Unexpected Bond

Not going to back down

I sighed, trying to understand if this was a prank or something else. I couldn't believe all of it.

Aliana clapped her hands in my face, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"Wake up, you aren't dreaming, Emma," Alaina said as I gulped hard, trying to believe if this was just a mere prank.

"The big mogul of Dexter Tech just messaged you, baby girl. Do you know what that means?" Aliana asked happily.

Finally, I had his attention. Going to his company wasn't a success, but going public got his attention.

What if he was mad at me and wanted to sue me? I'm just an artist. How can I bail myself out? Different thoughts kept playing on my mind, I guess because he is one of the richest in the world.

Alaina slapped my arm, making me look at her. "Oh, come on! You're not going to back down now!" she shouted. She's like a mother hen when it comes to advising me.

"I'm not going to back down, but I don't think this is right."

"What do you want, again? You can't possibly take care of this child alone, and now is the chance, okay? He wants to talk, so go!" Alaina commanded, dragging me into the shower for a quick bath. After bathing, I dried my body and applied lotion to my skin. Then, I wore a simple dress as I set off to go to the quaint cafe he directed me to.

I was nervous when I reached the cafe, but when I entered inside, I noticed he wasn't there. I would have to sit and wait for him.

After what seemed like forever, I spotted a tall, masculine figure walking through the entrance, and my heart skipped a beat.

Everybody in the cafe murmured some words. They were shocked to see Liam Dexter, the CEO of Dexter's Tech.

He walked up to me without uttering a word, and left me contemplating whether to greet him or not.

He sat down on the seat opposite mine, his face stern. His aura was powerful, and his strong perfume filled every nook and cranny of the room.

He was handsome, with sharp features, sharp eyes, and perfectly curled hair. His jawline was defined, and his lips looked soft and inviting to the touch.

I couldn't say anything. Was I expected to say something? He was the one who called me here. He licked his lips, which made him look sexy, and I gulped hard.

Is he here to seduce me? I thought inwardly.

"Hi," he said calmly but coldly. I felt goosebumps on my skin. What am I doing?

"Hello..." I replied. I didn't know what else to say. He seemed angry.

"You have the nerve to come out publicly. Do you have a plan to tarnish my image?" he said, and my heart sank a little.

"No, that's not true. I'm not like that. I just want support, and I want you to be a part of my child's life," I defended.

"My parents have suggested that we both marry to avoid tarnishing the image and reputation of my family name," Liam said, leaving me in disbelief.

"If it were up to me, I wouldn't consider ever marrying you. We're not meant to be together. You can't be happy with me. You don't even love me. I never knew our one-night stand would result in pregnancy," he concluded harshly.

"I don't want to marry you because I never had that in mind, and that wasn't my intention. All I wanted was support, so don't insult me in that manner, Liam or whatever your name is," I said angrily.

"Such a disrespectful act of you to call me by my name. Is this how you'll behave if I marry you? To hell with this marriage. I can't keep such a low-life b***h in my house," Liam said, making tears form in my eyes, but I shook it off. I won't cry, not in front of him.

I stood up from the chair and faced him, taking a deep breath to calm myself before speaking. "How dare you! How dare you call me a low-life? I would never, ever take such an insult from you," I hissed, clenching my fist.

"There is no better way to describe you than someone who is in need of attention and fame. And you think you can get it through me," he said.

The room grew tense as Liam's hurtful words hung in the air. I could feel my anger boiling inside me, but I knew that responding with more anger would only escalate the situation further. Taking a deep breath, I tried to compose myself before speaking.

"You have no right to judge me or belittle me," I said, my voice trembling slightly. "This isn't about attention or fame. I never asked for any of this to happen."

Liam scoffed, crossing his arms defensively.

"Do you think getting married just to protect your family's reputation is the way out? It's absurd! I won't be forced into a loveless marriage just to satisfy some archaic notion of honor." I rolled my eyes, clearly not interested in entertaining the idea. "You're naïve if you think that will work. We're two completely different people from different worlds. We'll only end up resenting each other."

"You should consider yourself lucky that I want to marry a low-life girl like you," Liam said.

That was it. My face contorted with a mixture of hurt, anger, and disbelief. The gravity of Liam's insult hit me like a freight train. In that moment, something snapped within me.

With a sudden surge of frustration, my trembling hand reached for the glass of water sitting on the table. The world seemed to move in slow motion as I hurled it towards Liam, a physical manifestation of my emotions. The glass sailed through the air, splashing its contents onto his face, dousing his arrogance in a torrent of cold liquid.

The room erupted with gasps and whispers, and Liam stood frozen, his clothes soaked and his ego shattered. My actions had stunned him, leaving him momentarily speechless. The pregnant pause that followed was filled with the weight of our unspoken words and the realization of the irreparable damage caused by our heated exchange.