chapter 55

Finally, we were on our way back to the Carter mansion, back to reality, back to where my duty as a maid continued like nothing had changed. But something had. Deep down, I couldn’t ignore the warmth blooming in my chest.

I was thankful. Thankful for Liam.

Yes, Zane had his moments, his own ways of making me feel seen… but Liam? His way of spoiling me wasn’t just extravagant, it was otherworldly. Like he was determined to rewrite what I thought I deserved.

Thirty minutes later, the jet stood waiting, sleek and gleaming under the runway lights. Liam’s hand never left the small of my back as we climbed the steps, his touch steady, claiming. The moment we stepped inside, the world seemed to shift, plush leather seats, soft golden lighting, a bottle of champagne chilling on ice as though it had been waiting just for us.

He gestured for me to sit, his lips curving in that dangerous half-smile that always seemed to unravel me. “Home can wait,” he murmured. “For now, you’re still mine.”

And