Chapter 92
Chapter 92
Caler’s eyes burned as he watched Izzy and Liam enter the high end restaurant together. Even though he had seen a flicker of jealousy in Izzy earlier, she still walked off with Liam–and h outright refused his gift. He snorted. He really wanted to
see how long she would last this time.
The thought infuriated him, but deep down, a twisted part of high found satisfaction in knowing she still cared enough to react. He exhaled sharply, forcing himself to steady his temper, then pulled out his phone and dialed a number.
“Where are you?” he demanded the moment the call connected. If he wanted to strike back, he needed Parnella. She was part of the plan to make Izzy jealous, and Calen was willing to tolerate her company to get what he wanted.
Before Pamella could reply, there was a sharp knock on his car window. He glanced to his right and saw her standing there. With a sigh, he unlocked the passenger door, and she slid inside her heels clicking against the car floor.
“What’s going on?” Pamella asked, brushing her perfectly styled hair over her shoulder. “I was preparing for a night out. You dragged me out here for some dinner? You’re lucky I’m even in Macau right now.”
Calen glanced her over, noting that she looked polished enough for his plan. “I told you. I agree. We can pretend to be in a relationship.” he said flatly. “Let’s make this dinner a celebration
Pamella raised an eyebrow. “You’re joking. You really made me come all the way here for some random dinner celebration? Why can’t we do it back in states?”
Calen snorted, brushing off her irritation. “You’re here, aren’t you? Let’s go. The table’s already booked.”
The restaurant’s second floor exuded understated luxury, with its floor–to–ceiling windows offering a panoramic view of Macau’s glittering skyline. The lights of the towering casinos and hotels reflected on the calm waters below, creating a mesmerizing display. From their seats, the city looked alive, vibrant, and intoxicatingly beautiful.
Liam pulled out Izzy’s chair, motioning for her to sit. She hesitated for a moment, glancing at the view before finally settling into her seat. The soft glow of the ambient lighting caught her features as she adjusted her napkin on her lap.
“You didn’t have to do all this,” she said, her gaze briefly meeting his. She had already told him that she still had things to do tonight, but he insisted on having dinner with her. Weirdly, her eyes glanced at the ring on her finger. It was his gift from that morning, and for some reason, she found herself actually wearing it today. “You already gave me a gracious gift,” she added.
The ring wasn’t simple. While she wasn’t an expert, she knew Liam wouldn’t give her something that wasn’t a diamond. The man had always been extravagant when it came to gifting things
Liam took the seat across from her, leaning back slightly as he watched her. “This is a small matter,” he replied, his eyes not- leaving hers. “I’m your boyfriend, remember?”
Izzy’s cheeks flushed as she quickly turned her attention to the menu in front of her, flipping through it unnecessarily. “I only said that to scare Calen off,” she mumbled, not looking up.
Liam smirked, leaning forward and resting his arms on the table. “Well, there’s no going back now. You practically introduced me as your man.”
Izzy rolled her eyes, setting the menu down. “You’re enjoying this,” she muttered, though the corners of her mouth twitched upward. He had always been consistent, and for some weird reason, she quite liked it.
09:28 Fri, Jan 24 TOD
Chapter 92
Seeing her reaction, Liam chuckled softly, his gaze lingering on her longer than necessary. “Aren’t you enjoying it as well
he said.
Izzy met his eyes, narrowing hers slightly as if to challenge him. But she didn’t argue. Her fingers absently traced the edge of her glass, her movements slow.
Liam’s smile widened as he picked up his glass, his gaze briefly flicking to her lips before locking onto her eyes again. “I have to say,” he remarked, his tone light despite the charged atmosphere between them. “You handled that better than I expected. Calen looked like he was about to lose it.” He paused, his expression darkening slightly. “Though, I’m not a fan of how he keeps bothering you.”
Setting the glass down, he leaned forward slightly, his eyes narrowing with a hint of possessiveness. “As your boyfriend, isn’t it my duty to keep the bees away from my flower?”
“I can handle myself,” Izzy smirked, lifting her glass of water and taking a sip. “And that man’s always been dramatic,” she said, setting the glass down. Her hand lingered on its base, her fingers still tracing idle patterns.
Liam tilted his head slightly, studying her. “Well.. I wasn’t expecting you to stay composed around someone you used to like. Are you always this composed around people like him, or are you just trying to impress me?”
Izzy raised an eyebrow at him. “Why would I need to impress you?”
Liam leaned in a fraction closer, the table doing little to separate the space between them. His voice dropped. “Maybe it’s because you like me?”
Izzy’s breath hitched, but she masked it with a laugh. “Don’t flatter yourself,” she replied, brushing off his words.
But she couldn’t ignore the way her heart raced as his fingers brushed lightly against hers when he reached for the wine list It was subtle, almost accidental, but enough to send a spark coursing through her.
Liam noticed her reaction. “Careful,” he said, his tone teasing. “Or I might actually start to believe that you, my dearest wife like being around me.”
Izzy rolled her eyes again, but the heat rising in her cheeks betrayed her. She grabbed her glass and took another sip, hoping to cool the warmth spreading through her.
Liam leaned back, satisfied, as a waiter approached with their drinks. “You’re fun to mess with, you know that?” he said as the waiter poured wine into his glass.
Izzy placed her glass down and met his gaze. “And you’re always so infuriating,” she shot back, though the faint smile on her lips softened her words. “You never change, do you?”
Liam raised his glass to her, his eyes gleaming with amusement. To infuriating you, then,” he said, his voice laced with mischief.
Izzy clinked her glass against his, shaking her head. She wanted to say something feisty or witty, but quickly changed her mind. She knew that Liam could easily use her words against her and she didn’t want that to happen tonight.
The two drank as the tension between them lingered like the city lights that flickered against the glass.
However, this peaceful environment changed when Izzy glanced down and saw Calen with Pamella Johnson on the first floor. Her brows knitted together in confusion, her lips pressing into a thin line. Liam, noticing her reaction, followed her
gaze.
“Oh?” he said with a low chuckle, “Now, isn’t that interesting?”
09:28 Fri, Jan 24
Chapter 92
Izzy remained silent. She replayed Calen’s earlier comment about having a girlfriend. Could this girlfriend be Pamella Johnson? What was he trying to prove?
80%
Liam’s voice broke through her thoughts. “Do you want to leave he asked suddenly, his calm question catching her off guard.
She turned to him, startled. His expression wasn’t angry, but the stoic set of his features sent a chill down her spine. She blinked, realizing she wasn’t accustomed to seeing this side of Liam. The Liam she knew always carried an air of smug confidence, a playful smirk that rarely left his face. She couldn’t remember the last time he looked so… cold.
Izzy pressed her lips together, forcing herself to push aside her unease. “No,” she said, shaking her head firmly. For some reason, a part of her was tempted to reach out to him and assure him that Calen’s presence didn’t affect him. But then again, did Liam actually care that much?
Did his reaction change because he cared about her, or was it because he simply didn’t want Calen around them? Either way, she decided not to overthink it.
“This place is incredible,” she said. The VIP rooms on the second floor were equipped with privacy glass, allowing them to observe the first floor while remaining completely hidden from view. “Besides… you made so much effort just to get me off work and bring me here. Why would I leave now?”
AD
