Chapter 4 FIRST STEP ,THE NEW BEGINNING

The moment we stepped back into the ballroom, the energy shifted. It was as though a wall of noise and opulence crashed over me again, reminding me that this world was just as cold as it was beautiful. I felt like a stranger in a gilded cage, one I wasn't sure I wanted to be part of, no matter how enticing Liam's promises sounded by the fountain.

I glanced at him as we re-entered the party, the people still orbiting him like he was the sun. He greeted each person with effortless charm, his hand resting lightly on my back, a gesture that both reassured and restrained me. As we moved through the crowd, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched, scrutinized.

Maybe it was Victoria's presence lingering in the back of my mind, or maybe it was the unsettling realization that these people didn't see me-they saw an extension of Liam Mercer. I was no longer just Isabella Wright, the struggling artist. I was the woman Liam Mercer had chosen to accompany him, and that carried a weight I wasn't prepared for.

Jenna had warned me, in her own way, that this world was dangerous. But standing there, surrounded by the gleaming veneer of wealth, I began to understand what she meant. This wasn't a place where you simply existed. You had to carve out your space, defend it with everything you had, or risk being swallowed whole.

"Isabella."

I snapped out of my thoughts at the sound of Liam's voice. He was watching me carefully, a small frown creasing his brow.

"You've gone quiet," he said, his tone softer than I expected.

I forced a smile, trying to shake off the tension that had settled in my chest. "Just... taking it all in."

Liam's eyes lingered on me for a moment longer, as if he could sense the unease I was trying so hard to hide. Then he leaned in closer, his voice low enough that only I could hear.

"If you want to leave, say the word."

For a second, I considered it. I could ask him to call the car, disappear from this world before it consumed me. But leaving now would feel like admitting defeat, like proving Victoria and everyone else here right-that I didn't belong. And as much as I wanted to run, I wasn't ready to give up that easily.

"No," I said, shaking my head. "I'm fine."

Liam studied me for a moment longer, then nodded. "Alright. But you let me know if you change your mind."

I nodded, grateful for the out even if I didn't plan to take it. I wasn't ready to leave yet, not when I was still figuring out where I fit into this world he was so certain I could conquer.

The rest of the night passed in a blur of introductions and polite conversation. Liam kept me by his side, occasionally slipping away to handle some business matter or another, but always returning with that intense focus, as if checking on me.

By the time the event started winding down, I was exhausted. My feet ached from standing in heels for hours, and my face hurt from forcing smiles at people who barely looked at me. But the worst part was the way the doubts had started to creep in again, louder than ever.

As the last of the guests began to leave, I found myself standing near one of the large windows, staring out at the sprawling gardens that had seemed so peaceful earlier. Now, they felt like a reminder of how far removed I was from everything in this world. I didn't fit. No matter how much Liam believed in me, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was an imposter in his life, in his world.

"I wondered where you'd gone."

Liam's voice startled me, and I turned to find him standing just behind me, his expression unreadable. He stepped closer, his presence as commanding as ever, though there was a softness in his eyes I hadn't expected.

"I needed some air," I said quietly, turning my gaze back to the window.

He joined me, standing beside me as we looked out at the darkened gardens together. For a moment, neither of us said anything, the silence between us filled only by the distant hum of the party winding down behind us.

"You're thinking about it again, aren't you?" Liam finally asked, his voice low but steady.

I didn't need to ask what he meant. He was talking about the offer. The deal he had laid out in front of me, the one I still couldn't decide if I wanted to take.

"I don't know if I'm ready for this," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "This world, these people... I don't know if I fit."

Liam was quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on me as if weighing his words carefully. Then he stepped closer, his hand brushing lightly against mine, a small but deliberate gesture.

"You don't have to fit, Isabella," he said, his voice firm but not unkind. "This world isn't about blending in. It's about standing out. And you... you already do."

I looked up at him, caught off guard by the intensity in his eyes. There was something in the way he looked at me that made me feel like I was more than just some artist he'd taken an interest in, like he saw something in me that I didn't even see in myself.

"I can't promise it will be easy," Liam continued, his voice softening slightly. "But I can promise you one thing. If you take this chance, if you let me help you... you'll never have to wonder what might have been."

His words lingered in the air, heavy with the weight of the decision I knew I had to make. This was the moment. The moment where I either stepped into the unknown and let Liam guide me, or turned back and continued down the path I'd always known.

But the truth was, I was tired of wondering. Tired of playing it safe, of holding myself back because I was afraid of what might happen if I failed.

I took a deep breath, my heart pounding in my chest as I finally spoke the words I'd been avoiding all night.

"Okay."

Liam's eyes flickered with something-satisfaction, relief, maybe even a hint of triumph-but whatever it was, it was quickly replaced by a softer expression. He didn't gloat or push for more. He simply nodded, as if this had always been the inevitable outcome.

"Good," he said, his voice low and calm, but I could feel the shift in the air between us. It was as though something unspoken had just been sealed, a pact that neither of us could break now. The weight of it settled over me, and though I had agreed, a quiet nervousness buzzed in the back of my mind.

Liam took a step back, giving me space as he glanced around the emptying ballroom. "It's late. We should get you home."

I nodded, grateful for the suggestion. My mind was spinning, the exhaustion from the night catching up to me, and I wasn't sure I could handle much more conversation about what I'd just agreed to.

