CHAPTER 110: LIAM

I lean back in my office chair, glancing out of the large windows that overlook the city humming with life. It's been a perfect week, just me and Emma, no distractions, no obligations. We've spent our days exploring the city, enjoying quiet dinners by candlelight, and getting lost in each other's company. For the first time in a long while, I felt completely at peace.

But now, it's back to reality. Back to work. And as much as I hate to admit it, the tension in the air is thick. I've barely been at my desk for half an hour when my mother storms into the office, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floors. Right behind her, Serena follows with a face full of barely contained rage. Great. Just the pair I didn't want to see today.

"Liam!" my mother snaps, her voice slicing through the silence of the room. "We need to talk."

I sit up, bracing myself. I knew this was coming. Ever since Emma returned, I've been waiting for the inevitable confrontation. My mother never approved of E