Walking into his office, Liam dropped his jacket on the chair and sat down. Letting out a heavy sigh, his eyes landed on the file he had been handed by Selena and her lawyer. The pressure of what had just happened pressed heavily on him. He opened the file, his brow furrowing as he scanned the pages carefully. The accusations were clearly stated on the file, laid out in bold, black ink, demanding his attention.Assault.Liam’s eyes darkened as he read the charges in detail. It wasn’t just a vague accusation; it claimed he had violently assaulted Selena. The document outlined not only the sexual assault but also asserted that he had physically beaten her, making the charges even more shocking and damaging.Liam’s eyes widened in shock as he read the new accusation. What? This wasn’t what Selena had claimed at first. Initially, she had accused him of attempting to assault her. But now, she was claiming he had actually done it? Obviously all of her accusations were lies. The shameless
Liam arrived at the place his dad had asked him to meet. It was a high-end restaurant, the kind of spot where only the rich would go since it was expensive. More importantly at this place privacy was a top priority so that's why Alvin chose it, knowing the type of conversation he was going to have with Liam.The polished marble floors of the place and hushed conversations made it clear that discretion was the norm. Liam parked his car and stepped out, adjusting his jacket as he scanned the entrance for any sign of his father.It didn’t take long before he eventually spotted his dad. Alvin was already seated at a private booth near the back, with a calm demeanor. He waved Liam over, offering a small nod as Liam approached.As Liam got closer to his dad's booth, he noticed that someone else was seated next to his dad. The man was casually dressed in a white simple polo shirt and white trousers. His laid-back appearance differed a lot with the upscale environment.He looked young, proba
For example, according to the info on the file, Selena had always presented herself as coming from an affluent background, often speaking about her privileged upbringing in a wealthy neighborhood. But the records in the file told a different story, she had spent most of her childhood in a much more modest part of the city. So she seemed to be lying.Then there were inconsistencies in her employment history; she claimed to have worked for several prestigious firms, yet no verifiable records could back that up. The investigator had dug deep, and nothing seemed to align with her claims.But the most alarming discovery to Liam was the recent and unexplained influx of large sums of money into her bank account, transfers that had started only a few days ago, coming from unknown sources. Liam couldn't help wondering if there was a chance that Selena wasn’t doing this on her own and someone was just paying her to frame him. It was unlikely however it wasn’t impossible either.After all, in th
For the first time since this whole mess began, Liam felt a glimmer of hope that his name could be cleared. He had to thank his dad for hiring the investigator, who had managed to dig up information on Selena that he never would have found on his own.After discussing the case further with Sonia, Liam leaned back breathing a sigh of relief. They had gone through every possible angle, her financial inconsistencies, the questionable lawyer backing her, and the gaps in her story that could cast doubt on her accusations against Liam. Sonia’s confidence in building a defense around these findings gave him a glimmer of hope, but he knew it would be a tough fight to clear his name.As they wrapped up, Sonia gathered her notes and looked at him with a calm and assuring gaze. “Mr Danvers, this will be tough, but it’s not impossible. We’ll keep digging, but you’ll need to be prepared. Public opinion will swing back and forth, and it may get worse before it gets better."Liam nodded, his expres
Nathan planted himself in Elena’s path, his gaze hard and showing no sign of any emotion. It was the look that always sent a chill through Elena's spine, she could never know what he was thinking. And he seemed to hate her more than he hated Liam Danvers himself. This time as Nathan stood in Elena's way, he wasn’t letting her walk away without hearing him out.Elena met his gaze, her nerves growing beneath her calm expression. "Please, get out of my way," she demanded coldly, although deep down she was in a lot of unease with him standing in her way like that. She was pregnant and she didn't want anything to happen and risk having any complications.As she looked at her brother, his expression unsettled her; the intensity in his eyes made her wonder if his resentment was building toward something darker. Trying to shake off the unease, she took a step to the side and brushed past him, hoping he would let her leave it at that.But Nathan wasn’t finished. He was even more annoyed that
A wave of betrayal and disbelief washed over Elena after hearing what Nia Bennett, who was her and Nathan's Aunt, had to say. She hadn’t expected support from the old woman, especially when it involved Nathan; Nia would take his side over her anyways, but nonetheless to hear her against her, against the child she was carrying… It was almost too much. Elena realized she might be more alone in this than she’d initially thought. A part of her understood Nathan and Nia's feelings; after all, she was carrying a Danvers in her belly, a name that represented everything they despised. Even so, the child was still hers, an innocent life that hadn’t yet taken a breath. She couldn’t bring herself to imagine aborting him. Raising her head, Elena met Nia's gaze and then she turned to stare at Nathan with a defiance look and said,“That's not happening.” She protested. She couldn't imagine aborting the baby. It wasn’t just that Elena loved the unborn child, though, in her way, she did. But her
