Liam had hated lying to Veronica so much that it ate at him, tearing him in two—he couldn’t do it again. He knew what he was risking, what he already risked by telling Veronica the truth, but he couldn’t hide that he had told. He nervously tapped the top of his mahogany desk with the tips of his fingers, swirling his rock glass of whiskey in his other hand has he tried to will himself to pick up the phone and call her. With a resigned sigh he put down his drink and picked up his phone, it was the right thing, he had to tell her, let the pieces fall where they may. He scrolled through his contacts, pausing to take in a shaky breath before he finally pushed call next to her name. His heart pounded in his chest as he listened to the ringing, waiting anxiously for her to pick up.
“Hello?” She said answering the phone.
“Hello Millie, can you talk?” He asked.
“Sure. What’s up Liam?” Millie replied.
He took a deep breath in, stealing himself for her reply, “I had to tell Veronica about Rowan.” He answered.
“What the hell Liam?! You promised you wouldn’t tell anyone!” She shouted, her voice so loud he had to pull the phone from his ear.
“She thought I was cheating on her I had no choice.” He responded, silently pleading she’d understand.
“I don’t care why you told her Liam! I asked you not to tell anyone and you told her knowing what it would cost you!” She reiterated.
“You don’t understand, if I didn’t tell her I could have lost her, my wife could have left me if I didn’t tell her about Rowan.” He explained tears stinging at his eyes. She didn’t understand, he was losing his daughter.
“Well now you’re going to lose your daughter. I hope you and your wife are very happy together.” She spat.
“You can’t keep me from her, you’ll crush her.” He said, he was grasping for at straws trying anything to stay in Rowan’s life.
“That’s your doing Liam, not mine. Goodbye Liam!” Millie stated hanging up the phone.
Liam stared in awe at his phone, hot tears streaming down his face. He thought for sure she would have understood, the Millie he spent the summer with eight years ago would have understood. How could she just take her from me? He let out a choked sob, he didn’t want to lose Rowan, but he couldn’t risk losing Veronica either, why couldn’t she understand the position she put him in? He dropped his head into his hands, mourning the loss of the daughter he just met. If his father hadn’t set up Veronica he wouldn’t be in this position, she would have been at his side when he met Rowan. Hell, if his father hadn’t sent Millie away he wouldn’t have lost seven fucking years with his daughter.
He felt his blood begin to boil as rage burned through his veins. Rage at his father for chasing off the woman carrying his child. Rage at his father for setting up Veronica, trying to keep them apart. Rage at his excuses that it was ‘for the good of Cordonia’. Rage at Millie for making him promise not to tell anyone about his child, and now for cutting him from his daughter’s life—all because he told his wife. His wife! How could she expect him to hide something so big from his wife? How could she feel no remorse for nearly destroying his marriage by forcing him to keep secrets and sneak around? How could she break his daughter’s heart by ripping him from her life?
He sat up, hitting his palm against the top of the desk, Rowan deserved a father. Why was everyone so determined to keep them apart? Why was his father so determined to meddle in his life and keep him from the people that mattered? Would he still be with Millie if the king father hadn’t sent her away? No, he knew he didn’t love her, even back then, but at least he would have his daughter. At least his daughter would have her father, they never would have missed anything.
All the things he lost were his father’s fault. His father’s sick pervasion about ‘keeping Cordonia safe’ by any means necessary. Sure Cordonia has its enemies, but what enemy would use a child to gain advantage? The true enemy of Cordonia was his father. For the first time since he died, he was glad that he was gone. Maybe now he could actually have happiness without worrying about his father and his tyranny taking it away.
He picked up his rock glass and threw back the remaining whiskey, relishing the burn in his throat. Pressing both hands on the top of the desks pushed himself up. His body experiencing a whirlwind of emotions all at once—rage at his father and Millie, heartbreak at losing Rowan, and hope and fear about the paternity of Veronica’s baby. As he walked to the royal suite he prayed that the child she was carrying was his, he couldn’t bear to lose a second child. His heart felt like it had been shattered into a million tiny pieces strewn across the floor.
He walked into the suite loosening his tie, Veronica’s face softened from the warm smile when she saw the pure heartbreak written across her husband’s face.
“I take it it didn’t go well, did it?” She asked.
He slumped on the bed, burying his face in his hands, elbows resting on his legs, tears once again pooling in his eyes. He shook his head, “no, she didn’t care, she won’t let me see Rowan again.” He replied, his voice cracking in despair.
“Oh Liam, I’m so sorry.” She responded, crawling across the bed and pulling him into her arms.
He raised his head, resting it against her shoulder. She started to stroke his hair, her heart breaking that she was the reason he was losing his daughter.
“Maybe if I talked to her—”
“No my love, don’t.” He said cutting her off.
“But Liam it’s not fair.” Veronica insisted.
Liam lifted up his head, his blue pain filled eyes locking on hers, “please, just drop it. Maybe she’ll find me when she’s an adult and her mother can’t stop her. For now just let it go, please.” He pleaded, voice cracking as hot tears once again trekked down his cheeks.
Veronica hated the woman, how could she possibly find justification in breaking Liam like this? Rowan deserved her father, Constantine’s twisted lies had already kept them apart long enough. Why couldn’t this woman see that Rowan and Liam needed each other? She couldn’t just sit around and watch her husband fall apart, she needed to do something. She needed to try to fix it, she wouldn’t let the bitch keep Liam from his child any longer.
