Isabelle unlocked the door to her home, her shoulders felt heavy with the weight of exhaustion, fear and unease. The strange gifts and notes she’d been receiving at the office had begun to gnaw at her mental health. Though she tried her best to keep up appearances and avoid all of Ethan's questions about the mysterious sender, she couldn't completely hide it, especially when she was at home, so she's been avoiding Liam too. “Isabelle!” Mary Jane greeted her with a bright smile as she stepped into the house. “You’re finally back! You won’t believe it—Mr Anderson is such a romantic man!”“Romantic?” Isabelle asked, her brow furrowing.“Yes, totally! He sent you flowers and chocolates. I just saw the delivery guy drop them off and I brought them inside.” Mary Jane gushed. “They’re in the living room. You’re so lucky to have someone like him. I didn't know Mr Anderson had this side to him.”Isabelle’s stomach dropped. She forced a smile and followed Mary Jane to the living room, where a
Liam sat in his office, his usually sharp and focused demeanor everytime he was at work was now clouded by deep thought. He could barely hear any sound because he was so engrossed in thinking as he tapped his fingers on the desk, staring blankly at a document he hadn’t touched in over an hour.Frank entered with a stack of papers. “Boss. I've got the the list ready” he spoke. Seeing that Liam was inattentive, his usual casual grin faltered when he saw finally Liam’s expression. “Boss, you look like you’ve got the weight of the world on your shoulders. Don’t tell me it’s the Elysium Heights project that's bothering you. I just reviewed and finalized the vendor list that the PR team submitted.”Liam glanced up, his jaw tightening. “It’s not the project. When have I ever been bothered about things like that.”Frank raised an eyebrow and set the papers down on his table. “Then what is it?”Liam leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. “I need you to do something for m
Liam and Frank drove toward the police station, the car’s atmosphere tense with unspoken thoughts. Frank glanced at Liam, who had been gripping the steering wheel tighter than usual.“You sure you don’t want me to handle this alone?” Frank asked lightly, trying to ease the tension. “You’ve been looking ready to punch something all day.”“This isn’t something I can let you do alone by yourself, Frank. It concerns Isabelle and I want to make sure that bastard pays for looking at her.” Liam replied, his voice firm.As they approached the station, Liam’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and saw Isabelle’s name.“Isabelle,” he answered, his tone softening.“Liam, where are you? I looked in your office and Frank isn't here either. Did you go home?” she asked, her voice tinged with urgency.“Actually, I've been trying to look for that pervert. I've gotten a picture from PR Horizon's CCTV. Turns out he pretended like he was a reporter and wanted to interview you, so the receptionist at
Liam stood outside the house with Frank. “Here we are, Boss” Frank said, locking the car door. Liam clenched the paper the address was written on with his hands. The house was a small, dilapidated building that stood silent, its windows dark, just like the intentions of it's owner.Frank paused and looked at Liam. “What are you planning to do if he's in there?” “Pat his head and tell him he's doing good.” Liam said, sarcastically. “What, Really?”“No, you idiot. How did I even hire you. When I go in and see him. I'll think of what to do then. But one thing is sure, he'll get a whole lot of beating.” “Wait, Boss. What if he isn't home? Wouldn't that be breaking and entering?” Frank twitched. Liam gritted his teeth. “You sure have lots of questions. You think that bastard will report someone for breaking and entering? He probably has dirty and illegal things in there.” Frank glanced at Liam. “You sure about this? Breaking and entering isn’t exactly legal.”Liam’s jaw tightened.
