Chapter 6

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught a glimpse of something light blue on Liam’s wrist.

It was a hair tie.

The kind a young woman might use—completely out of place next to the luxury watch worth millions beside it.

I froze for a moment before quickly looking away, pretending not to notice.

But a quiet sigh escaped me.

So, Liam had a girlfriend.

Which meant all the plans I had before…

"How long have you been waiting?"

His slightly hoarse voice pulled me from my thoughts.

Alec walked ahead, dragging the suitcase as if he were just a stranger passing by.

I touched the tip of my nose and mumbled, "Not too long, really."

Liam studied me in silence.

A faint crease formed between his brows, his lips pressed into a firm line.

He looked… upset.

Surely, he wasn’t actually mad that I had shown up unannounced?

My heart sank.

Just as I was about to explain, a suitcase came barreling past and slammed into me.

"Careful!"

I stumbled backward, colliding into a solid, warm chest.

Liam caught me instinctively, his arm tightening around my waist.

His voice, usually calm and detached, carried an unmistakable edge of urgency.

"Are you alright?"

I didn’t answer.

Because my eyes had locked onto the hair tie now fully exposed on his wrist.

There was a delicate pink-and-white crystal flower dangled from it.

Earlier, I only caught a fleeting glimpse.

However, the longer I looked, the more familiar it felt, and the more it unsettled me.

"Did you twist your ankle?"

Noticing my silence, Liam frowned slightly, assuming I was hurt.

Without hesitation, he crouched down, his fingers carefully brushing against my ankle as he asked softly, "Does it hurt here?"

His palm was warm, almost burning, and his touch was brief and fleeting.

Yet something about it felt strangely familiar as if someone had once held my foot the same way, restraining himself as I teasingly stepped on him.

A hoarse, uncertain voice had coaxed me back then.

"I’m built solid. Don’t hurt yourself."

I stared at Liam as he kept his head down, focused on checking for any injuries.

A bold, impossible thought crept into my mind and before I could stop myself, I asked, “Mr. Reid, where were you two years ago on Christmas Eve?”

The moment the words left my lips, his body went rigid.

"Overseas."

His voice was flat and indifferent, his head still lowered as he answered.

Then, to make it sound more convincing, he added, “I was overseeing a cross-border trade deal with a biotech company."

Cross-border trade, my ass.

I stared at the small, familiar mole behind Liam’s ear and let out a sharp, incredulous laugh.

When I spoke, I couldn’t help the trace of mockery in my voice.

"Mr. Reid, you have an impressive memory. You even remembered the details from two years ago so clearly."

Liam pressed his lips together and said nothing.

…

There was one time when I lost control after drinking too much.

It happened at Nathaniel’s villa.

Back then, I still had unrestricted access to any of the properties under his name.

Sometime past midnight, someone came home.

I didn’t remember much of what kind of drunken mess I had made.

The only thing my hazy mind clung to was stopping that person from turning on the lights because I was a disaster, and I didn’t want my humiliation laid bare under the harsh glow.

"Alright."

There was a pause before the man finally agreed but he was terrible at comforting others—even compliments came out awkward and hesitant.

I had to guide him through it, bit by bit.

Still, he got better as the night went on.

"You're good enough. You're not just an accessory to someone else, and your worth isn’t something to be bartered away in a marriage.”

"Then… do you love me?"

Clutching onto his collar, my vision blurred as I whispered, "They say I have to be valuable to be worthy of love."