《We Got Love, The Crazy Kind》 Chapter 1 Who Are You Chapter 1 Who Are You ¡°Baby, see you in Room 1808 Four Season Hotel.¡± Recollecting the message, Amber Currie took a deep breath with a heart flutter. It was the fourth year in love her boyfriend Oliver Stein. Tonight, she was going to lose her virginity to him. ¡°Crack¡­¡± The sound of running water in bath room stopped. Amber felt her heart was surging so fast that she was on the verge of a heart attack. When the door of bath room opened, she shut her eyes trembling¡ªthe stress was crushing. On the carpet, a light footfall approached and halted beside the bed. A dominating, breathtaking presence loomedrge. Suddenly, a sharp pain speared through her wrists! ¡°Who are you? Why are you here?¡± A deep and charming male voice, as cold as the gale outside the window, startled her out of the self- restraint. It was not her dear Oliver! Amber widened her eyes and darted a frightened nce at the man. Beside the bed, a towering man with inscrutable eyes and an impressive, chiseled nose and jaw, bent over her. It seemed that nothing insider her can be hidden from his sharp eyes. ¡°Ah!¡± Amber screamed instinctively and tried to struggle out of his grip. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. This man frowned calmly, glimpsed over her stunning body exposed from the falling quilt and only to tighten the mp: ¡°How did you get in here?¡± Without changing his voice or breath, he gave her a cold sweat only with his sharp, stern nce. His overwhelming presence told her: This was not a man to be trifled with! Amber, too panic stricken to notice her nudity, only strived to shake him off. Where was her sweet boyfriend? Where was and her romantic first-time sex? Why things turned out like this? Before she recollected herself, the door popped open and people flocked in. Almost blinded by piercing white camera shlights, she fumbled for something to cover her bosoms. What was worse, the fallen quilt was out of reach to wrap her body. Thrown upon by a ck coat, Amber gave a thankful look at the man, only to find he was paying no attention to her at all. Wearing nothing but a bath towel around his waist, he stood high and rxed, like a domineering King. ¡°Liam Croft! Let go of my girlfriend! How can you, President of the Watson Group bully us s?¡± Oliver Stein emerged from the group of reporters, looked outrageous. Staring at Oliver, Amber¡¯s big, blingy eyes were sparked with shock, shame and fury. What a scene! All staged by her dear boyfriend! She was nothing but a bait in the dirty trap set up by Oliver Stein and the paparazzis. Her tears filling up in her eyes and ran down the cheek although she tried her very best to hold them back. Her voice was choking with rage though she tried so hard to throw them out. Amber wrapped tight the coat and staggered step by step towards Oliver. Frightened by her utter desperation, reporters all forgot to press the shutters and stepped back from her. Oliver put on a sympathetic face and opened his arms: ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, darling, I will¡­¡± ¡°Pat!¡± She pped him on the face. Amber bit her lower lip to keep herself from sobbing. Hit hardly by this blow, Oliver stumbled, seeing stars dancing before his eyes. Some warm liquid running out of his nose¡ªAh, it was blood! Wiping nose blood awkwardly, he tried to drag her arm. ¡°Leave my fianc¨¦e alone,¡± The tall man bath towel fended off Oliver from Amber, ¡°Try me if you dare to touch her.¡± Chapter 2 Fiancée Chapter 2 Fianc¨¦e Fianc¨¦e? Paparazzi looked each other and started pressing their shutters again. ¡°Liam Croft! Didn¡¯t you engage with Mia Cavendish, the daughter of the boss of Cavendish Property Group? Amber Currie is my girlfriend! Stop it!¡± Oliver Stein was panic to find the drama started to run out of his control. Amber Currie was impressed by the sense of security given by this tall man. So that was his name¡ªLiam Croft. Liam cast a cool nce at Oliver: ¡°Amber is your girlfriend? Ask her again.¡± Amber turned over and looked at Oliver. This handsome face, smeared with nose blood of his own, was rather hideous yet funny-looking. Was this man the sweetheart she loving for four years? Why on earth he sold her out to set up Liam Croft? On all ounts Oliver Stein had never loved her for sure! Her heart was burning in sadness when all the sweet memories and loving whispers were falling apart, proven by this dirty trap as nothing but lies. Tears started to run down again against her will. Amber cleared her throat and tried to control her voice: ¡°Liam, who is this ridiculous man? Send them out. What a shame to ruin our beautiful night!¡± Her hands, trembling and icy cold, held Liam¡¯s arm to keep herself from falling down. Journalists stood gazing at one another, totally dumbfounded. It was Oliver Stein who offered them the exclusive that President of the Watson Group was going to fuck a girl student, on the top of a generous ¡°thank-you¡± reward of 4000 dors for each of them to spot this ¡°break-in¡± funny business. The scandal of the boss of the Watson Group, what a perfect gossip news for Page Six! Not to mention the inviting offer of 4000 dors¡ªanyone would jump at the opportunity though Liam Croft was indeed a difficult guy. Who would know they ended up with such an ugly moment? ¡°I said, get out.¡± Liam said, poker-faced, his voice deadly quiet. However, everyone present felt a shudder running through their veins. Amber nced at him confused. What an unfathomable man¡ªcoolly self-possessed in front of so many cameras. The paparazzi rushed away, dragging the begrudged Oliver with them as well. When the room quieted down, Liam walked towards the bedside ottoman straightaway and started to put on his shirt. A glimpse of his strong chest and abdomen awoke Amber to a panic attack. In a hurry, she put on her down jacket left in a corner and gave back the ck coat to its owner. ¡°Mr. Croft, thanks for your coat.¡± Buttoning up his shirt with one hand, Liam took over the coat with another. ck cashmere highlighted his slim, powerful fingers, tanned, healthy skin and his short, well-polished finger nails. Liam went on to reached for his trousers on the ottoman without any intention to shun her presence. How embarrassing! Amber flushes bright pink: ¡°I should go now. Bye!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s make a deal?¡± Liam stopped and turned his eyes at her. His eyes, shadowed by a prominent brow ridge and heavy eyebrows, intense and prating. ¡°Pretending to be your Fianc¨¦e? I already did.¡± Amber responded instantly. ¡°No, be my real finance. We willunched the news tomorrow and get marry one monthter.¡± Liam said with studied understatement and perfect self-assurance. Amber inhales sharply and stared at Liam into his eyes: ¡°Why are you so sure that I will ept your offer?¡± ¡°You hate that man, right? This is a good chance to take your revenge.¡± Liam¡¯s voice, so charming and masculine, only to rm Amber more. No wonder he said ¡°Amber is your girlfriend? Ask her again.¡± He had figured out her thought already Discreet, discerning, so good at taking advantage of others¡¯ weakness. A total schemer and control freak. ¡°Only a nominal and legal couple. I will not touch you. As long as you live in my apartment in the three months before the wedding, you can do whatever you want, even including dating someone else.¡± Liam said with pure certainty, ¡°otherwise we will both fall infamous.¡± So true! Who would believe that she was set up by her beloved boyfriend? A naked woman and a man in bath towel in a hotel room alone at mid-night. Who would believe their moral innocence? Damn it! Liam¡¯s mouth quirked up at her frustration, ¡°You have one night to consider about it.¡± Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. He gave her a business card. ¡°Call me when you have made up your mind.¡± Amber Currie would call him. He was sure about it. * Reeled from all the drama, Amber stumbled out of the room. She tucked his card deep into her pocket as if it would bite. On her way to the elevator, Amber caught a glimpse of a familiar figure from the window. Oliver Stein! He had the cheek to wait for her at the gate of the hotel! Chapter 3 A Typical Hypocrite Chapter 3 A Typical Hypocrite Sadness recurred in a heavy blow. Amber was thoroughly drained -- exhausted by the rage of being sold out, the disdain for Oliver¡¯s moral quality and a broken heart. She was shuffling and stumbling. Oliver raised his head and looked this way. Amber made a hasty retreat into a corner. At this moment, Oliver was thest man she wanted to meet. She might run out of control, questioning and scolding him out loud. Enough drama for today. She did not want to make another scene at the gate of the hotel. Two housekeepers approached with a in trolley, loaded with linens. What they said was heard by Amber clearly. ¡°Lucky for you to get this nice cashmere coat!¡± ¡°Yep! Perfect for my son! So soft, so fine!¡± A middle-aged woman spread the coat, looking at it up and down happily. A careless nce at the coat froze Amber. It looked familiar¡ª20 minutes ago, she was wearing it. Liam Croft¡¯s coat. The one embroidered with an iconic, dazzling, golden ¡°H¡± on the deluxe, discreet lining. Thousands of dors threw off so easily. Only because she was wearing it? She felt so degraded and insulted. She thought better Liam Croft! Okay, so he''s very attractive, confident,manding, at ease with himself¡ªwith all the impable manners, he is arrogant and snobbish! Don¡¯t seek excuse for mysophobia, aundry will do, OK? Threw away such a fine coat because it was exposed to her, a grass-root, Penny-less girl! What a hypocritical snob! Overwhelmed by rage, Amber fished out Liam¡¯s card and made a call. The phone was soon picked up. Before Amber sharpened her tone, there came Liam¡¯s impassive voice: ¡°What?¡± How pretentious! Amber held tight of her phone and said word by word: ¡°This is my decision: I reject your offer!