LOGINLiam’s POVThe ballroom was a sea of glitter and noise, chandeliers casting light across suits and gowns, the clink of champagne glasses sharp in my ears. The Grey Group gala was in full swing, celebrating the expansion we’d pushed forward in Greece those cliffside hotels I’d walked through with Nita, her notes sharp and her smile brighter than the Mediterranean sun. Tonight, though, she was a shadow, slipping through the crowd with a tight smile that didn’t reach her eyes. I stood by Clarisse, my fiancée, her red dress bold against the room’s glow, her hand light on my arm as we greeted board members and investors. But my eyes kept finding Nita, her emerald dress catching the light like the sea we’d swum in, and something in my chest tightened every time she looked away.Clarisse’s laugh rang out, polished and perfect, as she charmed an investor with a story about Paris. I nodded along, my tie feeling too tight, my mind on Nita. She’d been off all night quiet, withdrawn, not the wo
Maybe this isn’t my world.Maybe I wasn’t meant to be with Liam.Maybe I was stretching a story that had long come to an end.These were the thoughts running through my mind before I heard the familiar voice beside me.“Elsie! You made it,” Tara said, her grin wide as she pulled me into a quick hug, her perfume sharp with notes of jasmine and citrus. “That dress is a knockout. You look like you walked out of an old Hollywood film, Grace Kelly vibes.”I managed a smile, though my stomach twisted like a knotted rope. “Thanks, Tara. You’re looking pretty stunning yourself navy’s your color.” Her dress was elegant, with a subtle sheen that caught the light as she moved, and her dark hair was swept into a sleek bun. “Survived the corporate circus so far?”“Barely,” she said, rolling her eyes with a playful smirk. “It’s all handshakes and fake laughs. I swear, half these people are just here for the open bar. But enough about that, let’s talk about something real.”“Hmmm,” I muttered playin
The Chicago skyline glittered through the townhouse window, its lights sharp against the quiet streets. I stood in Liam’s guest room, staring at the emerald-green dress hanging on the closet door, its silky fabric catching the lamplight. Tonight was the Grey Group’s gala, a glitzy affair to toast the expansion progress we’d toured in Greece. My stomach churned, not just from the memory of the break-in at my place or the threatening note *Last chance. Stay away from him* but because of her. Liam’s fiancée, Clairisse, would be there, clinging to his arm as his plus one, oblivious to the truth that I was his wife, or used to be, before his accident stole our past.I smoothed my hands over my jeans, trying to steady my breath. The last few weeks living with Liam had been a strange comfort, shared breakfasts of oatmeal and coffee, lunches of grilled cheese, evenings laughing over movies and popcorn. His easy smiles, his thoughtful gestures like bringing me tea, made it feel like home, lik
The office cafeteria was a bustling hive, the smell of grilled sandwiches and fresh coffee mingling with the hum of conversations and the clatter of trays. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows, casting golden patches on the tiled floor, but my mind was a whirlwind, far from the mundane chatter around me. I could see Tara scanning the cafeteria with her eyes from where I sat at a corner table waiting, my heart pounding as I poked at a salad, the lettuce wilted under the weight of my thoughts. The day had been a blur since resuming work as Liam’s PA, Maya’s snobbery a constant thorn, her eyes narrowing with jealousy at my closeness to him.I waved her over, my hands dangling above my head. Once we locked eyes, her smile brightened.It took her three minutes before she pulled me up into a tight hug, “My friend, can’t believe I missed you this much.”I chuckled, “Duhhh, who wouldn’t?”“I was beginning to think you were avoiding me,” she pouted.After bailing on Tara yesterday for L
I woke up with a high spirit today, it was finally Monday and the day I return to work.The Greece trip felt like a distant dream now, with shared kisses lingering. The cliffs and coves, Liam’s laugh under the sun, his hand brushing mine over wine, those moments had been a balm, but the burglary at my Logan Square house days after our return had shattered that peace. The scattered books, torn cushions, the note: *Last chance. Stay away from him* it had forced me into Liam’s home, a temporary haven amid the threats. My side still ached from the stress, but resuming work as his assistant was a step back to normalcy, even if the office buzzed with rumors about my “special” relationship with the boss.Liam came out from the kitchen, his gray T-shirt hugging his frame, his bright eyes soft with concern. “You sure you’re ready for the office?” he asked, handing me a mug of coffee, his fingers brushing mine, the touch intimate but brief, stirring emotions I pushed down.I nodded, sipping th
I woke up with a high spirit today, it was finally Monday and the day I return to work.The Greece trip felt like a distant dream now, with shared kisses lingering. The cliffs and coves, Liam’s laugh under the sun, his hand brushing mine over wine, those moments had been a balm, but the burglary at my Logan Square house days after our return had shattered that peace. The scattered books, torn cushions, the note: *Last chance. Stay away from him* it had forced me into Liam’s home, a temporary haven amid the threats. My side still ached from the stress, but resuming work as his assistant was a step back to normalcy, even if the office buzzed with rumors about my “special” relationship with the boss.Liam came out from the kitchen, his gray T-shirt hugging his frame, his bright eyes soft with concern. “You sure you’re ready for the office?” he asked, handing me a mug of coffee, his fingers brushing mine, the touch intimate but brief, stirring emotions I pushed down.I nodded, sipping th







