Chapter 3 – The First Secret
It was a rainy afternoon. Ella curled up on the couch with a blanket and a book, trying to ignore the steady drizzle outside.
Liam was at the small desk, scribbling something in a leather-bound journal. Curiosity got the better of her. She leaned over, just a little… and froze.
The words on the page weren't about work or school. They were personal, raw:
"I can't trust anyone. Not again. Love only breaks you…"
Ella's heart tightened. She knew that tone. She had felt it herself before—a fear of letting anyone in, a wall built high enough to keep people out.
Liam glanced up suddenly, and Ella quickly pulled back, cheeks burning. He didn't say anything, just gave her a small, knowing smile that made her stomach twist.
The rest of the day passed with a quiet tension. Neither spoke about the journal, but Ella couldn't stop thinking about it.
That night, she found herself whispering to the ceiling, "Why is it that some people hurt so much, even when they try not to?"
Liam, of course, didn't answer. But later, she caught him staring at her while she slept, a faint, almost sad smile on his face.
Something shifted that day. Between the jokes, the fights, and the tiny disasters, Ella realized there was more to Liam than the grumpy, sarcastic guy she had met. He had layers—painful, guarded layers—that made him… human.
And for some reason, she wanted to understand them.