Chapter 2

Last month marked the end of our three year contract.

Liam and I were supposed to dissolve our arrangement then, but a full month had already gone by. He hadn't brought it up, so I just kept playing dumb.

Before I met Liam, I always thought love at first sight was a total lie.

Deep down, I secretly hoped we could keep living like this forever, remaining husband and wife.

Greed is a terrifying emotion. It drives people to make completely unhinged decisions.

After agonizing over it, I had drafted a script for myself where I played the ungrateful, unfaithful wife creeping out of her marriage bed.

Even a bitter fruit is still a fruit, and hate always outlasts love.

Too bad I turned out to be nothing more than a crude, primitive firework, completely incapable of leaving a scratch on his interstellar starship.

Defeated, I called off my skirmish and retreated to the walk-in closet to pick out an evening gown.

The city Liam had been visiting was close by. Barely three hours had passed when the sound of the front door opening could be heard.

His rushed itinerary left him looking a bit tired, but his dark eyes were incredibly bright.

"The housekeeper finished ironing your clothes," I said. "What time are we leaving?"

"No rush, we still have time." Liam didn't head into the bedroom. Instead, he reached up, loosened his tie, and slipped off his suit jacket, draping it casually over his arm. The movement exposed a hint of his wrist bone. A few stray hairs fell across his forehead.

"How is the progress on the company's latest project?"

He really was exceptionally handsome. A lifetime of occupying positions of absolute authority gave his casual, wealthy playboy demeanor an edge of raw, aggressive dominance.

"Smoother than expected," I replied automatically, caught off guard by the sudden question. "Construction wraps up next month, and the returns look a lot more substantial than our initial projections."

"Good." Liam gave a casual nod, seemingly indifferent to the details. Then, his gaze slowly drifted toward the two coffee cups sitting on the coffee table.

"Did a friend come over today?"

"Yeah, Mia stopped by to keep me company for a bit." I stealthily shoved the lingerie I had abandoned on the couch behind a throw pillow. My face felt completely stiff, and my voice was a higher-pitched than usual from the guilt.

"What do you usually do with your time when you're home alone? Do you ever get bored?"

I glanced up at Liam, unable to gauge his line of question.

"Everything at the company is running smoothly right now, so I don't really have much to do at home." After a beat of quick calculation, I figured he probably thought I was just being lazy.

I offered a hesitant, testing probe. "Should I go and find a job?"

"No need to look around," Liam said, his voice dropping into a slow drawl. Just as I let out a sigh of relief, he continued, "Come work for me. I happen to be looking for an executive assistant."

He stood up, his tall, lean frame completely eclipsing me. An empty cup and spoon clinked together on the table, and a split second later, I was entirely surrounded by the subtle scent of his cologne.

Liam tilted his head slightly, his lips curving into a half-smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. He reached out and tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. His fingertips brushed against my skin, sending a shiver straight down my spine.

"Why are you just standing there with your mouth open? Are you unwilling?"

He was too attractive. After a few sentences from Liam, my brain was already turning to absolute mush, leaving me incapable of denying him anything.

"Then I'll pick you up tomorrow morning at eight, and we'll head into the office together."

They say proximity breeds opportunity. The mental imagery of an office romance play had the corners of my mouth twitching upward uncontrollably.

My dear husband was actually a sly fox in disguise!

---

To avoid making my unhinged intentions too obvious, I intentionally put together a highly professional corporate outfit.

Once I fixed my clothes and walked downstairs, Liam was already waiting for me by the entryway.

Partly nervous and partly ecstatic, I found even the passing scenery outside the car window looking exceptionally beautiful.

Liam seemed amused by my sheer excitement. "It's your first day on the job. Feeling a little nervous?"

"A bit. But I'm mostly just really happy," I said, offering the absolute truth. "I used to only work at my dad's company, so it never really felt like a real job."