’Liam and Riya are getting married!’
The revelation hit Nathaniel like a cold wave. He had his share of disagreents with Liam over the years, but there was no hatred between them. He still considered him a friend. The thought of Liam being deceived, of marrying Riya while she was secretly entangled with Zachary, was unacceptable.
"What? Are you serious? You two..."
"The elders of both families have arranged this marriage," Liam interrupted. "I’ve no objections. At least, I’m not marrying a stranger." He glanced at Riya and found her already staring at him. He sneered in his mind, though his face remained composed.
Liam would never marry her. He had agreed to this marriage just to fulfil his parents’ wish.
However, Riya didn’t think that way. When she saw his handso appearance, her earlier resolve vanished. She wanted nothing but to get close to him, know about him, and make him fall in love with her.
’Wouldn’t it be wonderful if a man as handso as him chased after , clinging to wherever I went?’ she mused, her heart fluttering with anticipation.
"Riya, dear," Gracie called with a aningful look in her eyes. "Why don’t you take Liam and show him your room?"
Riya grinned sheepishly. "Of course. Please co with ."
Liam didn’t want to go with her, but there was no way he could disobey Gracie. He took a quick look at Zara before going away with Riya.
Nathaniel watched them walk away, his uneasiness evident at the way his eyebrows furrowed. He didn’t like it at all. This marriage would be a disaster, and he would let Liam get trapped in a ss like this.
"Does it hurt?" Zane’s innocent voice halted Nathaniel’s racing thoughts. Glancing down, he saw the boy’s little face creased with worry, and his heart softened instantly.
"Daddy is strong." He lifted Zane onto his lap. "A small scratch like this doesn’t hurt ."
"Are you okay?" Zara finally had the ti to ask.
Nathaniel turned to her. "Do you care?" he mumbled slowly, but his voice was laced with disappointnt.
Zara looked down at her hands. She was still upset with him, but at the sa ti, she couldn’t stop worrying about him. "You must be tired," she said without eting his eyes. "Why don’t you go to the room and rest for a while until dinner is served?"
Nathaniel thought for so ti and said, "Yes, I am tired and hungry too. Can you bring sothing to eat and drink for in the room?"
Zara lifted her gaze to him. Fearing she would reject it, he put Zane aside and stood up. "I’m going to my room."
Without waiting for her response, he strode away. His lips curled into a sly smile. ’Trying to avoid ,’ he mused. ’I won’t give you that chance.’
Zara remained seated in her place, dazed, watching him disappear into the room.
"Why are you still here?" Gracie snapped, startling Zara. "Didn’t you hear what he had said? Go give him sothing to eat."
Zara had avoided Nathaniel the whole day, but now, she couldn’t. He was injured. He needed her. Again, she suppressed the sting of disappointnt and headed to the kitchen.
On the other end, Riya led Liam toward her bedroom, her pulse racing with excitent and anticipation. Just as they were about to enter the bedroom, Liam paused.
"I rember there used to be a small pool filled with water lilies in the backyard," he said suddenly. "Is it still there?"
Riya grinned. "Yes, it is. I’m surprised you still rember that."
Liam flashed a sly smile. He had no intention of stepping into her room, so he found an excuse. "I used to visit this house so often in the past that I still could rember every detail. How could I forget sothing so unique? Take there."
"Huh..." Riya hesitated for a mont. She wanted to be alone with him in a more private, enclosed space, not out in the open where anyone could co and interrupt them. But she didn’t dare refuse, fearing he might feel offended.
"Of course," she grinned. "Co with ." She led him to the backyard.
She took him to the small pool beside the patio. The lilies were still blooming, swaying gently in the night breeze, their faint sll mixing in the air.
Liam stood there, watching them. His mind drifted back to the past. He recalled the days when he and Nathaniel would sit together on this very patio, studying side by side, sharing als, laughing, and cracking jokes.
They had once been inseparable, the best of friends. But now, all that warmth had soured, replaced by bitterness and resentnt.
’If only he had not stepped in back then...’ he muttered inwardly.
"Let’s sit down there." Riya pointed at the patio.
Liam let out a small sigh as he stepped onto the patio and sat down, his mind still trapped in the past.
Riya watched him, utterly captivated. His striking looks held her full attention. At this point, she had forgotten about the contract she had signed with Zachary. All she could think of was the man beside him, her soon-to-be husband. But she couldn’t shake off the awkward thought that Liam could be the well-known designer, Shay Walsh.
The resemblance was unmistakable, and it made her wonder if Liam and Shay were the sa person.
Although the doubt arose in her mind, she brushed it away quickly.
How could Liam be Shay? They might look similar, but not the sa person. Besides, why would Liam conceal such a huge truth? Why would he need to use a different na to succeed as a designer when his own identity, the na and influence of the Lawsons, would give him the prestige quite easily?
Pushing away those unwanted thoughts, she stretched her lips into a grin and started, "About this marriage..."
"Don’t trouble yourself. It’s just a marriage of convenience," Liam said flatly before she could even say further. "I agreed only to honor the elders’ wishes. That’s all. I’m not interested in you."
Riya’s smile froze in the corners of her eyes. "What are you talking about?" she asked, confused.
Liam remained calm and determined. His mind was clear. "We will only be husband and wife in na. I won’t interfere in your private life, and I expect the sa from you. We’ll divorce after a year. No emotional attachnt, no physical intimacy."
Riya’s mind went blank. For a mont, she could only stare at him blankly, struggling to process the words.
He delivered the final blow with chilling brutality. "Don’t expect love from – because I already have soone in my heart."
Riya felt she was pushed down into a bottomless abyss. It was hard to believe that he had just rejected her.
Just hours ago, she had been ready to dismiss this arrangent, planning to persuade him to reject it outright. But his handso appearance had made her change her mind. She had even started imagining marrying him, picturing what life with him could be like. But his few blunt words dashed her dream.
Riya used to think that she was the most beautiful woman in the world with a perfect figure and a gorgeous look. She was a rising model, a beauty queen. Countless n desired her, yet Liam had decisively claid that he didn’t want her and that he had soone in his heart.
A mory clicked, disturbing her further.
She had totally forgotten that Liam loved none other than Zara. Zachary had caught Zara’s photograph tucked in Liam’s wallet.
’So he is rejecting because of Zara?’ Jealousy and resentnt turned her mood sour. She couldn’t believe it was Zara again standing in her way.
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