¡± Then she held her breath and waited, expecting Liam to ask why. So she could reprove him right away that she would rather lose all her reputation than make any deal with a mean snob. There was a lengthy silence. To her dismay, Amber didn¡¯t get any response from Liam for at least 20 N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. seconds. Filled with frustration, Amber got nothing but an ¡°OK¡± from Liam, followed was busy tone. His voice was rather calm, as always. ¡®This is it!?¡¯ Amber stared at her phone with furious anger. She had every intention to smash the phone into pieces. Holy crap! What a crummy day! Being sold out by Oliver Stein, diminished by a dandy, nude pictures taken by paparazzi¡­ Why so many shits happened to her! Amber scrambled out of the elevator. ¡°My darling! Here youe! Please allow me to exin!¡± Finally, Oliver cleaned the nose blood on his pretty face and retrieved his gentleman look. He stepped forward to clutch Amber¡¯s arm. At the gate bustling with people, Amber hated to make any drama. She snapped: ¡°Oliver Stein, we are over. Let go of me in 10 seconds or I will call the police.¡± Chapter 4 The Investigating Chapter 4 The Investigating ¡°Honey, sorry! I did take advantage of you¨C but it is all for our better future. William Croft promised to make me the Director of Mayer Advertising as long as I smear Liam¡¯s reputation! What a career opportunity! After half a year, we will make enough money to buy a house so I can marry you!¡± Oliver dragged Amber¡¯s arm, begging in whisper. Amber frowned: ¡°William Croft, who?¡± Oliver thought he still stand a chance: ¡°The cousin of Liam Croft, a promising candidate of the Watson Group. The old Mr. Croft attached top priority to the moral standards of young persons. If Liam messed it up, William will have the chance to wrest the session.¡± So that was how matters stood. Amber smiled ironically: ¡°So you stab me in the back only for money and promotion?¡± ¡°Honey! It is for our future! I know you are upset. I will make it up!¡± Oliver grabbed her arm in a panic. ¡°Oliver Stein. We have no future! We are over! Leave me alone or I will call the police!¡± Staring at Oliver¡¯s eyes, Amber took out her phone and input 911. ¡°OK! Take it easy! Calm down, baby!¡± Terrified by her determination, Oliver released her arm immediately. ¡°Amber, it is all my fault. I will regret if anger affects your health.¡± Amber looked indifferently at Oliver, a master of sweet talks. His attentive and considerate care, once felt so touching, now only sickened her. She straightened her back and swaggered off without looking back. However, her heart was bleeding when she turned around. Amber raised her head to hold back the tears. Beside a nearby pir, Liam in a thin white shirt, witnessed this scene spectively. After a good while, he turned around and stepped towards the underground parking lot. ¡°Check up on a 22 years old woman named Amber Currie, about 165 cm in stature.¡± Looking at rear view mirror, Liam reversed the car while sending orders with a car phone. ¡°Got it. Mr. Croft. How to spell it?¡± How to spell it? Liam pondered a moment and tap on the steering wheel with his long, sexy fingers. ¡°Currie, the family name and Amber, the organic gem originated from fossilized tree resin. Try this ¡°Copy that.¡± Against the cold night wind, Amber walked 13 stops all the way home, a small apartment located in South Town to save the bus fare. Numb with grief, she had no more tears to shed. Amber cleared her throat and pat the face to recollect herself. In an old, shabby residential building, the light of the staircase on the third floor was till on. God! Pearl stayed up sote? Amber rushed upstairs. A girl at the table turned back when she heard the door creak opened. The warm light cloaked her adorable face with a golden radiance. Sadly, on an adorable expression as sweet as a little deer, the girl looked dulled and empty in her big, blingy eyes. ¡°Amber, my dear sister, is that you?¡± Pearl Currie stood up and groped her way towards Amber. Amber hugged her and stroked her hair,ined lovingly: ¡°Why did you stay up sote? I said don¡¯t wait up for me.¡± Pearl lifted her face and grinned broadly: ¡°Amber, I cannot fall asleep alone.¡± Her delicate, angelic face and blind eyes aroused a wave of regret and remorse in Amber. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I am back, Pearl. Let¡¯s go to bed.¡± Amber escorted her younger sister to the bed room, like a caring mother. * In the morning, Amber served their breakfast: two boiled eggs, glutinous rice porridge and a pinch of salted vegetables. Then she led Pearl to the table hand in hand. ¡°Come,e. The porridge is just right in temperature.¡± Carefully, Amber shelled the eggs and dug the yolks out. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Pearl preferred egg white much to egg yellow. Eating the egg white, Pearl turned her head to face her elder sister with a big smile: ¡°We make a perfect team¡ªI hate egg yellow while you hate egg white. So each time we can both enjoy two shares of happiness!¡± How childish! A st of bitter sweetness struck Amber. She fiddled the soft hair of Pear l: ¡°When I graduate and earn more money, I will fill you with gourmet food!¡± After the dinner, on the way to send Pearl to the school bus of a blind school, Amber¡¯s phone rang. ¡°Hello?¡± It came from a strange number. ¡°Amber Currie. This is Liam Croft.¡± The male voice sounded clipped and cool. Amber paused: ¡°How did you know my phone number?¡± ¡°It is not the point. The point is we will have a very pleasant coboration.¡± ¡°Coboration? Mr. Croft, you seem to forget that I rejected your offer yesterday!¡± Amber loathed the way he talked¡ªalways patronizing andmanding. Her aggression did not bother Liam at all. ¡°Yeah? What if I can cure the eye disease of your younger sister?¡± Chapter 5 I Accept Chapter 5 I ept "Liam! You investigated me!" Amber was so angry that she couldn''t care less about her manners. How could he send someone to pry into her life? Are all wealthy people so audacious? "That''s right. I''ve sent someone to look into your background. I know that you are 5''3 tall, and you weigh 100 pounds. You go to South X University. You''re in your senior year, majoring in journalism and Your mother left home and abandoned you when you were two years old. Your biological father and stepmother died in a car ident 12 years ago. Unfortunately, that same car ident also caused your sister to lose her sight." Amber was so angry that her entire body was shaking! She felt so naked in front of him now that he had revealed all of her past! Seeing that Amber was quiet, Liam continued, "I even know that neither you nor your sister like egg yolks, and your sister''s dream is to be a traveler. And you want more than anything to cure your sister''s eyes so that she can fulfill her dreams." "So?" Amber asked coldly as she controlled her breathing, trying to calm herself down. "I came to help you achieve this dream. I''ve checked Abby''s medical records. To cure both of her eyes, all she needs to do is go to the US and get an operation done. This surgery, with a 99.5% sess rate in the US, is almost foolproof." 99.5%? Amber was stunned by the number. Her head buzzed as if a bolt of lightning had struck it. "Does 99.5% mean..." Amber could feel her entire body quiver! "Yes! I ept!" She shouted those words to Liam without hesitation, as though she was afraid that he would backtrack. "I ept your offer. But you must ensure that my sister''s eyesight is restored!" Liam chuckled slightly on the other end of the phone. "No problem, I can sign a contract with you. Let''s have a nominal marriage for six months, and I will never touch you throughout this period. After the contract is signed, I will arrange for someone to send your sister to Country M for surgery immediately. You may stay beside her during the entire process." "Deal." After hanging up the phone, a news notification popped up on Amber''s phone. "BREAKING NEWS: Liam Croft''s new lover is a homewrecker!" Soon, the news spread throughout City C. The headlines in every newspaper were news of Liam and her getting married. Some dedicated reporters even made a specific feature story about both of them. They also released photos of the two of them at a hotel during Valentine''s Day and analyzed the rtionship between Liam, Mia, Amber, and Oliver in detail. As a result, Amber became a shameless gold-digger who pushed herself onto the wealthy CEO, while Mia and Oliver became the deeply hurting and abandoned exes. Only Liam, who had managed to escape all me and scorn, was portrayed as the perfect gentleman who was forced to pay a price out of obligation, even though he was being tricked. As soon as Amber arrived in the ssroom, everyone was in a frenzy. Her best friend, Emma, pulled her by the arm and screamed excitedly, "Amber! When did you hook up with Liam? Isn''t he the CEO of the Waston Group? He is the most sought-after bachelor of the city! How did you be his fianc¨¦e?" Before Amber could answer, a group of gossipers gathered around and asked, "Is the news on the papers true? Why did Liam¡¯s ex-fianc¨¦e willingly let go of her position?" "Only a silhouette of Liam was published in the newspaper. Is he handsome in person? How tall is he? Have you guys had sex?" "Ahem¡­" Amber was almost choked to death on her saliva. Her ssmates were all out for the juicy details! As she was about to flee the scene with Emma, the crowd suddenly parted. A pretty girl was making her way towards Amber. Other than Emma, everyone looked at Amber with expectant hearts because the pretty girl who walked over was none other than Mia''s cousin, Cynthia White. "I guess shameless women nowadays can get their hands on whatever they want without any difficulty!" Cynthia scrutinized Amber from head to toe with her arrogant eyes. She was clothed in luxurious-looking clothes, looking as though she came from a wealthy family. On the other hand, Amber''s old jacket looked shabby and worn out. "Cynthia White, keep your mouth shut! Who are you to speak like so? What a bitch!" Emma held Amber''s hand tightly and stood alongside her as she fired back at Cynthia. "Who are you calling a bitch? Shrew!" Cynthia, relying on the power and authority of Mia''s family, had always been domineering at school. Therefore, no one had ever dared to say anything to her face. That