Liana’s POV

“Dad!” bI /bscreamed, tears already choking me as I stumbled barefoot across the front porch. My legs moved before my brain

even caught up. All I could hear was his voice. Thatst line he’d thrown like a knife to my chest, “I disown you.”

By the time I made it outside, he and my stepmom were already by the car. The door was open. He was about ito /iget in.

“Please, wait!” I cried, my voice cracking as I ran toward them.

They both turned. My stepmom’s face twisted in worry, but my father’s remained still, closed off, as if h

peace with cutting me off.

made

“Dad, please don’t go. Please, I.. I’m sorry. Just don’t say that. Don’t disown me. Please!” My knees felt weak,

again as I dropped to the gravel. “I can’t take it. I swear, I can’t.”

broke

He

her. She’s hurting.”

My dad looked at me for a long time, his eyes hard. Then he spoke, low and clear. b“/bI’ll lift what I said. I’ll take it back. But

only if you do what I asked. You cut all ties with Killian. No contact. No rtionship. Nothing.”

I froze. The wind was cold. The sky was quiet. I just… I didn’t say anything.

He narrowed his eyes. “are you ready to do that?”

I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. Was I really ready? Could I walk away from Killian just like that? bMy /bheart thudded painfullyb, /bas if it knew it was being torn in two. Everything in me screamed, this isn’t fair. But the truth sat heavy in my chestb–/bhe was asking me to choose. again. And I didn’t know what the hell to do.

I looked down.

My silence must have said enough, because my dad sighed deeply. He shook his head. “bIf /byou decide,” he said, much softer bnow/b, “you know where to find me. I’ll be there. Waiting.”

He climbed into the bcar/bb. /b

The engine started.

And just like that, they were gone.

I stood there,pletely still. Then I sank to bmy /bknees, palms to the cold floorb, /band let out a cry that I didn’t even recognize.

bIt /bsounded as if something inside me was dying. Maybe it was.

“Liana.b” /b

I turned, my breath catching.

Killianb. /b

He was standing behind me, his face tense, eyes heavy with worry. He came forward and tried to touch my arm.

“Don’t,b” /bI snapped, yanking away. “Don’t touch meb./bb” /b

“Liana,” he said as he knelt down and reached out for me “Baby, pleaseb, /bget up. You’re going to hurt yourself.”

“Don’t touch me!” I snappedb, /bjerking away from him. I stood up with my fists clenched. My bface /bwas wet and hot with tears. bDon’t /byou dare touch meb!/bb” /b

”

bHe /bblinked, stunned b“/bLianab, /bbI-/bb” /b

b37 /b

“This is all byour /bfault!” I screamed. “Everything is because of byou/bb!/b”

He looked confused, hurt. “What are you talking about?”

bI /bwiped my face angrily with the back of my hand. “Why did I ever go against my dad for byou/b? Huh? For what? For a man

who was married! a man who picked another woman over me more than once!”

“That’s not fair-b” /b

b“/bNo! What’s not fair is me defending you, loving you, and getting nothing but pain in return!”

He flinched.

b“/bYou want to know what I remember most about us?” I said,ughing bitterly through the tears. “That first night. When byou /bfound out I was a virgin and you threw money at me like I was some random hook–up. Then you disappeared.”

His face dropped. “Liana, I can exin-b” /b

“Then the second time,” I kept going, ignoring him. “After fucking me, I begged you. I begged you to pick me. and what did you do? You still chose Cynthia over me. You said she was much more important! You let me rot while you yed happy

husband with her.”

b“/bIt wasn’t like that-”

“YES IT WAS!” I screamed so loudly my throat burned. “I disobeyed my dad, lost his trust, destroyed myself… for someone who didn’t even choose me. and who still wouldn’t over and over again.”

He stepped toward me, desperate. “Liana, please…”

“Don’t. bJust /bdon’t.”

bI /bturned awayb, /bwiping my face. bMy /btears wouldn’t stop, but something inside me had shifted. I couldn’t take it anymore. I was donei. /iI was sob, /bso done. Done with Killian and his bullshit.

And I ran.

I didn’t care that bI /bwas barefoot. I didn’t care that the road was rough or that my lungs were on fire. bI /bjust ran down the street, past the gateb, /buntil I saw it, the tail end of my father’s car.

“Wait!” I shouted, waving my hands. b“/bDad. Wait!”

The brake lights lit bup/b. The car slowed. Then stopped.

I reached it, panting, my chest heaving.

The driver’s door opened. My dad stepped out, brows furrowed, his mouth parting as if he bwasn’t /bsure if he should be angry

or hopeful.

I stared at him for a long second, my heart beating so loudly I could barely hear my own thoughts.

And then I nodded.

b“/bYes,” I said, breathless and raw. b“/bbYes /bDad, I’ll do it.”

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