Chapter 148

The moment Sophia stepped into the dimly lit hospital room, her breath caught.

Liam lay motionless on the bed, his small frame swallowed by white sheets. The steady beep of the heart monitor filled the silence.

She reached out, her fingers trembling as they brushed his pale cheek.

Ethan Blackwood stood in the corner, his jaw clenched. His usual composed demeanor had cracked, revealing raw anguish.

"He hasn’t woken up," he said, voice rough.

Sophia’s chest tightened.

She turned to Dr. Bennett, who stood by the door with a chart in hand. "What happened?"

The doctor sighed. "His vitals are stable, but he’s in a coma. We’re running more tests."

A coma.

The word echoed in Sophia’s mind like a death sentence.

She sank into the chair beside the bed, gripping Liam’s small hand.

Ethan moved closer, his presence a storm of unspoken guilt and fury.

"This wasn’t an accident," he muttered.

Sophia looked up sharply.

His eyes darkened. "Someone did this."

A chill slithered down her spine.

Before she could respond, her phone buzzed.

An unknown number.

She hesitated, then answered.

A distorted voice hissed through the line.

"Did you really think you could escape?"

Her blood turned to ice.

The call disconnected.

Ethan’s gaze locked onto hers. "Who was that?"

Sophia’s fingers tightened around the phone.

"The past," she whispered. "It’s not done with us yet."

Outside the window, the first drops of rain began to fall.

My mind reeled from the shocking realization. I'd always believed my love for Isabella was unshakable. Discovering it wasn't had sent my thoughts and emotions into chaos.

I moved swiftly, dropping onto the bench beside Liam. More than anything, I wanted this nightmare to end. The need to escape clawed at me, my skin prickling with unease.

"What were you talking about with Isabella?" Liam demanded the second I sat down.

The venom in his voice was unmistakable. No one needed an explanation—the woman I'd once vowed to spend my life with was the person he despised most.

This hatred was another reason I'd hesitated about Isabella. How could I be with her when my son loathed her? How could I even consider a future with someone who clearly didn’t care for Liam?

From the things she’d said about him, it was obvious she resented him—whether for being Sophia’s son or for being the reason I'd married her. Maybe both.

"Nothing important," I muttered, lost in my thoughts.

Silence stretched between us until he spoke again. His words made my hands curl into fists.

"I have a best friend now. Just like you and Uncle Sebastian have Uncle Nathan," he announced.

"That’s good."

I wasn’t in the mood for conversation. My mood had darkened, but Liam didn’t take the hint. He kept going.

"His name is Oliver. They moved in next door last week."

I nodded absently. It wasn’t that I didn’t care—my mind was just elsewhere. And at the center of it all was Sophia.

"You know," he paused, mischief glinting in his eyes, "his dad is really good-looking."

That got my attention. I turned to him sharply, catching his smug grin.

"He’s been over to our house. When Oliver and I were playing, Mom and Mr. Lucas were downstairs baking cupcakes! He even promised to help her plant the vegetable garden."

What the hell? Who was this Lucas guy? And why was Sophia letting him into her home when the Slades were still a threat?

Liam continued, smirking like he’d just unleashed a storm inside me.

"He made her laugh. A lot. When Oliver and I came down for dinner, they were standing really close while setting the table."

Every word fueled my fury. My jaw clenched so tight it ached. I barely held back from snapping at my own son. My pulse roared in my ears, anger crashing over me in waves.

"I was worried about Mom when you married Isabella," Liam said, "but now that Lucas is here, you can go ahead. I still don’t like her, but you can marry her, and Mom can marry Lucas. Oliver would be my brother, so that’s a bonus."

Then, with a devilish grin, he delivered the final blow.

"Maybe Oliver and I can get more siblings. We’ll have to ask them first, but I’m sure they’ll agree."

That was it. I snapped.

"Liam!" I slammed my hand on the picnic table, the crack echoing across the yard.

Everyone turned to stare. Confusion painted their faces. I’d never once raised my voice at Liam before.

"What?" he asked innocently, as if he hadn’t just lit a fire inside me.

Instead of cowering, he stood, flashed me a triumphant smirk, and walked away—straight toward Victoria and my mother.

"What the hell was that about?" Sebastian asked, dropping onto the bench beside me. Nathan joined us seconds later.

I was still seething. The thought of another man playing house with Sophia—and Liam actually liking him—was unbearable.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the image of Sophia laughing with another man, their hands brushing as they set the table. It tore at me in ways I didn’t understand.

And I hated it.