"Wait for me in the car. I’ll be right back," Suzanne said, her voice tight with determination.Liam reached for her arm. “Suzanne, don’t—”But she was already walking away, disappearing down the long hallway before he could stop her.She pushed through the lingering party mess, stepping over crumpled napkins and empty glasses. The guests were gone, and the cleaners were handling the aftermath, but the one person she was looking for was nowhere in sight.She knew exactly where to find him.Her father’s study.Without knocking, she pushed the heavy door open.“Right on time, Suzanne.” His voice was smooth, smug. He didn’t even look up, still smiling at his computer screen. “I have someone who wants to speak with you about your project.” He waved her over, as if she was just another business deal waiting to be finalized.“I want to speak to you. Alone,” she spat, her tone sharp with barely contained fury.His smile faded. “Can’t this wait?”She folded her arms. “No.”With a sigh, he tur
Charles sped toward the Smith estate, silently praying the party hadn’t ended yet. His heart pounded as he pulled into the front lawn, but just as he was about to step out, his phone buzzed.His mother. Again.And Sarah, too.He rolled his eyes, “What do you want, Mother?” he snapped.Laughter rang through the other end, rich with amusement.“You did well, my son.”His brows furrowed. “What?”“You went to bring back my daughter-in-law? Good boy. I’m proud of you.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction.Charles ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “How the hell do you already know?”“It’s everywhere. The news.”Of course.He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not as easy as you think, Mother. You do remember what we did to her, right?”His mother scoffed. “Don’t worry. If convincing her gets too tough, I’ll come myself.” The confidence in her tone was unsettling.Charles sighed. “I have to go.”“Keep me updated, son.”The line went dead.He barely had a moment to breathe bef
Liam pushed open the door to his room, rubbing a hand down his face as exhaustion settled in. But sleep was the last thing on his mind. He strode to the window, staring out at the darkened estate before pulling out his phone.With a swift swipe, he dialed a number. The call barely rang twice before a gruff voice answered.“Do you ever let me sleep?”Liam scoffed. “I’m paying you exclusively for your job, William.”A long sigh came through the line, and Liam could practically hear the man rolling his eyes."Okay, you win," William muttered. "This better be worth it."Liam exhaled, his jaw tightening. “Finn wants to marry Suzanne Smith.”There was a beat of silence before William let out a sharp scoff. “He’s gone mad.”Liam shook his head, staring at his reflection in the glass. “I know. That’s why I’m calling. Suzanne would never agree to it, but Finn is so damn sure about it.”"When’s the wedding?" William asked, his tone shifting to something more serious.“In three days.”The silenc
The Carter Specialist Hospital assembly hall was packed. Rows of white coats filled the seats, and the air buzzed with tension. Every doctor in attendance was waiting for one man.Dr. Liam Carter.And he was late.Murmurs rippled through the crowd, impatience growing with every ticking second.“He’s rude,” one doctor muttered under his breath.A woman beside him scoffed. “What do you expect? He’s the chairman’s son. They own this hospital.”“So that gives him the right to keep us all waiting?” another snapped. The older doctors at the front cleared their throats in annoyance, subtly agreeing but unwilling to voice it.Further back, among the younger-ranked doctors, a different conversation was brewing.“I heard he’s a genius.” A young male doctor leaned forward. “Graduated at the top of his class, turned down job offers from the best hospitals in the world—Harvard Medical, John Hopkins—just to do his own thing.”“Not just that,” another chimed in. “He performed his first major surgery
Dr. Liam Carter walked beside Dr. Frank Calloway, the hospital director, as they navigated the wide corridors of Carter Specialist Hospital.Frank was a man in his late fifties, well-respected and sharp-eyed, with an air of authority that came naturally. As they walked, he glanced at Liam with a knowing smile.“I’ve heard a lot about your work in Los Angeles,” Frank said. “Your reputation precedes you.”Liam smirked, adjusting his coat. “I hope it’s all good things.”Frank chuckled. “Good? That’s an understatement. The board was hesitant at first, but once they reviewed your cases—especially that complex triple bypass you performed last year—they were sold. Not to mention your research on minimally invasive heart surgeries. It’s impressive.”Liam nodded. “I appreciate that, Dr. Calloway. Though, I’ll admit, I never planned on coming here.”Frank gave him a sideways glance. “Yet, here you are.”Liam exhaled, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Yet, here I am.”Frank didn’t push for more.
