1 The Life I Wanted, The Life I Chose

Liam Grayson stood in front of his body mirror in his office, anxiously adjusting his blue tie. Tonight, he was going to impress his parents. Tonight, he wouldn't walk in his older brother's shadow. His office door opened to reveal Ashley. Her black hair was tied neatly into a bun, and she wore a white dress that complimented her brown skin perfectly.

"Liam, everyone is waiting on you downstairs," she informed him. "What's been holding you up?"

Liam drank in the sight of his faithful secretary, who was also a good friend of his, then started fumbling with his tie again with a shrug. Ashley walked over to him and fixed his tie with a smile.

"Don't worry about your dad," she said. "You don't need to stress yourself out. You are one of the smartest guys in that room. You've been through this like a million times."

Liam nodded his heads and put his arm over Ashley's shoulder as he led her out of the room. Once they were downstairs, they jumped into a limo and headed to their destination: a gala.

…

Liam and Ashley walked into the 5-star hotel together, and Liam was greeted by several rich guests. He politely entertained them, but he made sure to stay near Ashley. Finally, he saw his father speaking to other rich guests. Liam led his secretary over to his dad to overhear some of the conversation being spoken about.

"Yes, I'm planning to move into some spaces in the inner city and make much-needed changes there," Mr. Grayson declared. "Life there doesn't seem as - how do I put it - flourishing as it is here."

"I agree," one of the guests said. "Those neighborhoods are filthy, and don't even get me started on the people that live there." She sipped her wine. "Classless residents." Another guest scoffed.

"Yes, they are ruining the atmosphere with their unkempt lifestyle. The city is such a nice place, I would hate to see it wasted."

"And where do you plan for those residents to go, Mr. Grayson?" Ashley inquired. The man questioned merely raised an eyebrow as she continued. "Those hard working people do not make as much as you. They can't just go whenever they please."

Mr. Grayson let out an exasperated sigh. "That's why they needed to take education seriously and get real jobs," he replied casually. "Their neighborhood is just filled with gangs and unnecessary violence. There's no potential."

"Stereotyping one group shows the true lack of education," Ashley retorted. "Raising your prices extremely high will do nothing but make those people homeless. And for what? So you can make a little extra money? I don't think that's fair."

"I don't see why you're so offended by this when I generously pay you plenty just to be a secretary for my son," Mr. Grayson said as he rolled his eyes.

Ashley fixed her mouth to reply, but Liam instinctively wrapped his arm around her shoulder protectively, noticing her fiery glare. The other guests looked at Liam and Ashley in distaste as Liam's father continued.

"I thought you would have trained your assistants better than this," Mr. Grayson commented to his son.

"I don't need to train Ashley, Dad," Liam defended. "She's the best person here. In fact, she's over-qualified." He smiled to ease the tension, but his father wasn't accepting that.

"She doesn't need to be here," Mr. Grayson told his son. "This gala is for prestigious people. We don't need someone to take notes. She has no business to even attempt to speak about my decisions."

"Dad, she didn't mean it like that," Liam assured him. "She's just-"

"No, it's okay," Ashley cut in. "I should go. This isn't a conversation for people of my class, right?"

Ashley turned around and walked away in a huff. Liam quickly followed her.

"Hey, Ash," he called out. "Come on, I hate this as much as you do. Don't run away from me."

She turned around and he hugged her tightly. It wasn't the first time she and his father had butt heads. Mr. Grayson was very picky, and only enjoyed the presence of high-class people like himself. He didn't like the close relationship Liam and Ashley had. He was disgusted about how much he saw them walking and talking in the halls in the morning, go out to lunch together, and work nearby each other.

"I just don't get it!" Ashley suddenly blurted out. "Why does your dad like to screw people over so much?" She sighed. "I'm sorry, I know he's your family-"

"No, I understand," Liam assured her. "It bothers me too. That's why when I'm in charge, I'm going to change that." Liam looked back at the party.

