Chapter 2: Love is for the weak

The CEO’s office at Parker Enterprises gleamed with sophistication: glass walls, sleek furniture, and wide floor-to-ceiling windows that offered a panoramic view of the city. Liam Parker, the CEO of Parker Enterprises, sat at his table, his torso leaning casually into the leather swivel chair. The natural light streaming in from the window illuminated his office, adding a bit of life to the otherwise cold office. 

Today, Liam wore a rare captivating smile, paired with a dark, buttoned-up shirt, the sleeves casually rolled to the elbow. Despite his carefree appearance, he excluded poise and precision. He leaned forward to pick up a photo frame at the far end of his table, causing his black, slightly curly hair to frame his forehead, right above his bushy eyebrows. His tanned skin and polished demeanor added to his charm. 

He traced his fingertips along the beautiful image of his wife in the picture as his smile widened, exposing a neat row of pearly white teeth. He admired his wife’s innocent appearance that radiated both confidence and naivety. Her lovely smile sent flutters in his stomach, and her sparkling eyes made his heart skip a beat despite her not being physically in the room. Her image alone was enough to turn him on. 

The door to his office swung open, and an elderly woman with grey hair tied into an elegant chignon walked in. The crisp sound of her cane tapping the floor pierced through the quiet room. Liam shoved the photo into his drawer and straightened up, wiping the smile off his face. His body tensed up at the sight of his grandmother, and his mind raced, trying to think of a reason why she would show up unannounced. Nothing good ever came out of a meeting with her.

“How is the progress with the Brown family business? And you better not give me excuses!” his grandmother asked, her voice sounding more like an order than concern. 

His heart sank. That was the first thing that came out of his grandmother’s mouth. No greetings, even though they hadn’t seen each other in two months. Of course, why would she? How naïve of him to believe his grandmother would care about his well-being. “I’m working on it.”

“Liam, I want results!” his grandmother stomped her cane on the floor, causing Liam to flinch. “I cannot tolerate such incompetence in the Parker family. Your time of fun with your little toy of a wife is over. I want you to get rid of her and marry Melisa Brown. Take over their business. That is the end goal. I know that Melisa girl is lacking in the brain department, but that makes it even easier to snatch that business away.”

“Grandma, I can acquire that business the legal way. No need to use such underhanded means.”

 “How bold of you to talk back to me!” His grandmother shouted back, clearly offended by his reply. “Are you teaching me how to do things now?” She raised her cane and tapped it aggressively on the table while talking, “Listen to me, boy, you will do as I say because that business would have been ours three years ago had you not decided to marry that homeless piece of trash!”

“Grandma, please respect my wife,” Liam defended.

“Respect?” his grandmother laughed as her face contorted into a condescending smirk. “Why would a homeless trash deserve my respect? Would she even be here if it weren’t for you?”

“Grandma, that homeless trash, as you call it, saved my mother. She was the only match available at that time, and my mother’s health was deteriorating fast. My mother wouldn’t have made it had I waited any longer.”

“Don’t get me started on that weakling.” His grandmother groaned in annoyance, smacking her forehead with her palm. “What was so hard about turning off that life support machine? Why keep someone who is not useful to you anymore?”

“What?” Liam’s face paled at his grandmother’s heartless words. 

“Am I lying? Your mother is not much different from a cripple. It is a pity that that idiot son of mine died in that accident while trying to save her. It was all because of love. I warned him, but he wouldn’t listen. He wouldn’t have died if he didn’t love her.” His grandmother replied with undisguised repulsion in her voice. 

“What do you mean?” Liam asked, shocked.

“Love is for the weaklings. Strong people do not let their emotions control them. Love is a tool for control.”

“Grandma, is that what you believe?”

“Yes. And I do not want you to fall into the same emotional trap. That is why that homeless trash must go.”

“But grandma, I accepted her condition back then. I can’t go back on my word now that everything is fine.”

