Mag-log inLiam's POVThe day had been a marathon of psychological warfare and boardroom-level family disputes. By the time I stood in that steaming shower, I was beyond exhausted. I wanted the sun to set and stay down, burying the memory of my family’s meltdown over Evelyn under the cold, winter earth.Breaking up with Evelyn Thorne; Vaughn, whatever the hell her name was this week, wasn't a strategic move. It wasn't something I’d mapped out on a whiteboard. I was simply done. I was sick of the schemes, the entitlement, and the way she treated my life like a stage play she was directing.The words had just ripped out of me in front of everyone, and the moment they landed, I felt a weight lift off my chest that I didn't even know I was carrying.But then there was Olivia.This girl was starting to feel like a goddamn narcotic. I knew she was bad for my focus, bad for the "clean" narrative my family wanted, but without her, I couldn't function. I was hooked, and tonight, the withdrawal was making
Evelyn's POVThey exchanged "the look;" that silent communication where they judged me behind my back while smiling to my face. They shrugged, turning back to their drinks, but I could see the whispers starting.“I’ll be back,” I snapped, snatching my clutch off the table. “I’m going to get some air. It’s suffocating in here.”“But it’s freezing outside, Evelyn!” Chloe called out, standing up to follow me. “At least take your coat.” She handed me my black cashmere trench coat with a worried expression.I snatched the coat from her hand without a word and pushed through the velvet curtains. I made my way through the sea of sweaty, writhing bodies on the dance floor, ignoring the hands that reached out for me. I needed to feel the cold. I needed to feel anything other than the burning shame in my gut.So I pushed through the heavy metal back exit that led to the private alleyway where the high-rollers parked. The air was biting, a sharp to the humid heat of the club. I leaned against t
Evelyn's POV“We are done, Evelyn. There won’t be a wedding.”Those ten words didn’t just break my heart; they destroyed my entire world. They echoed in the hollow chambers of my skull, louder than the screaming match happening between our families in the foyer of the Smith estate. I couldn't think. I couldn't process. I couldn't even draw a full breath.Liam had just said that to me. In front of the help, and in front of the our families who happened to be present. He had discarded me like a seasonal coat that had gone out of style. As if the years of carefully curated appearances, the mergers, the shared galas, and the high-society expectations were absolutely nothing.I just stared at his retreating back, the sharp lines of his suit mocking me. My body began to tremble, a violent, uncontrollable shivering that started in my marrow. My legs, usually so steady in four-inch stilettos, turned to water. I dropped to the marble floor, the cold stone biting into my knees, but I felt nothi
Olivia's POVI knew I should shove him off. I should scream for Avery. But I didn't. I lay there in the steaming water and let him claim my mouth, let him claim my body. I felt like a traitor to my own soul. If Avery knew I was in here, letting him do this after the things he’d said about my family, she would never forgive me.Finally, I managed to pull my mouth away, gasping for air.“Liam... Liam, please. I need to wash. You said I stink. You said I was filthy. I want to take a bath... properly. Please.”“I only said your clothes stink, Olivia,” he murmured, his face buried in the curve of my neck. “I never said ‘you’ did.”He began to move his mouth lower, his head dipping toward my chest.“Yes, you did! You said ‘You stink like a bar’!” I argued, trying to push his head up. “And now you’re just going to... you know. I want to take my bath alone! Let me go!”He stopped. He pulled back, his eyes narrowing as he looked at me. His breathing was heavy, his chest heaving under the water
Olivia's POV“Go find my daughter and apologize before she does something drastic! If anything happens to her, I will destroy you, Liam!”Liam ignored it all. The screams were like wind against a mountain. He carried me up the staircase, his boots clicked against the marble. I looked at my side and saw Avery walking beside us, shock was written all over her face.“Did you really... did you really break up with her?” I whispered against his shirt, the scent of his cologne mixing with the smell of my own shame.Liam looked down at me, his eyes were unreadable, but he didn't answer. He just tightened his hold.When we reached the heavy oak doors of his master suite, Liam finally came to a stop. He kicked the door open and walked inside, finally setting me down on the plush cream carpet. The moment my feet touched the floor, I lunged for the door, reaching for Avery.“Avery!” I sobbed, throwing my arms around her as she stepped into the room.She caught me, holding me tightly, her hand st
Olivia's POV“Go find my daughter and apologize before she does something drastic! If anything happens to her, I will destroy you, Liam!”Liam ignored it all. The screams were like wind against a mountain. He carried me up the staircase, his boots clicked against the marble. I looked at my side and saw Avery walking beside us, shock was written all over her face.“Did you really... did you really break up with her?” I whispered against his shirt, the scent of his cologne mixing with the smell of my own shame.Liam looked down at me, his eyes were unreadable, but he didn't answer. He just tightened his hold.When we reached the heavy oak doors of his master suite, Liam finally came to a stop. He kicked the door open and walked inside, finally setting me down on the plush cream carpet. The moment my feet touched the floor, I lunged for the door, reaching for Avery.“Avery!” I sobbed, throwing my arms around her as she stepped into the room.She caught me, holding me tightly, her hand st