"Hey, you wanna dance?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course," Ashley answered as she allowed him to take her hand.

He guided her to the center of the room and slid his arms around her waist. They held each other close, talking and laughing about the over-accessorized guests in the room. People watched them both curiously and in annoyance.

*The Next Day*

Ashley walked into her job glowing with happiness. She had so much fun with Liam. He was so charming and sweet. He was the perfect man for her. When she saw him at work, they both practically had hearts in their eyes. Like usual, Liam asked her out for lunch and she happily obliged.

*At Lunch*

Ashley and Liam sat at a booth together and talked about several topics. One thing led to another, and soon they were fumbling through questions about future relationships.

"So… have you thought about having a boyfriend?" Liam asked her slowly.

"Oh, um, probably not right now," she answered quickly. "But not too much later either. What about you?"

"Well, yeah… I sometimes think about having a woman that would support me while I do business," Thomas said. "But you already do that…"

They both laughed nervously. Then Liam's phone alarm went off, signaling the end of their lunch break. Liam drove them back to their office, and the front office notified him that his father was waiting to speak with him on the phone. Ashley went back to her duties, and Liam went to his office to take the call.

…

"Look, I would really like you to come with me to meet a possible ally of mine," Mr. Grayson told his son. "It will be at 8:00 tonight. Dress the best, and make sure to be polite."

"Do I get a plus one?" Thomas asked.

"So you can bring your loud-mouthed secretary?" his father guessed. "No."

Thomas sighed but nodded his head. "Okay, I'll see you then," he said. He hung up the phone and walked to Ashley's office.

…

"Hey, Ash, it's Liam," he greeted as he knocked on the shiny wooden door. "You got a minute?"

On the other side of the closed door, Ashley hurriedly straightened her clothes and combed her hair with her fingers.

"Sure, come in," she said sweetly. Liam walked in and sat on the edge of her desk.

"I just wanted to let you know that I will be leaving early today," he informed her. "I need to go to a meeting with my father later."

"Oh, is it gonna be one of those stuck-up, rich people meetings?" Ashley asked, rolling her eyes. "Have fun." Liam leaned over and slid his hand over one of hers and smiled.

"I'm sorry about what happened yesterday," he told her. "Business can really… blind people sometimes."

Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Are you blind too?" she asked.

"No, you wouldn't let me," Liam answered. "You keep my eyes open, and I'm really grateful for that, Ashley." He gave her hand a friendly squeeze before wishing her a nice day and leaving.

*7:00*

Liam stopped by his office before going to the meeting. He wanted to read over a few documents about the client his father wanted to connect with so he could know how to appeal to him. On the way to his destination, he walked by Ashley's office to hear soft typing noises. He slowly opened the door to see his secretary working at her desk.

"Ashley, what are you doing here?" he asked curiously. "Your shift ended already."

She looked up, startled. "Oh! I was... I was looking over some information about the man you're going to meet later," she explained. "I thought if I knew more about him, I'd be more helpful to you."

Liam smiled and sat down in the chair across from her.

"That's exactly why I came here," he told her. "Brilliant minds think alike. What have you found out so far?"

Ashley handed him several papers about the client, and they discussed the said businessman for a while

…

After about half an hour, Liam began to get ready to leave.

"Thanks for all your help, Ash," he said. "I really appreciate it."

"No problem," she shrugged as she put on her jacket. They both walked out of the building and stood on the sidewalk. "Good luck at the meeting," she told him.

"Thanks, I really need it," Liam said, laughing.

"No, I think you got this in the bag," Ashley continued. "After this review, you know all of his info better than he does. All you have to do now is be your charming self."

"I'm glad you think so highly of me," Liam said warmly.

"Why would I not?" Ashley replied instantly.

Liam looked at her, both a bit shocked and flattered. She met his gaze and time seemed to freeze. They were stuck in a trance of each other, both smiling softly. The trance was obliterated by Liam's phone ringing in the silence.

