Chapter 2

By the time the party wrapped up, it was already past midnight.

I'd drunk a little too much, so I leaned in the elevator, staring blankly.

The elevator doors slid open, and Liam stood there in casual clothes, his hair a mess, as he'd rushed over.

When he saw me, his frown deepened. "Why was your phone off?"

I fished out my phone. The screen was black. "It's dead," I said.

Liam didn't say anything. He just took off his jacket and draped it over my shoulders.

The jacket carried his warmth and a faint hint of shower gel.

The comments were flying by.

[He's so flustered.]

[Did Mr. Myers just rush over straight from his bed?]

[Wait, what's that on his neck? Is that a hickey?]

I squinted. There was indeed a faint red mark on Liam's collarbone. It looked like a scratch.

The little buzz I had from drinking curdled into jealousy.

Leah's words echoed in my mind.

Liam followed my gaze, then awkwardly tugged at his collar. "I got scratched by a cat."

"When did you get a cat?" I couldn't hide the chill in my voice.

"Tonight," Liam replied, looking away. "Just found a stray and brought it home."

The comments were going wild.

[Seriously? A stray cat? Oh, come on, Mr. Myers, find another excuse.]

[There's no way Olivia would believe that.]

[It must be Leah.]

The elevator reached the underground garage. Liam headed off to fetch the car, and I leaned against the wall, waiting for him.

My phone buzzed with a voice message from Lucia. "Olivia. I just heard that Leah went to Liam's office tonight. The receptionist saw her get in the elevator."

The message rang out in the quiet garage, loud and clear.

Just then, Liam pulled up directly in front of me.

The window rolled down, and he looked seriously pissed.

I switched off my phone and slid into the car.

We didn't say a word the whole ride. Once home, Liam went straight to his study.

I sank into the couch and stared up at the ceiling.

The comments kept rolling in.

[Olivia, just ask him. Find out what Leah was doing there.]

[Why? She's just the contract girlfriend. She has no right to be jealous.]

[She's absolutely jealous.]

[Liam can't focus on files at all. Looks like he's troubled, too.]

I closed my eyes.

It had been three years of this. I almost thought I was really in love, but it had all been an act.

The next morning, Liam skipped work for once.

I came out with swollen eyes and saw him cooking eggs in the kitchen.

"It's the weekend," he said, holding up a plate of burnt eggs with a serious face. "I took the day off."

"Okay," I muttered, heading over to grab some milk from the fridge.

Liam came over and stood in front of the fridge. "Leah really did come looking for me last night."

My fingers tensed.

"She came by with a project proposal, hoping to collaborate," Liam blurted out, sounding like he was just rattling it off. "I turned her down. She scratched my neck when she lunged at me. I had security kick her out right after."

I looked up at him.

Liam's ears flushed again, but his gaze was serious. "Olivia, while we're under this contract, I won't cross lines."

"Okay," I said, sidestepping him to grab the milk. For some reason, that little sting in my chest actually eased up a bit.

The comments were blowing up.

[Is Mr. Myers really explaining himself right now?]

[He's freaking out. He's scared that Olivia is gonna get the wrong idea.]

[Olivia, say something. He probably didn't sleep all night just to figure out how to explain this.]

I got some milk and offered him a mug. "Want some?"

Liam looked a little surprised, then took it from me. "Thanks."

His hand burned when it brushed mine.

I blurted out, "Liam, there's only three months left on this contract."

He paused.

"When it's over, we'll go our separate ways," I said with a smile, even though my nose felt a little sore. "Whatever happens between you and Leah after that, you won't have to explain it to me."

Liam stared at me and pursed his lips.

He was silent for a long moment before finally murmuring, "I know."

Then he turned and headed back to his study, shutting the door with a bit more force than necessary.

The comments went wild again.

[Liam, you idiot.]

[Olivia is testing you. Would it kill you to just say you don't want this to end?]

[I'm done with this. Can they just have a proper talk and tell each other how they feel?]

I leaned against the counter, sipping my milk slowly.

Honestly, I knew why Liam chose me. It wasn't just because I was "quiet".

Back in our junior year in college, when he was hospitalized for a stomach bleed, and his family wasn't around, I skipped classes every day to be at the hospital, making sure he had lunch and took his medicine.

He was burning up with fever back then. He grabbed my hand and mumbled, "Don't go."

That was the only time Liam ever let his guard down.

Later, he recovered and returned to his usual icy demeanor.

I acted like it never happened until he showed up with the contract.

I figured he probably saw me as caring and patient, suitable to play the role of a considerate girlfriend.

Nothing more than that.

Not long after, Leah had officially become one of the partners of the Myers Group.

The news came out when Joe, Liam's assistant, "accidentally" spilled the beans.

He stopped by to drop off some documents, saw me watering the balcony plants, and blurted out, "Mr. Myers hasn't been in the best mood lately. Ms. Harding is—"

He cut himself off just in time, but I understood exactly what he meant.

The comments were buzzing with excitement.

[Breaking news.]

[Leah's got the upper hand now.]

[Olivia, are you panicking yet? I'm losing it.]

I set the watering can down. "So, what did Liam say about it?"

Joe fidgeted, then mumbled, "Mr. Myers said it's all business."

I got it. He couldn't just say no.

I nodded and kept watering the plants.

Honestly, I should have seen this coming.

Leah came from a rich family, had impressive credentials, and had accumulated considerable resources abroad.

The Myers Group was pushing into the overseas market, and she was basically the perfect link for the job.

However, I knew the real reason for this connection wasn't just business.

Three days later, it was the Myers Group's anniversary party.

Liam gave me a heads-up a week early to get a dress ready, and even slipped me a card. "Pick out whatever you want."

I took the card and, for the first time, skipped my usual boutique. Instead, I checked out the independent designer studio Lucia had recommended.

"You need something that'll steal the spotlight," Lucia said on the phone. "And you have to outshine Leah."

The designer was a young man, and when he heard what I was after, his eyes lit up. "Girl, you've got these amazing curves. You deserve something daring."

In the end, I went for a red velvet dress with a dramatic open back and a waistline so tight that it felt custom-made for me.

Standing in front of the mirror, I almost didn't recognize the woman staring back.

The comments were going wild.

[She's a total knockout.]

[Liam is gonna get a nosebleed tonight.]

[Olivia finally gets it. Go get him.]