Chapter 2

The pain was a hollow ache in my chest, a constant reminder of the fool I had been. For days, I walked through the Sterling mansion like a ghost, the vibrant colors of the life I thought I had now faded to gray. The love I felt for Olivia had curdled into something bitter and cold. My dream of repaying Mr. Sterling felt like a joke. How could I stay in a house where every corner held a memory of her lies? There was only one escape.

That evening, I found Mr. Sterling in his study. He looked up from his paperwork, a warm smile on his face.

"Liam, my boy. What's on your mind?"

I took a deep breath, the words tasting like ash in my mouth. "Mr. Sterling," I began, my voice flat. "You once mentioned a... an arranged marriage. With a family friend abroad. If the offer still stands, I'll take it."

His smile faded, replaced by a look of concern. "Liam, I only suggested that because I thought you were lonely. What's brought this on so suddenly? Is this about Olivia?"

I couldn't bring myself to tell him the truth. I couldn't destroy his image of his perfect daughter. "I just think it's time for me to start my own life," I lied. "To stand on my own two feet. This is a good opportunity."

He studied my face for a long moment, then nodded slowly, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "If this is what you truly want, I'll make the arrangements."

News traveled fast in that house. That very night, there was a soft knock on my bedroom door. I knew it was her before I even opened it. Olivia stood there, dressed in a silk robe, the same one she had worn on so many other nights. She tried to give me a seductive smile, but her eyes were filled with a strange panic.

"I heard what you told my father," she whispered, stepping into my room and closing the door behind her. She wrapped her arms around my neck, pressing her body against mine. "You don't have to go. You don't need some stranger." Her lips found my neck, her hands starting to unbutton my shirt. "You have me. Isn't this what you want?"

A year ago, a week ago, her touch would have set me on fire. Now, it just made my skin crawl. It was an act, a desperate, calculated performance to keep her pawn in place. I felt nothing but revulsion. I grabbed her wrists, my grip tight, and pushed her away from me. The force of it made her stumble back.

"Don't," I said, my voice hard and empty. "Don't ever touch me again."

She looked at me, her eyes wide with shock, the seduction replaced by genuine confusion. "Liam? What's wrong?"

"It's over, Olivia," I said, the words final. "Whatever this was, it's done." I had never felt so empty, so utterly devoid of feeling for her. The love I'd held for years had finally and completely died.

A few days later, Mr. Sterling arranged a dinner with the family's lawyer, a man named Mr. Thompson, who was acting as the intermediary for the marriage. The dinner was tense. Olivia shot daggers at me from across the table, while I focused on my plate, barely tasting the food. Mr. Thompson was a cheerful man who seemed oblivious to the thick atmosphere.

"Dr. Evelyn Hayes is a wonderful woman, Liam," he said, trying to be reassuring. "A brilliant surgeon, top of her field. Her family and the Sterlings go back generations. She's a distant cousin of yours, Olivia, I believe. On your mother's side."

Olivia stiffened at the mention of the name but said nothing. To me, Evelyn Hayes was just a name, a phantom who represented a way out. I nodded politely, not really hearing him. My mind was already a thousand miles away.

The breaking point came at the annual Architectural Guild Gala. It was one of the biggest events of the year, a place to see and be seen. Mr. Sterling had insisted I go. As soon as we arrived, Olivia left our family's side and went straight to Ethan Cole. They stood together all night, laughing and touching, a perfect picture of a happy couple. I tried to stay in the background, nursing a drink and counting the minutes until I could leave.

At one point, I saw Mr. Sterling looking at me with a worried expression, then at Olivia. To keep up appearances for him, I decided to be polite. I walked over to where she and Ethan were holding court.

"Olivia," I said quietly. "You look nice tonight."

She turned, her face twisting into a sneer. "Don't bother me," she said, her voice loud enough for those around them to hear. She then physically pushed me back a step. "Go away."

Humiliation burned in my cheeks. Before I could react, Ethan stepped forward, a smug smile on his face. He looked me up and down with disdain.

"Some people just don't know their place," he said, his voice dripping with condescension. The small crowd around them chuckled. I stood there, frozen, as they turned their backs on me, their laughter echoing in my ears. In that public moment of humiliation, I knew I had to leave. I had to get away from them, from this house, from this life, before I completely lost myself.