“I didn’t agree to it. You insisted. I would have gotten her liver off the black market if I wanted. And then you could have proceeded with our marriage alliance with the Browns. But you had to ruin my great plan just for the sake of a useless daughter-in-law of mine.” She said indifferently, as if she were discussing the weather and not people’s lives.

“That is my mother you are calling useless. Then again, why am I even surprised? You did not care about your own son enough to attend his funeral.”

“Who asked him to die while I was on vacation?” she said, walking towards the French window to admire the city’s skyline. “He was just as useless as his father.” 

Liam’s jaw dropped at her response. Seriously? What kind of a mother says that about his own child? “I am ashamed that you are my grandmother.” Liam, for the first time in his life, dared to voice his opinion about his grandmother. And he immediately regretted it.

“Excuse me?” his grandmother shouted, whipping her head towards him. “Do you think you are too grown up for me to beat you up? I am doing all these for your own good, and you dare disown me?” She poked his head with her cane as if that would diffuse her rage. “Did that trash make you against me?” She shook her head in denial, her eyes reflecting the crazy obsession of a psychopath. “Because my sweet grandchild would never go against me. And you have been defending her too much to my liking. Wait…are you in love with her?”

“No!” Anna would never live to see the next day if he dared to admit his love now. His love had to be kept a secret at all costs. He was determined to protect her at all costs.

“Good.” She nodded, walking around the table to stand beside Liam. She leaned close to his ear and whispered, “Because you know what happens to things we love.” She straightened up and made a slicing motion on her throat, making Liam’s blood go cold as a memory flashed in his mind. She had brutally murdered his dog in front of him back in seventh grade because he liked it. “Prove it to me.” Her voice brought him back to the present as he struggled to hide the hatred in his eyes. “Because it would be easier for you to remarry if you were a widower. Think about it.” She patted his shoulder before walking out of the room. 

Ethan almost collided with her as he walked into the office, carrying a folder in his hands. He held on to the door frame as he watched her departing back before turning around to look at Liam. Liam slouched in his chair with his elbows pressed on the table and his head in his hands, looking deep in thought. The suffocating atmosphere in the room sent shivers down Ethan’s back, and he made his way to the window and pushed the sliders open, letting in a breeze of fresh air. “What the hell was that about, sir?” Ethan asked, pointing in the direction his grandmother had disappeared.

Liam dragged his palms down his face as he raised his head to talk to Ethan. “There is a change in plan.”

“Sir, I’m afraid you are about to have more plan changes,” Ethan said, placing the file on his table.

“Divorce? You’ve got to be kidding me!” Liam threw his head back on the headrest, pinching the tension between his brows. “Can this day get any worse?”

“I’m afraid, yes, sir,” Ethan responded, gaining Liam’s attention. “The reporters are speculating about your relationship with Ms. Brown. I’m afraid your wife believes it.”

Liam sprung up to a sitting position, leaned his elbows on the table, and clasped his hands.  “You know what the worst part is? I have to play along,” Liam said, frustration palpable in his voice. “And not only that, I have to make it believable; otherwise, my grandmother will turn me into a widower. If I know my grandmother, and I know her like the back of my hand, she will do exactly as she says.” Liam hardened his gaze and clenched his fists. “But there is no way I am letting go of my wife. I want her alive. With me. She is mine and mine alone!”

“Good luck convincing her to stay,” Ethan said, feeling sorry for his boss and friend. “Something was off with her today.”

“Perfect! As if I don’t have enough problems in my life already.” Liam shoved his hands in the air. “I need a drink before something else goes horribly wrong in my life.” He got up and grabbed his car keys off the table. “I’m leaving this place before you tell me my wife ran away or something.” 

Ethan’s phone pinged, and his jaw slacked as he read the message. He tore his gaze off the screen and looked at Liam hesitantly. “Sir, you just jinxed it.”

“What else went wrong?”