling up, but I fought them back, unwilling to break down in front of the screen. "I just don’t want to disappoint anyone," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I’m scared that if I let them see how I really feel, they’ll think I’m weak or that I’m failing."

Cecily’s expression turned serious. "Vera, you’re not weak. You’re human. And you’re not failing. You’re going through something, and it’s okay to admit that. You don’t have to be perfect for anyone, not for Daniel, not for your company, not for anyone."

I wanted to believe her, I really did. But the pressure was suffocating, and the expectations felt like chains around my neck. I had to be everything for everyone. Perfect. Strong. Unbreakable. But I wasn’t any of those things.

"I just don’t know how to stop pretending," I whispered, my voice cracking.

"You don’t have to stop pretending all at once," Cecily replied, her voice calm and steady. "Just take it one step at a time. Let yourself feel. Let yourself be real, even if it’s just with me. You don’t have to be the perfect version of yourself all the time. It’s okay to fall apart. You’ll find your way back."

I didn’t know how to respond. Part of me wanted to break down in front of her, to let the weight of everything crash down on me. But I couldn’t. Not yet.

"I’ll try," I said, my voice barely audible. "But it’s hard."

"I know it is," Cecily replied softly. "But you don’t have to do it alone. I’m here. And I’ll be here every step of the way."

I smiled faintly, the first real smile I had given all day, even though it didn’t feel like enough. "Thank you, Cecily," I said quietly. "I don’t know what I’d do without you."

"You don’t have to do anything without me," she said, her tone firm and reassuring. "I’m not going anywhere. We’ll get through this together, okay?"

“Let’s have a lunch party at Daniel’s mansion. Just for fun. Maybe we can trouble him a bit.” She shrieked with a smile

"Okay and I will think about it." I agreed, though the weight still felt heavy. But for the first time in a while, I didn’t feel completely alone. At least Cecily was there, even if I wasn’t ready to fully let go yet. One step at a time. Maybe that was all I could do for now.

The call ended, and I sat in silence, staring at the screen for a long moment. There was a tiny part of me that wanted to believe things could get better, that I could stop pretending, but it felt so far away.

For now, I would just take it one step at a time.