Turbulence of the Heart

Private Jet – Departure

The private jet waited on the tarmac, gleaming like a silver capsule for broken hearts. Claire walked beside Sophie, who was silent, tense, and pale—like someone about to be thrown into a glass of water purely from stress.

As they climbed the stairs, Sophie nearly froze.

“Claire…” she whispered, voice barely audible. “What if… he can’t even look at me?”

Claire shot her a tired, unamused glance. “Sophie, if he couldn’t look at you, he wouldn’t have said what he did in front of a thousand people and half the internet. You’re not exactly invisible in his world.”

Sophie swallowed hard, her fingers trembling as they gripped the railing. Fear was written all over her.
“Yeah, but… he doesn’t know what I’ve been through. He doesn’t know the engagement is over. He doesn’t know… that I’m… alone.”

Claire softened, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. “That’s exactly why we’re going. To show him you’re free. That you’re… here.”

Inside the jet, they sank into the plush seats. The pilot announced the departure time, the engines roared to life, and the plane lifted into the sky. Sophie closed her eyes, her hands gripping the blanket on her lap so tightly it threatened to tear. The plane might fall. Or she might.

Claire watched her from the corner of her eye. “Breathe, Sophie. Seriously. This concert is the last thing threatening your life. Alexander can’t reach you anymore.”

Sophie nodded softly, but the restlessness in her chest remained.

One thought ran through her mind, relentless:

Will Liam even want to see my face?

Backstage – Chaos Controlled

Liam splashed cold water on his face, trying to shake off the tension. Maks seized the moment, gathering the band.

“Listen up. Kiss cam is going on before the intermission. Sophie will be there.”

James blinked. “Which Sophie?”

Maks tapped his tablet, bringing up a photo. “Oh… right. Liam’s Sophie,” James said.

Everyone in the band had seen the world premiere clip—Liam’s honesty, live, in front of the world. That’s why they respected him even more.

Maks continued, “Fans and the internet want Liam and Sophie together. We give them that. Kiss cam goes to Sophie, then to Liam. Shock factor for both. I know they belong together. And, James…” Maks turned to him. “Invite Sophie on stage. At that moment, Liam won’t be able to speak. Got it?”

James nodded.

Meanwhile, beneath the arena’s massive dome, Grey Meadow’s dressing room buzzed like a can of shaken energy drink.

The boys were loud, restless, the crowd had been screaming for hours. Energy crackled in the air, raw and electric.

Liam sat quietly on a couch, guitar in his lap, soft and distant. Fatigue clung to him—the kind no sleep can fix, the kind that weighs on the chest and lingers in the bones.

Maks stepped in, holding the schedule and radio. “Listen. The first part of the concert is normal,” he began. “But before the break, we’re playing that new song.”

The band exchanged glances. That song. The one that had electrified the studio during rehearsals, filling every corner with tension, awe, and silence the moment Liam first sang it.

Maks added, “A New York Times journalist will be in VIP. Some record execs. And… brace yourselves. The audience will go wild—it’s the ultimate tour show. We cannot mess this up.”

Liam set the guitar aside. “We won’t.” His voice was quiet, focused, carrying the weight of someone holding too much yet showing none of it.

Maks approached cautiously. “Liam… this song… your heart’s in it. Are you sure?”

Liam looked down, fingers trembling slightly. “I am,” he said. “If I don’t say it through the music, it will tear me apart.”

One of the band muttered, “Man, I hope it’s worth it.”

Liam’s eyes shot up, sharp yet hollow. “It is,” he whispered. “Damn worth it.”

He stood and retrieved a folded photograph from his pocket. Sophie, smiling in a shot from filming. He hadn’t looked at her in nearly a month. Today, for a fleeting second, he did.

It was like tearing his soul out just to see her again.

Arrival – Sophie’s Silent Fear and Flicker of Hope

The jet touched down at a small private airfield near the city. Sophie felt like she was walking through a padded world. Claire slid sunglasses onto her face, despite the darkness. “I know, I know,” Claire said. “But this will give you courage.”

A car waited to take them straight to the arena’s special entrance.

Sophie nearly broke inside the vehicle, staring at her hands, the road, the night. Thoughts pounding relentlessly:

What if he ignores me?
What if he doesn’t want to see me?
Is it too late?

Claire caught her eye. “Sophie. He fought for you, even when he shouldn’t have. This isn’t a man who turns his back when you finally return.”

Sophie swallowed a trembling tear. “I’m just… scared.”

Claire gripped her hand. “I know. But now, you have the right to be where your heart pulls you.”

As they neared the arena, the voices of thousands of fans pierced the night air. It cut through her like knives.

All that energy, all those people… and somewhere in that chaos, he was there.

Maks had arranged the VIP entrance with extra security. Slowly, they passed through.

The stage awaited.

The excitement in the arena was electric, a tangible wave of anticipation and screams. In the VIP box, Claire whispered, “If it gets too much, I’ll go out with you. Just try to breathe.”

Sophie looked toward the stage.

Liam and the band finally appeared under surreal lights. Liam with his guitar, his gaze familiar—too familiar. Eyes that always saw too deep, deeper than she dared to let anyone see.

Meanwhile… the internet did what the internet does: erupted.

Breaking news flashed across every social feed:

BREAKING: Engagement between Sophie Hale and Alexander V. officially over. Reason: Alleged business conflicts and disagreements.

Comments exploded. Fans squealed. Twitter went up in flames. TikTok generated endless theories.

Before performing, Liam took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and ran his hand over the horse pendant he always wore.

The music began, filling the arena. Liam’s voice carried farther, stronger, more alive with every note. The audience was mesmerized. So was Sophie. She couldn’t tear her eyes away, drawn irresistibly to him.

Her hands shook. Sophie teetered on the edge.

This would either be her rebirth… or her end.