Chapter 75
I sighest as I stared at the unteniched food before use. A glance at the clock told me Liam couldn’t keep his p
Pushing the plate aside. I toush up from my seat
this promise menne boine for dinner
Msdam, you still haven’t touched your food, the maid said, her voice commed.
I forced a small smile. “Please don’t tell I am about this. My stomach ist feeling well. I don’t have much of an appetite, just bring me some tea and
The maid hesitates but eventually nodded. “Okay, Maddan“
As I made my way upstairs, the silence
e of the mansion pressed down on me. It was tons
(no quart, too
I missed Hudson I missed my home there:
It had been months since Liam and I got married in Hudson. After that, we stavelled for a months on our honeymoon. Those were the happiest days of my life. No business calls, no interruptions–just us.
Then, we had to return to New York because of Liam’s work. He got busy, but I knew he was trying his best to make time for me. He took me out on dates during weekends, we attended parties together, and I met some of his friends.
Mathew’s wife, Jenny, because my friend, too, though she was now busy with motherhood after giving birth.
As for me, I spent most of my days alone in the mansion, waiting for Liam to come home. But in the past few weeks, we had barely seen each other.
I stayed up late waiting for him, fighting sleep, but he always arrived when my eyes were too heavy to keep open. And when I woke up, he was already gone for work.
I was getting lonely
I shook my head with that thought.
h’s okay. Camille. He promised he’d make it up to you.
With a yawn, I curled up in bed after finishing my tea. A glance at the clock told me I probably couldn’t stay awake for Liam’s arrival.
With a sigh, I reached for his pillow, hugging it close and inhaling his lingering scent. I closed my eyes and imagined he was here, wrapping his
arms around me.
I woke up
up abruptly in the buddle of the might, my body shivering despite the warmth of the thick blankets covering me
Then, my eyes turped to the faint glow of light spilling from the en–suite bathroom and walk–in closet.
பிபாட
A unde tugged at my lips. My husband was finally home.
1 hummely got up and walked toward the light, ready to throw my arms around hum, scold him for coming home so late, and tell him how much!
had missed him
Hut just as I reached the walk–in closet, my footsteps halted when I heand Liam’s voice.
“I don’t fcking care if he has a pregnant wife, Kill hum ́*
Cold Sharp Dangerous.
The way he said those words made me hold my breath. I froze.
Kall him
Did I hear that richtt
My heart pounded against my ribs as silence followed his words–a silence that felt heavy. Suffocating
Chapter 73
Then, suddenly, I remembered what Callie had once told me about Liam’s life, the hushed whispers at the parties we attended…
Thai Lian Anderson was a man you shouldn’t mess with..
And then I saw it.
A small, dark stain on the floor.
Blood.
Droplets of crimson trailed from the closet toward the bathroom,
A lump formed in my throat as my gaze followed the path, dread creeping into my veins like ice.
A loud crash from inside the bathroom made me jolt.
Without thinking. I took slow, hesitant steps forward. Fear gripped me at the memory of Liam’s voice–so cold, so merciless. sent a different kind of worry through me.
I reached for the slightly ajar door and opened it just enough to see inside.
And then my world stopped.
But the sight of blood
Liam stood there, staring at his reflection in the shattered mirror, fractured into jagged, distorted pieces. His white dress shirt was soaked in deep red. His knuckles were raw and bleeding from punching the mirror, and I gasped when I saw shards of glass embedded in his skin.
But it wasn’t just the blond that made my breath falter.
It was his eyes.
Cold Lifeless.
I was staring at a stran
at a stranger and not my husband
I felt like I was
I took a step back, my breath hitching, my instincts screaming at me to run. To get away.
But then, I heard Grandma’s voice in my head.
“Camille, always remember that marriage is not just for the good times. You made a sou–to love him in his darkest moments, to stand beside him when no one else will. You are one with him now.”
My hands trembled at my sides.
This was Liam. My L
The same man who had twirled me under the moonlight, who had held me close and whispered that he loved me. The man who had kissed me with a tenderness that made me believe in forever.
That Liam was still in there.
A
Beneath the blood. Beneath the fury. Beneath the cold emptiness in his eyes.
So instead of running. I took a slow, deliberate step forward
“Tum.”
My voice was barely above a whisper, fragile and uncertain, but it cut through the silence like a plea
I called him again, and his head turned slightly until he fully faced me.