Liam sat at his desk, reviewing the latest reports on the Elysium Heights project, when Frank knocked lightly and stepped in. Behind him was Ethan, whose determined expression made it clear he wasn’t there for casual conversation.“Ethan,” Liam said, glancing up with mild surprise. “What brings you here?”Ethan didn’t waste time. “I wanted to talk about Isabelle.”Liam stiffened slightly, his gaze sharpening. “What about her?”“I know about the man who’s been stalking her,” Ethan said, his voice firm. “Allison let it slip, and Isabelle told me the rest. Look, I’ve seen him before—the night I helped her during the car accident. If he’s still out there, I need to know everything so I can help protect her.”Liam’s jaw tightened. “I appreciate your concern, Ethan, but I’ll handle it.”Ethan frowned. “With all due respect, Mr. Anderson, I’m closer to Isabelle. I see her every day. If anyone’s going to protect her, it should me. You're just her employer.”“And you're just her colleague.” Li
Ethan called out, “Mr Anderson?” his voice laced with surprise.Isabelle turned to look behind her and was equally shocked to see Liam approaching their table. For a moment, his face betrayed a flicker of something—jealousy, perhaps—but he quickly masked it, his expression turning neutral.“What a surprise, seeing you two here,” Liam said casually, his tone deliberately light, but he was bad at acting all neutral and surprised. “I was planning to eat here before heading home. I take meals here often so it's just a coincidence.”Ethan offered a polite smile. “It’s a nice place. We also wanted to grab dinner together for once—”“Great, then I’ll join you,” Liam interrupted smoothly, pulling out a chair before Ethan could refuse. He sat beside Ethan and signaled to a waiter. “I’ll have whatever they’re having.”Ethan raised an eyebrow, clearly finding Liam’s presence unexpected, but Isabelle bit back a smile. She could tell Liam’s casual demeanor was just an act, and inwardly, she found
Isabelle returned to the table, her face visibly pale, and her steps unsteady, her facial expression had changed completely from bright to gloomy. Liam and Ethan exchanged concerned glances as she sat down, avoiding their eyes.“Is there something wrong, huh?” Liam asked, his voice firm but controlled.“It's nothing, there's nothing wrong.” Isabelle replied quickly, forcing a weak smile. “I just got a call from a friend.”“A friend?” Liam’s eyebrows knitted together. “What did the friend say to make your expression change so much. Did something bad happen?”Ethan leaned in, his expression sharp with suspicion. “Isabelle, come on. We've been over this. You won't be able to solve a problem if you keep it to yourself. Now, tell us. Was it him? That man, Peter Crane?”Isabelle froze, the truth slipping from her lips before she could stop herself. “Yes… it was him.”Ethan’s fist clenched, and Liam leaned forward, his expression darkening. “That bastard dared to call you? So, what did he sa
Liam gently knocked on Isabelle’s door early in the morning. When she didn’t respond, he stepped inside to find her still asleep on the bed, the first rays of sunlight streaming through the curtains.“Isa,” he said softly, shaking her shoulder gently.She stirred, her eyes fluttering open to see Liam standing over her. “Liam? What time is it?Are you leaving already?”“It's still early,” he said with a small smile. “I have to leave for the meeting abroad, and Frank’s already waiting with the car outside the house. I wanted to say goodbye before I left.”Isabelle sat up, brushing her hair back from her face. “You didn’t have to wake me. I’d have been fine.”“I know,” Liam said, holding out a small object. “But I couldn’t leave without giving you this.”Isabelle blinked, taking the pen knife from his hand. “A pen knife?”“Consider it insurance. Use it to protect yourself if anything happens.” Liam said, his tone serious. “I don’t trust that man to stay quiet while I’m gone. And if someth
The city lights flickered past in a blur as Frank maneuvered the car through the streets. The atmosphere inside the vehicle was tense, filled only with the steady hum of the engine and the faint tapping of Liam’s fingers against his iPad. His gaze was locked onto the screen, scanning through endless articles, reports, and anything remotely connected to the name Marcus Carter.Frank, who had been watching his boss out of the corner of his eye, finally spoke. “Alright, boss, where exactly are we headed?”Liam didn’t respond immediately. His brows furrowed deeper as he scrolled, his jaw tightening.Frank sighed. “And what are you looking at so damn intensely? I swear, you’ve been at it since we left the office. Did we get a project that I don't know about?”Liam let out a slow breath, lowering the device slightly. “I’m going through everything online that has Marcus Carter’s name on it.”Frank frowned. “Marcus Carter?” He repeated the name, searching his memory. “Can’t say it rings a bel
The drive to Westford University was tense. Isabelle gripped the steering wheel firmly, her mind racing through possible ways to handle the situation. Next to her, Selena sat with her arms crossed, tapping her nails against her knee impatiently.“I still don’t see why we have to be nice about this,” Selena muttered, shifting in her seat.Isabelle sighed, keeping her eyes on the road. “Because we need them to trust us. If we go in there guns blazing, they’ll only become more defensive.”Selena scoffed. “That’s assuming they deserve any respect after what they pulled. They didn’t just reject our partnership—they publicly trashed Polaris Tech. If they had doubts, they could’ve kept it internal.”Isabelle nodded. “I agree. What they did was irresponsible. But think about it—did they say anything false?”Selena frowned. “Well—no, but—”“They didn’t outright lie,” Isabelle continued. “They didn’t fabricate anything. They just repeated what they thought was true. And whether we like it or no
