"Seth?" I said in confusion.

Why the fuck is this man here?

I looked at Liam, I saw him getting stiffened.

What's wrong with him?

I stood beside Liam "What are you doing here Seth?" I asked in an angry tone.

"Had some work to finish." He said giving an evil smirk to Liam.

What the hell is going on?

"Just get out." Liam said in a calm tone.

"How can I, Mr. Parker when I am being blamed of something I haven't done." He said with the same smirk on his face.

"What are you talking about?" I asked.

"Oh Bella, you are so innocent, to fall for anyone's trap without even thinking." Seth said.

"You know what, Liam is right, just get out. I don't want to know anything, you are the one because of who Nanny died."

"Actually in a way you can say that, but what about the truth that she hid from you." Seth said shamelessly, like Nanny's death didn't matter to him.

"What truth?" I asked in confusion.

He smirked.

"That's it. Bella, I think you should go back, I'll talk to him." Liam said turning to me holding my arm.

"Oh scared Mr. Parker. I see." Seth smirked at Liam.

Liam took a deep breath and with a clenched jaw he turned around and held Seth by his collar "Listen just get out."

"Or what?"

"Not now." Liam said to Seth.

What are they talking about?

"Too bad. You have not yet told her? Poor Bella. She has the right to know the truth." Seth said trying to come inside towards me.

Liam pushed him out "I'll tell her later."

"Can't trust you Mr. Parker."

"Please. No."

Why is he saying please to this piece of trash? I have a feeling something bad is coming and I want Liam to tell it to me, himself.

"Whatever it is, I don't want to know it. Just get out Seth."

"Trust me darling, after knowing this you'll be grateful to me."

"Seth." Liam warned him but nothing happened.

"Mr. Parker fooled you Bella." Seth said.

"What?" I asked in confusion and looked at Liam. I saw his jaw clenched and eyes closed.

"He fooled you into this marriage. He sent those men to your house, asking for the money."

I stood there in shock.

Seth continued "They all were his men, he used my name. He just wanted you to marry him. Everything he said to marry you was a lie. My gambling, all the money I took, that I disappeared everything was a lie."

My mind had stop working, I wasn't able to think anything. I wasn't even able to speak.

No, it can't be.

Liam can't do something like this.

No. He can't.

Seth is lying. He is a liar.

I don't believe him.

"I-I don't believe you." I managed to utter with a shaky voice, I could feel tears forming in my eyes.

"Ask him yourself." Seth said with a confident look on his face.

Slowly I turned to Liam to see him already looking at me with a defeated look. "I-It's not the t-truth right? H-He is lying. Right?"

Liam just stared at me with the same defeated look. "Answer me Liam."

"He is not lying." Finally Liam said.

Those four words and I felt my world crashing down. Tears were rolling down my cheeks.

No.

No.

No.

"L-Liam." He looked away.

"It's time for me to leave Mr. Parker. I wish you a very happy married life." Seth said with a smirk and left.

I just stared at Liam waiting for him to say that everything is a lie. Waiting for an explanation from him. Gulping hard Liam turned to me, he didn't say anything but just stared at me. I was so done with everything, I couldn't say anything else, I just want to stay alone now. I was walking away from him, when he held my hand.

"Bella I-I-" Liam started but I cut him off by pulling my hand away from his hold.

"I what? H-How can you be so selfish Liam? So selfish. You lied to me." I said with my voice cracking.

"I-I didn't think much at that time."

"You didn't think? How is it possible Liam? You made a full proof plan of trapping me and how is it possible that you didn't think? I was just a business deal for you that you wanted to accomplish in any way. Right?"

"No Bella. Just listen to me."

"Listen to what Liam. You didn't think about me even once, how will I f-feel, nothing. Did you love to see me crying on my knees in front of you?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Everything was a set up. Everything was planned out. How can you be so cruel Liam? Is the love thing also a set up? You are playing around with me for some selfish reasons. Aren't you?"

"Are you crazy? No. I love you."

"And how can I trust you on that?"

He took a deep breath and rubbed one hand over his face. "I didn't had any other option."

"You did. You could've asked me at least once to marry you. This wasn't necessary Liam. You went so low."

Saying that I started walking away, I just wanted to stay away from him.

I can't trust anybody.

No one.

Everyone is a liar.

Nanny was right, this world is cruel and selfish.

Liam held my hand and said "You promised me that you won't leave me."

"See. You have everything planned out for yourself. I can't leave you, I can't let Ryan go back to what he was before. I have to stay here and take care of him. Don't worry I won't break my promise."

He clenched his jaw. "And what about us?"

I paused for a moment.

"There is nothing called 'us' now. I am just Ryan's mother that you wanted me to be."

I again started walking away, my hand brushed against his once he tried to hold my hand again but this time he couldn't.

I ran upstairs and locked the door of the room. Leaning against the wall I sat down and burst into tears.

How can he do this?

He planned everything and I believed in each and everything he said like an idiot.

"I trusted you L-Liam."

"I believed in whatever you said but you betrayed me."

"You are also like others. Selfish, who only thinks about themselves."

"I hate you Liam."

"I hate you so much."

I looked up feeling so lonely, I cower myself wrapping my arms around myself.

"I miss you Nanny. I hate this world. Everyone is selfish here. No one loves me Nanny, it was only you who loved me, rest everyone needs me for their selfish reasons but they don't want me, they don't love me. Nanny, you were so wrong about Liam, you were so so wrong about him. He is not good, you asked me to be with him but Nanny, he is also a liar like everyone else. I want you Nanny, I want to hug you Nanny. I miss you."

I kept crying until I fell asleep on the floor.