Our eyes inel–and the fear that had gripped me a moment ago slowly faded.
His eyes.. they weren’t lifeless
They screamed pain.
I walked toward him hesitantly, but he held up a hand, stopping me.
“Don’t”
“Liam, w–what happened! You’re hurt. Again. You need to go to the hospital-
Chapter 75
“h’s not my blood,” he said, his voice eerily calm. Tm okay. I’ll just take a shower, Go back to sleep”
It’s like nothing happened. Like I was supposed to nod, pretend I hadn’t seen the blood, and slip back under the covers while he washed away the evidence.
No.
I couldn’t do that
head and took another step closer. But this My voice wavered as I gently took his wrist, my fingers brushing against his torn knuckles. This is your blood”
My hands trembled against his skin:
Liam exhaled sharply. “You’re shaking you’re scared, Camille
I looked up at him. His eyes–those deep green eyes that had once been so full of life–were now staring at me, hollow and unreadable.
I swallowed hard before nodding. Yes. I’m scared.” My voice broke. Tim scared because there’s blood on you. I’m scared because you’re hurting. and I don’t know how to help you. Er scared that you’re in pain and 1-
j
never got to finish.
Because in the next spcond, Liam kissed me.
I wasn’t soft.
It wasn’t sweet
It was desperate.
A raw, consuming clash of lips that stole the air from my lungs. His hands grasped my face, fingers threading through my hair as if anchoring himself to something–to me…
His lips moved feverishly against mine, rough and bruising, as though he was trying to chase something away.
I tasted the salt of my tears before realising I was crying.
But I didn’t pull away.
1 kissed him back. letting my hands grip the front of his ruined shirt, feeling the damp warmth of blood against my fingers, yet refusing to let go.
Liam broke the kiss first, his forehead resting against mine, his breath ragged.
His hands trembled slightly as they cupped my cheeks.
“I’m scared too,” he said boarsely,
I cried, hearing the vulnerability in his voice. “Of what?
“Of losing you
I cupped his cheek gently. “Why would you think that?”
“I know you heard it,” he murmured. “What I said. What I commanded. He exhaled sharply, his grip tightening of me as if bracing for my reaction.
“I ordered someone to kill a man” He swallowed hard. “But it’s not just that, Camille.. I don’t just command. His voice dropped to a whisper, filled with something heavy–something close to shame.
“Sometimes I’m the one who does it”
A pause. A heartbeat
I’ve killed people.”
Alliver
A Viver ran down my spute.
He killed people
And then Callie’s w
words. Is this what she n
My lips parted, but no words came out. My mind screamed at me to process, react, and feel something–fear, anger, disbelief.
Chapter 73
Liam’s grip on my cheeks loosened as if he expected me to pull away.
oid of
“Do you want to leave now?” he asked, his voice void of emotion.
Leave!
My fingers twitched against his bloodstained shirt. My body trembled, but not from fear.
“I should be scared of you, I whispered.
His gare darkened, lips pressing into a hard line. “You should.”
“But I’m not.”
Liam froze.
I reached for his knuckles, my hands shaking as I carefully plucked out the shards of glass embedded in his skin. He flinched but didn’t pull away.
“You’re hurt,” I murmured, ignoring how my voice wavered. “Let me take care of you. Should I enroll in medicine so I can be your personal nurse or doctor when you’re wounded like this!” I added, trying to lighten the atmosphere as I reached for the first–aid kit in the cabinet
“Camille_”
I stiffened when he suddenly hugged me from behind
“You’re not leaving?” he whispered, burying his face in my neck.
I guess this is when people would say love is blind…
I could walk away. Right now. Before it was too late. Before I fell even deeper.
“Why would It Are you going to hurt me too! Are you going to kill me too!”
He froze, then held me tighter. “Never. I would never, ever do that.“||
I reached up, threading my fingers through his hair, caressing him gently. Then I won’t leave you. I made a vow. We made a vow, right?”
“And if we hadn’t?”
much; Liam
I smiled. “I’d still stay. I love you that m
“You do?” he asked, sounding almost like a child.
“I do, Liam”
“You’re not scared?” he asked again, quieter this time.
Tim more scared of losing you than of who you are.”
“Dolcezza mio amore, I love y
you” He whispered, holding me so tightly it almost hurt.
But I didn’t complain.
111 let him hug me this way if this is the only way I can assure him that I accept him–every part of him, including his dark side.
Something I would regret after…
