The next morning, I woke up with a headache and a heavy heart.
The silence from Liam was loud.
The message I sent was still unread.
I didn't know what hurt more —
his silence or the fact that I still wanted him.
I didn't go to class.
Instead, I went to the library, because being alone in my room felt like too much.
I sat at the same table where I first saw him.
The same table where my life had started changing.
My phone buzzed.
Unknown Number:
Meet me at the back gate. Now.
My hand trembled.
I didn't know who this person was, but something inside me said: Go.
I walked to the back gate.
A shadow stood there.
A tall man in a hoodie.
He stepped forward as I approached.
"Who are you?" I asked, trying to sound strong.
He lifted his hood.
And my heart dropped.
It was Liam.
But he didn't look like the calm, confident boy from campus.
His eyes were tired. His face was tense.
He looked like someone who had been running for a long time.
"Ariella," he said softly. "Please, listen to me."
I crossed my arms. "You have a lot to explain."
He nodded. "I know."
He took a deep breath.
"I'm not proud of what you saw yesterday," he said. "But you need to understand something."
I waited.
He continued.
"Sade isn't my girlfriend."
My body froze.
"She's my problem."
I stared at him. "What do you mean?"
He looked away for a second, then back at me.
"She's my sister," he said quietly.
My eyes widened.
"What?" I whispered.
Liam swallowed. "We were forced into a situation. She... she needed money. And I couldn't refuse her."
My heart raced.
"Forced?" I asked.
He nodded. "Our father... he's not a good man. He promised her support if she stayed with him. Sade was trapped. She thought I was the only way out."
I felt my anger rise again. "So you used me to escape her?"
"No!" he snapped, voice sharp. "I didn't use you. I was trying to protect you."
"Protect me?" I repeated, incredulous. "By lying?"
He stepped closer, his voice softer. "I didn't know how to tell you."
I shook my head. "You could have told me the truth. I deserved that."
He looked pained. "I know."
Silence.
Then he said the thing that broke me the most.
"I wanted to tell you... but Sade threatened me."
My stomach turned.
"She said if I told you, she would ruin everything."
"Everything?" I asked.
He nodded. "She said she would tell everyone the truth. She said she would make you look like the one who stole me."
My throat tightened.
"She said she would ruin your life."
I stared at him.
"You were afraid of her," I whispered.
He looked down. "Yes."
I wanted to believe him.
But my heart was still broken.
"You expect me to believe this?" I asked.
He nodded. "No. I don't expect anything. I just wanted you to know the truth."
My eyes burned.
"What truth?" I asked.
Liam took a deep breath.
"Sade is not the only one who's lying."
My heart stopped.
He looked at me with a serious expression.
"There's someone else," he said.
I felt cold.
"Someone who wants to ruin me," he continued. "Someone who wants to ruin you too."
"Who?" I asked.
Liam's voice dropped. "Your ex."
My breath caught.
I didn't know what to say.
He continued.
"He's the one who set everything up. He's the one who told Sade to come near me. He wanted you to see it."
My body trembled.
I couldn't believe it.
"He did all of this?" I whispered.
Liam nodded.
"He wanted revenge. He wanted to hurt you."
My eyes filled with tears.
"Why?" I asked, my voice cracking.
Liam's eyes softened.
"Because he never forgave you for leaving him."
My chest tightened.
I remembered him.
The way he had laughed when I told him I was done.
The way he had said I would regret it.
The way he had threatened me.
I had forgotten.
But now it all came rushing back.
Liam stepped closer.
"Ariella," he said softly. "I know you don't trust me right now. But I swear I didn't want to hurt you."
I looked at him, tears streaming down my face.
"Then why didn't you tell me?" I asked.
He looked at me with pain. "Because I was afraid you would hate me."
I stared at him.
The truth hit me hard.
I had fallen in love with a boy who was trapped between family and fear.
And now, I didn't know what to do.