At the Carrington's residence. The morning sun shone through the streets. Liam stood outside his sleek sports car outside the Carrington residence, watching as Ethan carefully helped Mr. Carrington up the steps and into the house. He let out a sigh, turning his thoughts to Aretha who was nowhere to be seen. He hadn’t come to the Carrington residence just to visit; he came here for Aretha because he needed her help. Aretha had known Selena from their college days, and she seemed to know about the person she was. If Liam could get Aretha's help and testify against her in court he would easily win this lawsuit.‘Where is she?’ Liam wondered. He hadn't seen Aretha ever since he arrived and she had told him she would meet him there, yet she was nowhere to be seen. “Easy, Dad,” Ethan murmured, steadying Mr. Carrington with a supportive grip.Liam observed them quietly, relieved that Mr. Carrington was finally out of the hospital. This was a step forward. But he still had to help them d
Aretha took a deep breath, her eyes meeting Liam's with a determined gaze. “I’ll help you,” she said, though a slight hesitation lingered in her tone. She wasn’t entirely comfortable with her decision. It wasn’t that she didn’t want to support Liam; it was just that the idea of going against Selena, her old college friend, left her feeling like a bad person. Aretha had known about Selena’s manipulative ways, but they had never directly affected her, so she had stayed on the sidelines.Though they’d drifted apart after college and rarely spoke now, the thought of siding against Selena brought some guilt. Still, seeing Liam’s hopeful expression, she reminded herself why she’d agreed.Liam’s face lit up, a genuine smile spreading across his features. Relief and gratitude was visible in his eyes, and he gave her a slight nod, clearly grateful for her support.“Thank you, Aretha. This means a lot,” Liam replied, his voice laced with sincerity. A subtle, satisfied smile played at his lips a
Fast forward almost an hour later, Liam, his dad and Aretha and Rachel rushed inside an opulent building. Harrington Enterprises, the heart of the Harrington's family’s vast empire, was a modern fortress of glass and steel. Inside, the polished floors shined under the fluorescent lights as Liam and the others walked down. When they entered the receptionist area, they were all surprised to see that it was filled with people dressed in black suits. “What’s going on here?” Rachel murmured, her brows furrowed in confusion as she scanned the room. The men in black suits stationed throughout the reception area stood out immediately. They weren’t part of the company’s regular security team, that much was obvious from their attire and demeanor. “They look like mafia,” she muttered to Liam, uneasily. “The same kind of people that tycoon Blackthorn has been sending to harass my family.” Liam nodded, recalling the first time he had met Rachel and her father. The memory solidified his suspic
“Wait, can they even do that?” Rachel muttered, her voice unsure as she glanced at Alvin. “Just ask for the hearing to be moved to another day because they’re not prepared? That’s not legal, right?”Alvin frowned. “Sadly, they can, if the judge agrees.” Liam’s gaze hardened, his usual calm replaced by a hint of irritation. Even he could sense that Selena and her lawyer were playing dirty. Postponing the hearing at the last minute felt like a deliberate tactic to stall and regroup. It wasn’t just unprofessional, it was desperate.Liam worried what tactics Selena and her lawyer might use to try and secure victory, after all Selena was not honest at all, and she would do anything to win at this stage. Liam looked at the judge, waiting for his answer.After what felt like an eternity, he finally spoke, his voice authoritative. “The defense’s request for additional time is unusual at this stage,” he began his words seriously. “However, given the seriousness of the accusations and the impl
“I don't like this, why are you letting her beat you like that?” Selena asked, frustrated. This wasn't how she had pictured this going, she had pictured Liam and his lawyer being the ones losing. Liam sat back, his posture relaxed, seemingly unaffected by the serious charges against him. He didn’t feel the need to worry. Why should he? Sonia was clearly dominating the courtroom, and it wasn’t even close. Gibson had been backed into a corner so much that he was stumbling over his words, his arguments weak compared to Sonia’s sharp, calculated questioning. Sonia gave off a calm confidence, effortlessly outclassing the defense at every turn. Unlike lawyer Gibson who might’ve shown signs of panic, Sonia was composed, professional in every move she made. The contrast between the two attorneys was glaring, and Liam felt secure in the knowledge that, no matter how hard Gibson tried, he was always one step behind. "Your Honor, I’d like to call our next witness," Sonia said, her voice
