Chapter 4

Julia Owen POV:

My heart lurches. My arms almost go slack around his neck.

Liam's breath is warm against my ear, his voice laced with a dark amusement. "Want me to put you down now? You can go back and expose them."

I hesitate. A war rages inside me. What would exposing them achieve? A screaming match in the driveway? Public humiliation? The thought of their faces, the lies, the pity... No. Tearing them apart right now wouldn't be enough. It wouldn't quell the fire of betrayal burning in my chest.

As if reading my mind, Liam doesn't stop. He continues up the steps, ignoring Cayden's anxious shouts from behind. "Julia's still sick! Don't... don't do anything to her!"

The heavy villa door slams shut, cutting off the outside world.

Liam abruptly lets me go. I stumble, my legs like jelly, and barely manage to catch myself against the cool marble of the wall.

I realize tears are streaming down my face. I hastily wipe them away with the back of my hand.

I see his brow furrow. He looks away, his jaw tight, and loosens his tie as he walks deeper into the vast, silent house. I stand frozen by the door, unsure if I should run.

When he returns, he's changed into a simple grey t-shirt and dark pants. He's lounging on a massive white sofa, his long legs stretched out, the picture of casual command.

His gaze meets mine, and a slight, knowing smile plays on his lips. "Since you're still here, sit down. Let's talk business."

Business. The word hits me like a slap. I remember their conspiracy outside my hospital room. My face stiffens.

"I'm not discussing the demolition," I say, my voice cold. "No amount of money will ever change my mind."

Liam's smile vanishes. He shakes his head, a flicker of frustration in his eyes. "We're not talking about the manor. Not for now." His expression becomes complex, unreadable. "Do you want revenge on Cayden?"

He doesn't wait for an answer. "He and your best friend have been sleeping together for three years."

He takes out his phone, plays a few seconds of a video, and tosses it onto the coffee table between us. "See for yourself."

I walk over, my limbs feeling numb, disconnected from my body. I was prepared for this. I heard them. But seeing it is different.

The videos are high-definition, clearly filmed from the building across the street from Vivian's apartment. They show Cayden arriving right after I leave for work in the morning. They show him kissing Vivian, a desperate, hungry kiss I'd never received. Their clothes are torn off as they move from the sofa to the bed, their bodies a tangle of limbs.

The man in the video is ravenous, animalistic. For three years, Cayden had been so restrained with me, a perfect gentleman. I can't believe this is the same person.

A wave of nausea rolls through me. My whole body starts to tremble.

Liam stands up, as if he can't bear to watch me break. "Are you ready to talk business now?"

I stare at him, shocked that he can be so calm, so transactional, after showing me proof that he backstabbed his own cousin.

Anger and despair surge through me, but then, a strange calm settles in. This is my new reality. "Other than the manor," I say, my voice flat, "I can't think of any other business we have."

I drag my feet toward the door, ready to walk out into the night with nowhere to go.

"Let's play along with their mistake," his voice says from behind me. "I need a wife."

I stop, stunned. It takes a moment for his words to register. A flicker of disgust cuts through my shock. "You want to take everything, don't you?" I accuse, spinning to face him. "Trick me into this marriage, then tear down my house."

He rubs his forehead, looking genuinely exasperated. "No demolition. If you agree, I swear on my family's name, I won't touch the manor."

He explains it then. He needs to give the family elders an answer. A wife. A suitable one. We'll have a wedding, a real one in the eyes of the world. What happens after, he says, is up to me.

His proposal is so sudden, so absurd, it catches me completely off guard. "Why me?" I ask.

"It's convenient," he says slowly, his eyes holding mine. "And you hate me. So I don't have to worry about you getting attached."

I have a feeling his tone, his expression, it's all a performance. This isn't the real reason.

As I hesitate, my phone buzzes. A message from Vivian.

Julia, are you okay? You left some things at my place. I'll bring them to you tomorrow.

My friend of ten years. So eager to get rid of me. The last of my strength gives way, and fresh tears fall.

I slowly type back a reply, my fingers trembling. Sorry, I don't remember. It's probably not important. Throw it away.

I look up at Liam, my composure restored, my heart a frozen block of ice.

"I agree," I say. "But I want a contract first."

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