"Hello?" he answered. "Yeah...I'm on my way...okay, bye." He hung up the phone and sighed. "I'll see you tomorrow, Ash."

"You too," she replied. They hugged and went their separate ways.

*With Ashley*

Ashley went home and watched TV, mostly thinking about Liam. He was her superior and, undeniably, her crush. She had been working alongside him for 2 years now. He was very kind and considerate, and he stole her heart fairly quickly. Sometimes she would think he feels the same way, but other times she wonders if he's just being his usual, nice self.

*With Liam*

Liam drove to the meeting while thinking about Ashley. What would she be doing tonight? He no doubt had affections for his secretary. She was dependable, smart, and stunning. Her very presence demanded attention with its alluring gentle-yet-strong vibe. He loved seeing her at work every day. He'd rather spend all day in her office than talk to rich snobs, but it's business before pleasure.

Liam was focused on doing the best he could for his father's business. His dad had always planned for Liam's older brother, Lucas, to take over. However, his brother had other plans. As a result, Liam wanted to make his dad happy by taking over instead. On the other hand, Mr. Grayson seemed to be insatiable of his younger son's efforts. He would always compare his two sons, and Lucas always ended up on top...regardless of the fact that he wasn't even around.

…

When Liam arrived, his father immediately led him to a table that seated an older man and a younger woman. The client said his name was Mr. Amston. Liam introduced himself and sat down next to the young woman, as instructed by his father.

"Liam, this is my wonderful daughter, Brittney," Mr. Amston presented.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Amston," Liam said automatically.

"The pleasure's all mine," she gushed. "And please, call me Brittney."

As Mr. Grayson and Mr. Amston discussed business, Brittney asked Liam many things about his personal life. Liam took a mental note about how she turned all of his responses into topics about herself. He also noticed how the physical space between them seemed much smaller as she eagerly leaned into him as she spoke. Being polite, Liam tried to hide his disinterest of the woman from his facial features. At the same time, however, he didn't want to lead her on. Sure, she was good looking. She had black hair, green eyes, and a deep v-neck dress that exposed some of her chest.

He couldn't help but compare her to Ashley. He green eyes weren't as deep and sincere as Ashley's. Her hair wasn't as thick and soft as Ashley's. Her outfit wasn't classy enough to even be held to the same standard as Ashley. To top it off, Ashley's platonic conversations with him were more stimulating than all the flirting Brittney was trying to pull off. He casually checked his watch.

"Our fathers are talking about boring stuff. Let's dance," Brittney suggested.

Again, Liam wasn't interested in the young woman's antics, but he knew better than to even attempt to bore a guest. He walked to the floor with her, and they danced to a couple of songs that seemed entirely too slow. Then, Brittney suggested that they go outside for some fresh air. Liam was very reluctant, but he went anyway. While they stood outside, Brittney stuck to him like glue.

"It's cold out here, isn't it?" Brittney commented as she leaned into him.

"Then let's go back inside," Liam stated.

"No, I like the way you keep me warm," Brittney replied, giggling.

Liam fought the urge to roll his eyes. He hated desperate women. Ashley was professional. She never threw herself at him… although, as he thought about it, it didn't sound so bad.

After about ten minutes of being alone, Liam really wanted to go back inside.

"But I don't want to leave yet," Brittney complained. "I love being with you. Our fathers are going to work together, so we should already get used to being together. Don't you feel the connection between us? Why don't you just let it happen?"

Liam instantly pulled away from the woman, totally freaked out. He didn't feel any attraction to her whatsoever.

"Your father is going to worry about you if you're gone for too long," Liam told her. "Let's go back inside." When they went back inside to the table, Mr. Amston smiled gleefully.

