Chapter 3

The next morning, I walked into the headquarters of Stone Industries. The atmosphere was different. The usual lazy morning chatter was gone, replaced by a low hum of nervous energy. People straightened up as I passed, their eyes following me with a mixture of fear and curiosity. Good. A little fear was productive.

I was heading for my office when a soft, cloying scent of gardenias hit me. A woman stepped out from a waiting area, blocking my path. Sarah Jenkins. She was dressed in a white dress, the picture of innocence, her face arranged in a look of gentle concern.

"Liam," she said, her voice a soft caress. "I was so worried. You didn't answer my calls."

I stopped. I looked at her, really looked at her. In Liam's memories, this woman was a goddess, a symbol of everything pure and lost. To me, she was just a con artist. I could see the calculation in her eyes, the subtle possessiveness in her posture.

[Ah, the white moonlight appears! Now the plot will get back on track!]

[He'll definitely melt for her. He always does.]

"Who let you up here?" I asked, my voice devoid of any warmth.

Sarah's smile faltered for a fraction of a second. "What do you mean, Liam? I always come to see you."

She reached out to touch my arm. I took a step back, and her hand fell into empty space.

"I gave a directive yesterday," I said, my voice sharp enough to cut glass. "You are not welcome in this building. You are not welcome to contact me. Tom!"

My assistant appeared at my side instantly, looking terrified.

"Sir?"

"Why is Ms. Jenkins here?"

"She... she said you were expecting her, sir. She's done it before..." Tom stammered, paling under my gaze.

"It will not happen again," I said. I turned my full attention back to Sarah. Her face was a mask of wounded confusion. "Get out."

"Liam, what's wrong with you?" she whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. It was a masterful performance. "Did Olivia say something to you? Did she upset you?"

[Classic move. Blame the ex-wife.]

[He' s going to fall for it. He' s so weak for her tears.]

"Security," I said, my voice rising just enough to carry. Two guards appeared from the end of the hall almost immediately. "Escort this woman out of the building. She is to be considered a trespasser from this moment on. If she returns, call the police."

The guards hesitated, looking at Sarah's tear-streaked face. She was a familiar, welcome guest. I was the one acting out of character.

"Now," I commanded.

The authority in my voice, the pure, undiluted power of a CEO who was finally in command, made them jump. They moved forward, flanking Sarah.

"Liam, you can't do this to me!" she cried, her performance turning into genuine panic. "It's me, Sarah!"

I turned my back on her and walked into my office, shutting the door on her protests. The sounds faded as the security guards did their job.

[...Holy. Crap.]

[He actually threw her out. He had security throw out the white moonlight.]

[Okay, I'm officially hooked. What is going on with this guy? Is he possessed?]

You have no idea, I thought, sitting down behind my desk.

The rest of the day was a blur of meetings and data analysis. I tore through the company's bloated structure, identifying inefficiencies and redundancies that Liam Stone had ignored for years. By evening, I had a plan.

But there was one last piece of the old life I had to deal with. I drove to the Stone family mansion. It was a place Liam hated, a place filled with the suffocating presence of his father.

I walked in without knocking. The scene in the grand living room was exactly what I expected. My father, Richard Stone, was there. And so was Olivia. She was standing near a suitcase, her face pale.

Richard saw me and his face contorted into a sneer. "So, you finally decide to show your face. You pathetic excuse for a son."

Olivia looked up, her eyes wide. She clearly hadn't expected to see me.

"What did you do to Olivia?" Richard bellowed, taking a step toward me. "Divorce? You think you can just throw away a wife like her? A woman who is a thousand times the person you'll ever be?"

[Yeah, you tell him, Dad!]

[Finally, someone putting the scumbag in his place!]

[Richard Stone is the only decent one in this family. He always protected Olivia.]

I looked past my father at Olivia. She wasn't looking at me with hatred. It was a more complicated expression. Confusion, a hint of something else. Pity, maybe?

My father wasn't finished. "I'm telling you right now, Liam. You will go over there, you will get on your knees, and you will beg Olivia for her forgiveness. You will tear up those divorce papers, or so help me God, you will be cut off. You will not see another penny from this family or this company."

He stood there, chest puffed out, absolutely certain of his power over me. He thought he had me cornered. He thought he was delivering the checkmate.

He had no idea he was giving me the key to my cage.