10. Lucy
Chapter ten
Lucy
I step into the clinic, and the usual warmth hits me.
The sound of soft chatter, the faint rustle of paper, and the low hum of the clinic’s usual rhythm.
It’s a comfort. It’s familiar. But today, it feels different.
I don’t know why, but I sense a shift inside me as soon as I cross the threshold.
Maybe it’s the weight of the decision I’ve been avoiding for so long.
Maybe it’s the unease I can’t seem to shake.
I walk to my desk, the clutter of paperwork and files a welcome distraction, but then I notice it.
There’s a small package sitting on my desk, tucked neatly in the corner. My first thought is that it’s another order from Emma or a delivery for the clinic, but then I see the note with my name and my heart skips a beat. I don’t have to look twice to know who it’s from.
Liam.
I rip open the packaging carefully, almost afraid to ruin the neatness, and pull out the contents. Two small, custom-made ID tags — one for Pip, one for Nibbs. They’re beautiful. The tags are engraved with their names, and beneath them, the Gracie’s logo shines bright.
I feel a lump form in my throat. The thoughtfulness of it, the little details that he remembers, that he cared enough to get them for me, for them... It’s overwhelming.
I try to steady myself, but I feel my heart tighten, the emotions coming faster than I can catch them. I place the tags carefully on my desk, but I can’t stay there, not with the rush of feelings flooding me.
I walk out into the back garden, needing some air, needing some space to breathe. I step out into the cool, quiet garden, the soft scent of earth and greenery grounding me. I sit on the old bench near the wall, my hands trembling slightly as I press them against my legs.
For the first time in a while, I speak aloud to my nanny. It feels strange, this voice I’ve kept silent for so long. The words tumble out before I can stop them.
What should I do, Aunt Maria?
I close my eyes, imagining her voice, imagining the way she’d always tell me that everything would be okay in the end. But this time, I can’t hear her. It’s too quiet, too empty.
What should I do?
I feel foolish. Asking for guidance from someone I can never speak to again. But it helps. It always has.
After a moment, I wipe my face and stand up. I need to get back to work. I need to focus. I can’t let myself keep spiralling. The thought of Liam, of this whole mess, the future my father’s planned for me, it’s all too much.
I walk back inside, taking a deep breath. But the moment I enter the clinic, I freeze.
Emma and Liam are standing together near the counter, their heads bent close as they talk. There’s something about the way they’re standing so comfortably that makes my stomach twist. I should’ve known he’d be here. I should’ve prepared for it.
But as I step forward, Liam looks up, and his eyes meet mine. For a second, everything else fades. It’s just the two of us in the room.
I feel the heat rise in my cheeks, remembering the awkwardness of last night — the almost-kiss, the one diverted to my hand. The way I almost let myself go, almost let myself feel something for him. I force a smile, even though my chest is tight, and I try to act casual.
“Hey,” I say, my voice a little more breathless than I intended.
Liam’s expression softens. “Hey, Lucy.” He looks at me for a moment, his eyes lingering just a little longer than necessary, but then he shifts, as if he’s trying to keep things casual. “Emma and I were just finishing up. How’s everything going?”
I nod, the smile still on my face, though it feels more like a mask now. “Everything’s good. Just finishing some paperwork.”
I move toward Emma, eager to escape the tension in the air. “I can help with whatever you need,” I say to Emma, trying to sound upbeat.
She looks at me with a smile that’s warm but knowing. “Actually, we just got in a rescued kitten. I could use a hand with getting her settled.”
Relieved to have something to focus on, I quickly move over to help Emma. She hands me a small, squirming kitten, its fur still a little damp from the rescue. I gently cradle her in my arms, careful not to startle her. The warmth of the kitten against my chest makes my heart soften.
I glance up at Liam, who’s standing back near the doorway, quietly watching us.
His presence feels like a weight, but also a comfort, like I don’t have to say anything for him to understand what I’m feeling.
He’s just... there. But I can feel his gaze on me.
I can feel it like a physical thing, the way his eyes follow my every movement. It makes my chest tighten.
I focus on the kitten, trying to ignore the sensation of his eyes on me. I stroke the soft fur of the kitten, calming her, trying to push the thoughts of Liam out of my head. It’s hard. Everything I do feels like it’s under his watch, and I can’t help but feel exposed.
“Thanks for helping,” Emma says, her voice cutting through my thoughts. I look up at her, grateful for the distraction. “I think she’s going to be just fine.”
I smile, my hands still cradling the kitten gently. “Of course. She’s lucky you found her.”
Emma smiles back, but I can’t help but notice how much she’s been watching me today. There’s a softness in her eyes, something she’s not saying, but I can feel it.
I finish settling the kitten, and when I turn back to my desk, I realize that Liam is already gone. He must have left while I was distracted. It’s silly, but I feel... disappointed. A small part of me wanted him to stay, wanted to say something more, something that wasn’t about work.
I sit down at my desk, and just as I start to get into my tasks, the phone rings. I glance at the screen, my heart sinking when I see the name. It’s the call I’ve been avoiding. My father’s assistant.
I pick up the phone, my hands trembling as I press it to my ear. “Hello?”
“Miss Whittier, I just wanted to confirm the date of your flight back. Your father has finalized the details for the engagement party, and it’s scheduled for eight weeks from now. We need to start preparing. The event planner asked if you have preferences.”
I would have had preference if this was my dream wedding.
"No, I don't. She should do whatever she likes," I manage but inside, I’m dying. The weight of the engagement is suffocating. Every word the assistant says feels like a chain being wrapped around me, tightening until I can’t breathe.
“Thank you,” I say, my voice tight. “I’ll be there.”
The moment I hang up, I feel the weight of it all. The engagement. The life I’m being forced into. I glance down at Pip, curled up in my hoodie, his tiny body providing me with the only comfort I feel right now. He nuzzles into me, and I whisper to him, “What if I don’t go?”
I don’t expect an answer, but I know he feels it too. He and Nibbs have been the one constant in my life the past few years. The one thing I’ve been able to control.
I stand up, my heart heavy, and I force myself to take a breath.
I can’t keep thinking like this. But as I look out the window, I realize that no matter how much I want to stay here, no matter how much I want this — with Liam, with this life — I don’t have a choice.
The clock is ticking, and it’s almost time for me to leave.
And I have no idea how to stop it.