Chapter 3
Liam came to pick me up before the party. He was dressed in a tailored black suit, waiting by the car.
When he saw me, he was stunned, his eyes lingering on me for several seconds.
"What's wrong? Does it look terrible?" I asked, feeling a bit nervous.
"No," Liam said, looking away as he opened the car door for me. "You look great."
He kept his eyes glued to the window the whole time, but I noticed his ears flushed again.
The comments roasted him mercilessly.
[Stop acting cool, man.]
[Look at those fists. Mr. Myers, I bet you're dying inside trying to keep it together.]
[I bet all he's thinking right now is, 'Damn, my wife is gorgeous.']
The party was held at a fancy hotel owned by the Myers Group. Chandeliers sparkled overhead, and the air was thick with luxury and glamour.
As soon as Liam walked in, all eyes were on him. People kept coming over to greet him.
He kept me close by his side, occasionally leaning down to ask if I was tired or whether I needed a drink.
His acting was so convincing that I almost forgot it was all just for show.
That was when Leah showed up, gliding over in a white mermaid dress with flawless makeup. She walked straight up to us. "Hi."
Liam nodded coolly. "Good evening, Ms. Harding."
"Just call me Leah," she said softly, her gaze settling on me. "Ms. Lester, you look gorgeous tonight. This dress is really unique."
I smiled. "Thanks, Ms. Harding. You look great, too."
The tension was palpable. Liam must have picked up on it because he smoothly stepped in front of me, shielding me without making a scene. "Excuse us. I'm going to introduce Olivia to some of the family."
He steered me toward the lounge, his hold a bit too firm.
The comments wouldn't stop.
[He's totally in protective husband mode.]
[Liam almost asked her to leave his girl alone.]
[Leah looks so jealous, lol.]
We stepped out onto the deserted terrace, and only then did Liam finally let go of me.
The night wrapped around us as he frowned. "Did she give you a hard time?"
"No," I answered honestly. "We just talked."
Liam paused, then suddenly said, "Sorry."
I was taken aback.
"Having her join the project was the board's decision," Liam said quietly. "I promise, I won't interact with her at all outside of business."
I stared at him.
Liam was serious, moonlight glinting in his eyes.
"You don't need to promise me that," I said. "That's not in our contract anyway."
Liam pressed his lips, seeming like he wanted to say more, but the host's voice echoed from the ballroom. The anniversary celebration was starting.
"Let's go," he said, holding out his arm for me again.
I linked mine with his, feeling the taut muscles under his suit.
The highlight of the anniversary party was the charity auction. As the Myers Group's representative, Liam bid on and won a contemporary oil painting.
When Leah's turn came, she raised her paddle and won an antique necklace. Flashing a smile, she said, "I'd like to give this necklace to the most beautiful lady tonight, Ms. Olivia Lester."
All eyes in the room turned to me.
The spotlight hit my face, warm against my skin.
Leah approached, holding the necklace, her voice soft as she spoke. "Ms. Lester has been with Liam for three years, quietly supporting him. She deserves this."
She sounded sweet, but everyone knew what she really meant; she was calling me the girl in the background, not good enough for Liam, only good for fake compliments.
Before I could say a word, Liam suddenly stood up.
He took the necklace box from Leah, didn't even look at it, and handed it straight to a waiter. "Put it on my tab."
Then he turned to me and pulled a small velvet box from his pocket.
He opened it, revealing a diamond ring.
It wasn't part of the auction; he'd obviously brought it just for this moment.
The whole room went silent. The comments froze for a second, then exploded.
[Holy crap.]
[Is he proposing? Right here?]
[Liam, are you out of your mind? That's not even in the contract.]
Liam didn't get down on one knee. He just held out the ring box to me, his voice low but echoing through the mic for everyone to hear.
He said calmly, "Three years ago, I asked you to help me out. Now, I want to ask you for real. Olivia, will you stay by my side?"
Not "marry", but "stay".
The diamond ring sparkled so brightly under the lights that it almost hurt to look at it.
Leah's smile froze on her face.
The whole room was filled with whispers.
I stared at the ring, then looked up at Liam. His eyes reflected the dazzling lights of the ballroom, and a tiny version of me within them.
I said in a trembling voice, "Liam, are you drunk?"
"I'm completely sober," he said. "There are three months left on our contract. Three months from now, I hope you'll still want to take this ring."
He wasn't ordering me; he was asking.
The comments were going wild.
[What kind of proposal is this? Is this the new trend?]
[Mr. Myers is tying her up with both his wallet and his heart.]
[Olivia, just say yes. This guy is going all in for you.]
My fingers trembled as I brushed the edge of the ring box; it was icy beneath my touch.
"I—" I hesitated.
Suddenly, my phone buzzed, breaking the quiet.
It was my phone, flashing the words "hospital".
A wave of dread washed over me as I answered the call.
The nurse's voice came through, urgent and panicked. "Ms. Lester, your father just had a heart attack. He's in the emergency room right now. You need to get to the hospital, now."
I dropped the ring box to the floor.
Liam's face went pale. "What's wrong?"
"My dad—" I couldn't even finish the sentence. I spun around and bolted for the exit.
I twisted my ankle in my heels, and Liam caught me just in time. "I'll drive you there."
He swept me up into his arms and dashed out of the room as everyone stared.
The driver was already waiting at the entrance. Liam yanked open the car door and quickly helped me inside. "Gardis Hospital, now."
I couldn't stop trembling in the car.
Liam took my hand, felt how icy my fingertips were, and warmed them between his palms, gently rubbing. "Don't worry," he said softly. "Mr. Lester will be fine."
His hands were warm, but I still couldn't shake the chill.
Everything felt quiet, and there were only a few comments.
[Don't panic. Olivia's dad is gonna be okay.]
[Liam looks so nervous. His hands are shaking.]
[What a plot twist.]