#Chapter 185: Just A Work Event

Liam’s POV The next morning, Joanna sat in our shared office avoiding work and creating the official guest list for our engagement party instead. Occasionally, she would throw out a name. Again and again, I would remind her. “I want this to be as small of a party as possible, Joanna.” Again and again, just like the night before, my suggestions and desires were cast to the sidelines. Last night, the meeting with Markus had gone so late that by the time I returned home, Aria and the kids had already gone to bed. Regret grew heavy on my shoulders. I kept missing things – maybe they were simple things like dinners, or playing with the kids, or drinking a glass of wine with Aria – but they’d been adding up. Missing one dinner wasn’t the end of the world, but missing so many dinners that when I actually could attend, if felt more like a special occasion than the norm – that was an issue. I didn’t want to be a spectator in my family’s lives. I needed to be an active participant.