Liam’s POV
One Week Later...
I stood in my ho office, staring down at the copy of the divorce papers I’d finally signed. Each signature felt like a small death, but I’d had no choice. The ultimatum had been clear—sign the papers before the custody hearing, or face even worse consequences.
I’d sent them to Holbrook that morning, along with instructions to deliver them to Diane imdiately. At least that particular battle was over, even if I’d lost it completely.
Now I had to face an even bigger war.
I straightened my tie and grabbed my briefcase, checking to make sure the manila envelope was still tucked safely inside. The photographs of Guerrero and Natasha were my only remaining weapon, my last chance to maintain control of Synergy Sphere.
As I headed toward the door, I saw Thomas waiting by the car, along with Anthony in his impeccably fitted suit. I’d decided to bring security to the office today, bringing him alone after the flop of Jackson’s incident. If Guerrero was planning sothing underhanded, I wanted to be prepared.
Just as I was about to step outside, my phone chid with an email from Vanessa: "Ergency board eting today at 10 AM. Called by Mr. Guerrero."
I stopped dead in my tracks, reading the ssage again to make sure I hadn’t misunderstood.
"What the hell is Guerrero calling a eting for?" I muttered under my breath. If this was what I thought it was—if he was making his move to take control of my company—he was in for a rude awakening.
The drive to the office was tense, both Anthony and I lost in our own thoughts. When we arrived and the elevator opened to the executive floor, I could see the shock on every staff mber’s face as they took in the sight of with a massive bodyguard in tow.
Even Vanessa’s eyes widened, though she tried to maintain her professional composure as she followed toward my office, briefing about the board eting.
"So board mbers are already here," she was saying, "and there’s also—"
I waved her off impatiently. "Fine, fine. I’ll be ready."
I needed a few minutes to collect myself before walking into whatever trap Guerrero had set for . Anthony took position outside my office as I closed the door behind , finally alone with my thoughts.
But the solitude only made more anxious. I found myself pacing back and forth, checking my watch every few seconds. Finally, I decided I couldn’t wait any longer. I’d go to the boardroom early and see what I was dealing with.
I opened my office door and waved Anthony off. "I need to handle this alone and call him if he is needed," I told him.
As I walked through the lobby toward the boardroom, sothing made my heart nearly stop beating entirely.
Natasha.
She was sitting in one of the leather chairs by the reception area, her long legs crossed elegantly, wearing a body-hugging black skirt and a green top that showed just enough cleavage to be devastating. A black blazer was draped over her shoulders, and those red-soled heels that cost more than most people’s monthly salary were crossed at the ankle.
Her hair cascaded over her shoulders in big, wavy curls that caught the office lighting perfectly. She looked like a goddess, a beautiful sexy one, like every man’s fantasy sitting there in the reception area.
My mouth went dry just looking at her, I could feel my pulse quicken.
I approached her quickly, grabbing her by the arm and pulling her toward a more private corner of the lobby.
"What the hell are you doing here?" I hissed, my voice a mixture of anger and desperate desire. "You should have called. You know the rules about coming to my office."
She looked up at with those incredible alluring eyes, but her expression was completely unreadable. Cold, almost.
I pressed her back against the wall gently, my body caging her in as I leaned close enough to sll her perfu—that intoxicating scent that always drove wild.
"I missed you," I said roughly, my voice dropping to a whisper. "God, Natasha, I missed you so much, my lips brushing close to her ears. Why weren’t you picking up your phone? I tried calling you last week, but it went straight to voicemail every ti."
She remained perfectly still, perfectly silent, just watching with those unreadable eyes.
The proximity to her was driving insane. I could feel the heat radiating from her body, like she misses and wants too, but is held back with sothing I can’t quite place, could see the rise and fall of her chest with each breath. My hands were on the wall on either side of her head, and it took every ounce of self-control I had not to touch her, to slide my hands into her bosom.
"So Guerrero is your new client now right?" I asked, my voice getting rougher, more possessive. "You’re giving him what belongs to ? Your p**sy belongs to , Natasha. You know that."
Still nothing. No response, no reaction, no emotion whatsoever.
The silence was maddening. This woman who used to lt at my touch and warmth, who used to beg for , was standing there like a beautiful statue.
"Answer ," I demanded, my face inches from hers.
I leaned closer, my lips almost brushing hers, ready to claim what I thought was mine—
Suddenly, she pushed against my chest with surprising force, shoving back hard enough that I stumbled.
"Oh please, Liam," she said, her voice dripping with disgust. "The world doesn’t revolve around you."
The words hit like a physical blow. This wasn’t my Natasha—the eager, submissive woman who used to worship . This was soone else entirely.
"I’m done," she continued, her voice growing stronger, more resolute. "I’m done being the girl who exists just to satisfy your sexual desires. I was nothing but a sex toy to you, wasn’t I? Just sothing you could use whenever you felt like it."
I opened my mouth to protest, but she held up a hand, stopping .
"I’m done ruining a fellow woman’s ho. I stayed with you because I thought—God, I was so stupid—I thought you were the only one who truly saw . I was young, pained, carrying so much burden, and I thought what we had ant sothing." Her voice cracked slightly, but her resolve never wavered. "But I was wrong. I was just another possession to you."
She took a deep breath, composing herself, her eyes blazing with a fury I’d never seen before.
In Fact, the venom in her voice was like acid, eating away at everything I thought I knew about us, about her.
"I’m done with your grip on , Liam. Done with whatever you think I am to you. I’m not your property. I never was."
"And as for what I ca here to do," she continued, smoothing down her skirt and adjusting her blazer, "if you’re patient enough, I guess you’ll find out soon enough."
She turned then, her eyes traveling slowly from my head to my toes. Where there used to be excitent, desire, even love when she looked at , now there was nothing but disgust, hate, and pure fury. The look cut through like a blade.
With that, she walked away, leaving standing there like a statue, completely bewildered by what had just happened.
What was going on? What had changed? I had saved this woman before, she had always seen as her savior and had always been submissive. Why was everyone in my life suddenly turning against ?
I stood there for a long mont, trying to process the encounter, before I realized I needed to get to the boardroom. Whatever ga was being played, I was apparently the last to know the rules.
I straightened my tie, picked up my briefcase, and walked toward the boardroom door. Whatever was waiting for in there, I’d face it.
I opened the door and stepped inside.
The sight that greeted made my blood run cold.
Every board mber was there, seated around the long conference table. But it wasn’t just the board mbers.
Noah was there, sitting at the far end of the table with a satisfied smirk on his face.
And next to him, her hands folded protectively over her swollen belly, sat Diane.
My wife. My soon-to-be ex-wife. The mother of my children. The woman who had drugged and left humiliated in a restaurant bathroom just one week ago.
They were all there. Everyone who had betrayed , everyone who had abandoned , everyone who wanted to see destroyed.
And they were all staring at with expressions that ranged from satisfaction to barely concealed contempt.
"Gentlen," I said, my voice sohow remaining steady despite the chaos in my chest. "Ladies. This is... unexpected."
But even as I spoke, I could feel the noose tightening around my neck. Whatever they had planned, whatever trap they had set, I was walking right into it.
The only question now was whether the photographs in my briefcase would be enough to save ...or if this was finally the end of everything I’d built.
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