Chapter 47: A Confession and a Revelation

Liam couldn't bear the suffocating guilt and anxiety a moment longer. Sarah's words about Ava's distress reverberated through his mind, urging him to action. He had to see her, to explain, to finally bare the truth that had been weighing on his heart for far too long.He bolted out of Aesher Solutions, his hurried departure drawing surprised glances from his employees. He jumped into the first cab he could find, his impatience growing with every passing second. He needed to see Ava, to look into her eyes and finally speak the words he had been holding back for six agonizing months.The cab screeched to a halt outside Ava's modest apartment building, and Liam practically threw himself out, tossing a wad of bills at the driver before racing towards the entrance. He bounded up the stairs, taking them two at a time, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. He came to a breathless stop in front of her door, a chaotic mix of anticipation and dread churning in his gut.He rang the doorbell, the sound echoing through the quiet hallway. The door swung open, revealing Ava. Her face was streaked with tears, her eyes red and swollen, her expression a picture of heartbreak and confusion. The sight of her vulnerability tore through Liam's carefully constructed composure, leaving him raw and exposed."Ava," he gasped, his voice ragged from running and thick with emotion. He stepped inside, closing the door behind him, shutting out the world and focusing solely on the woman before him.Ava stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise. "Liam? What are you doing here?"Liam took a step closer, his gaze locking with hers, desperate to convey the sincerity of his emotions. "I needed to see you," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I needed to explain."He reached out, his fingers gently tracing the path of a tear that slid down her cheek. Ava flinched slightly at his touch, but didn't pull away."Ava," Liam began, his voice heavy with remorse, "I'm so sorry for the way I acted this morning. I was a coward. I should have addressed your confession, acknowledged your feelings. But I was scared."Ava's eyes widened, searching his for answers. "Scared? Of what?"Liam took a deep breath, the words pouring out in a torrent, a release of pent-up emotions. "Scared of rejection, Ava. Scared that you would think I was only interested in you because of your looks, that you would see me as some spoiled brat who thought he could get any girl he wanted."He paused, his gaze unwavering. "But the truth is, Ava, I've been in love with you since the moment I saw you at the Loft club six months ago."The confession hung in the air, a fragile bubble of truth suspended between them. Ava's breath hitched, her eyes shimmering with a fragile hope that warred with lingering disbelief.Liam continued, his voice raw with honesty. "You were so different from any other girl I had ever met. So smart, so driven, so independent. I felt a spark, a connection, something I had never experienced before. But I knew about the rumors, Ava. The 'Grumpiest Bachelor' they called me. I didn't want you to think I was just playing games, that I was trying to add another conquest to my list."He ran a hand through his hair, a self-deprecating smile touching his lips. "I didn't want you to think I was just toying with you. I wanted you to see me, Liam, for who I truly was, not for the playboy image the media had created."Liam recounted their chance encounter at the coffee shop, the undeniable pull that drew them together despite his attempts to resist. "I started to believe it was destiny, Ava," he confessed. "That maybe, just maybe, we were meant to be."His voice dropped to a whisper as he recalled the crushing blow of her rejection before her final exams, the way her words about their different worlds had shattered his hopes, leaving him feeling lost and adrift."And then last night," Liam continued, his voice softening, "when you confessed your feelings, I was terrified. You were vulnerable. I feared you might regret your words in the morning, that you would push me away again, thinking I had taken advantage of you in that state."He cupped her face in his hands, his thumbs gently stroking her cheeks, his touch a silent plea for understanding. "But I can't keep running, Ava. I can't keep hiding from my feelings. I love you. I love your intelligence, your ambition, your fire. I love the way you challenge me, inspire me, make me want to be a better man."Liam's voice cracked with emotion. "I know we come from different worlds, Ava. But those worlds collided the moment I met you, and I can't imagine my life without you in it. Your family's lack of wealth means nothing to me. It's you I love, Ava. Just you."He leaned in, his gaze searching hers, pleading for understanding, for acceptance. "Please, Ava. Tell me I haven't ruined everything. Tell me there's a chance for us."