Page 98 of All That She Needs

My entire body was sore, but I was content. Happy and content.

We had sex three times in the last four hours, and we stayed in bed until my stomach growled, making Liam laugh. He got up and headed to the kitchen to cook. I followed, wearing the white shirt he wore before—just because it smelled like him—and my panties, while he wore nothing but his boxers, a kitchen towel slung over his shoulder.

And I just sat there, admiring the view.

He cooked a simple meal—mac and cheese—but, as always, it tasted incredible. We sat close, sharing from the same plate, and it was casual and unhurried, the kind of moment that felt effortlessly intimate. The kitchen was quiet except for the soft clink of the fork and the occasional playful banter. It wasn't a grand moment, but it felt like ours—a little bubble of peace and joy, uninterrupted.

I asked him again why he was losing so much weight. He told me his appetite hadn't been the same lately and that he was struggling to eat properly. He didn't say it was because of me, but I couldn't shake the certainty that it was.

It never ceased to amaze me how he could be so patient with me and still love me as strongly as he did.

I could see myself with him forever. It was easy to imagine. I couldn't understand why I wasn't afraid to start a new journey with him when I should have been terrified. I hadbeen with Aiden for twenty years, married for eighteen, and had never been with anyone else. It ended with a broken heart. That experience had scarred me deeply, leaving me thinking there was no room for anyone else. Yet somehow, Liam had slipped through the countless cracks and started putting me back together, making me whole again.

Was it too soon to start a new journey with a new man? Probably.

But could I deny the chance to be with someone who loved me so deeply, who saw me as his entire world and would do anything for me, who treated me like a queen, and who I loved so dearly in return? Denying that opportunity for happiness?

Of course not. Like Dennis said,take it with both hands and be happy.

Even if Liam and I didn't end up being forever, I knew I'd be okay. I was ready to face whatever lay ahead. It was just another part of my journey—a risk I was willing to take in the pursuit of happiness. I would be more devastated if I let it slip through my fingers simply because I was afraid.

My past with Aiden wouldn't hold me back from finding joy again. If anything, it had made me stronger. Walking away from something that had been a part of my life for decades had taught me so much about myself—about my strength and my worth. I'd let go because I knew I deserved better.

But deep down, I knew that Liam and I had our fate written in the stars—that we were meant to be together. He wouldn't let me go, just as much as I wouldn't let him go. And neither of us would do anything to risk what we had.

I glanced at him and found him already watching me. He smiled, and as always, my eyes instinctively dropped to hisdimple. Without a word, he pulled the highchair I was sitting on closer, draped my legs over his thighs, and leaned in to pull me against him. His cheek pressed gently to my shoulder, his nose pressing against my neck, his arms wrapping around my waist.

We stayed like that for a long moment, eyes closed, breathing in sync, our minds filled with nothing but contentment. It felt like heaven.

Leaving his apartment wasn't easy for either of us. I clung to him by the elevator, letting the doors open and close a few times while he kissed me again—and then again. Only after we promised to meet at his office the next morning did I finally step inside. I had to be home in time for dinner with my kids.

I got home just half an hour before Kayden and Chloe were supposed to arrive from school, and as soon as I arrived, my phone rang.

It was my mother.

I stared at my phone for a long moment until the call died down by itself. Then it rang again.

Determined that nothing would ruin my good day, I decided to ignore it.

Aiden called six times. I counted, but I didn't know how many texts he had sent. I ignored them all.

After that, my day was filled with the familiar comfort of helping Sandy prepare dinner and then sitting down with Kayden and Chloe to eat. I happily listened as my daughter chattered endlessly about her art class, carefully avoiding Kayden's pointed gaze—his silent plea for me to finally tell her that she had absolutely no talent for painting.

I was sitting on my bed with my laptop on my lap, wanting to finish the handover report for my replacement, when my phone rang. I was going to ignore it again, thinking that itwas my mom or Aiden, but instead, it was Roy. I put it on the speaker.

"Yes, Roy," I spoke as I typed.

"Asha, I'm at Aiden's apartment now," he said quietly, as if he didn't want Aiden to overhear. "Is someone coming to stay with him? I have to go—I've got my night class, remember?"

"Didn't he arrange for anyone to help him?" I asked with furrowed brows. Did he expectmeto do that for him?

"Can you help, please? He's alone, and he can't even walk," Roy said, his voice tinged with frustration. "I don't know who else to call."

"Roy, Aiden is one of the richest men in the country. Surely, he can afford to pay someone to help him?"

"Apparently, he didn't arrange anything. I've asked Sean, and he said Aiden didn't ask him to do anything either. Sean didn't even know he was being discharged today." Roy let out a heavy sigh. "I feel sorry for him, Asha. He looked so lost and confused, coming home to a temporary apartment all by himself. All that money didn't do a damn thing for him."

"He hasn't changed at all," I muttered, shaking my head. "He still assumes I'll step in and fix everything, like always. But he's not my responsibility anymore, Roy. If I go there, it'll just send the wrong message."

---