Page 70 of Liam

“Liam Valeur?” she gasps. “You’re texting him?”

I freeze, heart pounding as Mia looks at me wide-eyed.

“Oh, Aleria... You’ve got some explaining to do.”

Chapter Twenty-One

LIAM

I’m hunched over my desk, trying to compose a message to Aleria. The words aren’t coming out right.

My phone buzzes, Cora’s name flashing on the screen. I slide to answer and put her on speaker.

“Hey there, Favorite Sister,” I say, still typing. “Everything okay?”

“I’m your only sister, smartass,” Cora retorts. “And I’m fine. What’s up? You sound distracted.”

I pause, a finger hovering over the send button. “Just some work stuff. What’s up? Miss my charming presence already?”

“Oh please,” Cora scoffs. “I was just checking to make sure you hadn’t short-circuited that big brain of yours. You’ve been acting weirder than usual lately.”

“Weirder than usual?” I gasp in mock offense. “I’m the pinnacle of normalcy in this family of chaos.”

Cora snorts. “Right. Because nothing says ‘normal’ like a guy who can quote entire legal codes while simultaneously debugging a complex AI system.”

“Hey, some people collect stamps. I collect skills,” I quip back. Bantering with Cora always lifts my mood.

“Uh-huh,” Cora says, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “So, what’s going on? Spill before I sic Logan and Lucas on you for a brotherly intervention.”

I groan. “You wouldn’t do that to your favorite brother. Logan would lecture me, and Lucas would suggest we bond over a bicycle road trip.”

“Exactly. So talk, brother dearest.”

I consider dodging the truth, keeping it simple. But Cora’s voice on the other end is steady, expectant, like she already knows something’s up. She’s my little sister, the one who’s always had my back. If I can’t tell her, who can I tell? The silence between us stretches, the weight of everything—Aleria, the family secret, the threats still hanging in the air—pressing down harder. I grip the phone tighter.

“It’s complicated,” I say, running a hand through my hair. “There’s this woman?—”

“I knew it!” Cora interrupts. “Is it that scientist you’ve been making heart eyes at? The one you swore was just a ‘professional acquaintance’?”

“I do not make heart eyes,” I protest. “And how did you even?—”

“Please,” Cora scoffs. “It’s my job to know everyone’s business. Now spill. What’s her name? What’s she like? Does she find your nerdy ramblings adorable?”

I chuckle. “Her name is Aleria. Dr. Aleria James. And she’s incredible. Brilliant, awkward in the most endearingway, and she keeps up when I go on my nerdy ramblings, as you call them.”

“Wow,” Cora says, genuine warmth in her voice. “I haven’t heard you this excited about someone since... Well, ever. Usually, you sound more enthusiastic about new coding languages than actual human beings.”

“I know,” I admit. “It’s terrifying. But yeah, Aleria’s different. Special.”

“Aww, is my big awful brother falling in love?” Cora teases.

“I don’t know about that,” I say, even as my heart races at the thought. “It’s complicated as I said. With work and with everything else going on.”

“You mean the family stuff?” Cora asks, her tone turning serious.

“Yeah. That.”

“Liam, you can’t keep putting your life on hold because of that. You devoted yourself to the family when mom died. You need to take care of yourself, too. Mom wouldn’t have wanted that for you.”