Isabelle stared blankly at the ornate floral arrangement on the coffee table with its vibrant hues a stark contrast to the turmoil raging inside her. She should have been thrilled on the verge of marrying a man as powerful and successful as Liam Callahan. Instead, all she could think about was the warmth of Max’s hand on her cheek and the way his eyes had held hers with an intensity that had sent shivers down her spine. It was a kiss that had almost happened a betrayal of Liam and a threat to the fragile peace of their contract marriage.
Penelope had promised to keep it a secret. But Isabelle couldn’t shake the feeling of being exposed and of the delicate facade of their marriage crumbling before her. What would Liam do if he knew? His pride was as formidable as his wealth, and the thought of him finding out about Max filled her with a dread she couldn’t ignore.
The afternoon dragged by like a slow agonizing march of time. Isabelle found herself aimlessly wandering through the opulent mansion with her thoughts a tangle of forbidden desires and looming consequences. The silence echoed her internal turmoil, amplifying the faint thrum of anxiety that had taken root in her chest.
The front door clicked shut with the sound like a hammer blow to her already frayed nerves. Liam, his face radiating the familiar blend of confidence and controlled intensity, stepped inside. “Good evening, darling,” he said with his voice a low rumble that resonated with authority.
She managed a weak smile with her heart skipping a beat at the sight of him with the image of Max still fresh in her mind. “Liam.” she greeted him with her voice barely a whisper.
He gave her a quick and appraising glance with his eyes lingering on her for a moment before he moved to the sofa with his movements as precise and controlled as always. “How was your day?” he asked, his tone clipped and distant with the usual warmth absent.
“It was… fine,” she replied, her voice betraying a tremor she couldn’t conceal.
Liam nodded, his attention shifting to the newspaper he had brought with him with his brow furrowing as he scanned the headlines. The silence stretched, punctuated only by the rustling of the newspaper and the tick-tock of the grandfather clock in the hallway. Isabelle wanted to break the tense atmosphere, to ask him about his day, but the weight of her secret pressed upon her suffocating her words.
It was Liam who broke the silence with a slow smile spreading across his lips as he finally lowered the newspaper. “I have something to tell you,” he announced with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
Isabelle felt a prickle of apprehension. What could he possibly have to announce that warranted such a conspiratorial smile?
Liam rose from the sofa and gestured towards the hallway. “Come with me,” he said with his voice low and alluring.
Isabelle followed him, her steps heavy with unease and her heart pounding like a drum. They reached a secluded study with the air thick with the scent of old leather and wood polish. Liam gestured towards a large and ornate wooden chest with a lock of anticipation tightening in her throat.
He opened the chest, revealing a magnificent white gown with its silk shimmering like moonlight. It was a masterpiece of craftsmanship intricate lace and delicate beading adorning its flowing silhouette.
“It’s beautiful.” she breathed, her voice choked with emotion.
“I thought you might like it,” Liam said with his voice soft and almost tender. “It’s your wedding gown.” He announced.
The news hit Isabelle like a wave of icy water. Her mind raced like a frantic jumble of disarray. Finally, the wedding. It was supposed to be a relief. But instead, she felt trapped with a sense of dread overwhelming her.
“Liam, we need to talk,” she said, her voice barely audible above the thundering of her own heart. “I don’t think we’re ready.” She said.
“Ready? What do you mean?” Liam’s voice sharpened with a hint of annoyance coloring his response.
Isabelle took a deep breath, steeling herself for the confrontation. “Liam, this isn’t real. It’s just a contract, a business arrangement. We can’t pretend that we’re in love. Not anymore. Not after what happened today.” She slipped.
Liam’s face hardened and his eyes narrowed. “What do you mean? What happened today?” He asked.
The words hung in the air with a heavy and suffocating silence filling the room. Isabelle’s throat constricted with the pressure of her secret crushing her. She could see the anger rising in Liam’s eyes and she knew she had to say something to deflect his fury.
“It’s nothing, Liam,” she mumbled, her voice barely a whisper. “Just… complicated. It’s not the right time.” She said.
Liam stepped closer his presence overwhelming her. “What are you hiding from me?” he demanded with his voice a dangerous growl. “Is there someone else?”
Isabelle’s eyes darted away with her heart racing. “No, of course not.” she blurted out with her voice trembling. “It’s just… I need more time.” She said.