By the time Isabelle finally walked through the doors of the house, exhaustion weighed down on her shoulders. The day had been long—Crestview’s success, Westford’s betrayal, and the revelation that Laura and Estella were behind the attack on Polaris Tech.And worse, the growing suspicion that Marcus had been orchestrating this entire thing from the start.She barely had time to gather her thoughts before she heard the deep, familiar voice from across the living room.“You’re late. Again, Isabelle.”She looked up to see Liam standing by the bar, sleeves rolled up, tie loosened, and a glass of whiskey in his hand. His piercing blue eyes locked onto hers, sharp and unreadable.Isabelle sighed, setting her bag down by the couch. “I know. I'm sorry.”Liam placed his glass down and crossed the room in three long strides. Before she could react, he cupped her face, tilting her chin up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze.“Are you alright?” His voice was low, laced with concern.She swa
The next morning, Isabelle and Selena sat in Isabelle’s office, scanning an email from Professor Langston.Crestview University had officially agreed to host the Polaris AI demonstration next week.Selena grinned as she leaned back in her chair. “We finally got a big one. This could set off a domino effect for other universities.”Isabelle nodded, feeling a rare sense of accomplishment. “If Crestview endorses us, others will follow.”But before they could fully celebrate, another email arrived—one that wiped the smiles off their faces.Westford University, another top university on their list that they visited and pitched their ideas too had rejected their proposal outright. Worse, they had publicly warned students against using Polaris AI, citing “concerns over long-term data privacy.”Selena’s expression darkened as she slammed her hand onto Isabelle’s desk. “This is bad. If one university publicly doubts us, others will hesitate too.”Isabelle scanned the content of the email showi
Isabelle arrived at Polaris Tech that morning, fully prepared for a long day. The student discount marketing plan was in motion, and she had no room for mistakes. The moment she stepped into her office, a member of the PR team handed her a thick folder filled with reports and updates. She barely had time to flip through it before her phone buzzed with a meeting reminder.Taking a deep breath, she headed toward the conference room. Inside, the marketing and PR teams were already gathered, with Marcus seated at the head of the table. Greg, the head of marketing, was going over the discount structures they had decided on—tiered percentages for students based on their courses and subscription plans.After some final adjustments, Marcus turned to Isabelle and Selena. "Your job is to make sure students actually know about this. Partnerships, ads, outreach—whatever it takes."Selena crossed her arms. "Universities would be the best way to go. If we get academic institutions to endorse Polari
Isabelle took a deep breath before stepping out of her office. It was time for the meeting with the marketing team, and she had already put together a few ideas on how to boost Polaris AI’s public image. As she made her way toward the meeting room, she spotted Selena walking ahead of her, her posture stiff, her steps quick and purposeful."Selena," Isa called out.Selena didn’t stop.Isa frowned but quickened her pace until she caught up and gently grabbed Selena’s arm. The woman turned sharply, her eyes flashing with irritation."What do you want?" Selena asked coldly.Isa let go of her arm and met her gaze with calm confidence. "Look, I know you don’t like me here. You think I’m here to take your position, but you don’t have to worry about that. I have no intention of staying in Polaris Tech permanently."Selena’s expression didn’t change, but there was a flicker of curiosity in her eyes."I’ll be gone in three weeks," Isa continued, her voice steady. "I was brought in temporarily,
The towering glass building of Polaris Technologies loomed before Isabelle as she stepped out of the car. The sleek, modern exterior was almost like Anderson Corp’s, yet there was no sense of familiarity—this wasn’t her first time here. But today, everything was different. Today, she was not a visitor or a negotiator. She was an employee. Even if temporary.With a deep breath, she adjusted her blouse and made her way through the entrance. The moment she stepped inside, the air changed. Whispers rippled through the lobby like a wave, eyes discreetly flicking in her direction. Some employees murmured with excitement, others with skepticism."So that’s Isabelle Rivers? Liam Anderson's wife?""I heard she’s brilliant.""I heard she played a big role in the security breach scandal. She even held a press conference. What’s she doing here?"" Has she been hired permanently by Mr Carter?"Isabelle kept her head high, ignoring the murmurs as she reached the reception desk. The receptionist, a
Isabelle stood in front of the mirror, absently gathering her hair to tie it up. But the moment she lifted it, she froze.Hickeys.Deep, reddish-purple bruises littered the pale skin of her neck and collarbone, evidence of last night’s passion. She inhaled sharply, her fingers grazing over them.Her cheeks flushed.She should be annoyed—it was inconvenient to go around with these marks. But instead, a small, traitorous smile tugged at her lips.Liam was insatiable.She bit her lower lip, caught between amusement and frustration. There was no way she could wear her hair up today.Behind her, the door to the walk-in closet opened, and Liam stepped out, dressed in a sharp navy-blue suit. His hair was neatly styled, and he was adjusting his tie with practiced ease. The sight of him, so effortlessly put together, made last night’s memory even more vivid.Liam glanced at her reflection in the mirror and smirked. “What’s got you so happy this early in the morning?”Isa snapped out of her daze
Isabelle gripped the steering wheel, her knuckles turning white as she maneuvered through the dimly lit streets. She wasn’t supposed to be doing this.Both Allison and Ethan had warned her—stay away.But how could she?The way Vivian had been dragged away, the panic in her eyes, the sheer weight of what had happened—it wouldn’t leave Isa’s mind. And Marcus... she had never trusted him completely. Something about him had always felt off.Now, more than ever, she needed answers.She arrived at the detention center, her heart pounding as she stepped out of the car. It was a grim-looking building, surrounded by barbed wire and guarded heavily. What the hell am I doing? she wondered. But it was too late to turn back now.After going through security and the necessary formalities, she sat in the visitation area, waiting. The fluorescent lights flickered above her, making the dull gray walls feel even colder.The door on the other side of the glass partition buzzed open.Vivian stepped in.I