"I've seen you've become well acquainted with my daughter, Liam," he commented. "Isn't she wonderful?" Liam just nodded his head. Soon enough, it was over and he was able to get away from Brittney. However, he didn't realize how much of a problem she would become.

*The Next Morning*

Ashley woke up and began to get ready for work at 6:00 in the morning. She made herself a bagel and turned on the news and watched for a few minutes. After it was heated, she got her bagel and picked up her remote to turn off the TV, but a picture of Liam on the screen caught her attention.

"Last night, Liam Grayson and Brittney Amston seemed to really hit it off," a female newscaster announced. "Their fathers may find new business opportunities together, but these two might find love."

Pictures of Liam and Brittney talking outside and dancing showed up, and Ashley nearly dropped her food. Liam and Brittney were together? Her heart began to hurt until she realized something. What if Liam actually didn't like Brittney? The paparazzi always manipulate pictures to get stories! Ashley decided to rush to work and talk to Liam herself.

*With Liam*

Liam had seen the same news report Ashley had seen and was mortified. Why did it happen? He didn't even like Brittney! Before he could do anything, his father had already shown up to his office to talk about it privately.

"I'm sorry, Dad," Liam said. "I didn't know they'd take pictures of us. Now the media is going to be all over the this."

"It's fine," Mr. Grayson told him. "We can use this to our advantage. Mr. Amston and I have officially agreed to work together, so this will be good publicity for our companies." Liam let out a sigh of relief. He hadn't almost ruined his father's reputation after all.

"However," Mr. Grayson continued. "You two should date in order to continue this positive popularity." Liam gaped.

"But...I don't - I mean, I don't even know her well," Liam argued.

"You two can fake date a little then you'll date for real if that'll make it easier," Mr. Grayson explained.

"...What if I don't like her?" Liam asked. "I mean, what if my feelings don't change about her?"

"You two will be free to break up in the future," Mr. Grayson replied smoothly. "But for right now, she's your girlfriend. On the bright side, after this, I'll be ready to hand this company over to you."

"Really?!" Liam asked excitedly.

His father nodded his head. "Now let's go down to the lobby."

*With Ashley*

When Ashley arrived at work, she had to push through reporters to get to the main lobby. Then, she saw the elevator doors open, and Liam and his father stepped out. Just when Ashley was about to call out to him, she heard a loud squeal. She watched as Brittney ran up to him and kiss him on the lips immediately.

"Hey, baby!" she practically screamed.

Thomas didn't push her off either. He greeted her normally, and the two of them began to answer the questions the reporters asked. Ashley was crushed. She quickly took the stairs to her office and locked the door behind her. She collapsed in her desk chair with her face in her hands. All she could wonder was, how did Brittney Amston steal the love of her life in one night?

…

Over the next couple of days, Liam and Ashley began to see each other less and less. Coffee runs and small chats just turned to standard coffee runs. Even when they spoke, Liam was extremely curt and brief with her, and it hurt every time. Soon, Liam seemed to never have time to talk to Ashley anymore. Brittney didn't work, so she insisted on sticking to Liam like glue most days, even while he was working.

After about a month, an assistant secretary was hired for Ashley. Since Brittney and Liam were dating, their status caused more publicity, which led to more work for everyone else. In addition, Brittney took most of Liam's work time that he used to use to do his own work. Now, it was all being piled onto Ashley's workload. To help her, an assistant secretary named Kenneth was hired, and she spent a while showing him the ropes. After about a month, he was very capable and dependable.

*4 Months Later*

While Kenneth and Ashley ate together during their lunch break, he told her that she needed to get over Liam.

"Ash, obviously he doesn't care about you if he's making out with his girlfriend in front of you all the time," he pointed out. "You're a great person, and you don't need to be miserable because he's blind."

"I know, it's just...I thought he felt the same way," Ashley said.

"It happens," Kenneth comforted. "...Hey, do you wanna go out tonight? Ya'know, to make you feel better?"

