Chapter 562

The thought of Liam Sullivan's impossibly handsome face sent a sharp pang through Vivian Bennett's heart.

If she truly was Albert Sullivan's daughter, if she truly shared the Sullivan bloodline, then wouldn't Liam be her cousin?

How could cousins fall in love?

It was a violation of ethics, a transgression against morality, a dead-end path with no way forward.

Yet the warmth, the acceptance, the tenderness Liam had given her was already etched into her very bones.

The thought of giving up a man like him was more painful than carving out her own heart.

But with blood ties standing between them, how could she possibly hold on?

No matter how reluctant, no matter how deep her attachment, in the end, it could only come to nothing.

Just imagining a future where Liam would marry another woman, while she could only watch from afar as his cousin, made Vivian feel like she couldn't breathe.

It was as if a blunt knife was slowly sawing through her heart.

The pain was excruciating, yet she couldn't make a sound.

What was she supposed to do?

Stepping away was her only choice.

She loved him so much. How could she bear to let him suffer because of this forbidden love, to let him face the world's scorn?

A wave of agonizing cramps seized her chest. Vivian curled into a ball beneath the covers, silent tears tracing paths down her cheeks.

Helplessness and panic surged over her like a tidal wave, threatening to drown her completely.

She bit her lip, her body trembling uncontrollably.

Liam pushed the door open and immediately saw the small, quivering mound beneath the blankets on the bed.

His heart clenched. He strode over quickly.

Hearing his footsteps, Vivian's tears fell faster.

How she longed to open her eyes, to look at him one more time, to tell him she couldn't bear to let go.

But for now, she could only squeeze her eyes shut like an ostrich, pretending not to know he was there.

Liam stood by the bed, watching her. Tears continued to roll from the corners of her tightly closed eyes. Her nose was red, her lips pressed into a stubborn, thin line.

That look of utter misery and pain twisted his heart into knots.

He simply stood there, silently watching her, watching her shoulders tremble with each silent sob.

Even with her eyes closed, Vivian could feel the intensity of his gaze.

Liam was looking down at her, his eyes dark and fathomless as the night.

But she didn't dare respond.

Heartache washed over her in waves, draining every ounce of her strength.

Under his unflinching stare, she had nowhere to hide, and the torment only grew more acute.

A heavy silence filled the bedroom.

They remained locked in this stalemate.

But Vivian was no match for him in the end.

Listening to the sound of his breathing gradually growing heavier, her heart softened. Slowly, she opened her tear-filled eyes.

Liam was gazing deeply at her, his eyes filled with helplessness and aching tenderness.