was why when Emma publicly rebuked her, she was so furious that her body shook. "My cousin has been with Liam for three years! If some shameless mistress hadn''t interfered, they would have gotten married by the end of the year!" "Who are you calling shameless?" Emma was still worked up and looked as if she was ready to continue arguing, so Amber hurriedly dragged her away. "Forget it, let''s go! Let her say whatever she likes!" Amber felt that she was indeed a little in the wrong, even though Liam proposed the deal; she did, after all, stole away Mia''s boyfriend. She sat with Emma at a field that was located behind the ssrooms and told her everything about the incident from the beginning to the end. "Amber! How could you be such a fool? If you divorce Liam in six months, you''d be known as a divorcee! Then the news would talk about you being a mistress and how you ended up in misery!" Emma scrunched her brows in worry. "No Amber, you can''t do this! Call Liam and tell him that you''ve changed your mind!" Amber shook her head and sighed, "It''s toote for that." Gritting her teeth, Emma replied upsettingly, "Liam is such a sinister person. He must have manipted the tabloids, portraying himself as high and mighty, and then me everything on you!" Amber lowered her head and let out a long sigh. "He knew that I would put up with it for Abby''s sake. You''re right, this man is indeed terrifying, and he''s good with reading into people''s hearts." Holding Amber''s hand, Emma continued persuading her, "Amber, it''s not toote to turn back now! Both of you haven''t registered for marriage! As for Abby, I''ll find a way to help you raise some money for her surgery!" Touched by her pure intentions, Amber gently hugged her best friend. "Emma, thank you! But your family isn''t doing great as well. Just forget it. Since I chose this path, I will face all the consequences myself!" The duo chatted for a while longer. Halfway through their conversation, Emma noticed Amber''s troubled expression, so sheforted her and said, "Amber, why don''t we skip ss today? There''s a newly opened dessert ce near the South Gate. I''ll treat you to your favorite strawberry cake, okay?¡± "Sure, but you don''t have to treat me. Let me treat you instead!" Knowing that her friend was worried, Amber gathered herself together and winked at Emma. "Soon, I''ll be the CEO''s wife. I can definitely afford to treat my friend to a piece of cake!" "Haha, whatever you say! Let me enjoy the benefits of being the best friend of a CEO''s wife then!" Their happyughter was carried far and wide through the air¡­ N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Having eaten the cake, Amber and Emma proceeded to head back to school to study. As they reached a road, the green light came on. The two of them followed the flow of people on the marked crosswalk to cross the road. "Wow, isn''t that a Bentley? It looks extraordinary! Even the wheels seem to have more texture than anyone else''s!" As she walked, Emma signaled Amber to look at a car that was parked behind the marked crosswalk. "What''s so special about a Bentley? Which is more powerful, a Bentley or a Ferrari?" Amber looked in the same direction as Emma. At once, she froze! Chapter 6 In One’s Blood Chapter 6 In One¡¯s Blood The sight of a man sitting in the car was spotted through a car window that was halfway-rolled down ¡ª he was none other than Liam Croft. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. With a pair of striking deep-set eyes, a short and sleek hairstyle, a well-shaved beard, and a defined jawline, he brought out both his charm and a look of indifference. "Hey! Why are you gaping at the handsome guy?" Catching sight of Amber''s peculiar reaction, Emma chortled at her and flicked her arm. Obviously, Liam noticed the both of them as well because his eyes and Amber¡¯s met for a split-second. Amber was hesitating whether to greet him when the Bentley''s window had slowly rolled up. "Come on! The light¡¯s turning red soon!" Everyone else had already crossed to the other side of the road, leaving Emma and Amber the only pedestrians still lingering on the road. Panicking, Emma dragged Amber by the arm and ran forward. Fortunately, they made it to the other side of the road safely just before the red light came on. Emma patted her chest and huffed, taking credit for her action earlier on. "Amber, what were you doing? Your feet were nted on the ground when you saw that handsome guy. Luckily, I''m smart and quick to respond. Otherwise, both of us would¡¯ve been scolded by the driver just now!" Feeling suffocated and overwhelmed by emotions, Amber found it taxing to exin herself. After hearing Emma¡¯s words, it took her a long time to recover before she whispered in a low voice, "Did you see the man in the Bentley earlier on?" "Of course, I did! Very clearly too if I might add and he was one good-looking man! So manly! If I could ever find a boyfriend as handsome as him in the future, I¡¯m afraid it¡¯d only be a dream that I would never want to wake up from!" Emma was on the verge of drooling as she imagined her fantasy. Amber furrowed her brows. "That man was Liam Croft." After a momentary pause, Emma screeched in shock, "Amber! Why didn''t you tell me earlier? If I knew it was him, I would¡¯ve asked him for an autograph!" "Cut it off. Liam is a highly reputable CEO. Why would he acknowledge a nobody like you?" Amber replied sullenly and continued on her way ahead. "Wait! Wait a minute! It''s not surprising that Liam didn¡¯t acknowledge me, but I¡¯m pretty sure he saw you just now! Why didn¡¯t he greet you?" Emma asked, puzzled by Liam¡¯s reaction. "He thinks of himself as nobility, that''s why!" said Amber. Atst, she was still discontented about the unexpected urrence. Suddenly, Amber was taken back in time to when Liam threw the Herm¨¨s coat away. Realization dawned on her at once. ¡°How ridiculous it is for me to even think about greeting Liam earlier on: he couldn¡¯t care less about me!¡± In his eyes, she was as lowly as a worm even though she was his nominal fianc¨¦e and they were about to be wedded legally. Perhaps she was even lowlier than a worm, deemed unworthy of being trampled down by him. Though he radiated the qualities of a respectful yet unapproachable gentleman, Liam''s superiority His poise was impable, his presence distinctive and powerful. ¡­ Amber¡¯s cell phone red as a call came in halfway through the self-study session. She caught the sight of the caller¡¯s name that was being disyed on the screen and stared at it with a bewildered expression ¡ª Liam was contacting her! ¡°Didn''t he pretend to be a stranger a while ago?¡± she thought in confusion. Quicklyposing herself, Amber hastily greeted, "Hello?" "Amber Currie, our engagement party will be held at the Saint Laurent Hotel tomorrow at noon. Don''t forget to show up." As always, Liam was speaking with an apathetic tone that oozed calmness and dispassionateness. Even though he was talking to her about their wedding reception, he expressed himself as if he was discussing the weather of the day. After freezing for a brief second, Amber imitated his tone and said, "I think it¡¯d be more ideal if we signed the contract first." Her voice of indifference was even more unfeeling than Liam¡¯s, conveying her utterck of concern. Though it was a shame that she couldn¡¯t take after his sense of superiority that was in his blood. "Sure. I''ll be waiting for you at the office. Remember to bring along your ID." Liam answered straightforwardly with concise. Chapter 7 Take a Close Look Chapter 7 Take a Close Look A few momentster, Amber received a text message that had Liam''s office address written in it. Liam''s office was in the heart of the CBD, where every inch of thend is worth the price of gold. The gleaming curtain walls shone with elegance as natural light reflected on them. Men and women who entered or exited the building were all dressed modernly and fashionably, looking sleek and confident. Feeling a tad embarrassed, Amber lightly tugged at her clothing in hopes that she''d make the old and washed-out jacket appear a little more decent. She never felt out of ce at school; but as she came to such a fancy location, she became acutely aware of how miserable and shabby she was. "May I know who you are looking for?" ady at the reception counter stopped Amber in her tracks. "Hi, I''m looking for Liam Croft," replied Amber with a friendly smile. The receptionist started scrutinizing Amber from her head to toe when she heard the name of the person she was hoping to find. Her judgmental eyes skimmed from her old jacket to her worn-out leather shoes. Eventually, the receptionist who had delicate makeup on said with an unfathomable expression on her face, "Why are you looking for Mr. Croft? Do you have an appointment?" Amber was rendered speechless. "What could I want from Liam? I''m here to sign a contract with him so I could pose as his fianc¨¦e and coborate with him on a public rtions stunt!" Amber thought to herself. Seeing Amber stammering, the receptionist smiled contemptuously and went on to examine her makeup with a mirror on the counter. Then she purposefully made a loud deration: "Oh my, liars can''t lie nowadays. I guess anyone without talents or skills could easily be one!" Amber was dumbfounded. "What! What did she say?" She had never encountered such a humiliating situation before. Upon hearing the insult, she was enraged and her cheeks turned a bright red . An idea popped up on Amber''s mind: I guess I could only behave more condescendingly in the face of such a conceited individual! She took action by straightening her back and spoke authoritatively, "Lady, lift your head and take a close look! I''m Liam''s fianc¨¦e! I''m here to talk to him about our engagement party tomorrow!" At once, the receptionist''s eyes widened in fright, and her mirror fell from her shaky grasp. "You''re telling me that this shabby-looking young girl is the same person as the girl in the news? The skimpily dressed Amber who has an amazing figure?" the receptionist couldn''t believe her eyes. "Oh, dear! She looks so different in real life! Indeed, she looks simr to thedy on the news