Ashley nodded her head. Maybe that's what she needed.

*2 Months Later*

Liam was really starting to feel miserable about his life. At first, he was able to tolerate Brittney, but he knew he could never truly like her. In addition, he missed Ashley so much. He hadn't been able to hang out with her like he used to.

One day he was looking for Ashley, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He asked the lady at the front desk, but she informed him that his head secretary was on her lunch break with Kenneth. Liam didn't even get to see her later because he was busy dealing with Brittney. The next day, Ashley wasn't there, so he stopped to talk to her assistant.

"Hey, Kenneth, where's Ashley?" he asked.

"She had an off day," Kenneth told him. "She deserves one. She's been working really hard lately."

"Yeah, I know," Liam agreed. "How is she? I haven't been seeing her lately." It took everything in Kenneth's body to not glare at his boss. He let out an even breath.

"She's fine," he stated. "How's your girlfriend?"

"She's great," Liam answered automatically.

"Of course," Kenneth muttered.

"What was that?" Liam asked.

"Of course, she is," Kenneth repeated. "You guys look happy on all the magazine covers, and you're not ashamed of your PDA either." Liam raised an eyebrow, but Kenneth continued.

"All I'm saying is..it's nice to have someone who can make you happy at a job like this," he said. "It gets stressful. Have a good day." Kenneth walked away, leaving Liam to think by himself.

…

That night, Liam took it upon himself to visit Ashley at her house. After she invited him in, he hugged her tightly.

"I've missed you," he told her. "We haven't been able to see each other in a while."

"It's okay, you're busy," Ashley assured him.

"That doesn't excuse it," Liam replied. "We're good friends, and I'm going to treasure that."

Ashley sighed. Friends. That's all they were. Of course, she wouldn't be surprised. He had a rich and gorgeous girlfriend. She brought them some drinks, and they watched a movie together. After the movie, they stayed snuggled up against each other. Liam sighed.

"Ash, I know this seems complicated, but...I care about you so much," Liam told her. "I care about you way more than Brittney."

"Then why are you with her?" Ashley inquired.

He ignored her question. "Just remember what I told you," he instructed.

Ashley teared up, knowing his refusal to answer only meant that they'd never be together. They stayed like that for a couple of more minutes until Liam announced that he needed to leave. Once he left, the loneliness that Ashley had just gotten over returned.

*A Few Weeks Later*

"Marriage?!" Liam asked. "I can't marry Brittney!"

"Calm down," Mr. Grayson commanded. "And why not? You've been dating her for long enough."

"First of all, I don't even like her like that - in fact, I barely like her at all," Liam explained. "Two, this is too fast!"

"It's been over 6 months, get over it," Mr. Grayson retorted. "Business can be fast. Besides, you should be grateful. You're gonna get the company after this."

"I am grateful," Liam corrected. "But you said I could break up with her if I didn't like her. I don't want my love life to be business."

"Okay, how about this?" Mr. Grayson started. "You two can get married and just get a divorce later. When you separate, you'll prove to the public how strong you are by improving this company without Brittney. It'll be a marvelous story."

"But I don't want to be like a story," Liam complained. "And why do I have to do all of that?"

"Because Mr. Amston is a new and important partner of mine now, and I won't let you make his daughter look like a fool," his father answered.

After two hours of further discussion, Liam finally agreed to his father's ideas. Liam didn't want to disappoint him. His father took him to a jeweler to pick out a wedding room. Later when he got home, he studied the ring and looked at the photo on his desk. It was of his older brother and his wife at their wedding. As he fiddled with the ring, he wondered about Lucas and what would he do to make their father proud.

…

The next day, Liam made the dreaded announcement of his and Brittney's engagement. The press had a field day, but Ashley felt used and lied to. She went home early, but she knew she had to go to the engagement party for Liam and his new fiance, just like all the rest of her co-workers.

