Page 99 of All That She Needs

"Maybe he's struggling more than he's letting on." Roy sounded concerned. "You know how he is—too proud to ask for help but not strong enough to manage on his own."

"That's not my responsibility anymore," I said firmly. "He needs to learn to stand on his own two feet."

"Asha, but he's injured."

I was about to speak again when a knock on the door interrupted me, and Kayden's head peeked inside. "Mom?"

"Roy, call Sean or Brody to help, okay? I have to go." I turned to Kayden. "What is it, sweetheart?"

Kayden stepped into the room and sat at the edge of the bed. "Should I go there, Mom?" he asked softly. He must have overheard my conversation with Roy. "I can go with Brody. He's still in the kitchen downstairs eating dinner. Dad really is alone... and injured."

I looked at him, my heart swelling with pride at the kindness he showed toward his father despite everything. "If you want to, Kayden. But don't do it out of guilt. None of this is your fault, you hear me? It's not. And remember, you have school tomorrow."

He nodded but still seemed unsure. For a long moment, he sat in thought before lifting his eyes to me. "Call him, Mom. I want to talk to him."

I stared at him for a minute. "Okay." Then I dialed Aiden's number.

At the first ring, he picked it up. "Asha, thank God. I've been trying to call you. Can you come over here to help me, please? Or maybe I could stay there until I'm better?"

Kayden and I sighed in exasperation at the same time. "No, Aiden, you can't. You need to figure out how to manage on your own. We're not together anymore, and you can't expect me to keep taking care of you."

"I'll come and help you, Dad," Kayden spoke up, clearly having made up his mind. "I'll go with Brody right now, and I'll go to school from there. But it's only for tonight, Dad. You need to make some arrangements for yourself starting tomorrow."

"And Aiden," I added, making sure he understood. "Kayden's going to help you because he's kind, and he loves you, even though you don't deserve it. But that doesn't change the fact that you're never coming back to live in this house again. It's a sad situation, Aiden, but it is what it is. You should be grateful for a son like him. Kayden is a much better person than you are, and he didn't take after you."

*** *** ***

Days passed quickly, and everything in my life fell into place. My relationship with Liam continued to grow, almost like a dream. My kids were happy, and I hoped their father's absence hadn't negatively impacted them. If it had, I hoped it would only make them stronger, more resilient. I made sure they knew that no matter what, I would always be by their side. I was so proud of them that I often found myself wondering what I had done to deserve such wonderful children.

My dream of owning a plant nursery finally became a reality. After eighteen months of planning, building, and countless works and decisions, I was able to open its doors. What began as a simple idea had grown into something much larger. Along with the nursery, I had created a beautiful garden for the public to explore, with trails winding through vibrant flowers and lush greenery.

In addition, there was a space dedicated to workshops, where people could learn everything from plant care to home décor tips. A charming home décor shop, a specialty store focused on indoor plants, and two cozy cafes. And, in just a few months, we were set to open a restaurant.

Chloe was the one who came up with the name:Bloom & Grow Gardens. Kayden wasn't entirely on board with it, but I loved it. It perfectly symbolized my journey—how far I had come and how much I had grown to get to where I was now.

Now, six months into operation, the business was thriving beyond what I had imagined.

Liam supported me every step of the way. He found the perfect piece of land, quietly nestled on the outskirts of town. It was twenty-one acres. Pretty fucking big. When he saw how excited I was about it, he didn't hesitate to buy it for me, and he put it under my name. His commitment didn't stop there. He devoted countless hours to help plan and build my dream, helping me assemble a team of architects, landscape designers, and builders to bring the vision to life. He also helped hire the staff we needed to run the nursery, from nursery managers to plant technicians, a marketing team, and more. Liam took time away from his own business to make sure my dream became a reality.

I finally introduced Liam to Chloe and Kayden as my boyfriend. Honestly, it felt strange to say "boyfriend" after being married for so many years. I brought him to the house, and the interaction that followed was amusing. Kayden, even though he had met Liam before, seemed a little nervous, almost like he was meeting his idol, while Chloe just stared at him with a frown. When I asked if something was wrong, she pointedly said, "My friends better not see him, or they'll be fawning over him, and I'll never hear the end of it."

To my surprise, Liam won Chloe over almost immediately. When she showed him her painting, he seamlessly introduced her to the idea of using AI to create art. The concept excited her, and to my relief, I didn't have to tell her to focus on other things instead.

My brothers were there too, and while they still kept their distance and maintained an air of indifference toward Liam, I could see they were slowly warming up to the idea. Little by little, they were coming to terms with the fact that he wasthe man I had chosen to spend my life with. Sandy, on the other hand, seemed completely smitten with Liam, especially after discovering how skilled he was in the kitchen.

My mother met Liam a few times, and each encounter left me more reluctant to arrange another one. Despite my reservations, Liam just shrugged it off, reassuring me with his usual confidence that, in time, she would come to love him.

I met Liam's family, and to say I was nervous would be an understatement. I wasn't sure how they'd feel about me—someone older, divorced, and with two kids. His brothers—Jake, Ethan, and Matthew—were there too, and all four of them, along with their father, were towering giants. Liam, surprisingly, was the shortest of them all.

His mother, however, was the kindest woman and greeted me with genuine warmth. She surprised me by saying how happy she was to meet me and admitted she'd been worried about Liam because he had never brought a woman home before. Of the four brothers, Ethan and Matthew were married, with seven children between them, while Jake, the eldest, was still single.

After dinner, Jake pulled me aside for a conversation. He admitted that he'd been concerned about Liam's relationship with me, knowing how much I'd been hurt by Aiden. He didn't want his younger brother to end up as a rebound. I appreciated his honesty and assured him that he didn't need to worry. I told him I was committed to proving that my feelings for Liam were real.

As for Liam and me, I couldn't even begin to describe how happy I was with him. Whenever the kids stayed with their dad during his scheduled custody time, I spent those nights at Liam's apartment. I always came back home feeling completely content—well-fed and thoroughly satisfied in every way.

Especially in bed—boy, that man was unstoppable. My throat was still raw from screaming, and I didn't think I could walk yet.

"You're thinking really hard; I could hear it from here." Liam mumbled sleepily from behind me, pulling me closer to him.

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