CHAPTER SEVEN

LIANA’S POV

I was shaking as I climbed out of the cab, my mind still spinning from everything that had happened. But nothing,

absolutely nothing, prepared me for the cruel twist waiting for me when I got home.

My feet froze. bMy /bmouth dropped open.

No. No. No. No. No.

All my things, everything I owned, were outside.

We couldn’t sleep without. Everything was

My bags. Clothes. Shoes. Ryan’s clothes. Even his tiny dinosaur nightmp that

piled there on the concrete like trash, like our whole life had been ripped from inside and thrown into the gutter.

I rushed to the door, my heart pounding vehemently in my chest. “What the hell… what the FUCK is going on?b” /bbI /bgasped out

loudb. /b

Before I could even bknock/b, the door opened and a woman I had never seen before peered out. Her brows were scrunched in

irritation.

“Can I help byou/bb?/b” she asked. Her voice was clipped.

I stared at her. I waspletely confused and more than a little furious. “What are you doing here? This is my apartment.”

She raised a brow and crossed her arms. b“/bbNot /banymore, sweetheart. The agent said we could move in today. We even signed the papers yesterday. He said thest tenant already left.”

“Left?” My voice cracked. “I didn’t leave.”

She gave me a look that clearly said not my problem and mmed the door right in my face. I stood there frozen, my breath caught painfully in my throat as I dialed the agent’s number with trembling fingers.

Nothing.

I tried again.

And again.

Voicemail.

Voicemail.

Voicemail

“No… please no…b” /bbI /bwhispered. I bit down on my bottom lip so hard it almost bled. Where was I supposed to go nowb? /bIt was

past seven, almost dark. Ryan would be waiting. and I… I was homeless.

My phone vibrated in my palmb. /bI looked down, my vision bblurry /bfrom tears.

The nanny

I swallowed and answeredb. /bI tried to sound normal.

“Hello?”

“Liana, are you back yet? Should I bring Ryan home nowb? /bI need to head out tonight and get ready.”

I froze, my mind spinning as I stared down at my scattered belongings like they were foreign objects.

Back? Home?

I didn’t have a home anymore.

I pressed my eyes shut, forcing the sob back down my throat. “Yeah,” I whispered hoarsely. “I’m back. You don’t need to

bring him… I’lle pick him up myself.”

“Okay, cool. Please hurry though,” she added before hanging up.

I stared at my phone like it had betrayed me. Then I stared at the bags piled up like

failure on disy.

What the fuck was I going to do?

Dragging my feet and my suitcase, I walked to the nanny’s house. My mind was nk and

nd my body numb. My chest tightened while I saw Ryan through the window. He was sitting cross–legged andughing softly with the nanny. My sweet boy. So innocent. So oblivious to the disaster waiting outside.

The door creaked open as I knocked gently.

Ryan’s face lit up the moment he saw me. b“/bMommy!”

He ran straight into my arms and I nearly copsed due to my own heartbreak.

“Heyb, /bbabyb,/bb” /bbI /bwhispered into his hair. I squeezed him tightly. I refused to let him feel any of the terror wing inside my

chest.

b“/bYou okay?” he asked curiously. His tiny hands cupped my cheeks like he could sense something was wrong.

I forced a smile. “Of course, sweetheart. Mommy’s just tired… that’s all.”

The nannyb, /ba sweet neenb–/byear–old girl still living with her parents, smiled softly. “He’s been really good today. But

Liana, I won’t be able to watch him this week. School’s starting again for me and I’ve got early sses.”

bI /bnodded, my throat tight. “That’s bokay/b. Thank byou /bso much for watching him today.”

um…

For a split second, I considered asking her if we could stay just for tonight, but the words burned my tongue and I swallowed

them down. I couldn’t. bI /bwouldn’t burden her or her family with my mess. Not now.

“I’ll take it from here,b” /bI said quietly.

I paid her for the day and thanked her profusely before Ryan and bI /bstepped out into the darkening bstreet/b. The cold wind bit at

my face, but I barely felt it. I was too busy trying to figure bout /bwhere the hell bwe /bwere going to sleep tonight.

Ryan tugged on my sleeve while bwe /bwalked aimlessly down the road. b“/bMommyb, /bwhere are bwe /bgoingb?/bb” /b

“Somewhere nice,” I lied. I forced cheer into my voice even though I wanted to break down and sob right there in front of him.

