chapter 8

A month and half after the divorce, Liam found himself driving toward the Smith mansion later than usual.

The city lights blurred past his window while his assistant sat in the front passenger seat, reviewing the next day's schedule.

"There's the Harper meeting at nine, the board meeting at eleven, and the charity gala tomorrow evening."

Liam nodded absentmindedly.

His attention was elsewhere.

Lately, it always seemed to be elsewhere.

The assistant glanced at him through the rearview mirror.

"Should I confirm Miss Bennett as your companion for the gala?"

Liam frowned.

"My companion?"

"The media already expects her to attend with you."

Liam looked out the window.

There it was again.

That assumption.

For years people had linked him and Sophie together. At first, he hadn't cared enough to correct them. Eventually, the rumors became so common that everyone simply accepted them as fact.

Including Judith.

The thought surfaced unexpectedly.

Liam's jaw tightened.

"She isn't my companion."

The assistant blinked.

"I'll make a note of that."

The following evening, the gala was exactly what Liam expected.

Expensive suits and fake smiles.

Conversations disguised as business negotiations.

The moment he stepped inside, cameras began flashing.

Several reporters shouted questions.

Most were ignored.

One wasn't.

"Mr. Smith! Is it true you'll be announcing your relationship with Miss Bennett tonight?"

Liam didn't even break stride.

"No."

The answer was short and just simple.

But by the time it reached the internet, hundreds of people had already started speculating.

Unfortunately, Sophie heard it too.

Across the ballroom, Sophie Bennett's smile froze for half a second.

Only half a second and she hid it too well that nobody else noticed.

Sophie had spent years perfecting her public image.

Beautiful, elegant and graceful.

Nothing rattled her.

At least not visibly.

She waited until the reporters moved away before approaching Liam.

"You're causing trouble for me."

Liam glanced at her.

"How?"

"The entire country thinks we're together."

"And whose fault is that?"

The question caught her off guard.

Liam took a sip of champagne.

His expression remained calm.

"I've never told anyone we're dating."

Sophie recovered quickly.

"You've never denied it either."

For the first time, Liam actually looked at her.

There was no anger in his eyes.

No affection either.

Just honesty.

"I never thought it mattered."

Something uncomfortable settled in Sophie's chest.

Because for years she had convinced herself Liam's indifference was merely caution.

That eventually he would notice her, choose her and even do the imaginable which is to love her.

Now she wasn't so sure.

Meanwhile, several miles away, Judith sat curled up on a sofa in the Lux estate's family room.

A blanket covered her legs.

A bowl of fruit rested beside her.

Ava sat nearby scrolling through social media.

Suddenly she groaned.

"Oh, for heaven's sake."

Judith looked up from her book.

"What happened?"

Ava turned her phone around.

Ut was another article, another photo of Liam and Sophie.

Judith stared at the screen for a few seconds.

Then looked away.

Her reaction was so calm that Ava became suspicious.

"That's it?"

"What?"

"You're not upset."

Judith smiled faintly.

"Ava, I'm divorced."

"That doesn't answer the question."

Maybe it didn't.

The truth was more complicated.

Seeing Liam with Sophie still hurt.

Just not the way it used to.

The wound wasn't fresh anymore.

It was healing and even though it was slow and painful

It was healing and that's what mattered

Ava studied her face.

Then nodded.

"Good."

Judith laughed.

"Good?"

"Yes."

Ava pointed dramatically.

"Because one day Liam Smith is going to realize exactly what he lost."

Judith shook her head.

"You really dislike him."

"I really dislike men who make bad decisions."

───

The next morning, Liam arrived at Smith Group headquarters.

The moment he stepped out of the elevator, he sensed something was wrong.

Employees were whispering.

Several people abruptly stopped talking when they saw him.

His assistant approached.

"Sir."

"What happened?"

The assistant hesitated.

Then handed over a tablet.

Liam glanced at the screen.

A business article.

The headline made him pause.

LUX GROUP HEIRESS RETURNS TO ACTIVE MANAGEMENT

Below it was a photo of Judith.

She stood beside Julian during a press conference held the previous day.

She looked confident and elegant.

Smiling.

The article detailed her return to Lux Group and her increasing involvement in major company decisions.

Liam read the entire thing.

Then read it again.

For some reason, seeing Judith there felt strange.

Not because she looked different.

Because she looked exactly the same.

Yet somehow completely out of reach.

His assistant cleared his throat.

"The market response has been positive."

Liam handed back the tablet.

"Good."

He walked toward his office.

But the image remained in his mind.

Judith smiling beside her family.

Judith building a life that no longer included him.

The realization was oddly uncomfortable.

That afternoon, Victoria Smith arrived unannounced.

Which was never a good sign.

Liam barely looked up from his laptop.

"Mother."

Victoria sat down.

"I saw Judith yesterday."

That got his attention.

Liam looked up immediately.

Victoria noticed.

Interesting.

"She looks happier."

Liam's expression remained neutral.

"I'm glad."

Victoria narrowed her eyes.

"You don't sound glad."

"I said I was."

"You sound annoyed."

Liam sighed.

"I'm working."

"And you're avoiding the topic."

Victoria stood.

For a moment she simply stared at her son.

Then she said quietly,

"One day you're going to realize that love isn't always dramatic."

Liam frowned.

"What does that mean?"

"It means some people become part of your life so gradually that you don't notice their importance until they're gone."

The room fell silent.

Neither spoke.

Victoria eventually headed for the door.

Before leaving, she glanced back.

"Just remember, Liam. By the time some men realize what they want, another man has already offered it."

Then she left.

Liam sat alone in his office long after she was gone.

For some reason, he couldn't stop thinking about Judith smiling in that photograph.

Or why the sight of it bothered him so much.