and is N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. pretty attractive, but how did she manage to capture the CEO''s attention with such a scruffy outfit?" In a daze, the receptionist was still at loss for words. "For someone like her to be the CEO''s mistress: it was unbelievable! Amber held her head up high, appreciating the receptionist''s shocked expression. "So, can I go in now?" As the words left her mouth, sheposed her posture, strode swiftly and confidently towards the elevator without sparing the receptionist another look. The receptionist''s gaze was fixated on Amber''s figure as her fingertips danced on the screen of her cell phone. She was typing on it furiously, eager to spread the breaking news to thepany''s gossiping group chat: [Guys! Mr. Liam''s mistress has arrived! She''s about to enter the lift now!] Suddenly, the gossip group erupted in a frenzy as the messages flooded in. [Is she going to meet Mr. Croft? I''ll fetch him some coffeeter!] [I''ll get Mr. Croft to sign the budget sheet!] [As for me, I''ll get confirmation from Mr. Croft on the location of thepany''s overseas trip!] * Liam was on the phone when Amber was ushered into his office by his secretary. An unexinable look shed in his eyes when he spotted Amber. He motioned for his secretary to leave the office and shut the door. Amber waited by the entrance as she watched him talking into his cell phone . "There is no going back now. It''s merely a title, don''t worry about it. I''ll divorce her in six months, that I can assure you," he was speaking very gently and affectionately to whoever was on the other side of the phone. Amber was surprised to see no warmth in Liam''s eyes when he turned around to face her. "Was that his fianc¨¦e, Mia, on the other end? Why didn''t he avoid me when making such a personal phone call? What was the point of doing that? Was it simply to berate me? Or was it because he didn''t give a damn about Mia?" Amber was confused, and at the same time, her impression of Liam had gotten worse. He was fake, apathetic, and scheming. The phone call had finallye to an end. "Miss Amber, have a look at this first. If you have no objections, we will sign the contract immediately," said Liam as he handed over to Amber a piece of document. Amber had just started scanning a few pages of the contract when the secretary arrived with coffee. A few minutester, the finance officer came in to submit the financial statement... There was another knock on the door just as the finance officer left the room. "From now on until the end of the day, no one is allowed toe to my office for any reason. If anyone is seen hanging around my office, they will all be fired," Liam said to his assistant over the inte. Secretly making an ugly face, Amber mumbled sarcastically, "Wow! What a powerful CEO!" One of the conditions of the contract was as follows: The two must act like a loving couple whenever they are out in public. Respectful physical contact such as holding hands, embracing, and kissing on the cheek may take ce. Amber knitted her brows as she pointed to the particr line. "This provision was not included in our verbal agreement earlier on, Mr. Croft. I''m not agreeing to this condition." Liam nced at her. "These requests are only to appease the public. Don''t worry, I''m not going to do anything to you." Amber shook her head stubbornly. "No. I''m not an actress who could portray Mrs. Croft to perfection." "Are you sure?" Liam shifted his gaze towards the window, admiring the outdoor view. "I think you yed the character of my fianc¨¦e quite well just now at the reception counter!" Amber was dumbfounded, her face gradually turning crimson. "I sympathize with your staff, Liam Croft! They are always under your watch!" "Of course. This is a working space. Surveince cameras aren''t prohibited," said Liam boldly. He went over to her side and looked her in the eyes sincerely. "I''ve already scheduled an appointment with Abby''s surgeon. We can put Abby on a flight tomorrow if you sign the contract now." ¡°Abby¡±, he pronounced her name so lovingly, as if she were his biological sister. Amber''s heart pounded violently as she peered at his icy and deep-set eyes, leaving her strengthless. Her entire body slumped in exhaustion as she stepped out of Liam''s office, as though she had just survived a war that expended all of her energy. Realizing the weather change, Amber cursed under her breath, "Damn! It is pouring outside!" She firmly clutched her arms against her torso, shivering slightly as the chilly wind battered her with rain. At that moment, Liam''s cold voice sounded from behind her, "Didn''t you bring an umbre? Let me give you a ride then." "No, thanks. I''ll just ride a bus," Amber turned him down without hesitation. Liam turned around and went away without more ado. Amber waited for a bit, but the rain didn''t seem to be letting up. Just when she was ready to dash into the rain, a ck sedan abruptly came to a halt in front of her. "Get in," said Liam with an expressionless face as the passenger door opened. Chapter 8 The Eligible Bachelor vs. The Ordinary Girl Chapter 8 The Eligible Bachelor vs. The Ordinary Girl It was raining cats and dogs outside. Still, Liam kept the door open even though the rain was spattering on his seat. ¡°What a stubborn man he is!¡± Ambermented before easing herself into his car. ¡°You¡¯re staying at X Apartment in Swindon, aren¡¯t you?¡± Liam floored the elerator and sped away. ¡°How impressive your memory is!¡± Amber answered with a note of sarcasm in her voice. Given that he knew her exact address, he must have done a thorough investigation on her. Liam chuckled, ¡°I¡¯m ttered.¡± To break the awkward silence, he switched on the car stereo. A soothing piano piece that sounded slightly mncholic was yed. Amber, who relished in the beautiful music, felt a mixture of emotions swelling inside her. She looked at Liam and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the title of this piano piece?¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Norturne¡¯ by Chopin.¡± Right after he said that the traffic ahead started slowing down. Just like that, they were stuck in a traffic jam for twenty minutes. Amber checked the time on her phone. When she saw it was almost six in the evening, she started getting anxious. Looking at the torrential rain outside, Amber was worried about Pearl because the school bus she took did not send her straight back home. She wondered whether Pearl had an umbre with her and whether she could make it back home on her own. Liam nced at her and asked, ¡°Is there a problem?¡± Amber looked out of the window at the heavy downpour and nodded at him. ¡°My younger sister is heading home from school, but I¡¯m not sure whether she has an umbre or not.¡± Just then, the cars in front of them finally started moving. Seeing that, a wave of relief washed over Amber because it meant she could get home sooner. Bang! Amber was fastening her seatbelt when the car jerked forward all of a sudden. Her head rammed hard into the dashboard in front of her due to the momentum. A car behind them just crashed into the back of Liam¡¯s car. Amber quickly nced sideways at Liam. To her horror, she found blood on his forehead. His head hit the pointed part of a ck figurine fixed on the steering wheel when the collision happened. ¡°You¡¯re bleeding! You should wipe them off with some tissues. What¡¯s wrong with the driver behind us? Did she even pass her driving test?¡± Despite feeling dizzy, Amber quickly handed Liam some tissues because she couldn¡¯t stand the sight of too much blood. For some reason, blood started gushing out even more rapidly after he dabbed the wound with tissues. A drop of blood trickled down from his face andnded on his crisp white shirt. Feeling nauseous, Amber quickly moved her eyes away. She hastily took out her handkerchief from her handbag and offered Liam. ¡°Use this on your forehead. The tissues don¡¯t seem to work.¡± Liam hesitated for several seconds before taking it. The blue handkerchief looked worn out as its color had faded. There was a picture¡ªa little girl holding an umbre together with a cat¡ªsewn on the bottom right corner of the handkerchief. At one nce one could tell the handkerchief belonged to a girl. Just then, the driver of the car behind them approached them. The driver was a gorgeousdy who looked fashionable and sophisticated. She dressed rather scarcely with most of her legs exposed despite the frigid weather. Holding an umbre, she stood next to where Liam was sitting and looked inside with a pleasant smile. Liam opened the window. Deep down inside, Amber secretly looked forward to the sh between Liam and the beautifuldy. She wondered how Liam would be like when he was red in the face. Liam nced at thedy¡¯s long legs before moving on to her face; his eyes did not linger on her chest at all. Amber, who had been observing him, was amazed because he was not tempted to admire the woman¡¯s voluptuous figure. ¡°Does Liam prefer men?¡± Amber wondered. She racked her brain trying to search for clues. ¡°He didn¡¯t seem to love his ex-girlfriend much, judging from how coldly he used to treat her. Everyone¡¯s been telling me how beautiful Mia Cavendish is. How can a man possibly resist someone like her?¡± she N?velDrama.Org owns this text. wondered. ¡°Now, he doesn¡¯t seem very interested in this bustydy too.¡± ¡°Is that even normal? I don¡¯t think so!¡± She bit her nails as she went lost in thoughts. Suddenly, realization dawned upon Amber that the situation was favorable to her. Her safety would be ensured if she was going to have a marriage of convenience with a gay. The smile on the gorgeousdy broadened when she saw Liam. ¡°Why don¡¯t youe out and take a look at your car? I¡¯m willing topensate for the damage.¡± Liam did not even spare her a nce. Instead, he glued his eyes on the road ahead and responded tly, "It isn''t necessary. I can fix it myself.¡± With that, he was ready to close the window. Disbelief was written all over the gorgeousdy¡¯s face when she heard him. She tapped the window and asked, ¡°What do you mean? Are you sure you don¡¯t want my money?