Liam arrives at Forresters, after a brief kerfuffle at the entrance when the security guard wouldn't let him in, he finally manages to get a call through to Hopes office and he's allowed entrance to the building, it surprises him that Felicia is enacting such strict protocols, but after the way Ridge had been behaving towards Steffy, Thomas, Zende and Felicia, he supposed anyone connected with R.E.B. Designs was now persona non grata. It was this thought more than anything else that made him realize just how deep the rift between the Forrester's had now become, and he couldn't see a way back from it, not given both sides level of bitterness.
He finally arrives at Hopes office to find her going over some material samples with Zende. He nods and smiles as Zende gathers up the material board he's been showing Hope.
"Liam, long time, you good?" says Zende as he heaves everything into his arms.
"Yeah, I'm great, you?" he says as he enters.
"Couldn't be better, just busy for the next show," says Zende before he turns to Hope. "I'll start on these immediately, the new sample should be ready by late tomorrow if I push it."
Hope nods and smiles, "Great, just bring it in as soon as it's ready and we'll go from there."
Zende nods and leaves the room leaving Hope alone with Liam.
"What's up?" asks Hope with a frown. "Why all this secrecy and urgency? Oh god, please don't tell me something else has happened!"
Liam moves to her desk and stands there awkwardly wondering where to start, finally he just blurts out. "Finn left Steffy last night!"
Hope gasps in shock, "What? Why? Liam, why would he do that, they've been so good together!"
She closes her mouth with a snap as a bright red flush creeps up her cheeks, Liam thinks it's simply shock as he fails to see the guilt and shame flicker across her face.
"He thinks that Steffy and I are still in love, and I only go around there to see Steffy instead of Kelly, according to Steffy he has this weird scenario worked out in his head about the two of us."
He shakes his head as he stares at Hope, "I mean I knew he'd been acting strange the last few months since Sheila died, but I just put that down to his being in shock and grieving, especially as she died in his arms and there was nothing he could do to save her. I mean, man, that had to be tough!"
"Would you like me to talk to him? Maybe I could get through to him." Hope says in a shaky voice, the last thing she wants is for Liam to talk to an obviously angry Finn, who knows what he might inadvertently let slip.
"No, I already offered but Steffy said it's to late for that, he had her sign annulment papers last night, she thinks he will file them first thing this morning."
Hope blinks in confusion, "Annulment papers, you can't be serious, he has no grounds, he will have to get a divorce if he wants to end the marriage."
Liam takes a deep breath, this is the moment he's been dreading, he just prays that Hope will understand, this isn't his fault, and he can't help but see it as a blessing.
"He has grounds." he says. At Hopes puzzled look he quickly launches into the story Steffy told him, and her terms for him getting to know Hayes as his father.
"No!" whispers Hope, her eyes wide in shock. "No, this can't be happening, not again! No, no, no, no." she says with an edge of hysteria to her voice.
"Hope, it's okay, we can make this work, nothing needs to change, you and Beth love Hayes, our family can adjust to this, I promise you!"
"SHUT UP!" screams Hope as her rage and fear engulf her.
"You just don't get it! She gets everything! She wanted you so she got you! It wasn't me that made love to you first, it was Steffy! It wasn't me that set up house with you and lived with you first, it was Steffy! It wasn't me that got pregnant to you first, it was Steffy! It wasn't me that gave you your first child, it was Steffy! It wasn't me that gave you your first daughter, it was Steffy! It wasn't me that gives you your first son, oh no, no, no, no! Once again, it's GOD-DAMNED STEFFY!"
"Hope, please," says Liam in total shock at Hopes complete loss of control.
" No!" says Hope as tears pour down her face. "She gets everything I want before me! I'm always playing second fiddle to her! What am I Liam? Am I a joke, or am I just some poor man's version of the queen of the fashion world, Steffy Forrester! It's not fair, I'm tired of it, I'm tired of always being second best, the goddamned afterthought!"
"No, Hope, I love you, I love our family. I swear to you on my life you're not second best, that's just how our lives played out! I'm with you, we're together, we have our own little family which I love, you must know that! I'd do anything for you and Beth! Steffy was my past and I can't change that, but I swear, you're my future, you, and Beth! Yes, things have changed a little, but that doesn't have to affect us, I won't let it. I promise you Hope!"
Hope moves around and falls into Liam's arms, her sobs break his heart, he had no idea her feelings of inadequacy over Steffy and their children together ran so deep. He held her as her crying slowly abated.
"We'll adapt!" she says finally, looking up at Liam through tear-stained eyes.
"You're right, you're mine now, we have our own family, but Liam, I need you to swear to me you won't allow Steffy to worm her way back into your heart again! I don't want you over there all the time either. I know you want to get to know . . . your son." She says bitterly. "But I can't handle you being over there all the time. Can you do that for me?"
Liam takes a deep breath, this wasn't going the way he wanted, but he'd take this a step at a time, the worst is over he thinks to himself, everything else will fall in place.
"I'll do whatever I have to, I'll make this work Hope," he pulls away from her and lifts her chin up to look into her eyes. "I love you Hope, only you, never forget that, okay?"
Hope sighs and nods and moves back into his arms now confident she'll be able to make this work, there was no way Steffy was going to take Liam away from her. Not this time, this time she was going to be the winner. She was going to come out on top, and nothing Steffy could do would change that, she'd see to it!