Becoming Strangers Again by Lily

Chapter 41 RYAN As I settled in, I found myself engrossed in the lively chatter of the kids, as they discussed their school experiences, favorite cartoons. and various other topics. It struck me, almost surprisingly, that I was now responsible for three young souls. Amidst the conversation, my thoughts wandered to Liam, wishing he could be present with us, sharing in the moment. Reflecting on their reaction to me, I hadn't anticipated an overly warm reception from the children, yet I also hadn't expected to experience this level of aloofness and coldness from Liam. Despite his tender age of six, soon to be seven, I couldn't fault him entirely for his actions; after all, I recognize traces of myself in him. The sound of shuffling feet interrupted our exchange as Lily made her entrance, announcing that dinner was served. With enthusiasm, the boys sprang from their seats, racing each other to the dining room, eager to satisfy their hunger. "I'll go call Liam, Lily informedbefore she headed towards the stairs. Reacting instinctively, I reached out and gently grasped her forearm "Could you pointin the right direction?" I requested earnestly. "I'd like to be the one to call him down." Lily tilted her head and regardedwith a hint of skepticism. Do you really think it's a good idea?" she asked, her voice laced with concer An involuntary frown creased my brow. "My son harbors a deep resentment towards me; shouldn't I explore every avenue to mend our relationship?" I countered, my tone tinged with desperation. With a resigned sigh, Lily relented. "Sure. Go up the stairs, the second room on your left," she instructed, her words tinged with reluctant acceptance. I gave her a sharp nod of gratitude before turning to make my way upstairs. Following Lily's guidance, I knocked lightly on the door before gently turning the knob and stepping into the room. At the far end, Liam sat hunched over his desk, a book laid out before him. The slight furrow on his forehead betrayed his struggle with the material, highlighting the challenges he is facing with his assessment. I cleared my throat to signal my presence, and he glanced up from his book. "Do you need help with that?" I offered, extending a hand of assistance. He snapped his book shut abruptly. T'll wait for Uncle Jake," he replied curtly, his tone carrying a hint of defiance. Suppressing the surge of frustration and anger triggered by the mention of Jake's name, I managed to muster a smile. "Or I can quickly lend a hand before we head down for dinner, I suggested, hoping to bridge the gap between us. He furrowed his brow, mirroring my own expression so closely that it almost elicited a chuckle. "Are you staying for dinner?" he inquired, I nodded, attempting to mask the swell of apprehension gnawing at me. "You don't wantto stay?" I asked cautiously, inwardly pleading for a different response. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't care either way," he replied, his indifference stomping all over my hopes for reconciliation. Observing him with an armused smile, I watched as he stomped past me, heading for the door. I followed after him, attempting one last effort. "It's not too late to reconsider the homework," I suggested, hopeful for a change of heart. "I'll be more comfortable with Uncle Jake," he retorted, each word feeling like a dagger to my heart. Opting to spare myself further anguish, I chose to let the matter rest. As we all settled at the table, I couldn't help but notice that Ethan, Noah, and Lily had opted for a different meal, centered around seafood. However, I took notice of the fact that Liam and I were sharing the sfood. Turning to Lily, I inquired, "Is he allergic to seafood too?" to which she nodded in confirmation Glancing at the little boy, I attempted to lighten the atmosphere. "I guess we have a lot of things in common, I remarked, acknowledging our similarities. He grunted in response, his demeanor remaining unchanged as he focused on his meal. Catching Lily's apologetic smile, a silent plea for peace, I sighed and returned my attention to my own plate, resigning myself to the strained atmosphere. 11:42 AM Chapter 41 Following dinner, Lily suggested a movie night since tomorrow is weekend and they don't have to be in school, but the boys, weary from the day's activities, opted for an cearly bedtinstead. Liam was the first to bid Lily goodnight with a ki*s on her cheek, followed by the rest of the boys, who equally extended their wishes toverbally. However, Liam remained silent as he vanished into his room upstairs. As soon as they disappeared from sight, I rose from the sofa and retrieved my jacket. "What tdo they usually wake up?" I inquired, making my way towards the front door. I'd like to be there when they do." The longing to connect with Liam tugged at my heartstrings, urgingto mend the rift between us. She accompaniedto the door, seemingly unaware of my subdued mood. "Liam is usually up by six, regardless of whether he has school or not. The others tend to rise around ten on weekends," she informedas we reached the threshold. Pausing beside the driver's door, I turned to her. "Ill be here before six in the morning. Please instruct your security to open the gate for me, I requested, making her know that I do not want to be locked out. She nodded in acknowledgment. I will" As I turned to unlock my car, preparing to leave, her voice haltedin my tracks. I'm truly sorry for everything, especially regarding Liam. I'm certain he'll caround," she offered, her tone tinged with genuine remorse. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I exhaled heavily, "Stop apologizing, Lily. It only serves as a reminder of why I'm upset with you, and I don't want to be, I confessed, my frustration evident in my voice. She nervously bit her lip, a habit of hers Whenever is she uneasy and nervous. "You don't want to be what?" she whispered. "Upset with you," I admitted softly., I reached forward impulsively, gently tucking a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. "Apologies won't change anything, so let's put an end to that, I urged, mustering a smile in an attempt to mask my simmering frustration. "Goodnight, Lily, I bid her farewell before slipping into my car and exiting her compound. Upon arriving at my penthouse, Angelo wasted no tin questioning me. "Did you meet them?" he inquired eagerly the moment I stepped through the door. I rolled my eyes in response, sinking into the sofa with a tired sigh. "You could have askedthat from the balcony, considering your obvious impatience," I retorted, unable to suppress a hint of exasperation Angelo chuckled, undeterred by my response. "We're two thousand feet away from solid ground, he deadpanned. "If you had heard my question from there, I'd be concerned there was something wrong with you." His dry humor didn't go unnoticed. Ignoring his sarcasm and dry humor, I got off the sofa and made my way to the bar to pour myself a drink. An impatient Angelo trailed after me, persisting with his questions. "So, did you meet them or not?" he pressed, his tone betraying his curiosity. "Of course I met them," I replied dryly, pouring the amber liquid into my glass. I did pay a visit to their residence, didn't I?" A grin spread across Angelo's face. 'So, did they take a liking to you?" he prodded, eager for details. Thoughts of Liam surfaced once more, and I chuckled wryly. "The other two are making an effort, but it's clear they're just trying to please Lily. As for Liam? He couldn't care less about impressing anyone. He's made it abundantly clear on more than one occasion that he dislikes me, I admitted. Angelo winced sympathetically. T'm sorry to hear that, Ryan. But don't lose hope; I'm confident he'll caround soon. Don't give up just yet, he encouraged. I peered at him over the rim of my glass. "And you believe I'd ever consider giving up on my son just because he doesn't like me?" He shrugged casually. Tm well aware of your patience level." Rolling my eyes, I replaced the bottle on the shelf and made my way back to the living room. "Speaking of patience, I plan to head over to Lily's bright and early tomorrow morning to spend twith the kids before they even wake up. Care to join me?" His eyes sparked with excitement. "Yeah, sure. Abruptly, he paused and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "There must be a reason you're invitingto be with you during the propportunity to be alone with Lily and the kids. I chuckled, seeing through his skepticism. "I have a feeling Jake will show up today, and I need someone to preventfrom sending 11:42 AM 180 Chapter 41 him to the emergency ward when he inevitably gets on my nerves. That man seems to thrive on getting under my skin."

X