Lavish | on hold

22 | Illusion

Victoria had never avoided the public eye as much as she had in the last week – studying up on motherhood through every magazine, article or forum she could possibly find.

Claudia's words had left a footprint in her mind, causing her to reconsider her choice to walk away from the one person that saw her as she was and didn't leave her stranded. Still, a small negative voice remained at the back of her mind reminding her the side that she was introduced to, the side that almost forgot how to love her.

And yet she was unable to stop herself from answering the the door once she saw him pacing back and forth at her front door questioning whether or not he is doing the right thing, bringing herself closer to the screens with hope that she would hear him say something.

Anything.

"Hi." He eventually gulped, it being apparent that he had absolutely no idea what to say next. "I was hoping that you'd be available to talk."

Vic calmed her soul and emotional thoughts. The last thing she needed to do was fall back into her old habits and forgive right away, it was time for her to bring out her icy side even if Liam was able to melt that away with just one smile.

Before responding she dashed to open her front door, letting out a deep sigh and taking in the fact that she was staring back into the eyes of her heart.

"I'm listening."

With simple eye contact, they both made their way into the living room – seats would have made the romantic connection much more harder to act on.

Liam let out a sigh of relief before speeding through his sentences, making it almost impossible for Victoria to actually understand what he was actually saying. "I'm sorry about everything, the last thing I should have done was walk away from you and leave you in the dust. I'm just afraid."

"Afraid?" Victoria felt to hold back the snorts of laughter at the thought of Liam being afraid.

"When I'm not with you, I'm thinking about you because my world revolves around you and I've never felt this." He then shut his eyes, his words softening into a sweet whisper. "I've never felt this kind of love."

"Liam, I-"

"I know, I screwed up and that baby is making you second guess everything we've built but I'm ready to rebuild it all with you."

"Really?"

He took a step closer, reaching his arm out to hold her before meaning every word he said. "Really."

Victoria rushed into his arms and they twirled around her room in silence, making up from the time they lost from being apart.

The longer her body was pressed against his, the more she knew that it was all she ever needed. Her love for Liam felt natural, almost as if she had been loving him for centuries before they even met. He was giving her something that she had never experienced fully. Liam gave her security. Vic no longer had to play mind games, or wipe her tears in toilet stalls or give brave smiles to the bearers of bad news. Their kingdom was a partnership with no other ties, tangles or scandals hidden beneath their foundation. For once, Victoria felt like her relationship was the cherry on top of the cake.

Not the whole cake.

"Ahem."

The two lover's paradise was interrupted by a third party positioned at the kitchen's doorway. Mrs.Sterling folded her arms with a straight line kept on her lips as she watched them both tear away from one another filled with humiliation and discomfort in her formal presence until it became too much to endure, Liam mumbling kind regards towards the woman before speeding out of the room with his head bowed in shame.