Chapter4
1308 Words
Chapter Four
Unwanted Feelings
For the next three days, Liora tried convincing herself that Liam Knight meant absolutely nothing to her.
Unfortunately, her brain refused to cooperate.
It was annoying.
Embarrassing, even.
Because no man had ever occupied her thoughts this much before.
Not after two conversations.
Still, every time she closed her eyes, she remembered the way he looked at her during the networking event. Calm. Observant. Like he could somehow see through the version of herself she showed everyone else.
And she hated that feeling.
Liora dropped her sunglasses onto her office desk with a frustrated sigh before collapsing into her chair.
Across from her, Camille smirked knowingly.
“You’re thinking about him again.”
“I’m literally working.”
“You’ve opened the same email six times.”
Liora glared at her best friend. “Why are you even here?”
“Because your assistant said you looked irritated, and I wanted entertainment.”
“You need hobbies.”
Camille leaned back comfortably. “So when are you seeing him again?”
“I’m not.”
“Mmhm.”
“I’m serious.”
Camille laughed softly. “Liora, please. You’ve been moody for three days because a billionaire looked at your sister for two seconds.”
“That is not why I’m moody.”
“Then why did you nearly break your wine glass at the event?”
Liora opened her mouth to deny it before stopping herself.
Because honestly?
She didn’t know.
Watching Liam and Velora together that night had stirred something ugly inside her chest. Something bitter.
And she didn’t like admitting it.
The worst part was that Velora wasn’t even trying to compete with her.
She never did.
That somehow made everything worse.
A knock interrupted her thoughts before her office door opened slightly.
“Miss Hastings?” her assistant said carefully. “Your father wants everyone in the conference room.”
Liora frowned. “Why?”
“He said it’s important.”
Great.
That usually meant another lecture disguised as a business meeting.
Liora stood slowly and grabbed her phone before following Camille out of the office.
The executive conference room was already occupied when she entered.
Her father sat at the head of the table while Velora reviewed documents beside him. A few senior executives were present too.
And unfortunately…
So was Liam Knight.
Liora froze slightly near the door.
What was he doing here?
Liam glanced up at the same moment she entered.
For half a second, his expression changed slightly.
Not surprise exactly.
More like recognition.
Then his face returned to normal again.
Annoyingly composed.
“Liora,” her father called impatiently. “Sit down.”
She moved quietly toward the empty seat beside Velora while trying very hard to ignore Liam’s presence across the table.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
Her father adjusted his glasses. “Knight Holdings is interested in partnering with us for the Westbridge expansion project.”
Liora blinked.
Wait.
Partnering?
That explained Liam’s presence.
Her father continued speaking about investments, international expansion, and future profits while executives discussed numbers around the room.
Liora tried focusing.
Really, she did.
But it was difficult concentrating when Liam sat directly across from her looking unfairly attractive in a dark grey suit.
At some point during the meeting, Velora began discussing financial projections with him.
And once again, they fell into conversation effortlessly.
Comfortably.
Like they naturally understood each other.
Liora hated how much she noticed that.
“…Miss Hastings?”
She blinked suddenly.
Everyone was staring at her.
Her father frowned. “I asked for your opinion.”
“Oh.”
Embarrassing.
Liora straightened immediately. “Sorry, I was distracted.”
Clearly.
She noticed the slight amusement in Liam’s eyes and immediately became irritated.
“I think the partnership could work,” she said quickly. “But only if both companies maintain equal control over the project.”
One of the executives nodded approvingly.
Thankfully, the conversation moved on again.
Still, Liora could feel Liam’s gaze on her occasionally throughout the meeting, and somehow that only made it harder to focus.
By the time the discussion finally ended, her patience was already exhausted.
Executives slowly began leaving the conference room while assistants gathered files from the table.
Liora stood quickly, hoping to escape before anyone could stop her.
“Liora.”
Too late.
She turned to find Liam standing behind her.
Up close, he smelled annoyingly good too.
“Can I help you?” she asked lightly.
“You seemed distracted today.”
“There were a lot of numbers involved.”
A faint smile appeared on his face. “Was that the problem?”
Liora folded her arms. “You enjoy analyzing people too much.”
“I only notice things.”
“Well stop noticing me.”
Something unreadable flickered across his expression briefly.
“That might be difficult.”
The response caught her completely off guard.
Before she could reply, Velora approached them carrying a folder.
“There you are,” she said softly to Liam. “Dad wants to finalize the dinner schedule for next week.”
Dinner?
Liora looked between them slowly.
Liam nodded. “Alright.”
Velora finally noticed the tension in the air and looked mildly confused.
“Am I interrupting something?”
“No,” Liora answered immediately.
Liam’s eyes stayed on her for a second longer before he finally looked away.
“We were just talking.”
Velora smiled lightly. “Well, Dad’s waiting.”
As they walked away together, Liora stood frozen for a moment.
Then irritation settled heavily inside her chest again.
Dinner schedule?
Since when were they making dinner plans?
Camille’s voice suddenly appeared beside her. “Uh oh.”
Liora sighed. “Don’t.”
“You’re jealous.”
“I am not jealous.”
“You literally look offended right now.”
Liora grabbed her bag from the table. “I just don’t trust him.”
Camille nearly laughed. “You don’t even know him.”
Exactly.
That was the problem.
Because somehow, despite barely knowing Liam Knight, she already cared too much about where his attention went.
And lately…
It seemed to be drifting toward Velora.
That evening, the Hastings mansion was unusually quiet.
Liora sat on the kitchen counter eating strawberries straight from the container while scrolling mindlessly through her phone.
Her mood still hadn’t improved.
Footsteps entered the kitchen moments later.
Velora.
Of course.
She walked in wearing loose home clothes instead of her usual business outfits, looking softer and more relaxed than normal.
“You skipped dinner,” Velora noticed.
“I wasn’t hungry.”
Velora opened the fridge quietly before glancing at her. “Are you upset with me?”
Liora frowned slightly. “Why would I be?”
“You’ve been distant lately.”
For a moment, guilt touched Liora unexpectedly.
Because despite everything, Velora genuinely cared about her.
That was what made things complicated.
“It’s work stress,” Liora lied quietly.
Velora nodded slowly, though she didn’t look fully convinced.
After a short silence, she spoke again.
“What do you think about Liam?”
The question immediately caught Liora off guard.
“What?”
“Dad seems excited about the partnership.”
Liora forced herself to sound casual. “He seems alright.”
“Just alright?”
Liora looked at her carefully. “Why do you care?”
Velora hesitated briefly before answering.
“He asked me to dinner next week.”
The strawberry in Liora’s hand suddenly lost all taste.
Something sharp twisted painfully inside her chest, though she quickly hid it behind a small smile.
“Oh.”
Velora leaned lightly against the counter beside her. “I don’t know if it’s business or personal yet.”
But Liora already knew.
And somehow…
She didn’t like the answer at all.
- Writer
