Chapter Thirty-Five
The Confrontation
ALICE’S POV
The room was charged with an unbearable tension, my heart pounding in sync with the low hum of anger that filled the space. The air was thick with the metallic scent of guns and the remnants of bitter arguments. I stood there, feeling as though I had stepped into the eye of a storm, the violence between Liam and Elena creating a whirlwind of chaos.
I had hoped for a resolution, for some semblance of understanding to come from this meeting. But as I walked in, my heart sank at the sight of Liam and Elena, their faces twisted with rage, guns drawn and pointed at each other. This was not how I imagined our confrontation would go. I wasn’t shocked about Liam but Elena, when did she learn how to draw out a gun?. When did she become so violet?.
Liam looked up, his expression a mixture of surprise and guilt. Elena’s eyes, filled with cold fury, shifted to me, momentarily freezing her in place. For a moment, time seemed to stand still as I walked further into the room, trying to find my footing amidst the wreckage of what used to be my life.
“Enough!” I shouted, my voice shaking but firm. The words felt like they were ripping out of me, a desperate plea to stop the madness. “This should ends now!.”
Liam’s gaze flicked to me, his face darkening with a blend of confusion and shame. He had been drinking, I could tell by the haze in his eyes. But why would he, he wanted me out if his life so desperately after all!.
I shut my eyes and before I could help it, memories flooded in.
FLASHBACK
“I’m sorry. I never wanted to hurt you. I never wanted to put you in this position,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “I hate that you had to see that.”
“I don’t know if I can trust you again,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper.
“I understand. I really do. But I want to make things right,” he said softly, stepping closer. “I’m sorry for everything, Alice.”
“I’m sorry too,” I said, thinking the pains my words and actions would have caused him. “I shouldn’t have shut you out without hearing your side.”
“Then let me show you that I can be the man you deserve. I’ll do whatever it takes.” He reached for my hand, his touch warm and reassuring. “Please give me a chance.”
FLASHBACK ENDS
Elena’s voice cut through my thoughts. “This is not the time for you to play the victim, Liam. You’ve made a mess of everything.”
Elena’s harsh words were laced with a bitterness that matched my own. She had her reasons, and as much as I understood her anger, it didn’t make the situation any easier. Her rage was palpable, fueling the confrontation that was rapidly spiraling out of control.
“I don’t care!. I thought…” Liam stopped halfway his gaze flickering to mine.
“Thought what?” Elena interrupted, her voice seething with contempt. “That we were all just pawns in your game?”
Liam’s face twisted in frustration as he tried to justify himself. “Alice framed me alongside her sister. Everything fell apart because of that.”
I stood there frozen. Liam thought I framed him?!. He never trusted me!.
The argument between them intensified, the violence escalating as they fought. I felt a mix of helplessness and determination. My heart was torn between stopping them and confronting Liam myself. I moved closer, trying to pull Elena away, but her anger made her push me aside. Her focus was entirely on Liam, driven by a need for retribution.
The room erupted into chaos as they clashed, furniture smashing and chaos reigning. I stood in the middle of it all, my own emotions threatening to overwhelm me. The struggle between Liam and Elena was a physical manifestation of the emotional turmoil we had all been grappling with. I shut my eyes as what I detested the most flashed into my head.
FLASHBACK
“Li… am,” my voice shook with a mixture of fear and heartbreak. He suddenly pointed the gun right at my forehead.
“Utter another word and I swear, I would put a bullet into your skull,” he threatened coldly. I swallowed hard, feeling fear engulf me. I didn’t know how much to trust him, but judging by how serious he looked now, he would pull the trigger without thinking twice.
“Sign the document!” he yelled, making me flinch. Immediately, I grabbed the pen and flipped to the first page of the divorce papers. My hand trembled as I moved to the spot where I was meant to sign.
Every fiber of my being resisted the action. How had it come to this? Just a short time ago, we were in love, or so I thought. I looked up at Liam, hoping to see some flicker of the man I fell for, but his face was a cold, hard mask.
“Do it, Alice. End this charade,” He spat, his voice filled with disdain.
As the pen hovered over the paper, memories of our time together flooded my mind. The laughs, the dreams we shared, the promises we made. How could it all have been a lie? How could he have turned into someone I barely recognized?
“Liam, please,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “This isn’t you. We can work through this. We can find a way.”
He sneered, tightening his grip on the gun. “I said sign it!”
I couldn’t bring myself to end it all. He might have detested me, but I loved him, and I still did.
“I said sign it!” He pressed the gun to my forehead even more, and before I could stop myself, I signed the first page. Almost immediately, a tear slid down my cheek and dropped onto the paper, wetting it. I flipped through the next page and signed it as well, my tears almost soaking the paper.
FLASHBACK ENDS
I stared at Liam and Elena continued their violent struggle, I felt a surge of resolve. I couldn’t let this madness continue. I grabbed Elena, trying to pull her away from Liam, but her anger was all-consuming. She shoved me aside, her focus unwavering.
Desperation fueled my next move. I pulled out my own gun, surprising both Liam and Elena. The sight of me holding a weapon made the situation even more intense. My target was unexpected-Elena.
“Back off, Elena,” I demanded, my voice trembling but resolute. “This isn’t the answer.”
Elena hesitated, her anger faltering as she faced the reality of my determination. The room was now a deadly triangle of hostility, each of us ready to pull the trigger. The tension was almost unbearable.
Liam, seeing the standoff and feeling the weight of the moment, finally lowered his gun. He looked at me, his voice softer. “Do you really think I’m the monster you believe I am?”
I struggled to find the right words, my emotions a tangled mess. I had wanted to confront Liam, to make him understand the depth of the pain he had caused. Instead, I found myself caught between anger and sorrow. I lowered my gun, tears welling in my eyes.
Elena, witnessing the raw emotion in my face, also began to waver. Her anger, while still present, was tempered by the pain she saw in me. She stepped back, lowering her gun as she looked between Liam and me, her resolve weakening.
I remembered a time when we might have salvaged our relationship, a moment when reaching out to Liam could have made a difference. But now, standing amidst the wreckage of our lives, I wondered if that chance had passed us by. The missed opportunity to reconcile was a heavy burden to bear.
“I’m not done with you, Liam,” I said finally, my voice steady despite the tears. “There are things you need to hear, things that will make you understand what you’ve done.”
With those words, I turned and left the room. The weight of my declaration hung in the air as Liam and Elena were left to grapple with the unresolved tension and the uncertain future.
Liam watched me leave, a mixture of regret and dread on his face. Elena, casting one last look at Liam, followed me out. As the door closed behind us, I felt the weight of what lay ahead. There was no going back, and the path forward was shrouded in uncertainty.