The car sped toward us, its headlights slicing through the darkness. Liam immediately moved in front of me, his body tense and ready. He always did this, shielding me like it was second nature. I wasn't sure if it was just his soldier instincts or something else entirely. I tried to peek over his shoulder, but he held firm. That's when I caught a glimpse of the vehicle and something clicked. Wait... I know this car. My breath hitched. Oh my God. Emilia. Without thinking, I shoved Liam aside and rushed toward the road, waving frantically. "Emilia!" "Sara, what the hell are you doing?" Liam snapped, grabbing at my arm, but I wriggled free. The car slowed. My heart pounded as the back door opened, and then, "Sara?" The familiar voice made my chest tighten. "Emilia," I breathed, my legs moving before I could think. She stepped out, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my God, it's you!" I gasped, barely believing it. Liam, still on high alert, moved beside me. "Sara, who—" "It's Emili
The guest house was impressive, but it lacked the warmth of a lived-in space. The moment we stepped inside, I could tell it was barely used, everything was spotless, perfectly arranged, and carried that faint, unused scent. Emilia lingered by the doorway, shifting uncomfortably. "So... there's only one room available." I frowned. "Huh?" She cleared her throat. "The other rooms are, um, under renovation." I blinked. "Seriously?" Liam, as usual, remained unreadable, but I could tell he was just as unimpressed. "It's a big room," Emilia added quickly. "So you won't feel cramped or anything." She hesitated before giving me a pointed look. "Just don't... wander around, okay? My family isn't exactly fond of unexpected guests." I crossed my arms, arching a brow. "So we're basically being hidden." She winced. "That's... a harsh way to put it, but yeah." Liam exhaled through his nose, his expression giving nothing away. "It's fine." Emilia nodded, clearly relieved. "Okay. I'll have s
The room was dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. My bare feet barely made a sound against the cold floor as I stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the towel in one hand, the thin nightgown clinging to my skin. I froze. Liam had already switched off the lights and was on the bed, his broad frame stretched out, one arm resting behind his head. His eyes were closed, his breathing even, as if he had already fallen asleep, or was at least pretending to. I hesitated, staring at him for a moment longer than I should have. He looked… different like this. Relaxed. Almost peaceful. Shaking off the ridiculous thought, I cleared my throat. “You don’t plan on sleeping on the bed, do you?” His lips twitched slightly, but he didn’t open his eyes. “Where do you want me to sleep?” “I don’t know,” I muttered, tightening my grip on the towel. “But we can’t sleep on the same bed.” That got his attention. Liam finally opened his eyes, pinning
The air between us was thick, charged with something neither of us wanted to name. I shifted under the blanket, but every move made me more aware of him, of his scent, the warmth of his body just inches away. I could hear his breathing, steady but deeper now, like he was trying just as hard as I was to ignore whatever was happening between us. "Stop moving," Liam muttered, his voice husky in the darkness. "I'm not moving," I shot back, but even I could hear how unconvincing I sounded. He let out a low chuckle, and I felt the bed shift as he turned toward me. My pulse jumped. "You're restless," he murmured. "Why?" I swallowed hard. "I'm just... not used to sharing a bed." Silence. Then, a rough whisper, closer this time. "Liar." My breath hitched. Liam moved, and suddenly I felt him, his front brushing against my back , his presence overwhelming. I knew I should turn away, put distance between us, but I didn't. I couldn't. His fingers grazed my wrist, slow, testing. "You're te
I woke to a light tap on my arm. "Sara, wake up," Liam's voice was low but urgent. I groaned, blinking groggily as I opened my eyes. Liam was already dressed, his face tense with something I couldn't quite place. Before I could ask why he woke me, he tossed my clothes at me. "Get dressed," he said. I sat up, frowning. The clock on the wall read 5:09 AM. Why was he waking me up this early? "Why do you wa—" "Get dressed. Now." His voice was barely above a whisper, but there was no mistaking the command in his tone. That's when I knew something was wrong. Still half-asleep, I hesitated before grabbing my clothes. "Turn around," I mumbled. To my surprise, he did so without argument. Okay, that's weird. Liam never obeyed so easily, unless something was serious. My heart rate picked up. I hurriedly put on my clothes. "I'm done," I said, staring at him, more confused than ever. Liam turned to face me, his expression unreadable. Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "You're going to do exac
Liam didn't waste a second. The moment I was up, he grabbed my wrist again and pulled me forward, keeping close to the fence as we moved. I was still trying to wrap my head around what was happening. The guards, the cars, the way Liam was acting, none of this made sense. "Who are these people?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Liam didn't answer. He was too focused, his sharp eyes scanning every corner before taking another step. We slipped through a narrow gap between the trees, the rough bark scraping against my arm. The farther we moved from the mansion, the darker it got, the thick foliage blocking out the moonlight. Then, voices. I stiffened. Not just one or two. Multiple. Deep, authoritative tones coming from the direction of the house. I couldn't make out the words, but I could hear the weight in them. Orders. Discussions. Something serious. Liam crouched behind a large bush, pulling me down with him. His grip tightened. "Stay quiet," he whispered, his breath warm ag
