Cecilia woke in a daze, finding herself lying in her own bedroom. She glanced around—the familiar furniture, the familiar scent, the familiar warmth.
Thank God, she was home. Not like before, when she'd wake up on some strange street after drinking too much.
She let out a soft sigh and turned over, her gaze landing on the face of the man sleeping beside her.
The bedside lamp cast a gentle glow over his sharp profile—long lashes, a straight nose, even the faint beads of sweat on his forehead seemed carefully placed.
But... sweat?
Her heart sank. She reached out and touched his forehead. The heat against her fingertips jolted her fully awake.
He was burning up.
"Oh my god..." she whispered, panic threading her voice. "What do I do?"
Was there any medicine in the apartment? What kind should she use? Should she call an ambulance?
Questions raced through her mind.
She bit her lip, pressing her coo
On the other side, the jewelry store fell into a stunned silence.The remaining people exchanged bewildered looks, as if the violent scene had been a cliché clip from some daytime drama.But the wreckage surrounding them was real.This wasn't TV. It had just happened.Cecilia's chest heaved, her fingers still trembling faintly. She stole a glance at Liam, who stood frozen in place, the veins on his clenched fists prominent, his eyes cold as shards of ice."Liam...we…" she began, but her words were cut off as his hand closed around her wrist.He pulled her, without a word of explanation, out of the shop and into the cool air.Beside his silver Ferrari, he silently opened the passenger door and practically bundled her inside.Cecilia could see he was in a foul mood, but her curiosity won out."You... know Todd?" she ventured.Liam, who had just settled into the driver's seat, went rigid. Time seemed to freeze.Finally, he let out a weary sigh and fumbled in his suit's inner pocket. His
Todd staggered to his feet, a twisted smile curling across his face, his eyes burning with manic excitement."Still as weak as ever!"The words barely left his mouth before he lunged forward like a predator, his fist cutting through the air straight for Liam's face.Liam's eyes narrowed. He sidestepped with precision, catching Todd's wrist and applying pressure with his knuckles."Final warning. BACK OFF.""Save your breath!" Todd barked a wild laugh, wrenching his arm free. "Come on, hit me!"He abruptly swept his leg in a powerful arc. Liam dodged backward, but the restrictive suit jacket cost him a fraction of a second. The hard leather shoe connected with his shin with a sickening thud."Hiss—" Liam grimaced in pain, his stance wavering for a moment before he steadied himself.The sight made Cecilia's heart clench.Almost without thinking, she hefted the solid oak chair she'd had her eye on and rushed forward—CRACK!The chair splintered against Todd's back.He slowly turned, an e
Half an hour later, SY Department Store.The mall was nearly empty on a Thursday morning.The moment Cecilia stepped out of the taxi, her gaze locked onto a silver Ferrari parked by the curb, its hazard lights flashing.Almost as soon as she started walking, the hazards clicked off. Liam pushed the car door open and strode towards her with quick, purposeful steps.He took her hand naturally. "Let's go.""Where to?" she asked, intrigued by the light in his eyes but thoroughly confused."Obviously," he paused and turned to meet her gaze head-on, "to pick out a ring for my bride."The sunlight fell on his profile, the genuine joy radiating from him so palpable it made Cecilia's heart skip a beat.Her cheeks warmed, and she shyly lowered her eyelids, allowing him to lead her into the mall. The warmth of his palm seeped into her skin, sending a wave of comforting, sweet heat through her.Inside the jewelry boutique, an attendant was rearranging a glass display when they entered. She quickl
Outside the door, Liam leaned casually against the hallway wall, watching Nick stumble out with a disheveled look.The corner of his mouth twitched upwards uncontrollably, a layer of unmistakable mockery floating in his eyes."I'll drive you back," he said, traces of lingering laughter in his voice.Nick's head snapped up. He shot Liam a dark, venomous glare, his jaw clenched tight. "Damn it... I actually think she made sense!"The words were practically squeezed out, heavy with resentment and self-mockery.He shoved Liam aside and stormed off towards the elevator without a backward glance.Something felt off, but he couldn't pinpoint it—both of them had this strange power, their words always made you feel you had to believe, had to obey.Liam glanced at the closed door, his eyes softening for a fleeting moment before he strode after Nick.His tone was light, yet utterly certain. "Then listen to her. She's always been smarter than me."Nick stopped dead in his tracks, whirling around
Inside the room, Nick was curled on the carpet, his face pale, cold sweat trickling down his temples.The throbbing pain in his lower abdomen made it almost impossible to straighten up."Cecilia...what...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" he forced the words out through gritted teeth, his voice distorted by pain, hands still clamped protectively over his injury.Cecilia sat poised on the edge of the bed, one leg elegantly crossed over the other.Her posture was calm, but her eyes, fixed on him, were icy cold."I'm delivering some well-deserved justice," her voice was steady, yet each word carried a sharp edge."Aren't there enough women around you already?" She paused, a complex, cold smile touching her lips, as if recalling some unpleasant memory."And it's not just women. Even ROBIN has feelings for you.""What THE HELL are you talking about?!"His head snapped up, the pain momentarily forgotten, his eyes wide with shock and disbelief.His vehement reaction, in Cecilia's eyes, seemed more like t
On the other side, Eleanor sat on the edge of the bed, wrapped in a robe, her fingers unconsciously twisting the sash at her waist.The moment the slightly ajar door was pushed open softly, her heart clenched violently, and her breath hitched.Only when she saw the familiar face at the doorway did her heart, which had leapt into her throat, slowly settle back into place.Cecilia had actually come.That text message had been a desperate plea for help, thrown out when she had nowhere else to turn. She hadn't dared to hope for a response.Cecilia walked in carrying a paper bag. She placed a set of clean clothes on the bedside, but her gaze was inevitably drawn to the disheveled bed—the crumpled sheets, the askew pillows, the lingering scent of intimacy in the air—all of it laid bare what had happened last night.No need to ask. Everything was clear."Thank you for coming,"Eleanor's voice was hoarse and dry, her eyes holding genuine gratitude, but beneath that, a deeper, inescapable sham