chapter 2

I walked along the beach, the warm sand between my toes and the salty air filling my lungs. I had left home early in the morning, without breakfast, to avoid any awkward conversations with my parents or Lucy. The tension from what happened the previous day's still lingered, and I needed some time to clear my head.

As I walked, I noticed a familiar figure in the distance. Laim, the mysterious stranger from the café, was standing by the shore, gazing out at the sea. my heart skipped a beat as our eyes met, and I felt a flutter in my chest. he smiled and began walking towards me, his eyes crinkled at the corners. "Hey, Fancy meeting you here," he said, his voice low and smooth. I felt a blush rise to my cheeks as I tried to play it cool. "Hey, Just needed some fresh air, I guess."

we walked side by side, the sound of the waves crashing against the shore filling the silence. Liam didn't press me for conversation, seeming to sense that I needed some time to myself. As we walked, I found myself stealing glances at him, trying to read his expression. He seemed lost in thought, his eyes fixed on some point in the distance.

After a while, he broke the silence, his voice low and gentle. "You okay? You seem a little... off."

I hesitated, unsure of what to say

"yeah am okay "

Liam nodded ." okay am Liam Hemsworth, what about you. I didn't get your name the last time.

"yeah" , am Cassy Lucas.

the daughter of the CEO of Carter co operation?

"he asked "

"yeah " that one , I replied with my voice barely above a whisper.

okay I guess your Dad would be mad if he found out about the way you got yourself wasted the other night. "he said "trying to get a response at of me.

I bet, he wouldn't even care

"I replied "

why wouldn't he?

he asked, his voice low and husky .

" I don't know "

I should get going now .

Liam couldn't shake off the feeling that I was hiding something. He decided to do some digging, to see if he could uncover the secrets I kept hidden.

As he sat in his office, scrolling through his phone, he stumbled upon a news article about the Carter Corporation. The company's CEO, Lucas Carter, was a well-known businessman, and the article mentioned his twin daughters, Cassy and Lucy . his eyes narrowed as he read on. The article hinted at a strained relationship between I and my father, but the details were sketchy.

Determined to learn more, he decided to pay a visit to his friend, Alex, a journalist who had connections to the Carter family. Over coffee, Alex filled him in on the rumors surrounding the Carter's. "From what I've heard, she has been at odds with her father for years," Alex said. "She's always felt like she's lived in Lucy's shadow."

his eyes widened as the pieces began to fall into place. No wonder she had gotten so drunk – she was running from her demons. But he still had so many questions. What had driven me to this point? And what was I going to do next?. As he left Alex's office, he felt a sense of determination. He would want to be of help to me.

his eyes narrowed as he sat in his car, parked outside My house. He had done his research on me, and he was determined to get to the bottom of the mysterious connection we shared. He took a deep breath, got out of the car, and walked up to the front door. I was standing at the corridor of my room upstairs when I saw him getting off his car to the door,I rushed down stairs looking surprised to see him.

"Liam what are you doing here?" I asked, my voice laced with a mix of curiosity and wariness.

"I need to talk to you," he said, his voice firm but gentle. "Can we go somewhere and discuss this in private?". I hesitated, looking over my shoulder as if I was worried about being overheard. "I don't want to talk here," I said finally. "My family... they can be a bit much." he nodded understandingly. "My place, then?" he suggested. "We can talk there, and I'll make sure you're comfortable."I nodded, and he led me back to his car. we drove in silence to his house, the tension between us palpable.

Once we arrived, he poured us each a drink, and we sat down in the living room. I looked around, taking in the cozy decor and the stunning view of the ocean.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I asked finally, turning to face him.

he took a sip of his drink, his eyes locked on mine. "I've been doing some research on you, cassy" he said. "I know about your family, about the relationship you have between your father and twin sister ?". my eyes flashed with surprise, and I looked away, taking a sip of my drink. he could see the tension in my body, the way I was trying to avoid the question. But he wasn't going to let me off that easily. He leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. "Cassy, I want to help you," he said. "I want to support you, to be there for you. But I need to know... what's going on? What's really going on in your life?" I took a deep breath, my eyes welling up with tears as I began to open up to him. "I don't know where to start," I said, my voice shaking. "I just feel so... trapped. Like I'm living a life that isn't mine." he nodded encouragingly, his eyes filled with compassion. "Go on," he said. "Tell me everything."

