CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Liam was sitting in his office when his secretary brought the office tablet to him. She knocked and entered.

"Sir, you have to see this," she said and handed over the tablet to Liam.

He collected it and read the content on the tablet, it was news of Sophia having him as a secret lover.

"When was this released?" he furrowed his brows.

"This morning sir"

"Sophia," he said and quickly stood.

"Sir?"

"Get my car ready" Liam picked up his suit and wore it.

"Yes sir," she said and hurried off to get the car ready.

Liam put on his suit, stepped out of the office and got into his car. He quickly decided to call Sophia before he rushed off to meet with her, it rang and she picked it up.

"Sophia, how are you?" every word said with concern.

"I am fine, you good?" she asked over the phone, her voice a little bit unusual to Liam.

"You don't sound fine.... I saw the news" he said and let out a deep sigh as he gently rubbed his forehead.

"I am sorry I dragged you into all of this…..uhhmm, I will find a way to clear your name" she said and cleared her throat.

"Clear my name?" he asked with little interest.

"You should not be involved in the first place, I am sorry about that"

"Sophia, can you please stop? What if….what if I want to be involved? What if I want to be what they say in the news?" he gently bit his lower lips in frustration.

"I don't understand Liam, what are you trying to say?"

Liam took in a deep breath.

"Nothing, I am just worried about you...how do you plan to rectify this?" he asked and gently rubbed his temple with his left hand.

"I need to speak with my dad first and then I will have to figure out a way"

"Okay, what about Bran? Has he said anything?"

"He said he will handle it, but I think I best handle this myself"

"Why?"

"I just feel bad that these things might have a negative impact on you"

"You worry too much Sophia, but I am glad that you are constantly thinking of me," he said, a soft smile running across his lips.

"I am about to head out to see my dad now"

"Want me to come pick you up?" he said with eagerness.

"Of course not Liam, you would only give them a reason to believe the news"

"Fine, I'll send a designated driver then"

"You don't have—"

Liam hung up the call to avoid being persuaded further and dialled his driver's number.

"I need you to use my other car to pick up Sophia from her residence in a couple of minutes"

"Okay sir"

"Don't let her know you work for me, you are just a designated driver okay?"

"Alright sir"

Liam got out of the car and went back into his office. His driver found his way to Liam's apartment and drove the second car to pick up Sophia.

*SOPHIA'S POV*

Bran had already left for work with Pierre during my call with Liam, we exchanged no words after the argument we had in the early hours of the morning.

My ankle still hurt and I was thankful that Liam decided to send a designated driver to pick me up, it would have been a struggle to find my way around with a sprained ankle.

I wore a white Birkin slipper and was dressed in a knee-length flowery dress with a white knitted jacket over it, as I packed my hair in a bun.

I got outside the main house and met Jane as she approached me.

"Sophia, thank goodness I met you" she walked up to me.

"Jane, good morning," I said and got the hairs away from my face.

"I heard from Bran that you had a little mishap at the party yesterday….. I didn't know it was serious enough to sprain your ankle" she feigned concern.

"Oh it's fine now, it is not that serious," I said in haste.

"Are you sure about that?"

"Really, it's fine Jane…. I was actually about to head out" I smiled briefly.

"Oh, I am sorry to have kept you waiting"

"If there is nothing else, I'll take my leave then"

I limped towards the gate and just then, the supposed designated driver from Liam arrived.

"Are you Mrs Garner?" the driver rolled down the window and asked.

"Yes yes, please," I said and got to the car door.

The driver noticed that I was limping, so he got out of the car and helped me into the car.

"Thank you" I smiled and we drove off.

 ****

Ren suddenly approached Jane from behind.

"She has not done anything suspicious lately," he said and handed over a couple of unaware pictures he had taken of Sophia during her outings to Jane.

Jane collected the pictures and looked through some of them with eyes that were eager to find something odd, but she was disappointed.

"Are you certain you have been following her up real close?" her eyes widened as she asked.

"Yes ma'am"

"Look into the guy that saved her at the party yesterday, I want every single detail," Jane said this and handed over the pictures back to Ren and walked back into the house.

"Yes ma'am"

*BRAN'S POV*

"Return home and drive Sophia to wherever she wants to go," I said as I stepped out of the car and shut the door.

"But sir, sir you have an outdoor meeting right after this one" Pierre countered.

"Just do what you're told, I am sure I can manage fine," I said, buttoned my suit and headed into the company building while Pierre drove back home.

I went straight into the meeting room and met some of the board members who had called for this meeting all seated.

I found my way to the head of the table, sat down and saw my uncle well seated on the right side of the table.

"My apologies for being almost late" I adjusted my tie and let out a smile.

"As long as we can hold this meeting and come to a conclusion, it's pretty much fine," one of the board members from the far end said.

"In the absence of no one, we can commence the meeting then," another board member said and signalled the female secretary he came with.

She started sharing some documents with everyone seated and myself, after she was done sharing, she exited the meeting room.

"So what we all have in our hands is the upcoming new city hall bidding…... .various companies will be registering for this bidding and whichever company with the best bidding wins," the top member said.

"This would be a great chance to bring our company back into the limelight if we win the bidding," another member said.

"That is true, our company would then be in charge of building the new city hall with the same theme and bidding that won," another member said.

"This is obviously a good idea for the company but then, you all do realize that we won't be the only company registering for this bidding competition right? How certain are you all that we would come out as a winner?" I asked, laid back with eyes that darted around the room with curiosity.

"Of course, we won't be gathered here if we did not think that far Bran," Uncle Tom said and sat up now.

"Which is why we have come up with a suggestion" a member spoke from his seat.

"And what is this suggestion? I am surprised this suggestion was even made in my absence" I said and huffed.

"The Garner Industry would submit participation for the bidding, but as two separate entities," the top member said, his eye fixated on Tom.

"Participate as two separate entities? What does that even mean?"

"Since we have not been sure or certain about the authenticity of the content of the will your father left behind or of his appointment of you to the position of CEO of this company, we can finally put it all to a test," the top member said.

I knew that my uncle put them up to all of this but I just had to watch them play out their tricks.

"What he is trying to say is quite simple son, to figure out who is truly worthy to take over the Garner Industry, you will participate in the upcoming bidding and I will do the same" he pointed at himself and went back to tapping the table silently.

I sat up, rested my elbows on the table interlocked my fingers and rested them against my lips.

"It is all for the betterment of the company after all" a member said while some others kept quiet.

"Well it already seems like my rejecting the offer would leave me no choice but to be vacated from my position as CEO, according to your judgement of course" I smirked.