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Liam replied sinctly. Then, he threw her a flinty look¡ªa signal for her to take her hands off the window. Looking overjoyed, the gorgeousdy immediately retrieved her hand. She waved him goodbye before returning to her car. Amber was taken aback by Liam¡¯s decision, considering that the damage to his car could be rather serious. Not only did he not bother to check his car, but he also did not demandpensation from the ¡°It¡¯s lucky of her to have avoided a hefty bill! s, it¡¯s one of the perks of being a beautifuldy!¡± ¡°My assumption on Liam¡¯s sexual orientation seemed to be wrong. I suppose he¡¯s just the type of man who doesn¡¯t like to show his feelings.¡± The traffic eased up considerably after that. As Liam drove fast, it did not take them too long to arrive at their destination. Liam could not drive her to her apartment because his car was too huge for the narrow paths in the slummy and dpidated residential area. After making sure that the school bus Pearl took had yet to arrive, Amber was ready to go. She ced her handbag on top of her head and said, ¡°Mr. Croft, thanks for the ride. Please drive safely on your way back.¡± ¡°I have an umbre kept in the trunk of my car. You may take it with you.¡± Liam took some time to size up the ce where she stayed. The apartment was made up of two derelict four-story buildings. They looked shabby and dingy as the paint on the walls had started to crackle and peel off. ¡°Thanks, but I don¡¯t really need it. It¡¯s just a short run from here to the lobby.¡± Not wanting to owe Liam any more favors, Amber held her handbag on top of her head and got out of his car. She did not make it too far when a man jogged over with an umbre in his hand. ¡°Amber, is that you? Why aren¡¯t you holding an umbre?¡± Amber stiffened when she heard the man¡¯s voice. It was Oliver. He ran over to Amber and held a ck umbre over her head. Chapter 9 You Are Mistaken Chapter 9 You Are Mistaken Amber stared coldly at Oliver and spoke with a voice deadlier than her re. "Go away. I don''t know you!" Oliver got anxious and tried to grab Amber¡¯s hand. "Amber, listen to me! I was wrong. I apologize, okay? It was my fault. I shouldn''t have taken advantage of you! But you should know that I did it all for the sake of our future! And as for Abby, if I be the director, I¡¯ll be able to make more money and we can pay for Abby¡¯s medical treatment!" "Shut up!" Amber desperately tried to hold her emotions in, but she was trembling with anger. "Shut up! You¡¯re not even worthy of mentioning Abby¡¯s name! Now get out of my way! Don''t make me despise you!" Oliver was dumbfounded. He had thought that if he coaxed her with kind words after her anger had subsided, she would change her mind. But not once had he expected her to be so resolute! Amber used to love him so much! With the money she earned from her job, she would buy a roast chicken with the intent to make their lives better. She would give half of the roast chicken to Abby and let him have the other half¡ªnot sparing a single bite for herself. Yet at this very moment, she was giving him a cold-eyed stare and telling him to scram! Oliver was in fear. He threw himself on Amber and pulled her into a hug. "Amber! Let''s stop arguing, okay? I¡¯m in the wrong. Please give me a chance. I don''t believe you don''t love me anymore! And I know I still hold a ce in your heart!" That embrace, that scent¡ªthey were all too familiar to Amber. But this man was so unrecognizable she recoiled in disgust. She strained every nerve to break away from Oliver, but he held onto her oh so tightly as if his life depended on her. Amber was so pissed she started kicking him. In response, Oliver simply threw the umbre to a side and locked her firmly in his arms! It was raining in torrents and their clothes were soon soaked through. Liam sat in the car as he watched them struggle in the heavy rain. He waited for half a minute before finally deciding to get out of the car. As the rain continued to pour, Liam, who was drenched, stood beside Amber and yanked Oliver¡¯s arm N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. away. "Let her go!" Seeing that it was Liam, Oliver''s eyes reddened in a fury. "Who do you think you are, Liam? I''m arguing with my girlfriend. This is none of your business!¡± Liam¡¯s ck suit waspletely soaked. He emanated a unique sense of nobility and authority as the raindrops dripped off from his hair onto his strikingly stunning face. He stared at Oliver with eyes as deep as the ocean and said without the slightest hint of emotion in his voice, "Since you are being so rude, I can only say sorry." As soon as the words left his mouth, Liam swung his fist so forcefully that before Amber could grasp his movements, Oliver had already fallen to the ground with a miserable shriek! Oliver held his head that was still buzzing in shock. Aftering back to his senses, he charged over like a raging wild wolf and fought Liam. Liam was taller than Oliver and it was obvious that he was better at fighting. After throwing a few hooks, he had Oliver down on the ground again! Oliver sprained his foot when he fell, but he was still determined toe to blows with Liam. When Amber noticed his bloodshot eyes and the corner of his mouth that was starting to bleed, she abruptly dragged Liam along with her as she started walking away. "Let''s go! Don''t pay any attention to this madman!" Afraid of taking another look at Oliver''s face, Amber took Liam with her and hurriedly ran home. Only after entering the dimly lit hallway did Amber realize that she was clutching Liam¡¯s hand. That slender yet powerful hand that had well-defined muscles, in addition to the body heat of the young man caused Amber''s face to flush¡­ Hurriedly letting go of Liam¡¯s hand, Amber timidly asked, "Do you want to go to my ce to rest for a while?" They were at her doorstep, and it was raining heavily outside, so it seemed inappropriate if she did not invite him in. She thought that Liam would refuse her invitation, but much to her surprise, Liam nodded. "Sure." As he walked behind Amber, Liam subconsciously clenched his fist. He could still feel some warmth lingering in his hand which was previously in Amber¡¯s grip. He felt uneasy as if something was starting to get out of his control. The lights in the building were faulty, hence the horrible lighting in the rainy weather and the sides of the building corridor were cluttered with the tenants¡¯ unused items. Amber felt a lump form in her throat as she led Liam to her house A dim ray of light shone through the skylight when they arrived at Amber¡¯s house. Amber sniffled, turned her head towards Liam, and said, "I''ll introduce you to Abby as my colleagueter. Don''t expose your identity!" With that, she proceeded to retrieve her keys. Liam nced at Amber and suddenly spoke, "Sometimes, the only way to heal sores is by cutting the flesh." ¡°Cutting the flesh to heal sores? What did that mean?¡± Amber looked at Liam nkly with confusion in her eyes. Liam lowered his head and looked into her eyes intensely. "Oliver is not a good choice." Only then did it dawn on Amber: Liam thought that she was still thinking about Oliver! She lifted her gaze and gave him a fixed stare. "You''re wrong. Me and Oliver is history." "Is that so? Then why are you crying?" Liam spoke candidly. Although it was a question, he seemed to be merely stating a fact and was wholly unconcerned about the answer. Amber reached up to wipe her eyes and realized she was in fact, crying. The warm tears fell on her cheeks that were cold from the rain. They seemed to burn her skin. Embarrassed, Amber¡¯s voice grew a little hoarse. "You¡¯ve mistaken the raindrops for tears." Chapter 10 Could She Still Forgive? Chapter 10 Could She Still Forgive? The moment she opened the door, Amber felt a sudden rush of embarrassment. Her tiny house was about to be presented entirely in front of Liam. With his upbringing, he would certainly not let his face give anything away, but Amber could already sense his condescending sense of superiority. Abby was sitting at her desk with a cell phone in her hand. When she heard the door open, a mixture of worry and happiness could be heard in her tone as she asked, "Amber, why didn''t you answer the phone? Did it get wet in the rain?" Abby was still wearing the same jacket and it was slightly damp on the shoulders. It seemed that her teacher had sent her home. Amber heaved a sigh of relief. She went over to Abby and rubbed her hair. "I didn''t hear the phone ring. I¡¯m sorry for making you worry." Abby fumbled around Amber¡¯s wet clothes and was about to push her into the bedroom to change. Suddenly, she paused, raised her head, and sniffed the air like a young animal. "Amber, did you bring someone back?" Her long and thick eyshes slightly fluttered as she looked in Liam''s direction. Liam examined Abby quietly. He suddenly understood why Amber would rather risk her reputation than fake a marriage with him¡ªAbby was a stunning beauty! It was as if God knew how perfect her looks were and hence, deliberately ced a minor w on her. Herrge yet nk eyes were as gentle as that of a doe¡¯s. Even Liam, who was ustomed to all kinds of beauty, took pity on her. "Abby, don''t be afraid. That¡¯s my colleague," Amber exined to Abby while making eye contact with Liam. Liam introduced himself sagely. "Hello, I''m Liam Croft." After all, Abby was just a little girl and didn¡¯t know how to hide her thoughts. When she heard his voice, she tilted her head and smiled sweetly. "Mr. Croft, you have a nice voice. You smell good too!" Liam¡¯s scent? Amber froze and thought: What scent did Liam have? Liam smiled and made a rare joke. "Thank you for thepliment. You are the first person to Amber¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. Oh my! Liam was joking! Liam, the unfeeling man who was as cold as ice, was actually joking with Abby!