I hesitated, then began to pour out my heart. "My father... he's always been so critical of me. He never misses an opportunity to remind me of my flaws, to tell me that I'm not good enough. And Lucy... she's his favorite. He always gives her everything, while I get nothing."his expression darkened, his jaw clenched in anger. "That's not fair," he growled. "You deserve so much better than that." I nodded, tears streaming down my face. "I know. But it's hard to shake off the feeling that I'm not good enough. That I'm just a disappointment to everyone." he reached out and took my hand, his touch warm and comforting. "You're not a disappointment, Cassy," he said. "You're an amazing person, with so much to offer. Don't let your father's opinions define you."

As we sat together, my emotions began to overwhelm me. I had never felt such a deep connection with someone before, and it was like a dam had burst inside me. I began to cry, great sobs racking my body as I poured out all my pain and sadness. he tried to comfort me, holding me close and whispering softly in my ear. But I was beyond consolation. I was lost in my own world of hurt and anger, and I couldn't stop crying. he tried to calm me down, gently stroking my hair and back. "Shh, Cassy, it's okay," he whispered. "Let it all out. I'm here for you." But I was too far gone. I cried and cried, my body shaking with sobs. he held me close, trying to absorb some of my pain, but it was like trying to hold back a tidal wave.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, I began to calm down. I sniffled and hiccuped, my breathing slowly returning to normal. he handed me a tissue, and I blew my nose, feeling a little more composed. As we sat there, looking at each other, the tension between use was palpable. his eyes locked onto mine, and I felt like he could see right through to my soul. I gazed back at him, my heart pounding in my chest.

The air was charged with electricity as we stared at each other. It was like the whole world had melted away, leaving only the two of us, suspended in a moment of pure connection. Slowly, he leaned in, his eyes never leaving mine. I felt my heart skip a beat as his face drew closer, his lips inches from mine. And then, in a moment that felt like time standing still, we kissed. It was a passionate, all-consuming kiss, like the whole universe had come alive in that one moment.

I felt like I was melting into his arms, like our lips were fused together by some unseen force. I couldn't breathe, couldn't think, couldn't do anything but feel the rush of emotions coursing through my veins. As we kissed, the world around us melted away, leaving only the two of us, lost in a sea of passion and desire. his hands began to wander, tracing the curves of my body. I felt a shiver run down my spine as his fingers brushed against my skin, sending sparks flying through my veins.

he pulled back, his eyes locked on mine, his voice low and husky. "Do you want me to stop?" he asked, his breath hot against my skin. my eyes flashed with desire, my voice barely above a whisper. "No," I said, my hands reaching up to pull him back. "Don't stop."his eyes burned with intensity as he gazed at me. He could see the desire written all over my face, and it only fueled his own passion. Without another word, he swept me up in his arms, carrying me to the bedroom. we fell onto the bed, our bodies entwined as we kissed and touched and explored each other.

The tension between us was palpable, the air thick with anticipation. I felt like I was melting into his arms, like our bodies were made to fit together. As we made love, the world outside melted away, leaving only the two of us , lost in a sea of passion and desire. I felt like I was drowning in his eyes, like I was being pulled under by the tide of our love. Afterward, we lay entwined, our bodies slick with sweat, our hearts still racing from the intensity of our passion.

As the night wore on, I and Liam lost ourselves in each other's arms. we talked, laughed, and made love, our connection growing stronger with every passing moment. As the first light of dawn crept into the room, we finally drifted off to sleep, exhausted but happy. But when we woke up, the atmosphere was different. There was an instant silence between us, a sense of awkwardness that hadn't been there before. I was the first to break the silence. "That was... my first time," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

his eyes locked onto mine, "I noticed " he replied, his voice low and husky.

my heart skipped a beat at his response. i felt a sense of wonder and excitement, like I was floating on air.

but how come? "he asked "

guess I was so busy focusing on proofing my self to my father and not having any fun time for myself, " I have never had a boyfriend"

that's sad, he said " but am glad I was your first.

And then, out of the blue, he asked me the question that would change my life forever. "Cassy, WILL YOU MARRY ME?"