*The Engagement Party*

Ashley rode with Kenneth to the party. She had realized that she had feelings for a while, but they were very noticeable now that Liam seemed to be out of her life. He helped her get over Liam.

She wore a blue dress and Kenneth wore a black suit with a matching blue tie. The party was grand and fancy, but Ashley wasn't interested in that. She just wanted to stay with Kenneth and have a good time. He had never lied to her or led her on, and he proved that he was a great man. She allowed him to free her of all her worries by giving him all her attention. Ashley excused herself to the restroom and when she later exited, she noticed Liam waiting outside.

"Ashley, can we talk?" he asked.

She sighed but reluctantly nodded her head. Liam led her to one of the empty rooms and locked the door. They stood in silence. He looked at her intently, looking at her the way he always did when they used to go to galas together. She turned her head to avoid eye contact.

"You look beautiful tonight," Liam told her. "Like always."

"Thanks, but I don't think your fiance would appreciate you being alone with me like this," Ashley replied smartly.

"I don't care," Liam said, shrugging. "I told you that I don't care about her. I only care about you. And I've always felt that way." Liam walked up to Ashley and held both of her hands.

"Where did we go wrong?" he asked her softly. She pulled her hands away.

"When you chose her over me," Ashley said spitefully.

"I never chose her over you," Liam said.

"Yes, you did!" Ashley shouted, poking his chest. "When you made her your girlfriend, that meant you liked her more than me. When you asked her to marry you, that meant you love her more than me!"

"I don't love her!" Liam denied. "I don't even like her." He cupped the side of her face then moved his hand to brush her hair with his fingers. "I have never and will never love her," he continued. "It has always been you." Ashley pushed his hand away.

"If you really love me, cancel the wedding," she said. Liam shook his head.

"I can't," he said. "I'm sorry, Ash."

"No you're not!" Ashley yelled. "You're the one that proposed! You're the one that's gonna say 'I do' at the altar!" She wiped some tears from her face and headed for the door. "I won't let you string me along anymore," she told him.

In a last, desperate attempt to get Ashley to stay, Liam grabbed her hand and pulled her back into a kiss. Ashley felt his lips on hers, but she didn't feel the spark. How could something she wanted - almost needed - for so long not make her feel a thing? She lightly pushed him away and shook her head.

"That was wrong, but the only reason why I'm not gonna say anything is because I know it won't ever happen again," she said. She took a deep breath and looked at him in his eyes. "It's not the same anymore, Liam. Goodbye." She turned around and walked out of the room.

…

Over the next few weeks, Ashley avoided Liam like a plague. Liam wanted to blame that on her new workload since Kenneth quit a little after the engagement party, but he knew it was all his fault. It wasn't until he saw Ashley's week notice paper on his father's desk that he fully realized what he had lost.

"Why didn't you tell me Ashley was quitting?!" he angrily asked his father.

"I'm the boss," Mr. Grayson said. "It was for me anyway. It has nothing to do with you."

"She was my secretary!" Liam argued. "She was - is - important to me. You should've told me as soon as she gave it to you. When is her last day?"

"Today," Mr. Grayson replied. Liam's heart stopped as up looked up at the clock on the wall. Ashley's shift had ended five minutes ago.

He ran out of his father's office and busted into Ashley's office to see it empty except for furniture. All of her personal belongings had been taken off her desk except for a photo of him and her dressed up for a business party. He looked out of the window behind her desk and saw her walking to the parking lot. Liam took the stairs down to the first floor and ran as fast as he could to get to the entrance of the parking lot. He got there just in time to see her car about to leave.

"Ashley, please don't quit!" he pleaded. "Don't leave me, I'm sorry!" Liam ran up to her window on the passenger side, and she rolled down her window ever so slightly to speak with him.

"Ashley, please don't quit!" he repeated. "You know I can treat you better than anyone else - it doesn't even matter where you work! No one can get between us!"