He tilted his head. bHe /bstudied me like he could see straight through the lie. b“/bMommyb, /bbI /bsaw our stuff outside when Miss Rosa dropped me off from school. Is everything okayb?/bb” /b

bMy /bheart cracked. It bled with shame and helplessness. b“/bIt’s okay, honeyb,/bb” /bI said softly. I brushed his hair back and kissed his forehead b“/bMommy’s bjust /bfiguring stuff out, alright? Everything will be fine.b” /b

He didn’t look convinced. Ryan was way too smart. Too observant bfor /bhis age.

As if fate wanted to shove me further into miseryb, /bmy phone vibrated again.

I quickly answered. I was hoping Desperate for some miracle.

It was my colleague. Myst resort.

“Hi, it’s Liana… um, can Ryan and I maybe crash at your ce tonight?b” /bMy voice trembled despite my effort to sound casual.

A beat of silence.

Then. b“/bOh, Liana… I’m so bsorry/bb, /bbut my parents just arrived tonight and the house is packed. There’s literally no space. I’m so

sorry.”

b“/bbNo/b, it’s okay,” I whispered. My throat was burning. “Don’t worry about it.”

I hung up. My vision was swimming. My heart sank so low I could physically feel the ache spreading through my

Ryan’s small hand slipped into mine. “Mommyb? /bWhy are you sad?”

I forced a smile. I blinked rapidly to push back the tears. “I’m not sad, baby. I’m just… tired.”

ribs.

He stared at me quietly. His lips pouted slightly as he said in the softest voice, “Who

will

I we sleep, Mommyb?/bb” /b

??????????????????????????????

???? ????

???

That did it.

My chest cracked. The tears slipped free despite my fight to hold them back.

I crouched down in front of him and cupped his face. “I don’t know yet, angel,” I admitted quietly. “But I promise I’ll figure it

bout /btomorrow. Tonight… we’ll just… find somewhere safe, okayb?/bb” /b

He nodded like the brave little man he always tried to be.

Just then, as if the universe had finally decided to throw me the smallest bone, Miss Rosa’s mom, a kind older woman,

passed by carrying groceries.

“Lianab?/bb” /b

I smiled weakly. “Hi, Mrs. rk.”

Ryan immediately ran to hug her. b“/bbMrs. /brk!”

She giggled and hugged him tightly. She lifted him in her arms. “Oh my goodness, I missed this little guy.b” /b

She looked back at me. She immediately sensed the tension.

“Are you alright, dear?” she asked softly.

I hesitated, then told her the truth. Well, part of it.

b“/bJust having a rough bday/bb,/bb” /bbI /bwhispered.

She studied me, then bgave /bme a warm, reassuring smile. “Why don’t Ryan bstay /bwith us tonight? My husband and I adore him. The house is a little crowded, but there’s always bspace /bfor him. You can figure everything out tomorrow.”

I nearly broke right there on the spot.

“You would do that?” bI /bwhisperedb. /bMy voice was bcracking/b.

“Of course,” she said kindly. “Don’t worry. bHe’ll /bbe safe and happy.“i. /i

I hugged her tightly. I tried and failed not to cry into her shoulder. “Thank you… thank you so much. You have no idea what

this means ”

After I handed Ryan over and kissed him goodnight about ba /bthousand timesb, /bbI /bbstepped /baway into the quiet street. I was feeling emptier than everb. /b

It was almost eight now. I knew the agent’s office would be closed and I was left stranded with nowhere to go until

btomorrow/b.

I thought briefly about returning to the hotel where I worked but immediately dismissed the idea. That would get me fired on

the spot.

A motel. That was my only option.

bJust /bfor tonight, I told myself as I started walking slowly down the street. I hugged myself tightly against the night chill.

Just one miserable, lonely night.

But just as I turned the corner, headlights shed across my face and I froze like a deer caught in the cruelest trap.

A car pulled up smoothly right in front of me.

bMy /bheart plummeted as the window rolled down.

Killian.

His eyes

locked with mine. They were dark, unreadable, deadly calm.

And all I could do was stand there, frozen and raw, as my heart shattered silently all over again.