LISA'S POV I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. Marriage? Why on earth would Leo want to marry me? I thought we were just discussing a business arrangement, not a lifelong commitment.My eyes darted to Marcus, hoping he could provide some insight, but he looked just as surprised as I was. His eyebrows were raised, and he was leaning back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Leo with a mixture of confusion and curiosity."Leo, what's going on?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady. "I don't understand why you're asking me to marry you."Leo's expression didn't change. He just kept staring at me with that intense gaze, his eyes burning with an inner fire."I want to own you, Lisa," he repeated, his voice low and husky. "I want to possess you completely. And I want the world to know it."I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized the depth of his desire. But why? What could he possibly gain from marrying me?"Leo, I don't know what to say," I stammered, trying to process my thoug
LISA'S POV I refocused on my work, my mind made up. I would do whatever it took to bring down Andre, even if it meant marrying Leo. The marriage didn't have to be serious, I thought. It was just a means to an end. After a few hours of work, I called Liam into my office. He arrived promptly, looking curious. "What's up?" he asked. "I've changed my mind," I said. "You're still coming for dinner tonight." Liam raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were going to break the news to your father?" I shook my head. "Not tonight. I won't be telling him about the marriage yet. At least, not tonight." Liam shrugged. "Fine. I'll come to dinner." I nodded, relieved. "Good. I need your support, Liam." Liam nodded and left my office, leaving me to my thoughts. I knew I had a long night ahead of me, but I was ready. I would do whatever it took to bring down Andre, even if it meant marrying Leo. The day flew by in a whirlwind of meetings and paperwork, but just as I was about to leave,
LISA'S POV As we entered the house, the tension between Louisa and me remained strong. We walked into the living room, where our parents were sitting on the couch, oblivious to the storm brewing between us.Louisa couldn't keep quiet for long. "So, Lisa, I hear you're still going ahead with the merger," she said, her voice dripping with venom.I felt my temper rise, but I tried to keep my cool. "Yes, Louisa, I am. And I don't see why you're so opposed to it."Louisa snorted. "You know exactly why I'm opposed to it. You're just too selfish to care."That was it. I'd had enough of her insults. "How dare you!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the room.Our parents turned to us, shocked by the outburst. "Girls, what's going on here?" our mom asked, standing up.But Louisa and I were beyond reason. We stood there, our faces red with anger, our voices raised in a heated argument."You're just trying to ruin everything!" I shouted."No, I'm trying to protect this family's interests!" Lou
LISA'S POV I stood up, my body shaking with sobs, and my mother rushed to my side. "Lisa, darling, don't cry," she said, trying to wrap her arms around me. But I pushed her away, my anger and hurt boiling over."You always defend her, no matter what she does!" I cried, my voice echoing off the walls. "You always take her side, even when she's wrong!"My mother tried to calm me down, but I was beyond consolation. I sank to the ground, my chest heaving with sobs, and my mother knelt beside me."Lisa, sweetie, that's not true," she said, her voice soft and gentle. "I love you both equally, and I want what's best for both of you."But I was too far gone to listen. "You don't know what it's like to be constantly belittled and criticized," I said, my voice bitter. "You don't know what it's like to be treated like I'm nothing."Louisa stood in the doorway, her arms crossed and a smirk on her face. "Oh, poor Lisa," she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Always playing the victim."I gla
LISA'S POV As we sat down at the dining table, the tension was palpable. But Mom's cooking was a balm to our frazzled nerves. The aroma of roasted chicken and steaming vegetables filled the air, and for a moment, we forgot about the argument.Dad, still looking a bit shaken, smiled weakly at me as I helped him settle into his seat. Liam, ever the gentleman, waited for me to sit before taking his own seat.The silence was almost deafening as we passed dishes around the table. But it was a comfortable silence, like we all needed a break from the drama.As we ate, I snuck glances at Liam, who was savoring each bite with a look of genuine pleasure. I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest. He was always so present, so mindful.After we finished eating, Liam pushed his chair back and stood up. "Thanks for dinner, Mrs. ... um, Lisa's mom," he said with a smile.Mom laughed and patted his hand. "Just call me mum, dear. And you're welcome. Come back soon."As Liam headed for the door, I walked
LISA'S POV As I sat in my room, my head in my hands, I couldn't help but think about my father's words. I knew he didn't like Leo, but he was willing to put aside their rivalry for my sake. That realization filled me with a mix of emotions - guilt, gratitude, and uncertainty.I thought about my investigation, and how I had been so determined to uncover the truth. But now, I wasn't so sure. Maybe I had been too harsh, too quick to judge.I sighed, feeling a sense of exhaustion wash over me. I had been so focused on finding something wrong with Leo's company, but what if I had been wrong all along?As I sat there, lost in thought, my phone rang, breaking the silence. I hesitated for a moment before answering."Hello?" I said, trying to sound cheerful."Hey, Lisa!" It was Liam's voice on the other end. "How's it going?"I smiled, feeling a sense of relief. "It's going," I said. "I've just been thinking a lot about everything.""Yeah, I can imagine," Liam said. "So, what's the verdict? A
LISA'S POVI tried to process what Leo meant by "making our arrangement more personal." Was he suggesting we pretend to be in love? Or was he hinting at something more?"Leo, I don't think that's a good idea," I said, trying to sound firm but calm.Leo leaned back in his chair, a sly smile spreading across his face. "Oh, come on, Lisa. It'll be fun. We can make this whole thing more enjoyable."I shook my head, feeling a sense of unease. "I don't think so, Leo. Let's just stick to the plan."Leo's smile faltered for a moment, but then he shrugged. "Suit yourself, Lisa. But you're missing out on a lot of fun."I raised an eyebrow, unsure what to make of Leo's comment. Was he trying to manipulate me into doing something I didn't want to do?Just then, my assistant burst into the room. "Lisa, I'm so sorry to interrupt, but you have an urgent call from your father."I stood up, feeling a sense of relief at the interruption. "Excuse me, Leo. I need to take this call."Leo nodded, his eyes
LISA'S POV I walked out of the courtroom, feeling a sense of relief wash over me. But as I stepped into the bright sunlight, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something was off.Rachel, who had been my rock throughout this ordeal, noticed my unease. "Hey, what's wrong?" she asked, concern etched on her face.I hesitated, unsure how to articulate my doubts. "I don't know...it just feels too easy."Rachel frowned. "What do you mean? We've been working towards this for months."I sighed, feeling a sense of frustration. "I know, but what if we've only scratched the surface? What if there's more to Leo's empire than we think?"Rachel's expression turned thoughtful. "I see what you mean. Maybe we should keep digging."I nodded, determination coursing through my veins. "Let's do it."We spent the next few days pouring over documents, searching for any clues that might lead us to the truth. But every lead we followed seemed to end in a dead-end.I began to feel like I was running in circ