Juliens POV
As I pushed Valerie out the door, a burning, suffocating anger rose inside me, mingling with a bitterness that had been festering for weeks. This wasn't how things were supposed to be between us. We were supposed to be in love, planning a life together, sharing the future we'd once dreamed about. But somewhere along the line, she had changed. Or maybe it was me—I couldn't even tell anymore.
Once, not too long ago, I was the one who made her laugh, who brought that light into her eyes, that genuine, beautiful smile that made everything feel right. But now? Now she was practically a fucking stranger, someone who barely looked at me, like she was already halfway out the door in her mind. It was driving me insane. And as much as I hated to admit it, I knew exactly where that warmth and laughter had gone. She was giving it to him.
Liam. I couldn't even think his name without my jaw clenching, my fists curling up tight at my sides. I'd seen the way she looked at him, that soft gaze that used to be reserved for me. And it wasn't just that—there was a chemistry between them, a comfortable familiarity that felt like a punch to the gut every time I witnessed it. He had that infuriating way of making her laugh, of making her look at him like he was something special. It was enough to make me want to break something.
"Liam, Liam, Liam," I muttered to myself, the name like poison on my tongue. What the hell was it about him that was so damn captivating to her? I used to be everything she wanted—hell, she was engaged to me. And yet, here she was, drifting further and further away, every day slipping a little more into his orbit.
I couldn't ignore the signs anymore. She was barely even present when she was with me. The way she smiled, the way she talked—it was like she was just going through the motions, pretending everything was okay when it wasn't. And I wasn't stupid; I could see the truth right in front of me, even if I didn't want to believe it. She was pulling away, slipping through my fingers like fucking sand, and I was just supposed to stand by and let it happen? Like hell.
As she walked down the street, I stood there, watching her, a storm of emotions churning inside me. I felt betrayed, humiliated, but most of all, I felt desperate. She was my fiancée, for God's sake. She was supposed to be mine. We had a future, a life we were building together, and now it was all unraveling right in front of me. All because of him.
I clenched my fists tighter, the veins in my arms bulging as I fought to control the rage building up. If Liam thought he could just waltz in and take what was mine, he was dead wrong. I wasn't going to let this go. I'd fight for her, for us, because she needed to see that we were stronger than some momentary distraction, stronger than whatever the hell she thought she saw in him. She needed to remember what we had, and I'd be damned if I let her throw it all away for someone like Liam.
But underneath the anger, there was fear—a gnawing, soul-crushing fear that maybe, just maybe, I'd already lost her. That despite everything, she was slipping away, and there wasn't a damn thing I could do to stop it. It was like watching a car crash in slow motion, knowing what was coming but being completely powerless to prevent it.
What did she see in him? What could he possibly give her that I couldn't? I ran over it all in my mind, trying to figure it out, but it only left me more frustrated, more determined. I'd given her years of my life, my love, my loyalty. I'd been there for her, done everything I could to make her happy. So why the hell wasn't that enough?
Fine. If she wanted space, I'd give her space. If she thought she could find something better, I'd let her see what was out there. But I'd be watching, waiting, and when she realized what a colossal mistake she'd made, I'd be there. I'd be there to remind her of everything we had, everything we could still be. Because this wasn't over. Not by a long shot.
I was going to find out exactly what was going on between them, and I'd do whatever it took to bring her back to me. If I had to confront Liam, if I had to make it crystal clear that he was treading on dangerous ground, then so be it. He had no idea who he was fucking with.
As she disappeared from view, a grim determination settled over me. This was just the beginning. I would fight for her, fight for us, and I'd make damn sure she knew that I wasn't going anywhere. Not until she was back by my side, where she belonged. I took a deep breath, the anger simmering down just enough to sharpen my focus. It was time to play my hand, and I was going all in.
