#Chapter 195: The Engagement Party Tradition

Liam’s POV Friday morning, I was filled with dread and trepidation. I wasn’t looking forward to this coming weekend, not even slightly. The engagement party set for Saturday night was sure to be terrible, but it’s the potential fallout with Aria that had me on edge the most. I hoped she could see my side of things, understand where I was coming from, and forgive me. But the longer I kept the secret, the longer time went on during which she clearly knew something was wrong, the less sure I was that she would see things my way – at least, not as quickly and easily as I had once surmised. Sitting in my office, I hoped today would be a long one. I wasn’t ready to face what was coming. As if oblivious to my worry and fears, Joanna cross the small space between our desks and held something out for me. I looked down, and in the center of her palm, Joanna held a small ring. It was her engagement ring, the one she’d worn on her left hand ring finger since the moment she reentered my lif