Page 76 of All That She Needs

"During that time," I interjected, "perhaps we shouldn't contact each other."

I watched as Liam's entire body tightened. His expression shifted, the warmth in his eyes replaced by a flicker of confusion. "I don't understand..."

"I think I need it," I said, swallowing hard. "I need a moment to catch my breath and reset."

"For how long?" He asked.

"Twelve weeks."

"Twelve—" He paused to take a shaky breath, suddenly looking like he was suffocated. "And you don't want us to contact each other."

"Yes," I whispered, feeling my eyes begin to burn.

"Asha, you're not... please tell me you're not considering taking him back again."

"I'm not," I answered with absolute certainty. "I promise."

"Are we still together, Asha?" he asked carefully. "Are you still mine?"

Oh, God, I couldn't bring myself to say it, even though I knew I had to. It felt so heavy in my chest; the words caught in my throat like a weight I couldn't lift.

"No."

Liam stood up slowly, pressing a hand to his throat as he began to pace in front of me. Then, he abruptly halted and turned to face me. "You said you wanted to try, Asha. You said I make you happy."

"I know. I meant every word I said." Tears spilled from my eyes as I stood up, wrapping my arms around his waist and pressing my damp cheek against his chest, feeling the tension in his body. "I'm so sorry."

"Why, Asha?" he asked quietly, his voice a little unsteady. "Why do you need to break up with me? I can give you space. I'll wait for you, however long it takes. I want to be there for you, Asha. You don't have to do this."

"Because I'm not in the right headspace right now, Liam. I'm not emotionally okay." I pulled back slightly to meet his gaze, finding him already looking at me. "It would be selfish and wrong to pursue a relationship with you right now."

"And walking away from me is not selfish?" he asked, his voice laced with hurt.

I pulled away, my hands gently resting on his face. I took in his familiar features—those beautiful turquoise eyes and the dimpled smile that had always captivated me. I knew I would miss him so much. I fought against the urge to give in, knowing I had to remain resolute.

I tiptoed and kissed him gently on the lips. "Twelve weeks, Liam." My voice softened. "It'll pass quicker than you think."

He closed his eyes as our lips met, pulling me tight against him. "Come back to me, Asha," he whispered, pressing his forehead to mine. "I'll wait for you."

In that moment, I silently hoped that when I returned, my troubles would have vanished and that he would still be there, waiting for me.God, please.Let him wait for me.

I sobbed as I rode the elevator down, tears streaming down my face as I rushed through the lobby, keeping my head lowered to avoid Brody's confused gaze. But as soon as the car door closed, I lost all control and fell apart.

Later that night, a text from Dennis broke through my fog of lingering sadness: "I just heard from Samuel that Vanessa's wedding is canceled. That bitch is single again. I wonder what Aiden will do about it now."

Part 36: Aiden

I stared at my phone, the text message blaring up at me, refusing to let me look away. I couldn't close the screen or set the phone down. I just kept staring, reading it over and over.

It was from Vanessa. A simple message:"Can we talk? Over coffee, maybe?"

She'd sent it yesterday at midnight, three days after calling off her wedding.

What did it mean?

I wondered if this was some kind of sign. I was divorced, and now she wasn't getting married either. Maybe it was more than coincidence—maybe our lives were lining up in a way I hadn't expected. But then, why had she canceled her wedding? Was she reaching out because she knew I was single again?

I didn't know what was happening or what I was supposed to do now. I'd spent so long trying not to think about her, to try to ignore the pain in my heart, so that I could focus on repairing what was left of my family. And yet, if I was honest, there was one question I couldn't shake: did I still love her?

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