OBSESSIVE LUST

CHAPTER 17

I spun around to take another glance at the man and tightened. A face from the past.

"Valerie?"

Camille's cousin.

I had seen him once or twice when I was still staying with Camille in her apartment.

"Kleon?" I asked, taken aback.

A shiver of dread wrapped itself around my heart. Someone from their circle now knew where I was. Would they be showing up here next? Would they be avenging themselves on Klein and Jessica?

"What are you doing here?"

"You two know each other?" the woman sitting next to him asked, looking at me.

"Sure. She was my cousin's roommate. Yeah, right, Valerie?" Kleon said nonchalantly.

"Y-Yeah," I tried to smile.

"What about you? What brings you here?"

"Sir Kleon is the youngest director of KIINGSWELL Co.," the woman, Hana, stated proudly.

"Thanks for the introduction, Hana," Kleon laughed. "But the title doesn't count. She's a very good friend of mine."

"Sir Kleon is also friends with Sir Liam," she continued.

"Damian?" I shouted.

"You mustn't call him his second name," Hana quickly added. "He detests it."

"Do you know Li?" Kleon asked, looking at me.

"He's—"

"I'm her fiancé."

A low, deep voice boomed behind us.

I turned around. "L-Liam?"

"Hi." He pecked me on the forehead. "Sorry it took a while."

The room went silent altogether. Everyone was too shocked to say a thing.

"So. you're not an intern?" Hana exclaimed.

"N-No. I was going to tell you," I smiled embarrassedly, "but I liked how you entertained me."

"I get that a lot," she blushed.

"You're Li's fiancée?!

"Why so shocked?" Liam stepped in, his tone even. "Your sweet cousin made things go wrong long before this."

So. Liam had knew everything?

"Aww. Don't call him beloved. That moron got what he deserved," Kleon interjected icily.

Liam glared at me. "I guess you're surprised, Val. Kleon actually assisted me with all that. but I didn't inform him it was all because of you."

"But Camille is your cousin, isn't she?"

"Sure. But Camille's the only exception. She's too innocent for her brother's foolishness."

So I was right in choosing her.

"Well," Liam crossed his arms once. "We'll be going to my office now. Thanks for the pleasant welcome, especially you, Hana."

"Yes, sir," she replied, curtsying.

"Mom, are you okay?" I asked, having observed how quiet she was.

"Go on, I'm just a bit tired. Let's go."

The moment we stepped inside Liam’s office, Mom’s eyes widened in surprise as her gaze landed on the view of the pre-installed coffee table. It was the kind of coffee table you might find in a fancy hotel lobby, sleek and modern, with a shiny surface that reflected the soft lighting overhead. She looked around, taking in the space with a mixture of amazement and curiosity. The room was huge, at least twice the size of my own bedroom back home. It felt more like a small apartment than a typical office. There was a comfortable-looking couch with plush cushions, a sturdy wooden table nearby, and even a small kitchenette tucked into one corner. It all looked very inviting, as if someone could really live here and be perfectly comfortable.

You could almost imagine spending an entire day in this room without needing to leave.

Then, as I looked around, an odd question slipped out before I could stop myself. “Wait,” I asked suddenly, “is the room soundproof?” I looked at Liam with a probing grin, curious about whether I’d guessed right. It just seemed a little too quiet, and that kind of privacy wasn’t common in regular offices.

Liam, standing nearby, raised one eyebrow at me, a hint of amusement flickering across his face. “Um, yeah,” he responded casually. “It’s personalized. Just in case I need to work discreetly or do something that requires total privacy, I guess.” His tone was nonchalant, like it was no big deal.

I leaned in closer, eyes narrowing slightly as a teasing smile appeared on my face. “Like what?” I asked, voice playful but pointed. I flicked a quick glance at Mom, then back at Liam, waiting to hear him explain.

He looked a little surprised, caught off guard by my question. His brow furrowed slightly. “What’s with the look?” he asked, eyebrows rising in mock innocence.

I kept my expression mischievous. “What look?” I asked sweetly, a wicked grin spreading across my face. “I was just wondering what kind of ‘something’ needs this much privacy. You know, behind closed doors, soundproof room and all.” I chuckled softly, enjoying how I was pushing just a little.

Liam hesitated for a second, then looked a bit uncomfortable. He ran a hand through his hair and shrugged. “You’re asking like you’d rather I tell you a different answer,” he said cautiously.

I raised my eyebrows again, pretending to be innocent, but my smile was big and playful. “Come on,” I said with a sigh, “I’m just curious. What kind of ‘something’ needs this kind of privacy, huh?” My voice was light, but I was clearly baiting him a little.

He looked at me for a moment, his expression unreadable. Then he tilted his head, a small smirk playing on his lips. “You’re asking like you’d actually want some other answer,” he said softly.

Before the conversation could go any further, Mom called out, cutting in with her usual mix of humor and impatience. “Come on, you two,” she said, waving at us to follow her. “Let’s get some coffee before your silly questions turn into sillier ideas.” Her tone was warm but firm, as if she’d had enough of the teasing for now.

We moved to the coffee machine together. Mom was already preparing our drinks, pouring water into the machine and adding coffee grounds.

As we waited, I couldn’t help but ask again, questing for something to fill the silence. “So, you just sit here all day? By yourself? Doesn’t it get lonely?” I sounded more serious now, genuinely curious. I wondered how someone could spend hours alone in such a big space, away from anyone.

Liam shrugged calmly, leaning back in his chair. “Not really. You learn to get used to it,” he replied simply. His tone was steady, as if he’d been asked this question many times before. “It’s not so bad. Sometimes I work, sometimes I just sit here and think.” His eyes looked distant for a moment, like he was recalling a quiet day somewhere in this room.

I frowned, feeling a little surprised. “You’re something else,” I muttered under my breath, not quite sure what to think. “More like… strange.” I didn’t quite know why, but I felt a small jolt of surprise mixed with a bit of admiration.

He caught my look and moved a little closer, a sly grin creeping onto his face. “Why?” he challenged softly. “You don’t want to go along with your fiancé to this ‘big, strange’ room?” His smile was teasing, and I could tell he was enjoying pushing my buttons.

He didn't mind that Mom stood just behind him. I could already sense the tug of tension between us.

"Here you are, lovebirds." Mom placed our mugs on the counter. "I'll just get some snacks out of the cupboard."

"Wait, Mom!" I pulled at her shirt. "You're leaving me here?"

She was prepared to reply when Liam's assistant suddenly burst into the room, gasping for breath.

"Sir! Sorry for not knocking, it's an emergency. You must go down below. Someone's causing a scene!"

Liam stood up in silence and pecked a kiss on my forehead. "I'll be right back. Wait here, please."

He turned to Mom. "Don't let her get up."

Then—BAM! The door creaked open.