Liliana''s eyes shed with ferocity as she hurled a cup across the room, the sound loud enough to reach Nora, who was working with headphones on in the


    room.


    "Liliana, what''s going on?" Nora asked, cautiously poking her head around the door. "Did someone upset you?"


    "It''s nothing, don''t worry about it," Liliana replied, copsing onto the couch with a dark expression clouding her face, clearly a sign implying she was not in a good mood.


    Not wanting to pry further, Nora quietly fetched a broom and dustpan from the kitchen, meticulously sweeping up the shattered ss. Liliana gazed at her plump figure and round face as she moved her rosy lips.


    "Can I ask you something? In all these years, have any rich or handsome guys ever pursued you?"


    Nora paused, surprised. "Why would they? I look so ordinary, Liliana. You must be joking."


    That was right; Nora wasn''t exactly the type to attract wealthy or handsome men, let alone someone ugly like Amara. There was no way Finnian had special feelings for Amara; he wouldn''t have such a lousy taste.


    It must have been something to do with Keith that made Finnian act so erratically around Amara today. What was she supposed to do about that?


    As these thoughts tangled in Liliana''s mind, she retreated to her bedroom, hoping to wash away her headache with a good night''s sleep.


    Meanwhile, Nora dumped the broken ss into the trash, Liliana''s earlier question echoing in her mind, leaving her feeling something didn''t sit right. Was Lilianaparing her to someone else? Why did she feel insulted?


    Finnian left Liliana''s apartmentplex, driving aimlessly until he found himself at one intersection where he turned left and ended up in a waterfront. He parked, leaning against the railing as the chilly breeze off the water did nothing to clear his muddled thoughts.


    What''s wrong with him? His phone buzzed, and he answered. "Dorian, what''s up? It''ste."


    "What''s up? You tell me," Dorian''s voice was stern. "Why the hell did you kiss Amara? What were you thinking?"


    Even though Dorian hadn''t attended Patrick''s birthday party, somehow he knew. Had word really spread that fast?


    Finnian''s gaze dropped as he replied, "I don''t know what I was thinking."


    "You don''t know?" Dorian sounded incredulous.


    "Yeah, I don''t."


    Silence hung between them, Dorian at a loss for words.


    Finnian didn''t


    what was in his mind


    He''d ke Pon''t lying. He genuinely


    Amara twice now, both


    times acting on some inexplicable impulse.


    He''d never felt that way about any other woman, regardless of how beautiful they were. And Amara, well...


    Honestly, he wasn''t exactly allergic to women, but he didn''t enjoy theirpany either. The one time with


    Oana had been under the influence


    of the drug.


    And more details he couldn''t remember. He only recalled waking up to find her sitting on the bed, the sheets stained with evidence of what had transpired, his body still humming with the aftermath


    His behavior towards Amara was baffling, even to himself. Was it really just


    jealousy over someone like Keith that drove him to madness?


    "You need to divorce her ASAP. You''re getting weirder by the day. Can''t you feel it?" Dorian cautioned.


    Even Dorian was saying it now? Finnian narrowed his eyes. "No, I won''t."


    Dorian was left speechless.