Liam's Jealousy

As they placed their orders, they eagerly awaited their meals, savoring the drinks that accompanied their conversation. Suddenly, Jude interjected, "Guys, isn't that Lea over there?" gesturing across the street.

Liam's gaze darted in the direction Jude indicated, his expression souring as he spotted Lea engaged in lively conversation with two men.

"Did she mention she was coming here?" Vickey inquired, noting Liam's reaction.

"No, I didn't ask where or with whom she was going," Liam replied, still fixated on Lea.

"Who is she with? Do you recognize them?" Sharen probed.

"No," Rayan said.

"One of them is William; he's a student at our college. The other man looks familiar, but I can't remember where I saw him," Liam remarked, furrowing his brow.

Observing Lea embrace the familiar man and peck him on the cheek, Liam abruptly rose from his seat. "Since she's here, let me invite her to join us," he announced, striding toward the exit.

"Why didn't he just call her?" Sharen muttered, attempting to stop him, but Liam had already left, paying no heed.

In Liam's absence, Sharen turned to the others with a sigh. "Are we sure he's only seeking answers, or is there something more?" she questioned.

Everyone shook their heads in uncertainty, their attention shifting back to the window where they watched as the man Lea had greeted departed in a car. Lea followed suit, leaving with William in another vehicle.

Minutes later, Liam returned to find no trace of Lea. Frustrated, he was about to call her when Rayan's call came through.

"Hello?" Liam answered.

"I've been trying to reach you. Why aren't you picking up, man?" Rayan's voice carried a hint of annoyance.

"What's wrong?" Liam inquired, his tone indifferent.

Rayan sighed audibly. "She left a while ago with one of the men you identified as William."

"And the other man whom she kissed?" Liam pressed.

"He went in a different direction, in another car," Rayan replied.

"Hmm," Liam murmured.

"Come back now; the food is getting cold," Rayan instructed.

"Alright, I'm on my way," Liam acquiesced before ending the call.

Rejoining the group, Liam remained silent as they finished their meal and headed home.

On the other side…

In a penthouse at Royal Peak, Tressa unleashed her frustration over the phone.

"What the hell are you doing? It's been a week, and you haven't found a single piece of information about an ordinary girl like her... If you can't handle such a simple job, what's the point of calling yourself a hacker?" Tressa's voice reverberated with anger as she berated the person on the line.

"We've tried our best, Princess, but the person protecting her data has formidable hacking skills," the hacker replied meekly.

Tressa seethed with impatience. "If you can't provide me with anything useful about her within the next two days, prepare to face the consequences," she warned before abruptly ending the call and flinging her phone onto the bed in frustration.

Meanwhile, after Tressa ended the call...

The person on the other end clenched his fist and struck the wall, his frustration boiling over. "Who does she think she is? Always bossing us around... Does she think we have nothing better to do than cater to her whims?"

"Easy, buddy, someone might overhear you... Despite not being the queen's biological daughter, she wields considerable influence," his friend Tim cautioned.

"And you know as well as I do that going against her would spell disaster, just like it did for Victor," Tim added.

"But how can I stay silent when she constantly exploits us like this? We're not her lackeys..." David's protest was cut short by Tim's interjection.

"Even if she abuses her power, we're powerless to act. She has plenty of sycophants eager to curry favor with her," Tim reminded him.