Help from an Old Friend

After returning to the hotel, Isabella had fallen asleep almost immediately, the combination of jet lag, dim sum, and hours of walking through humid streets finally catching up with her. Liam had gone through the motions—showering, changing into the hotel's plush robe, dimming the lights—but sleep remained elusive.

He lay beside her in the darkness, listening to her steady breathing while his thoughts raced like trapped birds. The memory of Seraphina's message played on loop in his mind: 'Two days left, Liam. I need your answer. Her secret stays buried, or I bury her career. Your choice.'

It was 2:17 AM when he finally gave up on sleep.

Moving with deliberate care, Liam slipped from beneath the sheets. Isabella stirred slightly, murmuring something unintelligible before settling back into deep sleep. He watched her for a moment—face relaxed, dark hair fanned across the pillow, looking far younger and more vulnerable than the formidable CEO the world knew.