Liam’s eyes bored into her with his gaze searching, unrelenting. “Time?” he echoed, his voice laced with suspicion. “How much time? This has dragged on for far too long, Isabelle. We both agreed to this. It’s time we move on.” He urged.
He reached out and took her hand with his touch burning through her skin. “I’ve been waiting for this day for months, Isabelle,” he whispered with his voice soft but insistent. “We’re going to be married.” He declared.
She squeezed her eyes shut with her breath catching in her throat. He was right. They had agreed to this. But she had never anticipated the depth of her feelings the way they had twisted and turned leading her to the brink of a betrayal she hadn’t planned.
“Liam, please.” she pleaded, her voice cracking. “I need to think.”
Liam’s fingers tightened on her hand, holding her captive. “There’s nothing to think about,” he said, his voice laced with a strange intensity. “We’re getting married. And I want you to be happy.” He insisted.
He knelt before her with the unexpected gesture throwing her off balance. “Isabelle,” he said with his voice a low like a husky whisper. “Will you marry me?” He asked.
He pulled out a ring a magnificent diamond glittering like a star against the dark velvet lining of the box. It was exquisite and a perfect symbol of wealth and power, yet it felt utterly inadequate in the face of the storm raging within her.
Isabelle stared at the ring with her mind a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. She had never imagined Liam would act so… desperate. This wasn’t the Liam she knew, the man who had orchestrated their contract marriage with cool efficiency and a complete lack of sentimentality. He was different now, his emotions raw and his desire palpable.
She looked into his eyes, a question burning in her own. What had changed? Was it the weight of his business success, the realization of his vulnerability? Or was it something else, something he wasn’t revealing?
The room spun around her with the scent of old leather and wood polish suddenly overwhelming. She felt lightheaded with her body trembling with a mixture of fear and desire.
“Isabelle, “Liam whispered with his voice a plea. “I love you. I always have.” He said.
The confession hung in the air like a bomb detonating in her heart. How could he? How could he say those words after everything they had been through? The contract, the manipulation, and the calculated game they had played.
She felt a surge of anger and a rebellion against the reality she had been forced to accept. His words, though laced with sincerity felt like a betrayal of their carefully constructed facade.
Isabelle pulled her hand away, her gaze locked on his. “Liam,” she said with her voice shaking. “You can’t just… say those words.” She said.
Liam’s eyes widened and his expression shifted from hope to confusion. “What do you mean? Isabelle, I’m telling you the truth.” He said.
“I just… need time to think.” Isabelle insisted.
Liam’s face softened slightly with his anger replaced by a look of concern. “Think about what, Isabelle? What’s going on?” He asked.
Isabelle shook her head with her lips trembling. “It’s just… complicated.” she managed to say with her voice a barely audible whisper.
Liam stepped closer with his expression searching. “Don’t you trust me, Isabelle?” he asked with his voice laced with disappointment. “We’re partners in this, remember? We’re a team.” He said.
His words hit her like a slap in the face. A partner and a team. It was a reminder of the cold reality of their situation, the contract that bound them together the carefully constructed facade of their marriage.
Isabelle felt tears streaming down her face, the weight of her secret pressing down on her like a physical burden. She couldn’t tell him the truth, not yet. Not until she understood her feelings until she knew what she wanted and what she was willing to risk.
She turned and fled the room with the sound of her sobbing echoing in the silence of the study. Liam’s voice called out behind her with his words lost in the whirlwind of emotions that had consumed her.
She collapsed on the bed in her room with the plush silk sheets a cold comfort against her aching body. The images of Max swirled in her mind with the heat of his touch still lingering on her skin. She had almost kissed him in a reckless act of rebellion against the carefully constructed world Liam had built around her.
But as the tears subsided, a new feeling began to take root within her. It was a glimmer of hope and a spark of defiance against the carefully orchestrated life she had been forced to accept. She was tired of being a pawn in Liam’s game, of playing the role of the obedient fiancee in a marriage that was nothing more than a business transaction.
She had to make a choice. She had to decide what she wanted, what she was willing to risk, and most importantly, who she truly loved. The decision was terrifying, but she knew she couldn’t escape it any longer. She had to face the truth, even if it meant shattering the fragile world she had built around her…