"No one loves me Nanny, it was only you who loved me, rest everyone needs me for their selfish reasons but they don't want me, they don't love me. Nanny, you were so wrong about Liam, you were so so wrong about him. He is not good, you asked me to be with him but Nanny, he is also a liar like everyone else. I want you Nanny, I want to hug you Nanny. I miss you"

I stood outside the door listening to her. I felt my heart shattering.

I know this was wrong, but at that time the only thing I thought about was Ryan. I know I was selfish.

I am sorry Bella.

She was still sobbing and I stood outside listening to her and waiting for her to come out of the room. Finally her sobs stopped, but I didn't hear her footsteps. Taking out the key of my room from the drawer, I opened it the door slowly and saw her leaning against the wall, sitting with her legs folded to her chest. She fell asleep while crying.

Guilt stabbed me.

I went closer to her and picked her up in my arms in bridal style. Taking her to the bed I laid her down and covered her with a blanket. I stared at her sleeping figure for sometime then took a seat on the bed beside her. She was sleeping, I can't say that it was a peaceful one. I removed the strands of her hair from her face and touched her cheek. A smile crept on my face.

She is the one who always makes me smile. She always makes me happy. But me, I always hurt her, I always make her cry.

"I-I am sorry Bella. I really am. I-I know it w-was wrong, what I did, I was stupid and selfish. I have no explanation to give you, to tell you why I did what I did. But at this point I don't want you to go away from me, I don't want to lose you. I know I lied, I l-lied to you, and I know this too that at that time I needed you, I needed you to be a good mother to my son, but now Bella I don't need you, I want you. I want you to be with me, I want you to stay with me, to love me, I want you to be mine. I want you for myself." I leaned down and pecked her lips. "I love you. And you are mine, I would do anything to make you forgive me."

I laid next to her, and pulled her closer to me and drifted off to sleep.

I woke up when I felt something moving. I slowly opened my eyes just to see my wife struggling to get out of my hold. Instead of loosening my hold I tightened it my around her waist. I smiled seeing her struggling.

"I won't let you go so easily." I said smiling.

She looked up at me with an angry face and said "Leave me."

"No chance." I replied.

"Let me go Liam."

"Stop struggling. I am comfortable like this."

"But I am not. Just leave me."

"Fine I will let you go but I have one condition."

She looked at me with her eyebrows furrowed.

"Kiss me."

"What?"

"You heard that correctly baby, kiss me."

"I am not kissing you."

"Then I am not letting you go."

"Liam stop being stubborn and leave me."

"You are being stubborn Bella."

"I am not kissing you Liam."

"Okay then I guess we have to stay the whole day like this then." She was fuming with anger, I chuckled. "You look cute when you are angry."

She glared at me.

After all her trials of getting out of my grip when she failed she sighed and gave up. We heard a knock on the door.

"Mommy! Dad!" Ryan.

I smirked.

Listening to the voice Bella's eyes widened and she started to panic "Liam leave me Ryan is outside."

"Then kiss me."

"Liam stop acting like a kid and let me go and open the door."

"You are acting like a kid."

"Ugh!!" with that she pecked my cheek. "Now leave me."

"I didn't say on the cheek. Lips."

"You didn't mention anything."

"Very smart wifey but now I am mentioning so come on, on the lips."

"No."

"Yes. You don't want Ryan to wait for some more time. Do you?"

"Mommy open the door!" Ryan shouted again.

I love you so much Ryan.

"Oh baby, how long are you planning to make him wait?"

Bella sighed and pecked my lips. A victory smile plastered on my face and I release her. She ran to the door and opened it. Ryan came inside and gave a suspicious look, looking between me and Bella.

"I was knocking from that time, why weren't you opening?" He asked Bella.

"Umm... w-we a-actually." Bella stuttered then glared at me. I smirked.

"Baby we were actually sleeping." I replied.

"Y-Ya s-sleeping. We were sleeping."

"Till now?" He asked.

"Yep." I replied getting up from the bed. "Now I'll go and get cleaned up while little one, you go and wait downstairs. After the breakfast I have something to show you."

Ryan's face lit up. "Really! What Dad?"

"That's a surprise."

He frowned. "I hate surprises."

I chuckled.

After the breakfast, I took Ryan outside, Bella was following us while Ryan was jumping out of excitement.

"Dad what is it?"

"Look there." I replied pointing in the direction of his surprise.

"A new bike!" He exclaimed.

I nodded. "I heard you broke the old one."

"Oh Jesus!" he ran to the bike and looked at it closely. "Dad it's so cool. Thank you so much."

"Okay.. but you need to wear the helmet whenever you ride it."

He nodded obediently.

"Mommy look, it's so amazing." He said looking at Bella.

Bella nodded with a smile and said "Yep it is. Now ride it."

Ryan nodded. Wearing the helmet he sat on the bike.

"Careful." I shouted.

But he was now in his own world enjoying his ride. I smiled looking at him, then my eyes went to Bella who was happily looking at Ryan. I held her hand and pulled her to me, my action took her off guard, her eyes widened. Holding her waist, I pulled her close to me.

"What are you doing?" she asked struggling.

"What do you want Liam?" she looked mad, as if I care.

"You." I replied.

"Let me go."

I gave her a boring look. She tried to push me with one hand, but instead of moving away I pinned her hand behind.

"Let me-mmm" I didn't let her complete the sentence and crashed my lips against her. She was shocked by my sudden action and stood there frozen. Kissing her for like 30 seconds, I pulled away.

"You talk too much these days." I said with a smirk.

She was still processing what just happened.

"Dad, this bike is awesome." Ryan shouted while riding. Bella finally came back to her senses, she gave me the deadliest glare and went inside the house.

I smiled looking at her.

I will get you back baby, don't worry and that's a promise.

*****************

🤭