Finn Carter’s OfficeFinn Carter stepped into his office, his sharp gaze immediately landing on Dr. Chris Murphy, who sat across from another man—Dr. Victor Langston, the physician overseeing his father’s declining health.He barely spared them a glance as he turned to his assistant. “Leave us.”The door clicked shut behind him. With an air of practiced ease, Finn strolled to his chair and sank into it, propping his legs up on the desk and crossing them lazily. His piercing eyes shifted to Chris, curiosity laced with boredom.“To what do I owe this visit, Dr. Murphy?”Chris exchanged a hesitant glance with Langston before clearing his throat. “Dr. Langston has an update on your father’s health.”Finn exhaled, shaking his head as if the topic exhausted him. “Mm.” Then, with a smirk, he arched a brow. “Is he dead yet?”Langston hesitated for a brief second before shaking his head. “No.”Finn’s smirk faded into an unimpressed stare. “Then what’s the problem?”Chris and Langston exchanged
The servants moved like shadows, their footsteps silent as they placed dish after dish of delicacies before the family. Suzanne Smith sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap, her heart heavy with an all-too-familiar tension.Her mother-in-law, Beatrice Landford, perched at the head of the table like a queen, her hawk-like eyes scanning Suzanne with barely concealed disdain. Beatrice’s perfectly coiffed hair and pristine pearl necklace only added to her air of superiority.“And how long has it been now?” Beatrice’s voice cut through the air like a blade, her tone dripping with judgment. She didn’t bother to look directly at Suzanne, instead slicing into her roast lamb with clinical precision.Suzanne stiffened, her stomach churning. She knew exactly where this conversation was headed. “Three years,” she said softly, her voice steady despite the storm brewing inside her.“Three years,” Beatrice repeated, her lips curling into a smirk. She set her knife and fork down, folding her hands e
Suzanne’s heart raced as she felt a wave of cold panic surge through her. Her body trembled, but her mind was in a haze. The weight of the situation pressed down on her like a suffocating blanket.Charles’s eyes locked onto hers, the malicious glint in them clear. He approached her with slow, deliberate steps, and Suzanne’s body instinctively recoiled, but she had nowhere to retreat. The bedframe pressed into her back, the coldness of the sheets beneath her offering no comfort."Do you think you can defy me?" he asked, his voice low, menacing. "You’ve forgotten your place, Suzanne. Let me remind you."She opened her mouth to speak, to fight back with whatever strength she had left, but her words caught in her throat. His hand was already at her back, pulling the fabric of her dress down, exposing her skin.“No, please,” she whispered, her voice cracking. The plea hung in the air, weak and desperate, but Charles didn’t listen. With a swift movement, he raised his belt, the leather cold
Finn Carter’s OfficeFinn Carter stepped into his office, his sharp gaze immediately landing on Dr. Chris Murphy, who sat across from another man—Dr. Victor Langston, the physician overseeing his father’s declining health.He barely spared them a glance as he turned to his assistant. “Leave us.”The door clicked shut behind him. With an air of practiced ease, Finn strolled to his chair and sank into it, propping his legs up on the desk and crossing them lazily. His piercing eyes shifted to Chris, curiosity laced with boredom.“To what do I owe this visit, Dr. Murphy?”Chris exchanged a hesitant glance with Langston before clearing his throat. “Dr. Langston has an update on your father’s health.”Finn exhaled, shaking his head as if the topic exhausted him. “Mm.” Then, with a smirk, he arched a brow. “Is he dead yet?”Langston hesitated for a brief second before shaking his head. “No.”Finn’s smirk faded into an unimpressed stare. “Then what’s the problem?”Chris and Langston exchanged
Dr. Liam Carter walked beside Dr. Frank Calloway, the hospital director, as they navigated the wide corridors of Carter Specialist Hospital.Frank was a man in his late fifties, well-respected and sharp-eyed, with an air of authority that came naturally. As they walked, he glanced at Liam with a knowing smile.“I’ve heard a lot about your work in Los Angeles,” Frank said. “Your reputation precedes you.”Liam smirked, adjusting his coat. “I hope it’s all good things.”Frank chuckled. “Good? That’s an understatement. The board was hesitant at first, but once they reviewed your cases—especially that complex triple bypass you performed last year—they were sold. Not to mention your research on minimally invasive heart surgeries. It’s impressive.”Liam nodded. “I appreciate that, Dr. Calloway. Though, I’ll admit, I never planned on coming here.”Frank gave him a sideways glance. “Yet, here you are.”Liam exhaled, a wry smile playing on his lips. “Yet, here I am.”Frank didn’t push for more.