Beep. Beep. Beep.The sound drilled into my skull like an alarm I couldn't snooze. My eyelids felt like they had been glued shut, my body heavy like I'd been hit by a truck—or maybe an entire army of them. Everything ached.I forced my eyes open, blinking against the blinding fluorescent lights. White walls. A hospital bed. Machines blinking beside me.Okay... I was definitely in a hospital."Can you hear me?"The voice came from a man standing way too close to my face. I squinted, trying to make sense of his blurred features. He was holding something—oh. A flashlight.Before I could react, he flicked it straight into my eyes. "What the hell, man? You trying to blind me?" I snapped, instinctively jerking my head away.The guy—who I now realized was a doctor—chuckled. "That's a good sign.""Says the man trying to burn my retinas."Behind him, a woman in a nurse's uniform smiled as she scribbled something on a clipboard. They didn't seem particularly horrified by my presence, which mean
The next time I saw the couple, they walked in looking like they'd been through an emotional rollercoaster. Mrs. Evans sat at the edge of my bed, gently taking my hands in hers."You must be so confused, sweetheart," she said softly."That's an understatement," I muttered, shifting under the covers.She hesitated, her fingers squeezing mine. "Honey, there's something you should know."Something about her tone made my stomach tighten."We... we're not actually your parents."Okay. That was a plot twist."What... what do you mean?" The words barely left my lips before my throat closed up. I don't know why it hurt, like a part of me actually wanted them to be. If they weren't my parents, then who was I?Mr. Evans sighed, his expression serious. "Two years ago, we found you unconscious near our farm. No ID, no phone. Just... there, as if you'd fallen from the sky."My stomach twisted."You were barely breathing," Mrs. Evans continued. "We rushed you here, and you've been in a coma ever si
Liam didn't waste a second. The moment I was up, he grabbed my wrist again and pulled me forward, keeping close to the fence as we moved. I was still trying to wrap my head around what was happening. The guards, the cars, the way Liam was acting, none of this made sense. "Who are these people?" I whispered, my voice barely audible. Liam didn't answer. He was too focused, his sharp eyes scanning every corner before taking another step. We slipped through a narrow gap between the trees, the rough bark scraping against my arm. The farther we moved from the mansion, the darker it got, the thick foliage blocking out the moonlight. Then, voices. I stiffened. Not just one or two. Multiple. Deep, authoritative tones coming from the direction of the house. I couldn't make out the words, but I could hear the weight in them. Orders. Discussions. Something serious. Liam crouched behind a large bush, pulling me down with him. His grip tightened. "Stay quiet," he whispered, his breath warm ag
I woke to a light tap on my arm. "Sara, wake up," Liam's voice was low but urgent. I groaned, blinking groggily as I opened my eyes. Liam was already dressed, his face tense with something I couldn't quite place. Before I could ask why he woke me, he tossed my clothes at me. "Get dressed," he said. I sat up, frowning. The clock on the wall read 5:09 AM. Why was he waking me up this early? "Why do you wa—" "Get dressed. Now." His voice was barely above a whisper, but there was no mistaking the command in his tone. That's when I knew something was wrong. Still half-asleep, I hesitated before grabbing my clothes. "Turn around," I mumbled. To my surprise, he did so without argument. Okay, that's weird. Liam never obeyed so easily, unless something was serious. My heart rate picked up. I hurriedly put on my clothes. "I'm done," I said, staring at him, more confused than ever. Liam turned to face me, his expression unreadable. Then, in a hushed voice, he said, "You're going to do exac
The air between us was thick, charged with something neither of us wanted to name. I shifted under the blanket, but every move made me more aware of him, of his scent, the warmth of his body just inches away. I could hear his breathing, steady but deeper now, like he was trying just as hard as I was to ignore whatever was happening between us. "Stop moving," Liam muttered, his voice husky in the darkness. "I'm not moving," I shot back, but even I could hear how unconvincing I sounded. He let out a low chuckle, and I felt the bed shift as he turned toward me. My pulse jumped. "You're restless," he murmured. "Why?" I swallowed hard. "I'm just... not used to sharing a bed." Silence. Then, a rough whisper, closer this time. "Liar." My breath hitched. Liam moved, and suddenly I felt him, his front brushing against my back , his presence overwhelming. I knew I should turn away, put distance between us, but I didn't. I couldn't. His fingers grazed my wrist, slow, testing. "You're te
