Ethan stepped out of the office building, with phone in hand, still reviewing messages about the latest media frenzy. He didn’t notice the figure leaning against the dark corner of the alley, quiet, and waiting.“You’ve been busy,” the voice said softly, cutting through his thoughts.Ethan glanced up, frowning. “Liam Clarke,” he said, surprised but trying to sound casual. “What are you doing here?”Liam pushed off from the wall, walking forward. His pace was calm, and an intimidating aura that Ethan immediately registered. No one had ever looked at him like this before.“I’m here because you need to stop,” Liam said, voice low but firm. “Stop interfering with Emma. Stop trying to take credit for what you had nothing to do with.”Ethan laughed, like he couldn’t believe the joke. “And who gave you the right to say that? You think you can just—” He stopped mid-sentence, noticing how still Liam was. The humor drained from his face.“I don’t need the right,” Liam interrupted. “I just need

The rest of the evening stayed quiet. No one mentioned Ethan again, and Emma didn’t bring it up either. Dinner was simple, conversation even simpler, and everyone was tired enough that they drifted off to their rooms early.Emma washed her hands in the bathroom, wiped the counter lightly, then stepped into the bedroom. Liam was folding a few clothes on the bed, calm, as always. She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t either. It wasn’t uncomfortable, just… still.After a while, Liam said, “I’m going to take out the trash,” like it was the most normal thing in the world.Emma nodded. “Okay.”He picked up the bag and left the room.She sat on the bed with her phone, scrolling through messages she didn’t want to answer yet. Her mind was everywhere, Ethan’s sudden involvement in everything, the way those men acted when they confessed, her talk with Liam… Everything felt stuck, but she didn’t want to press it anymore tonight.She stood and walked toward the window, pulling the curtain back j

Emma sat on the bed with her laptop open, pretending to check emails, though she hadn’t clicked anything in the last five minutes. Her mind was too full, looping through the strange events of the day. The motorcycle. Liam acting strange. The feeling that something else was going on beneath the surface.But what bothered her most wasn’t the fear, the silence. Liam had always been quiet, but tonight he felt far away in a way he hadn’t been before.He stood near the window, with his arms folded loosely, looking outside even though the curtains were drawn. The room was dim except for the lamp by the bed. There was nothing tense about his posture, nothing alarming but they felt… unsettled.“What are you thinking about?” Emma finally asked.She didn’t sound accusing, just tired.Liam blinked and turned slightly, as though he was surprised she noticed him drifting off. “Nothing important.”“That’s not true,” she said softly. “You’ve been off since earlier.”He walked toward the dresser and a

Liam sat in the bedroom with the phone in hand, still digesting the events of the last call. Ethan’s voice had sounded tense, nervous, and almost fearful, but Liam knew he hadn’t orchestrated anything, not a single thing, and yet, the attack on Ethan had happened.His brow furrowed as he tried to piece together the scenario. Who would attack Ethan? Why now? And why involve Emma, even indirectly? The questions circled in his mind, refusing to calm down. Each possibility opened a dozen more, but none of them matched the facts. He didn’t act recklessly; he didn’t make threats; and he didn’t manipulate people into harming others.He placed the phone down gently and leaned back, his hands clasped over his knees. He considered everyone who might have had motive, business rivals, enemies from the past, anyone who might benefit from chaos in Emma’s life. Nothing added up perfectly. He hadn’t missed anything, and yet, something was off.The sound of the door opening pulled him from his thought

Patrick sat slouched on the edge of the sofa, a half-empty bottle of whiskey clutched loosely in one hand. He poured another glass, and downed it in one quick gulp. The sting burned through his throat and offered only a temporary escape from the depressing feeling that had been building all day.His eyes wandered across the room, landing on the scattered paperwork from Titan Global’s latest project. He shoved it aside angrily. Nothing mattered anymore because he had been fired and it hadn’t just been any firing, it had been humiliating. A quiet, efficient dismissal, the kind that left no room for negotiation, no room for favors, and no room for appeals.The doorbell rang. Patrick frowned and muttered under his breath, taking another drink before dragging himself to the door.“Tara,” he said flatly as he opened it. His hair was disheveled, and his shirt was wrinkled. He hadn’t bothered to clean up. His eyes were slightly bloodshot, and there was a tense line in his jawTara stepped ins