Stephanie's words dropped the room into silence, except for Maeve, who laughed. She turned to Liam and said something that carried more weight than it seemed.

"Li, looks like your girlfriend's hoping you'll make her wish come true this year. You might want to speed things up, and if it works out, save me a spot at the wedding!"

Liam was stunned at first, but soon, his face twisted with rage after her remark.

Stephanie could tell he was mad and was about to explain, but he cut her off.

"Maeve Stewart! What's your deal? Do you get some kind of thrill from driving me crazy? You know exactly…"

He wasn't yelling at Stephanie but Maeve, who had just pushed his buttons.

Everyone could tell what was upsetting Liam just by how frustrated he looked and the way he held back from speaking. He was pissed at Maeve for playing dumb and for stomping on his feelings again.

The room went dead silent.

Liam kicked a chair over, grabbed his car keys, and stormed out, slamming the door behind him. The birthday party, which started out great, ended on a sour note.

With everyone leaving and saying their goodbyes, Stephanie dropped her gaze, grabbed her bag, and headed to the restroom.

The guests were all gone when she came out, but a heated argument could be heard down the hallway.

"Maeve, you've gone way too far! Do you realize how much time Liam put into planning this birthday party? Why did you have to ruin all his hard work and say those things in public?"

"I was just speaking the truth, wasn't I? His girlfriend wants to get married, and it's obviously to him, not some other guy."

"Damn it! Do you actually think that's interesting? Liam's always been into you. Your rejection crushed him and turned him into a player. Later, you gave him hope, and he came back to you.

"But you bitched about him not being committed enough, so he did what you said and started dating this 'place-holder' girlfriend. How much more do you want from him? You can't just stomp all over his feelings!"

"I'm not expecting anything from him. I've never seen someone so obsessed, so I wanted to see how far he'd go for me. He's doing it on his own, so why are you freaking out about it…"

It was Maeve arguing with Liam's childhood friend.

Stephanie didn't mean to listen in, but she couldn't help wondering how Liam would react if he heard those words.

Would he be crushed? Would he feel like he was dying inside, just like she did when she learned the truth?

Liam had the upper hand in his relationship with Stephanie. Her emotions would swing with every little move he made.

But with Maeve, he was the one under her thumb. His world would crumble if she even showed the slightest hint of disinterest.

Stephanie thought anyone who stomped on someone else's heart deserved to endure the worst kind of pain. She turned and went down the stairs on the other side.

Back home, Stephanie picked up the cake left by the door and spent her birthday alone. She ate half of the six-inch cake before heading to bed.

…

The next day at noon, a knock at the door woke Stephanie up. She rubbed her eyes and got up to answer it.

It was Liam.

A night apart didn't change much—he still looked upset and in a bad mood. But when their eyes met, he quickly forced a smile and pulled a diamond bracelet out of his pocket.

"Happy birthday! This is for you. I had too much to drink yesterday and forgot to hand it over."

One look was all it took for Stephanie to realize that the bracelet was from the same set as the necklace Maeve wore last night.

She guessed Maeve didn't like it, so Liam simply gave it to her—saving himself the effort of picking a gift.

When Stephanie didn't react, Liam thought she didn't like it and quickly added, "You don't like it? Just take my card and buy whatever you want."

Stephanie shook her head, took it, and casually set it on the entryway table. "I like it, so don't worry about it."

Liam dropped the subject. He shrugged off his jacket and placed it on the couch. He froze when he saw the cake on the table from the corner of his eye.

After a slight hesitation, he said, "So, about that birthday wish you made yesterday…"

Stephanie could tell he was feeling things out, so she replied with a lighthearted tone, "It was kind of awkward since no one knew it was my birthday, so I made a joke. I thought they'd catch on, but they didn't. Sorry about that."

Liam let out a sigh of relief after hearing what she said. "So, what did you really wish for?

"I wish Mom and Dad to stay healthy and all their dreams to come true."

Her wish was simple, but it came from the heart.

Liam felt a warm tug in his chest. He brushed her nose and smiled. "You're so thoughtful. Your wish is sure to come true."

Stephanie felt the same. She was sure her blind date would go well, that she'd get married, stay with her parents, and take care of them into their later years.

Over the next few days, Liam stayed in almost all the time, barely stepping out. He noticed several things missing around the house and asked about it more than once.

"Steph, where'd the matching mugs you got go?"

"They broke a few days ago."

"What about the tie you gave me?"

"I'm not sure. It probably got swept away in the wind while drying outside."

They were small, unimportant items, so Liam didn't give them much thought. Stephanie made up an excuse to brush him off every time he asked.

Meanwhile, she'd put together a long list. She was set on trying every famous restaurant and local dish before leaving the city.

She'd followed a low-fat vegetarian diet for years to maintain her shape, and it had been ages since she'd let herself dig into a hearty meal. Still, the beauty she had worked so hard to maintain hadn't brought her the love she hoped for.

Liam felt nothing for her—whether she was stunning or average, curvy or slim, wearing makeup or not, it made no difference. Her flawless look, earned at the expense of her health, meant nothing to Liam, who only had eyes for Maeve.

The birthday cake Stephanie indulged in awakened her appetite and reminded her that love wasn't the only source of joy.

Great food, flowers, and care from families and friends were all key parts of life, and she shouldn't have to give up one for the other.

Liam noticed Stephanie was heading out more often. He called out to her, "Out again? Where are you off to?"

"I'm going to Westfield for lunch."

Watching the heavy rain outside, Liam casually asked, "Are you meeting up with someone? Do you need a ride?"

Stephanie shook her head and bent down to change her shoes. "I'm going alone to try some foreign dishes. Don't worry about it, I'll just grab a cab."

Liam gave her a confused look after hearing that. He remembered how she'd always kept her meals light to maintain her figure. So what made her start craving food all of a sudden?

But she was so skinny that he thought she really should eat more. He was honestly worried the wind might just carry her off.

Realizing he had no plans for the afternoon, he got up, grabbed his jacket, and went over to Stephanie. "Let's go. It's pouring outside, and I can give you a lift."

Stephanie was surprised. She hadn't expected him to join her.

The rain grew heavier, and the streets were almost deserted. The slippery roads had Liam holding the steering wheel firmly with both hands. He asked Stephanie to get his phone and plug it in to charge.

She did as asked, and the second she connected the charger, the screen lit up with an unread message.

"Liam, you joining us at the bar? Maeve's here, too."

Stephanie saw it and was about to act like she hadn't when Liam asked her to help him reply. "Tell him I can't make it and we're grabbing some foreign cuisine."

She glanced at him and saw a flash of something complicated in his expression. He wore a frustrated, defiant look, but a glimmer of hope hid beneath it, almost like he was waiting for someone's reaction.

Stephanie knew exactly what he was up to. Just seconds after she hit send, Liam's phone rang.

It was Maeve.

Liam saw the call coming in and couldn't help but smile, but he didn't say if he was going to answer it.

After about ten seconds, he acted like he'd just noticed the ringtone, pulled over, and grabbed his phone. "I've already told you—"

"Li, some guys asked for my number and started getting handsy. I was pissed, so I smashed a bottle at them. Now they're cornering me at the bar. I need your help!"