The Carter Specialist Hospital assembly hall was packed. Rows of white coats filled the seats, and the air buzzed with tension. Every doctor in attendance was waiting for one man.Dr. Liam Carter.And he was late.Murmurs rippled through the crowd, impatience growing with every ticking second.“He’s rude,” one doctor muttered under his breath.A woman beside him scoffed. “What do you expect? He’s the chairman’s son. They own this hospital.”“So that gives him the right to keep us all waiting?” another snapped. The older doctors at the front cleared their throats in annoyance, subtly agreeing but unwilling to voice it.Further back, among the younger-ranked doctors, a different conversation was brewing.“I heard he’s a genius.” A young male doctor leaned forward. “Graduated at the top of his class, turned down job offers from the best hospitals in the world—Harvard Medical, John Hopkins—just to do his own thing.”“Not just that,” another chimed in. “He performed his first major surgery
Liam pushed open the door to his room, rubbing a hand down his face as exhaustion settled in. But sleep was the last thing on his mind. He strode to the window, staring out at the darkened estate before pulling out his phone.With a swift swipe, he dialed a number. The call barely rang twice before a gruff voice answered.“Do you ever let me sleep?”Liam scoffed. “I’m paying you exclusively for your job, William.”A long sigh came through the line, and Liam could practically hear the man rolling his eyes."Okay, you win," William muttered. "This better be worth it."Liam exhaled, his jaw tightening. “Finn wants to marry Suzanne Smith.”There was a beat of silence before William let out a sharp scoff. “He’s gone mad.”Liam shook his head, staring at his reflection in the glass. “I know. That’s why I’m calling. Suzanne would never agree to it, but Finn is so damn sure about it.”"When’s the wedding?" William asked, his tone shifting to something more serious.“In three days.”The silenc
Charles sped toward the Smith estate, silently praying the party hadn’t ended yet. His heart pounded as he pulled into the front lawn, but just as he was about to step out, his phone buzzed.His mother. Again.And Sarah, too.He rolled his eyes, “What do you want, Mother?” he snapped.Laughter rang through the other end, rich with amusement.“You did well, my son.”His brows furrowed. “What?”“You went to bring back my daughter-in-law? Good boy. I’m proud of you.” Her voice dripped with satisfaction.Charles ran a hand through his hair, exhaling sharply. “How the hell do you already know?”“It’s everywhere. The news.”Of course.He pinched the bridge of his nose. “It’s not as easy as you think, Mother. You do remember what we did to her, right?”His mother scoffed. “Don’t worry. If convincing her gets too tough, I’ll come myself.” The confidence in her tone was unsettling.Charles sighed. “I have to go.”“Keep me updated, son.”The line went dead.He barely had a moment to breathe bef
"Wait for me in the car. I’ll be right back," Suzanne said, her voice tight with determination.Liam reached for her arm. “Suzanne, don’t—”But she was already walking away, disappearing down the long hallway before he could stop her.She pushed through the lingering party mess, stepping over crumpled napkins and empty glasses. The guests were gone, and the cleaners were handling the aftermath, but the one person she was looking for was nowhere in sight.She knew exactly where to find him.Her father’s study.Without knocking, she pushed the heavy door open.“Right on time, Suzanne.” His voice was smooth, smug. He didn’t even look up, still smiling at his computer screen. “I have someone who wants to speak with you about your project.” He waved her over, as if she was just another business deal waiting to be finalized.“I want to speak to you. Alone,” she spat, her tone sharp with barely contained fury.His smile faded. “Can’t this wait?”She folded her arms. “No.”With a sigh, he tur
Suzanne’s breath hitched. “Fifty million?” she repeated in disbelief. “Are you serious? How could my father—”“I don’t make the deals, Suzanne,” Finn interrupted, his voice low and steady. “I just fulfill them. And right now, I’m letting you know that you’ve got three days to pay it off, or I’ll drag you straight to the marriage office myself.”The words hung in the air like a storm cloud, heavy and unrelenting. Suzanne stood frozen for a moment, the enormity of the situation sinking in.Fifty million dollars. The amount felt unreal, like a weight on her chest, a weight she couldn’t shake. “Three days?” she repeated, her voice barely above a whisper, shock and fury mixing in her tone. “Three days to come up with fifty million? Do you think I have that kind of money lying around?”Finn didn’t flinch. “You don’t. But you can find a way. Or we can go the other route. Your father can’t afford to lose this deal, and neither can I.”Suzanne’s fists clenched at her sides, frustration and h
"Why are you avoiding me, Suzy?"Liam stood in the hallway, his gaze locked onto Suzanne, his voice low but urgent.The way he said—Suzy—always made her heart skip a beat. That was his name for her, and hers alone. No one else ever dared to call her that, not even her ex-husband. It made her feel like she was something important to him, something irreplaceable.She opened her mouth to respond, but the words caught in her throat. "Well, I..." She faltered, struggling to find the right answer. How could she explain the turmoil inside her? How could she admit that seeing him again after everything felt like too much to handle?As the silence stretched, she silently prayed for an interruption—and just as if the universe had answered her prayer, the sound of footsteps approached."Ms. Smith," the director of her company called out, stepping into view. "You've been called in."Suzanne quickly flashed a polite smile, the tension momentarily dissolving. "See you later, Liam." She turned on he
Back at the estate, the air was still, save for the occasional rustling of the trees. Charles Langford stood by his study window, watching the estate across the street. His new neighbor’s party was set for tomorrow, but that wasn’t what intrigued him.No, it was the boy.Charlie.His smirk was slow, calculated.“What a small world,” he murmured to himself, lifting a glass of bourbon to his lips.Then, with a quiet chuckle, he turned away from the window.Tomorrow would be an interesting night for him and Suzanne Smith.---Liam’s car was silent, save for the rhythmic tapping of his fingers against the steering wheel. His phone sat on the dashboard, the screen lit with a familiar name—Suzanne Smith.He exhaled sharply, pressing the call button again.Ring.Ring.Ring.Nothing.The call went to voicemail. Again.Liam clenched his jaw, his grip tightening on the wheel. He had lost count of how many times he had tried to reach her today. Morning. Afternoon. And now, after the heated confr