Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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“This will be the last batch of documents for the permits. Next is going to be the board meeting in the US. The CEO needs you to join them. I already booked the tickets, but-” Anna hesitated.
“But what?” Izzy frowned, lifting her head from the documents she was reading.
“Well… Mr. Horvath is going to fly with you that day, and his secretary insisted that he handle the flight.”
Izzy raised an eyebrow, her thoughts briefly drifting to the unexpectedly enjoyable weekend with Liam. “Let him be,” she murmured, lowering her gaze back to the document in front of her. For now, everything about the project seemed to be on track. Soon, she could head back to the States and address more pressing matters.
Turning 26 just a few days ago had ushered in a whirlwind of changes for her. Along with the milestones came access to an inheritance that extended far beyond the trust fund and properties passed down from her parents and grandparents.
There were also her shares in the Rossi Group an inheritance tied to the very heart of her family’s legacy. With her parents‘ and grandparents‘ shares combined, the stake wasn’t insignificant. In fact, it was substantial enough to guarantee her a life of luxury, even if she never worked another day.
However, this also meant that trouble could be lurking on the horizon. Izzy motioned for Anna to leave the office, picked up her laptop, and made her way to the adjoining room that was connected to Liam’s office. It was Monday, and though it was still Sunday in the US, Liam already had a packed schedule of meetings. Perhaps that explained why he had finally decided to return to his office.
For reasons she couldn’t quite explain, her own office felt unnervingly quiet without him around. She hated to admit it, bu she missed his irritating presence.
After three knocks, the door opened, and Mondo greeted her with a shallow bow. “Would you like me to fetch you some refreshments?” he asked politely.
“No need,” Izzy replied, her gaze already shifting toward Liam. As expected, he was on a call, earbuds in place, listening intently to a report. It didn’t take long for him to notice her standing there. He gestured for her to take a seat, and without a word, she complied.
Izzy started working on her laptop as well. After what felt like forever working in the same office without talking, Liam finally finished his meeting.
“Well…” He leaned back. “I wasn’t expecting you to miss me after just a few hours of not seeing me,” he smiled. Then he gestured for Mondo to leave the two of them alone.
“You are flying back to the US? Is your work done?” she asked. While they had a collaborative partnership, Liam had his own tasks to complete for the project.
“Yes.”
She quickly narrowed her eyes. If she was right, he could finish his part of the job even when he wasn’t here. Yet, he had actually chosen to come. She wondered if he did it for her. In the end, she decided not to overthink things.
“Something on your mind?” He got up from his seat and poured some freshly brewed coffee for himself. “Want one?”
“No, thanks.”
“Then have some tea,” he said.
11:17 Sun, Jan 26 GO
Chapter 99
Izzy said nothing in response.
Liam set a cup and saucer on the table as he prepared the tea. “This is Pu’er tea,” he said, pouring hot water over the dark leaves. “It’s fermented, aged, and pressed into cakes. People in China have been drinking it for centuries, not just for the taste, but because it’s said to aid digestion and calm the mind.”
Izzy nodded, watching as the tea steeped. A faint, earthy aroma wafted from the pot–grounding and rich, almost like damp soil after a light rain. She breathed it in, surprised at how soothing it was.
He handed her the cup. “Here. It should help.”
“Thank you,” she said, taking it from him. The warmth of the tea seeped into her hands through the porcelain. She lifted the cup to her lips and took a small sip. The flavor was bold but smooth, with a slightly sweet aftertaste. It wasn’t something she would have chosen on her own, but it wasn’t unpleasant.
Liam sat across from her, his posture relaxed as he leaned back in his chair. “Tell me what’s on your mind,” he said, his eyes steady on hers.
It wasn’t a suggestion, and it certainly wasn’t a question. For a moment, Izzy considered deflecting, but there was something about the way he sat there, waiting, that made her hesitate. Oddly enough, she didn’t feel like brushing him off.
She placed the cup back on the saucer, her fingers lingering on the edge.
“Turning 26 grants me access to my grandfather’s inheritance. I’m sure you’re already aware of that,” Izzy said.
“am,” Liam replied, taking a calm sip of his coffee.
“When we land, I’ll speak with Attorney Alcaraz to sort everything out. However…”
“However?” he prompted, setting his cup down.
“I need your help with something.”
He raised an eyebrow, the faintest hint of amusement flashing across his face. “Well, that’s a first.” He leaned back in his seat, his posture as unbothered as ever. “What do you need?”
Izzy’s eyes lingered on him for a moment. His relaxed confidence was infuriatingly familiar–the kind of ease that always seemed to irritate her. This was the Liam she knew: self–assured, composed, and endlessly irritating. But something about his confidence assured her that he could help her when needed.
“There’s a reason my grandfather wanted me to marry you,” Izzy said. She had mulled over this countless times, dissecting every possibility, every condition in the will. No matter how she framed it, her marriage to Liam wasn’t just a formality–it was far more calculated than it seemed.
Her grandfather was a very smart man. He would never do something without any logical explanation.
Again, he lifted an eyebrow. But this time, he said nothing.
“I—I thought about it. And I believe you already know this as well… I don’t know why you didn’t tell me anything when we first heard about the conditions. I—” Izzy swallowed as she met his gaze. “I know he wanted me to stay with you so you can protect me.”
He pressed his lips together, yet he said nothing and chose to keep his silence, so Izzy continued. “Now that I think about it… my grandfather went out of his way to keep me distant from the family business.”
11:17 Sun, Jan 26 G.
Chapter 99
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Her grandfather didn’t like Calen or the Weiss Family. Yet he hadn’t stopped her from working under the Weiss Family. He hadn’t insisted she quit or pushed her to intern at one of the companies under the Rossi Group. No. He had stayed quiet.
And that silence had lingered–right up until the day he died.
Izzy swallowed hard as she met his curious gaze. “I need to know what–or who–he was protecting me from.”
