Chapter 3: Two Decades Of Friendship

Emma Salvatore

"What do you mean by someone like me, Liam?" I asked with an arched brow this time.

"Well, I don't mean you, but like you. Kind, beautiful, caring, and talented. A self-made billionairess." Liam corrected. For a minute, a hope erupted in my heart that Liam and I could be a thing, we could be more than friends but after Liam's correction it died right away. He doesn't want me but someone like me.

"Oh, come on. You and I both know that we don't make self-made tycoons just by ourselves. We achieved this by working and supporting one another like a rock. If it wasn't for you and your support then I wouldn't have achieved what I have today.

I wouldn't have been selling my paintings for millions, getting famous, and owning the world's best art galleries all around the world. Whatever I have today, is because of you, your struggle, and your support to make me an independent one of the richest women alive. So, all the credit goes to you, my dear friend." I tell Liam, taking a sip of his coffee this time like always to annoy him.

"You did it again. Didn't you?" He asked with a laugh " And, it might be my support but it was all your hard work that made you achieve what you have. And, it is your support that has made me what I am today. So, the credit goes to you too." he salutes me playfully after saying that.

"Wow, I feel honored Thank you." I thanked him " You should try this. It is so good." I said holding the bite of my cake forward to feed him. He smiled and ate it with my hand.

"It wasn't delicious before but it sure is now." he teased making me blush and hit on his arm playfully.

"Oh, stop it," I said and went silent looking into his eyes, as he looked back at me. Our eyes locked with one another. I was the one to break the eye contact and sighed "Ok, I admit it. You are right. Mark and my relationship is not as perfect as everyone thinks. Instead, it is going down the road, it's like our relationship is missing something."

"Emma, you are my best friend that is why I am going to tell you that relationships have their ups and downs so it's normal to question things from time to time. But, if the man is cheating on you then you should not even question yourself or think about it, instead, you should make a decision and leave him," he tells me, taking my hand in his and gives it a squeeze.

"No...no, what I mean is that the love is missing in Mark and my relationship. I feel like lately I am losing interest in him but I am afraid that if I leave him, then everyone will say that it is me who can't work my relationship out.

Maybe, they are right or maybe they are not. I don't know but what I know is that Mark is not cheating on me. Yeah, he can be a jerk, arrogant and the list goes on but he won't cheat on me. If he wanted to cheat on me, then he wouldn't have proposed to me, right?" I asked Liam confused.

"Emma, forget what everyone thinks and do what you like and love. I always tell you to put yourself before others, so focus on my advice and do whatever you feel is right, okay?" he asked and I nodded "Emma, you are my best friend, the joy of my life, You paint my dull world with your colors, you are fantastic. You mean everything to me so, do whatever you think is right and you will always find me standing by your side, supporting you."

"Really?" I asked, " Then, what are you going to do if I tell you that I have been in love with you for a very long time?" Now this time it was my words that made him spit his coffee out and unfortunately, it came on my tank top.

"Eeewww, man. Seriously?" I asked making a disgusting face.

"Seriously? Are you serious? Do you know what you are saying?" Liam asked, utterly shocked while I burst out laughing looking at his face.

"Gotcha!" I said between laughs "You made me spit my coffee and I made you spit yours but didn't expect to get it on me. It was a payback, okay? So, relax."

"Oh God, you are going to pay for this, precious, but right now let's get going so you can change and we can go on for dinner."  he said throwing the bills on the table "I know you weren't serious, Emma, but our friendship means a lot to me, it is the anchor of my life and I don't want to ruin it so we should tread it carefully, okay? I don't want to lose what we have together."

"Relax, I didn't mean it seriously, okay?" I lied when I meant every word of it and how much I wished for it to become true. I was getting up to leave the coffee shop with Liam when my phone rang flashing Mark's name. Liam looked at it and rolled his eyes and walked forward to give me space to talk.

"Hey, babe," I said after receiving the call.

"Hey, sugarboo. How are you doing, my beautiful bride-to-be?" Mark asked " I called to let you know that I will be returning from my trip tonight. So, please wear something sexy so we can get dirty on the bed."

"What? But you weren't going to come until Sunday then how come you are coming today?" I asked shocked. Liam heard me and stopped then turned around to look at me.

"Everything alright?" Liam asked concerned.

"It's Mark. He is coming back home tonight and expects me to be there." I replied.

"But, it's Friday night. Doesn't he know that it is our day and our club night?" Liam asked annoyed " Tell him that he can come but don't expect you to be there. He can't just go and return from his business or pleasure trip whenever he desires."

"It's Liam, right? Who the hell is he to demand you not to be with me tonight? I am your fiancee, not him." Mark shouts on the other side of the phone " I am coming early from the trip because of you and you are not happy instead planning to refuse me over your friend? Does he mean more to you than me?"

"Yes, I do," Liam answered for me after snatching the phone from my hand and ended the call then slipped my phone in his pants " I won't tolerate him treating you like this or shouting at you like that. I am telling you. You need to get rid of him from your life. Dump him."

"I can't just do that like that. You said it yourself that every relationship is not perfect. They have their ups and downs and we can't change that but work on it, so I am willing to work on it." I snapped " Give me my phone or he will be angry."

"No, like I said you are not going home tonight because you are coming with me," he announced.

"I can't. Let's call it a raincheck tonight. Mark is coming and I need to be with him. We barely get time for one another since we both are busy with our work." I tell Liam while struggling to take my phone out from his pocket since he won't let me and move a lot when accidentally my hand went to something really hard like a rod and squeezed on it.

I heard Liam let out a moan from deep down his throat and close his eyes. At that moment, the realization hit me on what I was holding, and pulled my hand out of his pocket like it burned me and looked at Liam with my whole face turned pink.

"I...I....I am...I am sorry, I didn't mean to. I am really sorry." I begin to apologize " Let's just please give me back my phone so I can be on my way back home?"

"Like I said, you are not going anywhere because you are not coming with me. And, why the hell will that bastard cheat on you by going on those trips when your hand alone can make a man come." Liam asked and at that moment I closed my eyes and refused to open them.

"Trust me, I would have come undone just by your hand right away under my pants." he knew I was getting uncomfortable so he decided to tease me.

"Please, Liam. I just want to pretend like that never happened so don't make me more uncomfortable than I already am." I tell Liam who only laughed out loud and before I knew it I was thrown by him over his shoulder and taken to his Limo.

"Well, at least admit that you liked it and checked my size out." he continues teasing and I let out a groan.

"Ugh! Just let it go, Liam, okay?" I asked him.

"No, can't do, precious because it really felt good. Too bad, I won't get to feel that again but wish for that accident to happen once again or maybe again and again.

" What? No!" I shout " Now, put me down.

"No?! Do you mean that you don't want that?" he asked with a grin and smacked my ass playfully  "Answer me, woman. Don't you want me?"