Bound By Betrayal

Chapter5

Chapter Five

The Beginning of the Mess

Liora barely slept that night.

No matter how hard she tried distracting herself, Velora’s words kept replaying in her head.

He asked me to dinner next week.

The sentence irritated her far more than it should have.

And honestly, she hated herself for it.

Because what exactly was she upset about?

Liam was single.

Velora was single.

They were both attractive, successful, and involved in the same business world. Of course they would eventually get along.

That was normal.

So why did it feel personal?

Liora groaned softly and threw her blanket off before sitting up in bed. Sunlight already slipped through the large windows of her room, making her headache worse.

She grabbed her phone from the bedside table.

9:17 AM.

Three missed calls from Camille.

One message from her mother.

And somehow… none from Liam.

Not that she expected one.

Still, disappointment settled quietly in her chest anyway.

Pathetic.

Liora tossed the phone aside and dragged herself toward the bathroom.

Maybe today would feel better.

Maybe if she focused on work, she’d stop thinking about Liam and whatever strange thing was happening inside her head lately.

Unfortunately, that plan failed almost immediately.

By afternoon, Hastings Corporation was already chaotic.

Assistants rushed around carrying documents while executives prepared for next week’s partnership announcement with Knight Holdings.

And somehow Liam’s name had been mentioned at least fifteen times already.

Liora was tired.

“Miss Hastings?”

She looked up from her laptop as her assistant stepped into the office.

“Yes?”

“Your father wants you upstairs.”

“Again?”

The assistant gave her a sympathetic smile. “He seems stressed.”

Of course he was.

Liora grabbed her phone and headed toward the executive floor.

The moment she stepped into her father’s office, she immediately regretted it.

Velora was there.

And so was Liam.

Fantastic.

Her father looked up. “Perfect. Sit down.”

Liora moved toward the empty chair slowly while avoiding Liam’s eyes.

“We’re hosting a dinner tomorrow night,” her father announced.

Velora nodded slightly. “For the partnership investors.”

“And Liam will be attending.”

Liora nearly laughed.

Obviously.

Her father continued, “I expect both of you to behave professionally.”

Both of you?

Liora frowned slightly.

What exactly was that supposed to mean?

Before she could ask, her father’s attention shifted toward Liam and Velora again as they discussed schedules for the event.

Liora sat quietly, feeling oddly invisible in the room.

And somehow, that feeling worsened every time Liam and Velora spoke to each other.

They looked comfortable together now.

Natural.

Like they were slowly building something without even realizing it.

The thought irritated her instantly.

“You alright?” Liam’s voice suddenly pulled her from her thoughts.

Liora blinked and realized everyone was looking at her again.

“I’m fine.”

“You seem quiet,” Velora added gently.

“I’m thinking.”

Her father sighed tiredly. “Hopefully about work for once.”

Liora forced a tight smile.

Eventually the meeting ended, and her father left the office to answer a call, leaving the three of them alone.

The silence felt awkward immediately.

Velora gathered her files carefully before looking at Liam. “I’ll send the updated reports tonight.”

“Alright.”

Then she turned toward Liora. “Are you coming home early?”

“Probably not.”

Velora nodded once before leaving the office.

And just like that, Liora was alone with Liam.

The tension in the room shifted instantly.

Liam leaned lightly against the desk while watching her quietly.

“What?” she finally asked.

“You’ve been avoiding me.”

Liora laughed softly. “You think too highly of yourself.”

“Do I?”

“Yes.”

A small silence followed.

Then Liam spoke again.

“You don’t like the fact that Velora and I get along.”

The directness of the statement caught her off guard.

Immediately, defensiveness rose inside her chest.

“That’s ridiculous.”

“Is it?”

“Yes.”

Liam studied her for a moment before speaking calmly.

“You’re very easy to read when you’re upset.”

“And you’re very annoying when you analyze people.”

For the first time, he actually smiled properly.

Not the small amused smirk she was used to.

An actual smile.

And annoyingly enough, it made him even more attractive.

Liora looked away quickly.

Dangerous.

That was what this man was.

Dangerous in the kind of way that slowly got under people’s skin.

“I’m serious, Liora,” Liam said quietly. “You don’t have to compete with your sister all the time.”

Her expression hardened immediately.

“You know nothing about me.”

“I know enough.”

“No, you don’t.”

The frustration in her voice surprised even herself.

Liam straightened slightly. “Then tell me.”

Liora opened her mouth before stopping herself.

Because what exactly was she supposed to say?

That her entire life felt like a competition she kept losing?

That people naturally loved Velora more?

That even now, the one man who genuinely interested her seemed drawn toward her sister instead?

The thoughts alone embarrassed her.

So instead, she grabbed her bag quickly.

“I have work to do.”

Before Liam could respond, she walked out of the office.

But even after leaving, his words stayed in her head the entire evening.

The partnership dinner the next night was far more formal than Liora expected.

The Hastings mansion glowed beneath warm golden lights while luxury cars filled the driveway outside.

Inside, wealthy investors, business partners, and important guests filled the large dining hall with polite conversation and expensive wine.

Liora honestly wanted to leave already.

She stood near the staircase wearing a fitted dark green dress while pretending to listen to one of the investors talking about stock markets.

Then the front doors opened.

And Liam walked in.

Her breath caught slightly despite herself.

Tonight he wore an all-black suit again, his dark hair slightly messy in a way that somehow looked intentional.

Several people immediately greeted him.

But his eyes found Velora almost instantly.

Liora noticed.

Of course she noticed.

Velora walked toward him with a soft smile. “You made it.”

“I said I would.”

Their conversation looked easy.

Comfortable.

And once again, jealousy settled heavily inside Liora’s chest before she could stop it.

The rest of the evening only made things worse.

Everywhere she turned, Liam and Velora somehow ended up together.

Talking.

Laughing softly.

Discussing business.

At some point during dinner, Liora caught herself staring at them from across the table.

Then suddenly Liam looked up.

Their eyes met briefly.

And somehow, guilt flashed across her face like she’d been caught doing something wrong.

She immediately looked away.

This was getting unhealthy.

By the time dinner finally ended, Liora’s patience had completely disappeared.

She grabbed a glass of champagne from a waiter and headed toward the balcony outside, desperate for air.

Cool night wind brushed against her skin as she stepped outside.

Finally.

Silence.

She rested both hands against the railing and exhaled slowly.

“You disappeared.”

Liora froze slightly at the familiar voice behind her.

Of course.

Liam walked onto the balcony moments later.

She didn’t turn around immediately.

“I wanted quiet.”

“You seem upset.”

“There you go analyzing people again.”

Liam stopped beside her.

For a few seconds, neither of them spoke.

The city lights stretched beautifully below them while soft music echoed faintly from inside the mansion.

Then quietly, Liam spoke again.

“You know, your sister cares about you.”

Liora laughed bitterly. “That’s not the issue.”

“Then what is?”

She looked at him finally.

And unfortunately, standing this close to him felt dangerous again.

Because for the first time in years, someone made her feel things she didn’t fully understand.

Jealousy.

Frustration.

Want.

And maybe that was exactly why she couldn’t stay away from him.

“You wouldn’t understand,” she said softly.

“Try me.”

Liora stared at him for a long moment before shaking her head.

“It doesn’t matter.”

But deep down, she already knew something had started.

Something messy.

Something dangerous.

And somehow…

It was only the beginning.