Elisia took a slow sip of sake, letting the warmth settle in her chest. Across from her, Liam Snowdon was as unreadable as ever, but there was something different about the atmosphere tonight—less rigid, more calculated in a different way.
It wasn’t just a business dinner. It was a test of something else.
She placed her glass down. “So, tell me, Liam—this dinner. Am I supposed to see it as part of the job?”
A flicker of something crossed his expression. Amusement? Interest?
“You tell me,” he countered. “Do you think I do anything without a reason?”
Elisia leaned back slightly, watching him. “No. And that’s exactly why I’m asking.”
Liam smirked, but didn’t answer immediately. Instead, he reached for his own glass, taking a measured sip before responding.
“You’ve been thrown into a hi
