Chapter3
1375 Words
Chapter Three
The Woman Beside Him
The ballroom was crowded, loud, and filled with people pretending to enjoy conversations they were only having for business connections.
Liora hated events like this.
Everyone smiled too much.
Laughed too loudly.
Complimented people they secretly disliked.
Still, tonight felt different.
Because Liam Knight was here.
And somehow, despite the dozens of powerful people in the room, he was the only person she noticed.
He stood near the bar with one hand in his pocket while speaking to a group of investors. Calm as always. His expression barely changed as the older men around him talked, but somehow he still controlled the entire conversation without even trying.
Liora found herself staring longer than she should have.
“You’re doing it again,” Camille whispered beside her.
Liora blinked. “Doing what?”
“Looking obsessed.”
“I’m not obsessed.”
Camille snorted softly. “Sure.”
Before Liora could reply, one of the waiters walked past with champagne glasses. She grabbed one quickly, mostly to distract herself.
“Go talk to him,” Camille said.
Liora nearly choked on her drink. “Absolutely not.”
“You literally came here because of him.”
“I came because of the networking opportunities.”
Camille stared at her blankly.
“…You don’t even believe that yourself.”
Liora rolled her eyes.
Unfortunately, Camille was right.
The truth was embarrassing enough already.
Liam Knight had somehow occupied her thoughts since the club, and she hated it.
Mostly because she still didn’t understand why.
He wasn’t even particularly nice to her.
If anything, he seemed emotionally unavailable and mildly arrogant.
Yet here she was.
Watching him from across a ballroom like some lovesick teenager.
Pathetic.
Before Camille could tease her again, movement near the entrance suddenly drew attention across the room.
More guests arrived.
And among them was Velora.
Liora’s mood instantly dropped.
Her older sister walked into the ballroom wearing a silver dress that fit her perfectly. Elegant. Sophisticated. Beautiful without trying too hard.
Exactly the kind of woman people naturally admired.
Beside her stood their father, already introducing her to several business partners.
Within minutes, Velora blended effortlessly into the room like she belonged there.
As always.
“Your sister looks gorgeous,” Camille admitted quietly.
Liora forced a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Mhm.”
She watched as people greeted Velora warmly.
Watched the admiration on their faces.
Watched how easily her sister commanded respect without demanding attention.
Meanwhile, Liora often felt like she had to fight just to be noticed.
And somehow, the familiar bitterness returned.
Then suddenly, something unexpected happened.
Liam looked toward the entrance.
Toward Velora.
Liora noticed the exact moment his attention shifted.
Their father approached Liam with Velora beside him, clearly introducing them.
Liora’s stomach tightened instantly.
She didn’t know why.
It shouldn’t matter.
But for some reason, watching Liam shake Velora’s hand irritated her more than it should have.
“They look good standing together,” Camille murmured absentmindedly.
Liora’s jaw tightened.
“Don’t start.”
“I’m just saying.”
Across the room, Velora smiled politely at something Liam said. Unlike the guarded expression he wore around most people, he actually looked engaged in the conversation.
Interested.
Liora hated that immediately.
Without thinking, she placed her champagne glass onto a passing tray and started walking toward them.
Camille sighed dramatically behind her. “And here we go.”
By the time Liora reached the group, their father was already deep into business discussions.
“Liora,” he said when he noticed her. “There you are.”
“Hi, Dad.”
Velora glanced at her with a small smile. “You came.”
“You sound surprised.”
“A little.”
Liora ignored the comment before finally looking at Liam.
Up close, he somehow looked even more attractive tonight.
Annoyingly attractive.
His dark eyes met hers briefly, calm and unreadable like always.
“Liora,” he acknowledged.
Just hearing her name in his voice did something strange to her chest.
She hated that too.
“Liam,” she replied smoothly.
Their father looked between them curiously. “You two know each other already?”
“We met briefly,” Liam answered before Liora could speak.
Briefly.
Why did that word sound so dismissive?
Velora looked between them with mild surprise. “Really?”
“At a club,” Liora said casually.
Their father immediately frowned.
“A nightclub?”
Liora nearly rolled her eyes. “Relax, Dad. I wasn’t dancing on tables.”
Velora laughed softly while their father muttered something about professionalism.
For a few minutes, the conversation returned to business matters. Mostly between Liam, Velora, and their father.
Liora stood quietly beside them, trying not to look bored.
Unfortunately, the more they spoke, the more obvious something became.
Liam and Velora got along easily.
Too easily.
They discussed investments, international markets, and company expansions effortlessly like they’d known each other for years.
Velora looked genuinely interested while Liam shockingly actually smiled once or twice during the conversation.
Liora noticed everything.
And every little detail annoyed her more.
At some point, their father was pulled away by another investor, leaving the three of them standing together.
An awkward silence settled briefly.
“Well,” Velora said lightly, “I should probably greet the rest of the guests.”
Before leaving, she looked at Liam politely. “It was nice meeting you.”
“You too.”
Then she walked away.
Liora watched Liam’s eyes follow her for a second too long.
Something unpleasant twisted inside her chest.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
“You like her,” Liora said before she could stop herself.
Liam looked back at her calmly. “Your sister?”
“You were staring.”
“I was listening.”
“That’s not the same thing.”
A faint trace of amusement appeared in his expression again.
“You always this observant?”
“Usually.”
For the first time that evening, Liam actually looked directly at her properly.
Not past her.
Not briefly.
Directly at her.
And suddenly the air between them felt heavier.
“You seem different tonight,” he said.
Liora raised a brow. “Different how?”
“Less confident.”
The comment caught her completely off guard.
“I’m always confident.”
“Not right now.”
Her pride immediately flared.
“You don’t know me well enough to make that judgment.”
“You’re right.”
The calmness in his voice somehow made the conversation more intense.
Liora folded her arms slightly. “Then stop acting like you’ve figured me out.”
“I haven’t.”
“Good.”
A small silence followed.
Then Liam leaned slightly closer.
“But I think you spend a lot of time trying to compete with your sister.”
Her breath caught for half a second.
The comment hit too close to home.
Immediately, irritation flashed across her face. “You met us once and suddenly you’re a psychologist?”
“I’m observant too.”
God.
This man was insufferable.
And somehow still attractive.
Liora looked away briefly, suddenly feeling exposed in a way she hated.
Most people only saw the confident version of her.
Not the insecure thoughts underneath.
Not the constant comparisons.
Not the exhausting feeling of never being enough.
But somehow Liam noticed far too quickly.
Before she could respond, a woman approached Liam with a bright smile.
“Liam, your investors are asking for you.”
He nodded once before looking back at Liora.
“It was nice talking to you.”
Again with that line.
Except this time… it actually sounded genuine.
Liora watched him walk away before exhaling slowly.
Why did every conversation with him feel like a challenge?
“You’re in trouble,” Camille said, suddenly appearing beside her again.
Liora frowned. “What does that mean?”
“You like him more than you should.”
Liora immediately shook her head. “No.”
But even she didn’t fully believe herself anymore.
Because for the first time in a long time, someone had looked past the version of herself she showed the world.
And somehow, Liam Knight saw more than he was supposed to.
- Writer
