Semua Bab ENTANGLED AFFAIRS: Bab 21 - Bab 24

The champagne tickled my nose as I tilted the flute, watching the bubbles dance like tiny, reckless stars. First class. Of course. Only the best for the sugar baby of Clara Moreau’s fiancé. The irony tasted sweeter than the vintage.Below, the world shrunk, neatly packaged into squares of green and grey. I imagined Clara down there, probably at some society luncheon, meticulously maintaining her perfect facade. A pang, sharp and unfamiliar, pricked at my conscience. But I ruthlessly stamped it out. She had her ring, her social standing, her parents' unwavering adoration. I had… this. This gilded cage, this intoxicating game. And for now, it was more than enough.Julian sat beside me, a dark silhouette against the bright window. He was working, of course. Even at thirty thousand feet, the gears in his mind were relentlessly turning, calculating, strategizing. He hadn't said much since we boarded, just a curt "Make yourself comfortable, Liam," before burying himself in documents. But th

The after-party was a cacophony of clinking glasses, forced laughter, and the thumping bass of a DJ trying too hard. Julian, as promised, had dressed Liam. Not in a vulgar, ostentatious way, but with an understated elegance that whispered of wealth and good taste. A silk shirt, the color of claret wine, clung to Liam's frame, its V-neck dipping just low enough to hint at the hollow of his throat. Dark trousers, impeccably tailored, completed the ensemble. He felt like a prized possession, on display and impeccably curated.And Julian certainly treated him like one. All night, he’d kept a possessive hand on the small of Liam’s back, steering him through the crowd, introducing him to people whose names blurred into insignificance. Liam played his part, offering witty retorts and a dazzling smile, fueled by champagne and a simmering resentment. He was a puppet, dancing to Julian’s tune, but tonight, he decided, he’d enjoy the performance.He could feel Damian’s eyes on him throughout the