As we left the mansion, the night air hit me like a cold rush, a welcome relief from the stifling warmth of the party. Liam's sleek black car was waiting for us, and the driver opened the door for me, offering a polite nod as I slid into the back seat. Liam followed, his presence filling the space beside me even though he didn't say a word.

The drive back to my apartment was quiet, the city lights flashing by as I stared out the window, lost in thought. It wasn't until we pulled up in front of my building that Liam finally spoke.

"Tomorrow, we start."

His words were simple, but they carried the full weight of the decision I had made tonight. Tomorrow, everything would change.

I nodded, opening the door to step out, but before I could, Liam's hand brushed lightly against mine. I looked back at him, and for a moment, his intense gaze softened.

"You're going to be great, Isabella," he said quietly, his voice full of certainty.

I offered him a small smile, unsure if I believed it yet, but wanting to trust in his confidence. "Goodnight, Liam."

"Goodnight."

I stepped out of the car and into the quiet of the night, my heels clicking softly against the pavement as I made my way to the entrance of my building. Once inside, I leaned against the elevator wall, my mind racing as I tried to process everything that had happened.

Liam's offer, the overwhelming world he had pulled me into, the deal I had just made with him-it all felt surreal. Part of me wondered if I was in over my head, but another part of me, the part that had been silent for so long, was ready. Ready to take the risk, to see what could happen if I stopped playing it safe.

As I unlocked the door to my apartment, the familiar smell of paint and turpentine greeted me. My studio space took up most of the small living area, with canvases scattered around, some half-finished, others abandoned completely. It felt like a different world compared to the one I had just left-a world that was safe, familiar, but also stagnant.

I dropped my purse on the floor and kicked off my heels, feeling the cool wood beneath my feet as I made my way to the couch. I sat down heavily, staring at the blank canvas that stood in the corner, waiting for inspiration that had refused to come for weeks now.

My phone buzzed in my purse, pulling me out of my thoughts. I fished it out, half-expecting it to be Jenna checking in on me, but when I saw the name on the screen, I froze.

Liam.

For a moment, I hesitated. I had just seen him, and it wasn't like him to text me this late, especially after we'd just said goodnight. But curiosity got the better of me, and I opened the message.

Liam: I meant what I said. You'll be great.

I stared at the screen for a moment, my heart doing a strange little flip in my chest. There was something about Liam's quiet certainty that made me want to believe him, that made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I could step into this new life he was offering and come out the other side stronger.

But that certainty also scared me, because if I let myself believe it, if I threw myself into this world with him, there was no going back.

The next morning, I woke up to sunlight streaming through the curtains, the events of the night before still fresh in my mind. I groaned, burying my face in the pillow as I tried to shake off the lingering doubts.

But I couldn't hide from it. Not now.

I forced myself out of bed, pulling on a pair of jeans and an old t-shirt, and went into the kitchen to make coffee. As I waited for the pot to brew, my phone buzzed on the counter, and I reached for it, half-expecting another text from Liam.

Instead, it was an email. From a gallery.

I blinked, reading the subject line again just to be sure I wasn't imagining it.

Subject: Exhibit Opportunity

The gallery had been one of the many I had submitted my work to months ago, before I had hit the wall, before I had started doubting whether I was cut out for the art world at all. I clicked the email open, my heart racing as I skimmed the message.

They wanted to feature me in an upcoming show.

I stared at the screen in disbelief. This was what I had been waiting for. My chance. And now, of all times, it was finally happening. But as I read the details, my excitement was quickly overshadowed by the realization that I had just signed myself up for something else entirely.

Liam's world. His deal. His plan for me.

I closed the email, feeling a strange mixture of excitement and dread. I couldn't back out of the deal with Liam now-not after what I'd agreed to. But this gallery opportunity was what I had been dreaming of for years. The conflict between the two felt like a heavy weight on my chest.

As I sipped my coffee, my mind raced, trying to figure out how I was going to balance this. Could I even do both? Could I navigate Liam's world and still stay true to myself as an artist?

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts, and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I wasn't expecting anyone, and it was still early. I set my mug down and walked cautiously to the door, peeking through the peephole.

Liam.

I wasn't sure whether to be surprised or not. Somehow, it felt inevitable that he would show up, though I had no idea what he was doing here this early in the morning. I opened the door, my heart pounding.

"Morning," he said, his voice smooth as ever, though there was a hint of amusement in his eyes as he took in my casual appearance.

"Morning," I replied, stepping aside to let him in. "What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to make sure you didn't change your mind," he said, walking into the apartment as though he had been here a hundred times before. He glanced around at the scattered canvases, the messy studio space, and I half-expected him to comment on it, but he didn't. Instead, he turned back to me with that same unreadable expression.

"I'm not changing my mind," I said, though I wasn't sure if I was saying it for him or for myself.

Liam nodded, his gaze flickering to the canvas in the corner, the one I hadn't touched in weeks. "Good. Because today's the first step. Are you ready?"

I hesitated, glancing at the unopened email on my phone. There was no way I could tell him about the gallery opportunity now-not when we were about to dive into this new venture together. But the weight of it pressed on me, making me feel like I was standing on the edge of a cliff, not knowing which way to jump.

"Yeah," I finally said, forcing a smile. "I'm ready."