"Liam, 'us' never existed'," Ashley told him. "And when there could've been an 'us', you destroyed it."

"No, I was being stupid!" he said desperately. "And there was an 'us', Ashley, and you know it! I know this all wasn't one-sided!" Ashley shook her head.

"You need to move on," she said.

"We don't need to move on!" Liam replied. "I love you! Don't you love me?"

"I did," she admitted. "But you said you love Brittney, and I'm not settling to be your mistress."

"Never," Liam denied. "You're worth way more than that. You're my whole world. Just give me another chance to show you!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm done trying to show you my worth," she finalized. "And I used to think you were different. But now I see that business does seem to blind everyone."

She rolled up her windows and pulled off into the street, but Liam wasn't ready to give up yet. He ran to his car and raced to Ashley's house. He had to convince her.

…

After he turned onto Ashley's street, what he saw tore his heart into pieces. Standing proudly on the front lawn was a "SOLD" sign. She had already moved. Liam ran a hand through his hair and pulled out his phone. He dialed Ashley's number but it wouldn't even ring. It wasn't even a working number anymore. She had planned this for a long time, and he hadn't noticed because of his own negligence.

He sat in his car, defeated. He sobbed while regretting all of the decisions he made. He put business before pleasure - his love - and look where it got him. After a while, he drove back home feeling miserable.

…

After Ashley left, Liam tried to keep himself together. He thought he could busy himself in work to ignore the pain, but he was still depressed. Months passed, and he finally snapped. He confessed to the public that he never liked Brittney, and he never planned to actually marry her. Mr. Grayson was furious, but Liam didn't care. One day while walking down the halls of his job, he heard some workers talking in the break room.

"Hey, isn't it crazy that once Liam broke up with Brittney, Ashley and Kenneth are getting married?" one of them asked. Liam ran into the room.

"Ashley's getting married?" he asked. "When?"

"Today," the male worker said. "Didn't you get an invitation? I can't make it, obviously 'cause I'm working."

The employee took out the invitation to show Liam, but he just snatched it and ran. He jumped into his car and headed to the address on the card. He had to change Ashley's mind before he lost her completely.

He arrived at a large, fancy church and ran inside. He followed the sound of organs playing to a large door. He pushed the door softly to peek through the crack. Inside, he saw the love of his life and Kenneth standing at the altar. Liam almost couldn't believe the groom was Kenneth, but he remembered that he basically pushed Ashley into the man's arms.

Ashley had a pure look of bliss on her face. Liam sighed. That's how she used to look at him before Brittney came.

"If anyone can show just why this couple should not be lawfully joined together in matrimony, speak now or forever hold your peace," the pastor announced.

Liam wanted to yell to Ashley that he loved her with all his heart and how he wanted her to be with him...but he couldn't. She looked so happy as she stared lovingly into Kenneth's eyes, and he knew he'd be wrong to interrupt. After all, he had Ashley first, but he kept making the wrong decisions. Now, a man that made all the right decisions had her. Liam loved her enough to let her go. He didn't need reunification. He needed closure. The church was silent, and no one objected. Then, the bride and groom shared their memorable kiss. Liam gazed sorrowfully at his first true love, then turned around and exited the church.

He sat back down in his car with his tinted windows rolled all the way up. He shed a few tears, but he knew it was for the best. He made a promise to himself to never do any crazy deals, like the one with Mr. Amston and his daughter. He needed to always do what he thought was right. Liam turned to see Ashley and Kenneth walking out of the church with the rest of the guests. Nobody seemed to notice the lonely man in the car. Liam couldn't help but think how it could've been him marrying Ashley, instead of Kenneth. But he didn't give his one hundred percent to her, and Kenneth came out on top.

It was then that Liam realized it. No matter how hard he thinks he could try to be great and win the approval of his dad, he would never be good enough. Because as long as he lived trying to live in his father's wants and expectations and not his own, there would always be somebody better than him.

The End