oors opening inter

e looked up. He walk

t. His gaze moved slowly across the room, taking everything in. The

hroat. "Liam, this

ntration. Not rudely. Just... carefully. Then he said so

across the table, Ethan chuck

then dinner continued, but t

was carefully choos

his glass down, his gaze settling on me,

bout four years," I replied

efore

re that... I was just try

as if filing that

tly small roles. Campaign cr

you intend for it to be?" There was no mockery in his to

he repli

htly, like he didn't quite know what to

been involved recently." I let out a small breath. "Involved

d. I looked up at him then. Most people dismissed it. Most

he'd be. He was rather observant. And f

table." There was something pointed in that word. Liam didn't respond to it. In

ally want th

e a dropped glass. My f

d. Her fork paused halfway to her plate. "I

ised but watchful. Liam didn't look at

itated. There were a hundred answers I c

t be the w

rply. "Melissa-" But

If anything, it softened just s

pressure. Just acceptance. An

his chair, watching the exchange like

htly, a faint smile playin

ok. Ethan only lifted

nner, chairs scraped softly against the floor as everyone stood. Voices

invade my space. But close enough to make it clear he was speaking

nd me, I could feel my parents stiffen. My mother's voice came

said, before sh

actually protest. Which only ma

giving me space to

st the table, I ca

omething almost amused. Like he was

couldn't quite e

ide under soft lights. For a while, we walked without speaking.

most of the work." For the first time that eve

w more steps.

ething before agreei

h tighten

answer i

ng whether I deserved the truth. But before he coul

th tu

His expression was serious. Far too serious

e need t

ned sligh

ed. "It ca

a second. "We'll continue this conversation later." And just like that, the moment slipped away

dn't shake the feeling that whatever Ethan had

mosphere felt as if nothing had happe

d too quickly.

ked, my voice quie

ng into it. "Your engagement

peated. "What do

idn't waver. "We ca

se crept in

tion," she added pointedly. "I would

n't-" I

ather cut in smo

e made it clear this

is public, Kingsley Holdings will proceed with the merger im

always us

ns. By the time we got home, the exhaustion hit all at once. I didn't even both

m everything and apologizing. But the words felt impo

from Daniel. Just a link, no tex

I tapped it open. The page loaded slowl

es Engagement of Liam King

n

na

by

bl

man

na

me. His hand resting lightly at my back. My expression was carefu

in. This time, a text fro

his t

time since all of this began, I realized I hadn't just