Chapter 5 The Lies We Tell Ourselves

Maya sat at her desk, the soft glow of her computer screen illuminating her face, but her mind was elsewhere. The deadlines that usually occupied her thoughts now seemed trivial, irrelevant in comparison to the storm raging inside her.

She'd spent the last few days avoiding both Ethan and Liam, though her attempts to create distance had only magnified the emotional chaos. The more she tried to shut out the feelings she had for Liam, the more intense they became. And the more she stayed with Ethan, the more she realized that something was missing-the very thing she had once believed was enough to keep her anchored.

But what if it's not enough anymore? Maya thought, her fingers hovering over the keyboard, the weight of that question heavy in the pit of her stomach.

She had promised herself she would sort it out, but the more time passed, the less she felt like she had any answers.

Her phone buzzed again, pulling her from her thoughts. She picked it up without thinking, and there it was-Liam.

"We need to talk."

Maya's heart skipped a beat. The simplicity of the message was almost too much to bear. She wasn't ready to face him, not yet. But the pull was undeniable, the way he had gotten under her skin.

Why does he always have this effect on me?

She hesitated before typing a quick reply. "I'm not sure I'm ready for that yet."

The message lingered in the air as she stared at the screen, waiting for him to respond, but when the notification popped up again, she felt her pulse quicken.

"We need to talk about everything."

Maya closed her eyes, the weight of his words hitting her like a physical blow. She had known this moment would come, the moment when the lines between the two men in her life would blur beyond repair. But even knowing it was inevitable didn't make it any easier.

She stared at the message, her fingers frozen on the keyboard. She wanted to reply, to tell him that she needed more time, that everything was too complicated, that she couldn't just dive into this mess.

But the reality was-she couldn't keep running from it.

That evening, Maya found herself standing outside Liam's loft, her heart pounding in her chest. The city's noise seemed miles away, as though the world had quieted just for her. The tension was palpable, thick in the air, and Maya couldn't shake the feeling that this conversation would change everything.

Before she could second-guess herself, she pressed the buzzer, her finger trembling slightly as she did. The door clicked open almost immediately, and Liam's voice came through the speaker.

"Come up."

The words were simple, but there was something in them-something dark, heavy, that made Maya's chest tighten. She stepped inside the building and took the elevator up to his floor, each passing second feeling like an eternity.

When the doors opened, Liam was standing in the hallway, waiting for her. His expression was unreadable, but his eyes-they were different. Tighter. The intensity of his gaze felt like a challenge, like he was daring her to face whatever was coming next.

"I didn't think you'd come," he said, his voice quiet, though there was an edge to it.

"I didn't want to," Maya admitted, stepping into his apartment. "But I had to."

Liam's eyes softened slightly, though there was still an underlying tension in his features. "I know you've been avoiding me. I get it. But we can't keep pretending this isn't happening."

Maya closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a slow breath. She didn't know how to do this-how to untangle the web of emotions that had entangled her heart over the past few weeks. But one thing was clear: avoiding Liam wasn't working. And neither was pretending she didn't feel the way she did.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know how to fix this. I don't know what I'm doing."

Liam stepped closer, his gaze softening as he reached out to gently cup her face in his hands. The touch was electric, and Maya felt a shiver run down her spine as he leaned in, his breath warm against her skin.

"Maya," he said, his voice low and intense, "you don't have to fix anything. You just have to let go. Let go of the fear. Let go of the guilt. Let yourself feel what you're feeling."

His words seemed to hang in the air for a long moment, like they were shifting the ground beneath her feet. Maya's chest tightened, and for a brief moment, she thought she might crumble under the weight of it all.

"I can't just... let go," she said, her voice shaking. "Ethan-he's been there for me. He's everything I've ever wanted in someone. And I can't just throw that away."

Liam's eyes darkened slightly, and he took a step back, releasing her face but keeping his gaze fixed on hers. "And what about me, Maya? What do I mean to you?"

Maya swallowed hard, the question hitting her like a punch to the stomach. She didn't have an answer. Not a simple one. Not one that made sense.

"I don't know," she admitted, her voice thick with emotion. "But I can't pretend that the way I feel when I'm with you is just... nothing."

Liam's lips curved into a small, knowing smile, but there was no humor in it. It was a smile that said he knew exactly what was happening, and maybe he even understood her better than she understood herself.

"That's the first step, Maya," he said, his voice quiet but firm. "Admitting it. Now all that's left is what you're going to do about it."

Maya's heart was racing, her mind whirling with the impossible choices before her. But as Liam stepped closer again, his eyes never leaving hers, she couldn't ignore the raw desire that simmered beneath the surface.

And for the first time in days, Maya realized something-she had to make a choice. She couldn't live in the space between them forever.

As Liam's lips hovered just above hers, Maya closed her eyes, the weight of everything falling away. She didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but tonight, in this moment, she couldn't deny the undeniable pull between them.