Chapter 5 LEANING CLOSER!

LIORA'S POV

I want to see Leonard Steven" I said as I stepped into the office. The secretary's surprise was palpable as I had to call him by his name instead of addressing him as 'My husband'. Well, that was so foolish of me. When h sign the papers, I will be free from the clutches of the devil.

"He’s inside, ma’am," she replied promptly.

Without another word, I headed straight into his office.

The moment I entered, Leonard greeted me with an unsettling calmness. "I knew you would come." he smirked.

"I had no idea you were anticipating my visit," I countered, tossing my bag onto his desk.

"I want to know why all our savings from the joint account have vanished." My eyes locked onto his as I demanded confidently.

Yesterday, when I checked my account details and saw no balance, I knew immediately that Leonard was behind it and hence, I couldn't pay for my bill yesterday at the shopping mall.

What were you thinking to must have created a joint account with a man like that..

"Trust me, it was all love" a voice replied in my head.

"You can’t expect the company I’ve worked so hard for to just disappear. I transferred the funds to a separate account." Leonard's response was dismissive.

How had I missed all of this disgusting attitude of his? I wondered, feeling a surge of incredulity.

"But," he continued, standing up from his seat and moving closer to me,

"I’ll return your share of the savings under one condition."

"And what’s that?" I asked, stepping back as he invaded my space. God, I hate this guy so much..

"I’ve recently come to realize who’s truly behind Glitters & Co gorgeous designs. So, If you return all your designs, I’ll return your portion of the savings" said.

"I won’t let you ruin me." he smirked.

"That’s the last thing I’d ever do," I snapped.

"I won't let you take my hard earned work, it's not going to happen" I retort.

"Then there's no deal, dear wife. And I won’t be signing the divorce papers," he said, returning to his chair.

"See you in court." Fuming, I stormed out of his office.

I couldn’t help but blame myself for the mess I was in. Embarrassed, I felt unable to turn to my family for help, particularly Nikolai. I can't stress him more than I have already even when he warned me about it.

The weight of my situation was too much to bear right now....

RONAN'S POV

As I took my shot at the snooker table, I casually mentioned to Nikolai, "I ran into Liora at the mall the other day. She said she’s living with you."

"Yes, that's right," Nikolai replied, his tone casual as he watched me play.

"She didn’t look well," I continued. "She seemed to be dealing with a lot."

Nikolai’s frustration was evident as he spoke. "I’ve tried to get information from her, but she won’t say a word. I’m sure it has to do with her that douchebag of a husband."

"I’ll make sure he pays if he’s hurt my sister," Nikolai promised, meeting my gaze.

Nikolai has always been protective of his siblings especially, Liora as she's the only girl of the house.

"Definitely," I agreed.

Just then, Liora entered the room, catching my attention. Dressed in a jean shorts and a white vest that accentuated her figure, she looked like a woman who had grown into herself.

"Hey, Ronan," she greeted me, her direct gaze causing me to momentarily lose my breath.

"When did you get back?" Nikolai asked, pausing the game.

"Not too long ago," she replied, avoiding eye contact with me, which sparked a pang of jealousy in me.

Nikolai’s phone rang, and he excused himself, leaving just the two of us. I repeated his earlier question, "So, how did your day go?"

"It went well," she said, meeting my eyes.

"You still tuck your hair behind your ear when you’re nervous?" I asked, noticing her familiar habit.

"No, I’ve outgrown that," she replied, though her gesture suggested otherwise.

"So, you’re telling me you’re no longer a child?" I asked, setting the snooker cue down.

"Yes," she said with a newfound boldness. I found myself leaning closer, drawn to her.

Just then, Nikolai re-entered, interrupting the moment. "Sorry, had to take that call."

As he joined us, I couldn’t help but feel a mixture of realization and guilt for what might have happened.