Page 113 of Adoration: Isn't What It Seems (Love Isn't What It Seems 2)

There was such a short distance between love and hate, desire and disgust. It could all change in less than a day. It could all change in less than an hour.

It’s all fun and games till someone gets hurt!It would seem that would be me.

Chapter Forty-Seven

Liberty

Wearing a beautiful emerald gown, I stared at my reflection in the mirror. In the span of half a day so much had changed. I was angry, hurt, sad, disappointed. My whole world was crashing down fast.

I was furious with Alexander, hurt by his lies and manipulation. But I still loved him with an unbearable ache. I wanted to scream and rip my chest to ease the pain. How could I love him so much after what he had done? After all the lies and deception from him, how could I be sure what was real and what wasn’t. I still couldn’t understand why.

I wanted to have one more chance with Mom, tell her I was sorry for all the suffering she went through and make it better for her. I needed to tell her I was sorry I failed her, for having a shitty father. I hurt for Lena. I wanted to ask her how to get out of this mess. I hurt for Layla, because she had the same shitty father as me.

With trembling fingers, I dialed Layla’s number. I left her behind. I shouldn’t have left her behind earlier today.

Please answer the phone.

“Hello,” her voice reached me.

“I’m so sorry,” I whispered and desperately tried to hold the tears back. I didn’t know what to say, what to think, how to make this better for either one of us.

I thought she wasn’t going to answer. I was scared she’d hang up. I was scared I would lose her too.

“I’m sorry, too.” Her voice trembled. “I’m sorry I kept that secret from you. I knew how bad you wanted to know who your father was.”

I walked over to the large window overlooking Alexander’s beautiful property, a garden full of peonies. Leaning my forehead against the cool glass, I wished we could go back. I wished I never asked about my father. I wished I didn’t know anything about him.

“Livy,” Layla spoke up.

“Yes?” I was barely keeping it together. My father was a rapist. Our father was a rapist. Alexander had been lying to me from the moment he suggested we marry. I worried about our future. I started to be hopeful about the future but after events today, I wasn’t so sure.

“When I first sought you out, it was because I was jealous and mad,” her voice was full of regret. “My grandparents hate me and I wanted to show them I was better than you. But then I met you and they no longer mattered.” Silence stretched on the line as I tried to imagine the little girl wanting her grandparents’ attention so much and never getting it.

“We are sisters,” she said softly and my breath hitched. “We are sisters,” she repeated and continued in a strong voice. “Nothing else matters. We are sisters. I’ve loved you all along. You loved me before this came out and now we are just sealing it with blood ties. Our father doesn’t matter, just us and Brandon. We will have each other if everything else fails.”

I nodded and realized she couldn’t see me. “Yes,” I choked out. She wasn’t going to leave. “When did you become so smart?”

“Since I realized I was your older sister, although just by two months,” she teased softly. “I love you, Livy.”

“I love you, too.”

Life was full of punches and surprises, some good and some bad. I lost a sister. I gained a sister.

I lost a man on my wedding day and I had a husband. Alexander... God, even though I knew he manipulated me, I loved him so much it hurt. He betrayed me and I still wanted him. I wished I never met Alexander. I wished I didn’t stare into those cold and beautiful eyes. It would’ve been easier.

But without him, I would have never known this consuming feeling my mother and Lena talked about. There would never be anyone else that could make me feel as much as him. My mind tried to justify him, forgive him so I could have him.

Callen was a pale comparison to what I felt for Alexander. I had to get out before it broke me, before it shattered me into million pieces and I couldn’t pick myself up to be strong for Brandon.

“I gave you an hour,” Alexander’s voice startled me from behind me. He really had to stop sneaking around me.

Chapter Forty-Eight

Alexander

Istared at the brown liquid in my glass. I felt like shit, but I didn’t regret it. That alone was evidence that I was more like my father than I liked to admit. My wife was right, I was a cruel bastard.

Maybe it was good that Liberty finally knew I wanted her so much that I trapped her into a marriage. Now she knew that secret and there were only a handful more. I should have told her everything; let her decide. The fear of losing her gripped my heart.

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