Though anger burned inside of him, Liam kept a calm demeanor. Ever the manipulator, Selena continued to play the victim, throwing taunts his way with no hint of remorse. Her shamelessness got on his nerves all the time, but he refused to give her the satisfaction of an outburst. The press was watching, waiting for him to snap, but Liam stayed composed, knowing he couldn't let her win. Sometime later after Liam and Sonia had taken their seats, the judge entered the courtroom The atmosphere in the courtroom was filled with tension as the judge banged his gavel, bringing the room to order. The sound of the gavel echoed, silencing the murmurs and shifting the focus entirely to the front. The judge, man in his fifties with dark and grey hair and a composed demeanor, surveyed the room with an air of authority. His sharp eyes scanned the packed courtroom, briefly pausing on the defense and prosecution tables before he addressed everyone. “This court is now in session. Let us proce
Liam’s expression darkened at the mention of Selena’s ongoing scheming. It was all she ever did, constantly weaving webs of lies. This whole case was nothing more than a tactic to ruin him, and it irked him to no end. It only made him what to see her lose even more.If only he could fast-forward to the moment he’d win this case, put an end to her false accusations, and make sure she faced the consequences of her actions. The idea of seeing her locked up for what she’d done; falsely accusing him and tarnishing his name was the one thing that kept him going through the grueling ordeal. He sighed, running a hand through his hair, trying to suppress the rising anger. “Of course they are. I’ll be there soon.”Arriving at the courthouse half an hour later, Liam was greeted by a swarm of media and paparazzi. They immediately rushed toward the convoy of cars, bombarding them with questions. However, security was quick to step in, preventing anyone from getting close to either Liam or Mr. Dan
Liam stared at Elena, his expression unreadable, before nodding once. “If that’s what you want, I'll leave.”He wasn’t surprised that she would have this cold attitude towards him, after all, they weren’t allies but enemies bound only by circumstance. Still, what got in his nerves wasn't her mistrust, it how she showed ungratefulness even after he had spent the whole night at the hospital watching over her.Another annoying thing was the influence Nia seemed to have over her.The thought that ate at him was; was Nia aware of Nathan’s plans? Or worse, was she actively involved? If she was also involved, then Elena was in even more danger.Without another word, Liam turned and walked to the door. He paused briefly, his hand resting on the doorknob. Without turning around, he addressed Nia, his tone calm but laced with a clear warning.“I’m watching you,” he said, his voice low and deliberate. “I know what you and Nathan are up to, so you better think twice before doing anything to put m
The next day.“Mr. Danvers, you're pushing yourself too hard," a gentle voice interrupted his thoughts. Liam blinked, turning to see a nurse regarding him with concern. "You need rest too, you know. Ms. Bennett is in good hands," she added kindly, her tone soft yet firm.Liam’s gaze shifted briefly to the nurse before returning to Elena's sleeping face. Her fragile state was a reminder of how dangerous the situation was. “I’m alright, thank you,” he replied, his voice calm but carrying a hint of finality. He offered a faint, polite smile, enough to ease the nurse’s concern without inviting further conversation.Liam leaned back slightly in his chair, his hands gripping the armrests. He also wanted to go home and get some rest. However he couldn't bring himself to leave Elena’s side. What if something goes wrong while he is away? He had to make sure she was alright, and Nathan didn't try anything.Nathan wasn’t done, not by a long shot. Even with the security stationed outside the hos
Liam watched Nathan, his jaw tightening as he watched his act unfold. The ease with which Nathan faked concern infuriated him. It wasn’t just the deception, it was the calculated way Nathan played on Elena’s trust. Liam’s instinct was to confront him and expose him immediately, to reveal the truth, but he knew better. Accusing her brother without evidence would only backfire; Elena would never believe him. They were enemies, so she would only see it as him trying to drive a wedge between her and her brother out of spite. No matter how genuine Liam’s intentions were, Elena’s trust in Nathan and her disdain for the Danvers family, would cloud her judgment. If Liam confronted her now, it would only deepen her mistrust and strengthen Nathan’s position. He needed proof; something undeniable that would shatter the illusion Nathan so carefully maintained. Until then, Liam could do nothing but wait and watch, even as the charade continued before his eyes. Good to see you're awake, Ms. Benn
Liam's head snapped toward Elena, as she stirred on the hospital bed, her eyelids fluttering as if she were struggling to open them fully. The faint rise and fall of her chest confirmed she was alive, but she looked weak and disoriented.“Elena?” Liam’s voice softened as he released Nathan abruptly, letting him drop to the floor. Nathan gasped for air, clutching his throat while glaring at Liam.Liam ignored him entirely, rushing to Elena’s bed side. He placed a hand on the bed's railing, leaning closer to get a better look at her face. “Elena, can you hear me?”Elena blinked slowly, her lips parting as she tried to speak, but her voice came out as a strained whisper. “L-Liam?”She sounded surprised, not only by Liam's presence, but because she found herself laying on a hospital bed. "What, happened?"“Yes, it’s me,” Liam said, his tone laced with relief. His gaze flicked briefly toward Nathan, who was still recovering on the floor but making no move toward Elena now. Returning his at