The room was dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon filtering through the curtains. My bare feet barely made a sound against the cold floor as I stepped out of the bathroom, clutching the towel in one hand, the thin nightgown clinging to my skin. I froze. Liam had already switched off the lights and was on the bed, his broad frame stretched out, one arm resting behind his head. His eyes were closed, his breathing even, as if he had already fallen asleep, or was at least pretending to. I hesitated, staring at him for a moment longer than I should have. He looked… different like this. Relaxed. Almost peaceful. Shaking off the ridiculous thought, I cleared my throat. “You don’t plan on sleeping on the bed, do you?” His lips twitched slightly, but he didn’t open his eyes. “Where do you want me to sleep?” “I don’t know,” I muttered, tightening my grip on the towel. “But we can’t sleep on the same bed.” That got his attention. Liam finally opened his eyes, pinning
The guest house was impressive, but it lacked the warmth of a lived-in space. The moment we stepped inside, I could tell it was barely used, everything was spotless, perfectly arranged, and carried that faint, unused scent. Emilia lingered by the doorway, shifting uncomfortably. "So... there's only one room available." I frowned. "Huh?" She cleared her throat. "The other rooms are, um, under renovation." I blinked. "Seriously?" Liam, as usual, remained unreadable, but I could tell he was just as unimpressed. "It's a big room," Emilia added quickly. "So you won't feel cramped or anything." She hesitated before giving me a pointed look. "Just don't... wander around, okay? My family isn't exactly fond of unexpected guests." I crossed my arms, arching a brow. "So we're basically being hidden." She winced. "That's... a harsh way to put it, but yeah." Liam exhaled through his nose, his expression giving nothing away. "It's fine." Emilia nodded, clearly relieved. "Okay. I'll have s
The car sped toward us, its headlights slicing through the darkness. Liam immediately moved in front of me, his body tense and ready. He always did this, shielding me like it was second nature. I wasn't sure if it was just his soldier instincts or something else entirely. I tried to peek over his shoulder, but he held firm. That's when I caught a glimpse of the vehicle and something clicked. Wait... I know this car. My breath hitched. Oh my God. Emilia. Without thinking, I shoved Liam aside and rushed toward the road, waving frantically. "Emilia!" "Sara, what the hell are you doing?" Liam snapped, grabbing at my arm, but I wriggled free. The car slowed. My heart pounded as the back door opened, and then, "Sara?" The familiar voice made my chest tighten. "Emilia," I breathed, my legs moving before I could think. She stepped out, her eyes wide with shock. "Oh my God, it's you!" I gasped, barely believing it. Liam, still on high alert, moved beside me. "Sara, who—" "It's Emili
It was fully dark now, and we were getting closer to the farm, though there was still about an hour and a half left to go. Liam and I sat in silence, tension hanging between us. I wondered what was going on inside his head. Then, the truck rolled to a stop. Liam tensed beside me. I frowned, glancing around. There was a road to the left, but we were supposed to be heading straight. Something wasn’t right. I called out to Steve. “Why did we stop?” He hesitated before answering. “This road leads to my house,” he said, confirming my suspicions. Liam stood up at the same time I did. I climbed down from the truck and walked toward Steve. “If… if your place is far, you can stay the night at mine,” he offered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “There’s space.” Before I could even process his words, Liam was suddenly behind me. “She’s not spending the night at your place,” he cut in coldly. “Thanks for the ride.” Then, without warning, he grabbed my wrist and started dragging me
As the silence stretched between us, I turned to Liam. "Who was that?" His jaw tightened. "What?" "The SUV," I pressed. "Who was driving it? Why did you tell me not to look?" Liam stared straight ahead, gripping a bag of animal feed close to him. "I don't know." Liar. His voice was too clipped, too controlled. His fingers flexed against the bag like he was holding something back. I narrowed my eyes. "You do know." His head snapped toward me, his expression hard. "I said I don't." I folded my arms. "You told me not to look. That wasn't just some random car, was it?" Liam exhaled sharply and ran a hand through his hair. "Sara, drop it." "No." I leaned closer, my pulse quickening. "Who are they?" His gaze locked onto mine, stormy and unreadable. For a second, I thought he might actually tell me. But then, his expression closed off, his walls slamming back into place. "It doesn't matter," he muttered. "They're gone." "But—" "Just leave it." His voice was sharp, final. My fi
The roar of the black SUV's engine sent a jolt of fear down my spine. Liam clenched the wheel, his knuckles white. "They're following us," he muttered. I twisted in my seat, my pulse hammering. The headlights loomed closer. "We need to lose them." Liam gritted his teeth. "Yeah? And how do you suggest we do that?" I didn't know. But my instincts did. The road ahead curved sharply, disappearing into a cluster of trees. A memory flickered—tires skidding, a sharp turn, slipping out of sight. I had done this before. "There!" I pointed. "Take the turn and kill the lights." Liam didn't question me. He yanked the wheel, the truck veering off the road. The second we were behind the trees, he flicked off the headlights, plunging us into darkness. The engine rumbled softly as we rolled to a stop, hidden behind thick foliage. We held our breath. The SUV sped past. Its headlights sliced through the night, but it didn't slow down. Within seconds, it was gone. Silence. Liam exhaled, running