held my hands, her grip tight and warm. Her eyes, us

l smile, though

Davis. Mor

nfluencer and declared her his girlfriend, my world had shattered. His parents, the Davises, saw my heartbreak

e and traced a path down her cheek. "I'm so ha

ern face soft with emotion. He plac

morning," he said, his voice thick. "We'

the raw wound Liam had left. But there was something el

oice quiet but firm. "I've been accept

n the room fizzled. Mr

... that's s

rogram," I explained. "It's an inc

resolve in my eyes, the silent plea for them to understand. This wasn't ju

eave?" he asked,

. "I want the adoption to be finalized bef

air. I was setting a condi

. "But where will you stay until then? You can't go back t

declared, leaving no room for argument

fight draining out of m

fore Mrs. Davis spoke a

am? We'll have

tany King, Liam' s new girlfriend, had just posted. A selfie of her and Liam, his arm wrapped around

e Liam and I had celebrated every major mile

ning my lungs. I had to face him.

I said, my voice s

p that everyone just assumed we would end up together. He was the one who held me when my parents died in a car c

ought Brittany home. Sweet, bubbly, and utte

aw my devastation. That' s when they offered me a way to stay in their family,

law, then be our daughter," Mrs.

ecome his sister. It was a painful, twisted solution, but

my legs feel

g to see

ext to mine, the one he was supposed

window. Brittany was sitting on his lap, her arms wrapped around his

dn't break any further, splint

or and rang the be

a look of surp

t are you d

alk," I said,

ittany, who was now p

Brit and I are

d, my gaze unwavering. "T

rame, crossing his arms. He was always so handsome, so c

mile, then turned and blew a kiss to Brittan

nd pulled out the small, velvet box. It contained the key to his con

it in h

in the eye, my voice clear and cold. "Goodbye, Liam." The

lked away witho

of breath, a strangled so

l me?" he yelled after