Cut in the web
1060 Words
Liamh was getting used to life in the mansion. Or at least, she was trying to.
The place was too big. Too quiet. Too… perfect. She could walk for minutes and not hear a single sound except her own footsteps. It didn’t feel like a home. It felt like a museum—cold, untouchable.
And Hanson?
That man acted like she didn’t even exist.
Most of the time, he was gone. And when he was around, he barely looked at her. And when he did, it was with that same cold, unreadable stare, like she was just a contract he had signed and nothing more.
Which was fine.
She didn’t want to be here anyway.
She wasn’t expecting warm smiles and friendly conversations. She had signed up for nine months, and once that was over, she’d walk away with her money and never look back.
Simple.
Except… it wasn’t simple.
Because no matter how much she told herself not to, she couldn’t ignore him.
His presence was too strong, too impossible to overlook.
One evening, she was walking through the hallway, carrying a stack of medical papers, lost in thought—
Boom.
She slammed right into something solid. The papers flew out of her hands, scattering everywhere.
A hand grabbed her arm, steadying her before she could fall.
“Watch where you’re going,” Hanson’s voice cut through the air. Sharp. Annoyed.
Liamh yanked her arm free like his touch burned. “I didn’t see you,” she snapped, bending down to grab the papers.
Hanson let out a sharp breath, stepping back. “You’re living under my roof. Try not to be a disaster.”
Liamh’s temper flared. She stood up, papers clutched to her chest.
“I’m not here because I want to be, Mr. Hill,” she shot back. “And don’t worry—I’m counting the days until I’m out of your life.”
For a second, just a second, something flickered in his eyes.
Then it was gone.
“Good.” He turned, walking away. “The last thing I need is complications.”
Liamh stood there, breathing hard.
Complications.
That’s what she was to him.
She wanted to be mad, but deep down, she couldn’t shake the feeling that maybe he wasn’t as unaffected as he pretended to be.
The days passed.
Every morning, she woke up, walked through the halls, ate in silence, went to doctor’s appointments, and counted down the days.
Anita was nice, but even her kindness felt careful, like she didn’t want to get too close.
And Hanson?
The man was like a ghost. Here, but never really here.
She’d hear his voice in the hallway, low and firm, talking to someone on the phone. Catch glimpses of him walking past the study, always in those perfect suits, always looking like he had the whole world in his hands.
She told herself she didn’t care.
She was not curious about him.
Not even a little.
One night, Liamh couldn’t sleep.
She wandered into the kitchen, hoping a glass of water would help. The house was too quiet, the kind of silence that made her skin crawl.
She reached for a glass—
Then stopped.
Footsteps.
She turned just as Hanson walked in.
He wasn’t in a suit this time. His sleeves were rolled up, the top buttons of his shirt undone.
He looked… different. Not as put together. A little tired.
She wasn’t sure why that caught her off guard.
“I didn’t know you were still awake,” she mumbled.
He grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, twisted the cap open. “Couldn’t sleep?”
She hesitated. “No.”
Hanson nodded, taking a sip. Silence stretched between them.
Then, before she could stop herself, she said, “Do you ever sleep?”
Hanson smirked, but it was faint, like he was too tired to really mean it.
“Not much.”
Liamh studied him. His jaw was tight. There were shadows under his eyes.
For the first time, he didn’t look like the untouchable, powerful Hanson Hill.
He just looked… human.
She cleared her throat. “Maybe you should. Lack of sleep isn’t good for anyone.”
He gave a small, amused huff. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
And just like that, he walked out, disappearing into the hallway.
Liamh let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding.
Her heart was beating too fast.
Why?
It was just a conversation.
But for the first time, Hanson Hill didn’t seem so unreachable.
And that was dangerous.
The next night, dinner was the same as always.
Anita was talking about some charity event she was planning. Liamh was trying to focus, but she kept noticing Hanson.
He was barely eating, eyes glued to his phone.
And then, halfway through the meal, he stood up. “I have work.”
Anita sighed. “Hanson, at least finish your meal.”
“I’m fine.”
Liamh rolled her eyes before she could stop herself. “Do you ever sit still?”
Hanson paused.
Turned.
His sharp, unreadable gaze landed right on her. “Excuse me?”
Liamh swallowed but didn’t back down. “You’re always running off. Maybe if you stopped for two seconds, you wouldn’t be so—” She caught herself just in time.
Hanson raised a brow. “Wouldn’t be so what?”
She could feel Anita watching them, silently amused.
Liamh sighed. “Forget it.”
Hanson’s gaze stayed on her for a second longer. Then he turned and walked out.
Liamh slumped back in her chair.
Anita took a sip of wine, smiling a little. “He’s… difficult.”
Liamh scoffed. “That’s one way to put it.”
Anita tilted her head. “Just don’t let him get under your skin.”
Too late.
Hanson was already under her skin.
And she had no idea why.
That night, as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, she found herself thinking about Hanson again.
His sharp words. His piercing gaze. The way he never let anyone close.
Why?
What made a man like him so untouchable?
She shouldn’t care.
She didn’t want to care.
But something told her that no matter how much she tried to stay out of his way…
Hanson Hill was going to make that impossible.
- Writer