¡± Perhaps it was the cozy atmosphere that suddenly lightened Amber''s mood. After pouring a cup of hot tea for Liam, Amber saw that he was still standing in the center of the living room and addressed him. "Do have a seat! Make yourself at home!" She felt ill at ease when the words left her mouth. Was Liam disgusted with the worn-out and shabby- looking couch? Liam smiled. "I''m soaked, so I¡¯d rather not sit. I should be on my way. Why don¡¯t you go and change into some dry clothes?" Amber looked at his dripping wet suit and hesitated for a moment before muttering softly, "If you don''t mind, I still have the pajamas of myte father that he used to wear at home." "Don''t bother. I still have got a bit of work at home. I''ll be on my way now," Liam bluntly refused. Hearing that, Amber bit her lip, feeling extremely stupid! How would Liam, who had previously thrown away a coat that she had only worn for around ten minutes, change into her dad¡¯s old pajamas?N?velDrama.Org owns this text. "It was nice meeting you, Abby!" Liam bid her goodbye. Abby took an umbre and handed it to Liam, seemingly sad that he was leaving so soon. "Liam, you are wee to visit us often in the future!" Liam turned back and smiled. "Sure." Amber looked at his expression¡ªshe had to admit that the man was indeed heaven''s pride. God had apparently devoted his entire heart and soul to creating him. Not only did hee from a wealthy family and was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but he was also gifted with striking looks! Amber had changed into dry clothes and was about to dry her wet bag when she realized that her phone was missing! After contemting for a moment, she could only find one possible answer¡ªshe had identally left it in Liam''s car! Amber went to the window and watched as the rain fell to the ground. She was shocked to find Oliver downstairs, standing in the grove. Without an umbre, he was soaked to the skin and at this moment, peering pitiably towards the window. Amber''s heart ached, and she hurriedly pulled the curtains closed. Leaning helplessly against the wall, Amber bit her lip so hard that it almost bled. It would be a lie to say that she wasn¡¯t hurting. Oliver was her first love and the one whom she had her first kiss with¡ªhe had left too deep an imprint in her life! Even so, could she still forgive him after all that he had done? Chapter 11 A Pain in the Neck Chapter 11 A Pain in the Neck Amber stood at the window, watching Oliver in the rain through the gap between the curtains. That was the man whom she had once loved so deeply yet became so unfamiliar with at that moment¡­ She thought in her mind: Did he love me? No, he did not. If what we had was true love, how could he bear to have personally sent me onto another man''s bed? Our rtionship was nothing but a joke. Amber drew the curtains shut, picked up the phone, and punched in her cell phone number. Liam was driving when he heard a faint ringing sound under the car seat. Pulling the car to a side, he bent over and saw an unfamiliar cell phone under the seat. It was an old model and was pretty worn out too. Liam answered the phone. "Hello?" "Hey, it''s Amber. Did I leave my phone in your car? Have you gone far?" Amber was a little nervous. There were a few half-naked photos of her on that phone of hers. Emma had persuaded her into taking them when they were fooling around, and she was distraught that Liam might see them. "I''ll send it back to you." After saying so, Liam hung up. He must have identally pressed the wrong button because a photo suddenly popped up on the screen. The photo appeared to have been taken in a university dormitory. Amber was wearing a tube top and panties, and she was smiling with her hands stretched towards the camera. The girl''s delicate, fair skin was visible despite the picture is quite pixted. Her full breasts fitted the ck tube top perfectly, disying a full yet soft curve. From her waist downwards, there was nothing but smooth curves, a clear indication of her youthfulness. She was smiling so happily in the photo, like a blooming flower caught in the sun. Liam had never seen Amber like this before. Her youthfulness and smile were like a light so bright he had to squint. Resisting the urge to scroll through a few more pictures, Liam slipped the phone into his shirt pocket and prepared to make a U-turn. The cell phone in his pocket rang again. "Hey, Mr. Croft, don''t bother sending it back now. Your clothes are soaking wet, and I don''t have any dry clothes for you at home. You should probably head back as soon as possible and change out of those clothes. I''lle and pick up the phone tomorrow. Don''t catch a cold." Amber''s words were so sincere that Liam didn¡¯t even notice how the corners of his mouth had slightly curled upwards. He paused for a moment before answering with a single word, "Okay." At the other end of the phone, hesitation was evident from Amber''s voice as she added, "By the way, don''t go through my phone!" Liam remained silent. He was suddenly curious as to how Amber would react if she knew that he had already gone through her private photos. Amber misunderstood Liam''s silence and quickly exined, "It¡¯s not that I doubt your character. I know you''re a gentleman and won''t simply go through things that aren¡¯t yours. It¡¯s just that...that..." Amber was at a loss for words. Well, there was no way she could straight up tell Liam that there were semi- nude photos of her in it, right? Liam was suddenly in a good mood, so he teased her, "Are there photos of you on the phone? The more private type of photos?"Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. "What? Did you go through my phone?" Amber eximed, "Liam Croft! Give me back my phone right now! Where are you? I''m heading over in a cab this instant!" Liam let out a smile and replied, "Don''t be so nervous, I only saw one photo." "Liam Croft! You¡ªYou''re so uncultured! I thought you were a gentleman! How could you simply go through my phone!" Amber was pissed at him. Liam raised his eyebrows and said in an indifferent tone, "It popped out on its own. It took me quite a while to realize that the person in the photo was you." "How dare he? He even scrutinized it for quite some time!" Amber thought. She was about to die from embarrassment. Those close-ups of her had been scrutinized by Liam for heaven knows how long! "Liam Croft! Where the heck are you?" Amber yelled into the phone, but all she could hear was a beeping sound. He had hung up on her. She tried calling back, only to find that the phone had been turned off! Although she knew that it could have just been that her phone¡¯s battery had died, Amber, still in a fit of rage, paced up and down the house. She grumbled, ¡°Damn Liam Croft! How dare he peek at my photos!¡± He was too rude of a person! So uncultured! What a pain in the neck! Chapter 12 She Hates His Superiority Chapter 12 She Hates His Superiority Amber didn¡¯t get much sleep that night. The following day, after eating breakfast and seeing Pearl onto her school bus, she hailed a cab to Liam''s office. This time it went smoothly¡ªno one stopped her. Instead, everyone looked at her with curiosity and vague contempt. However, they dared not offend her but instead, watched her make her way to the chairman''s office. The chairman¡¯s assistant had already been informed by the receptionist of Amber¡®s arrival. When he saw Amber walking towards Liam''s office, he didn''t stop her but smiled and informed her, "Miss Amber, the chairman is in a meeting. You can wait for him in the office first." Amber walked into Liam''s office, took a seat on the sofa, and waited. Her eyelids subconsciously grew heavier as time passed. She did not sleep wellst night and had taken the bus early in the morning to travel from the South Town to the North Town. She was drained, and it didn¡¯t help that the sofa was sofortable and soft to touch. Her sleepiness came in waves. In the end, she decided to take a short nap since Liam would not be finishing anytime soon anyway. That was thest thought in Amber''s head before she fell into a slumber. When Liam walked into the office, he saw Amber curled up at a corner of therge, soft sofa like a calm but shy cat. Amber was wearing a light-grey sweater, and because of the position in which she was curled up, her cor was slightly opened, revealing a small part of her silky skin. Her long hair caressed her cheeks, showing off her elegant jawline. Her light pink lips were slightly curved, looking like they were waiting for a kiss. Liam stared at Amber for a few seconds. Unconsciously, he leaned down to... All of a sudden, Amber opened her eyes when she felt Liam''s breath on her face. Liam gasped slightly and calmly took a step backward, pretending as if nothing had happened, and said, "It seems like my sofa is prettyfortable." Amber immediately sat up straight. She bit her lips in frustration. How did she end up falling asleep in Liam''s office? It was so embarrassing! "Where''s my phone?" Because she felt insecure, Amber put on an act and spoke in an extraordinarily cold voice. Liam threw a nce at her and strode over to his desk. He pulled open the drawer and handed her a cell phone, "Here it is." Amber was dumbfounded when she saw the phone. It was an iPhone 5s! This wasn¡¯t her phone! She stared at the phone in Liam''s hand for a moment but did not take it. Instead, she slowly raised her head and looked at him curiously, "Liam Croft, this is not my phone. I want my phone!" Liam raised his eyebrows. "I identally broke your cell phone yesterday. So, I bought you a new one aspensation." ¡°My cell phone is broken? Could my Nokia really break that easily?¡± Amber scoffed softly as she thought. Tears gathered at the corners of her eyes as she said, "Mr. Croft, I don''t need your sympathy nor your pity. Please just return my old phone." Liam''s hand stopped mid-air as his gaze met Amber''s. He held that gaze for a while before he replied, "Okay then." His tone was dry and cold, like a withered branch during winter. Liam tossed the iPhone 5s into the trash can next to his desk, retrieved Amber''s worn-out phone from the drawer, and ced it at the edge of the desk. "Thank you! Goodbye!" Amber picked up her phone and headed out right away. If she had stayed for a few more minutes, she was afraid that she would burst into tears. The most despicable thing in the world was none other than the fact that despite one being unbothered by her poverty, some rich people still chose to shove their pity down that person''s throat. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Who gave Liam the right to make this decision by himself? Just because she was poor and a nobody didn''t mean that he could act like a savior who would pull her out of her misery by giving her a new phone! It was true that she couldn''t afford an iPhone 5s! Her old Nokia was indeed worn out! However, thest thing she needed was his sympathy! Furthermore, Liam¡¯s act of throwing the iPhone into the trash can had deeply hurt her ego at once. Liam''s superiorityplex was disyed to the fullest by that action alone! She hated his superiorityplex. Except for being poor, there was nothing wrong with her. What right did he have to look down on her! Standing in front of the mirror in the washroom, Amber fiercely wiped the tears off her face. One day, she woulde back as a strong and sessful person who couldpare with Liam. He would then see her capability! Poor Mr. Croft... The iPhone really didn¡¯t mean anything to him. He had just casually gifted it to Amber. He never expected Amber''s reaction to be so agitated... A poor person¡¯s ego was nothing to be yed with. Liam had just begun to have some feelings for Amber. The two of them had grown closer ever since. But after this incident, their rtionship was sure to be back to square one...What a tragedy. Chapter 13 This Is Fine Chapter 13 This Is Fine After all the preparations had been made, Liam sent Abby on his private jet to the hospital in Country M. Initially, Amber had nned to apany Abby, but this proposal of hers was coldly rejected by Liam. His exnation was reasonable. She had to stay here and act her part as his fianc¨¦e, portraying the two of them as a loving and sweet couple to the public. After Abby''s departure, Amber was left alone, feeling as dested as the empty room. The sisters had relied on each other ever since they were little, and the thought of how Abby had really gone off to a foreign country pained her. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Now that Emma had also gone for an internship abroad, Amber had no one to have heart-to-heart talks with. She made herself a bowl of instant noodles but had no appetite to finish it. Just as she was about to pour away the rest of her noodles, Liam called. Listlessly, she picked up the call. ¡°Are you at home? I¡¯m on my way to fetch you. Have you finished packing?¡± His voice was as monotonous as ever. ¡°Fetch me?¡± Amber was puzzled. Liam paused for a moment before he continued, ¡°You are moving into my condominium. It was clearly written in the sixth term of the contract. You haven¡¯t forgotten about this, right?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Amber tried her best to conceal the reluctance in her voice as she asked, ¡°It¡¯s just an engagement, there¡¯s no need for us to live together, right?¡± Was there a need to be so thorough if they were both just acting? "The paparazzi are always waiting to get the scoop around my neighborhood. I don''t have time to pretend to go on dates with you every day." Liam''s voice was as monotonous as ever, but Amber was quick to notice that he was getting impatient. ¡°Alright.¡± She was the type of person who would keep her word. Since she had signed the contract, she had no choice but to go. Liam arrived shortly and found Amber with only a piece of small luggage in her hand. He wanted to say something but ultimately decided to remain silent. Amber knew what he wanted to say. What would it be other than ¡°Is that all you¡¯re bringing?¡±? But he chose to keep quiet. She could clearly notice the distance he deliberately put between them. Then again, she wasn¡¯tining. This was fine for her. Their rtionship was purely in the form of a contract¡ªa mutual contract where both parties would get what they needed. After they hadpleted the contract, they would go their separate ways. Nobody owed anyone anything. It was perfectly fine. Amber grabbed her luggage and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Liam hesitated for a moment before he extended his arm and offered, ¡°Let me help.¡± As always, he was a gentleman. With an elegant smile, Amber refused, ¡°Thanks, but it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine on my own.¡± Liam''s outstretched hand was left hanging in the air but he swiftly and calmly retracted it. He was as His condominium was enormous. It was a penthouse in a luxurious neighborhood, withrge French windows and a spacious patio. There was also a small garden with a canopy over it on the upper floor. Amber¡¯s room was right beside the kitchen. She was quite pleased with this arrangement as her room was separated from Liam¡¯s with the study room, the living room, the house theatre, and the gym sandwiched in between. If she made some effort to avoid bumping into him, the probability of meeting him by chance would be quite low although they were living under the same roof. Amber led a very disciplined lifestyle. She hadpleted her studies and all that was left were the procedures needed to leave school after the next day¡¯s dissertation defense. Every morning, she would call Abby for a half-an-hour video chat andter write her thesis. She would then go for her part-time job in the afternoon. At night, she would call Abby to chat for a short while before she took a shower and went to bed. She had never seen Liam again ever since she had started living at his ce. On a few asions when she stayed upte, she would hear the faint door opening sounds made by Liam. Amber would then feel restless. She would wait until no more noises could be heard in the house and confirmed that her door was locked before she could go to sleep. Two weekster, one night when Amber was woken up by thirst, she didn''t want to get up, but it got to a point where she couldn''t bear it anymore, so she went to the kitchen in her pajamas to pour some water. She opened the door softly and stood there listening for a while, to make sure Liam was fast asleep in his own room, before she tip-toed her way to the kitchen. The moon is bright. Being afraid that she might woke Liam, Amber didn''t turn off the light. When she was about to go back after drinking up two sses of water, she heard the door to the living room was opened. Chapter 14 The Encounter Chapter 14 The Encounter She then heard a woman¡¯s gentle voice saying, ¡°Liam, just leave the luggage in the living room. I¡¯ll sort it out tomorrow. I have my clothes and pajamas in the bedroom anyway.¡± What was happening? Had Liam brought a woman over to stay for the night? Amber retracted her leg and held her breath. She tried her best to hide in the shadows of the kitchen. How awkward would it be if Liam were to see her now? She could only hope that they would quickly retreat to a room so she could hurry back to hers. The lights in the living room were switched on. Amber peeked through the tiny crack in the kitchen door. She saw a fair-skinned woman who was tall and slender. The woman held onto Liam¡¯s arm affectionately as they made their way into the house. She wore a white,ce dress underneath a camel-colored coat, revealing her long and lean legs. Although her outfit was simple and not overly extravagant, Amber could tell at first nce that she was a richdy. Amber was still wondering who thedy was when Liam spoke, ¡°Mia, I have already moved your belongings to the guest room. You can stay here for the night. I¡¯ll send you back home tomorrow.¡± Mia? That was Mia Cavendish! That richdy was Liam¡¯s actual fianc¨¦e! Amber¡¯s gaze was fixated on her as she examined her closely. She certainly looked stunning with her elegance and head-turning appearance¡ªas expected of someone who could rightfully be deemed as Liam¡¯s fianc¨¦e. When Mia heard Liam¡¯s words, she stopped in her tracks and gave him a hard stare before she said, ¡°Liam, I didn¡¯te here after a 13-hour flight just to sleep in the guest room.¡± Liam¡¯s back was facing Amber, she couldn¡¯t see his expression clearly but could only hear his low, soft voice saying, ¡°Mia, I understand how you feel about this. But we are in special circumstances now. On paper, my current official fianc¨¦e is someone else.¡± ¡°But she¡¯s just your fianc¨¦e on paper¡ªI¡¯m still the one you love, right?¡± Mia¡¯s tone grew hysterical as Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. she continued, ¡°You said you let that woman stay here because of the paparazzi. That¡¯s fine, I¡¯m okay with that! But what do you mean by letting me stay in the guest room? Are you afraid that the woman would misunderstand? Or is all this act about dealing with the paparazzi an excuse because you have actually fallen in love with her?¡± Amber was still holding her breath when she felt her heart skip a beat after hearing what Mia had said. In the dark, she subconsciously clutched her hand into a fist. Liam stayed silent for a while before he spoke, ¡°Mia, you¡¯re not someone who is unreasonable.¡± The elegant Mia could not contain her anger anymore and yelled, "Why aren''t you answering my question, Liam? Why won''t you tell me that you and that woman are purely in a contractual rtionship? Why won''t you tell me you have never taken an interest in her and that I am the only one you love?" "Mia, Amber, and I are only in a mutually benefitting contractual rtionship. Don''t think too much into it. You must be tired from the long flight. Go take a shower and get some sleep!" Liam was speaking in a voice so low Amber could hardly pick up what he was saying. Mia raised her head to meet Liam¡¯s eyes with a sweet and gentle smile on her face. She caressed Liam¡¯s face and said, ¡°You would never lie to me, Liam. If you say it¡¯s just a contractual rtionship, then that must be the truth. I¡¯m sorry, I won¡¯t get jealous easily anymore¡­¡± Amber thought she heard Liam sigh before he gently drew Mia in for a hug. Amber instantly turned her head away from the scene. What were they doing? Would she be forced to witness an intimate scene of theirs? Amber tried to direct all her focus onto the vase of Ca lilies on the dining table, but Mia''s voice hammered its way into her ear, "Kiss me, Liam! I took such a long flight just toe to see you and yet you treat me so coldly¡­" Chapter 15 An Embarrassing Accident Chapter 15 An Embarrassing ident Hidden beside the door, Amber was flushed in abashment. What the hell! She would rather die of thirst than encounter such a scene! ¡°No¡­ I want more¡­¡± Mia sounded beguiling in the darkness. Driven by curiosity, Amber stole a glimpse of them. Mia raised herself on tiptoe to kiss Liam: ¡°Kiss me longer! A French one¡­¡± shed in face, Amber realized she ran into a romantic sex right on the spot. How could Liam withstand such a hot temptation? Anyway, it is perfectly righteous for them to enjoy sex as true lovers. ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Aren¡¯t you tired after such a long air trip?¡± Liam sounded loving and tolerant. Wondering whether he gave her the French kiss, Amber did not raise her head to probe more. Embarrassment was one of the causes. However, there were some others unknown that disturbed her deep within. Then Mia murmured something that Amber failed to catch. When the couple¡¯s footsteps moving towards Liam¡¯s bed room, Amber felt so much relieved. Now, the perfect timing! She lifted her night skirt, tiptoed from the kitchen and darted towards her bedroom. Sadly, haste makes waste¡ªher arm hit a greenery at the corner. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ¡°Bang!¡± The ss bottle fell from the wooden shelf and smashed on the ground. Oh, fart! Before she located her brain or voice, here came Mia¡¯s sweet voice: ¡°Who is there?¡± Stiffly, Amber turned around joint by joint and raised her head, totally overwhelmed. At the gate of a guestroom, Mia and Liam stood shoulder by shoulder, ncing towards her. Mia weighed up Amber, whose, faded sleep skirt looked so tacky in the soft light, realizing who she was instantly by her female intuition. ¡°I am sorry¡­I was thirsty and came to the dining room to have some water¡­¡± Amber stuttered in panic. Without doing anything wrong, why she was squirming ufortably under the prating gaze of Mia and Liam, ashamed and helpless. ¡°You were in the dining room?¡± Mia raised her voice and turned to Liam in half shyness and half me: ¡°Liam, she was there just now! She must have seen everything¡­¡± ¡°No, no! I did not peep at you on purpose. Just by ident really.¡± Amber agued in a hurry, looking at Liam beseechingly. In his impassive face, Liam showed neither surprise nor anger. Chapter 16 The Other Woman Chapter 16 The Other Woman ¡°Go back to your room. Leave the mess.¡± Liam regarded Amber shrewdly, appraising her shabby, faded night dress. Mia had been observing Liam¡¯s expression since Amber appeared, rmed by his unwavering and intense gaze at Amber¡¯s sleep dress and her tempting body shapes. Liam was never lecherous. On the contrary, he was self-restrict, almost to the degree of asceticism. Surrounded by all kinds of beautiful women since childhood, he showed little interest. But the way he fixed his gaze at Amber¡­ Startled by this finding, Mia clutched to Liam¡¯s arm, staring at Amber in an amiable smile: ¡°You are Miss Currie, right? I heard him talked about the deal. Rest assured. My Liam is a good man of his words. He will never touch you even without the contract. Do make yourself at home here. Both of you will be free when the rumors abate.¡± ¡°My Liam is a good man of his words¡­¡± Repeating those words inside, Amber felt Mia was asserting N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. her ownership of Liam. Embarrassed enough, Amber felt so wronged by Mia¡¯s hostility. How dared she reach for Liam? How could she, a poor, if not penny less grassroots womanpete with Mia, a wealthy, beautiful and well-connecteddy? Amber¡¯s silence wore Mia¡¯s patience thin. But good education kept her smiling: ¡°Liam, what a shy, bashfuldy she is!¡± A lopsided smile betrayed Liam. Unfortunately, his subtle expression caught by Amber, struck her as ironic and superior. Stung by the shame of being the other woman, Amber felt so degraded and awkward. Turning her eyes away, Amber tried to pull a grin towards Mia: ¡°Sorry to disturb you two. Now, excuse me.¡± Amber¡¯s leave rxed Mia. She hated to have Liam and Amber living under the same roof¡ªno doubt, it was a fake marriage to appease public critics. However, it was suspicious for Liam to resist to have sex with her at the excuses of the contract. Self-restrict as he was, Liam had normal, healthy sex drive at his prime age. Their sex, though not as passionate as it should be, was always pleasant and enjoyable. Why did everything change since the arrival of Amber Currie? Chapter 17 Something Wrong Chapter 17 Something Wrong However Mia turned on the charm, Liam left her in the guest room and returned to his bedroom. Sitting on the bed alone, Mia was consumed by panic¡ªsomething was wrong with her Liam! No! It wouldn¡¯t do! She had to win him back and seal his heart. How could she do it? Mia knitted her brows¡ªHow about an active bedroom sex seduction in nudity? However, she was too well-educated for this kind of gimmick. So she had to y a battered-body trick! After a bath, Liam put on his night gown, when he heard the painful scream of Mia from the guestroom. rmed by the agony it indicated, Liam trotted towards the guestroom and lightly knocked on the door: N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ¡°Mia, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Scrunching up her face in anguish, Mia wasforted by the knock. Here came her dear Liam¡ªher intentional falling from bed and ankle twist prove a worthy sacrifice. Ouch! her ankle was killing her. Before responding, Mia rubbed her injured angled heavily: ¡°Liam, I twisted my foot. It hurts so much. Can you help me?¡± Liam entered the room in a white bathrobe. The exposed, tanned muscr chest made Mia flush bright pink. This man is indeed the favor of God. Graduated from Harvard Business School, Liam is the eldest grandson and a remarkable sessor of the Crofts¡¯. Spearheading a wide spectrum of portfolio from finance, real estate, watercraft and retail, he brings his family business to the next level by expanding thework to 52 countries around the world at the age of 31. Amercial legend. The perfect stature of 185 cm and a breathtaking, sculptured face make him almost irresistible. This man, the richest and most enigmatic bachelor, has to belong to her! ¡°Are you OK, Mia?¡± Liam asked. Mia came to her sense and murmured: ¡°Liam, I seemed to sprain my ankle¡­ It hurts so much!¡± ncing at Mia¡¯s foot, Liam found her delicate, fair-skinned ankle swollen up badly. He approached and examined Mia¡¯s foot, dabbing at her ankle with fingers. ¡°Ouch!¡± Mia moaned. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door was open. She raised her voice in sweetint: ¡°Liam¡­ don¡¯t be so hard on me¡­¡± Liam¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°You hurt worse than I expected. Let¡¯s go to the doctor.¡± ¡°No! I don¡¯t want to! A coldpress will do. I am exhausted after the long air trip.¡± Mia threw her arms around his neck: ¡°Liam, you will take care of me, don¡¯t you?¡± Liam shook off her arms calmly andforted her: ¡°Wait a second, I will make an ice bag for you.¡± In her bed room, Amber was tossing and turning, when a vague scream came from the next door, followed by dim moaning and Mia¡¯s coquettish begging¡ª¡°Liam¡­ don¡¯t be so hard on me¡­¡± Absence makes the heart grow fonder¡­ Amber tried to cover her head with the nket to keep those unwee sound out. After a temporary relief, there was another knock on the door. It took a while for Amber to make sure it was on her door. Who was that? Liam or Mia? What did he/she want to do? Filled with doubts, Amber opened her door. Chapter 18 He is Getting Rougher Chapter 18 He is Getting Rougher It was Mia. Holding the door frame, she stood outside the door, beamed with shyness towards Mia. ¡°Miss Currie. Sorry to disturb you sote at night. Can you lend me a rubber band to fix my hair?¡± ncing the kitchen out of the corner of her eye, Mia was pleased that Liam closed the door of kitchen. Good! So what she said to Amber would not be heard by Liam. Amber was confused. A rubber band? Why fix the hair at night? Mia exined in a hurry: ¡°Well¡­Liam hate to be distracted by my hair on bed ¡­¡± Oh, got it. Liam hated to be bothered by hair during sex. So that was why she came to borrow her rubber band. Blushed at such a privacy, Amber hurriedly entered the room to fetch for what Mia needed. Mia got the rubber band and gave back a happy, shy smile. ¡°Thank you so much! Liam will not grow impatient.¡± Mia came back to her room, leaving Amber and her tossing and turning in a worse sleep problem. The dim moan and groan every now and then, made their way into her ears from next door, haunting her all the time. The next morning found Amber woke up with dark circles under eyes. She waited for Liam and Mia to leave first. Unfortunately, it was so quite outside that she could not secure the perfect timing to slip away. nning to collect data in school library, she could not afford to waste more time! Amber sneaked out her room for a quick grooming, staying alert to the situations outside. After the personal care routine, Amber returned to her room to fetch her backpack and data. Unfortunately, she encountered another hot scene right outside the room. Liam was carrying Mia towards the bathroom! Mia shed at Amber, murmured a coquettishint and pushed Liam¡¯s arms. ¡°Put me down, Liam. Miss Currie was here. How awkward.¡± Avoid eye contact with Liam, Amber pulled a stiff grin: ¡°That¡¯s OK. I have to dash now. Have a nice day!¡± N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Overwhelmed by embarrassment, Amber decided to talk with Liamter about her moving out. Staring at Amber deeply, Liam did not put down Mia. He only said ¡°Take it easy. Mia twisted her ankle.¡± His exnation shook Mia. Inch by inch, her heart fell frozen. Why did Liam bother to exin to another woman for carrying his own fianc¨¦? Without noticing it at all, Mia felt too awkward to stay here. She would not disturb this loving couple anymore. ¡°Now excuse me, I have to run now¡­¡± Keeping her head down, Amber wanted to race for door. However, Mia held her back: ¡°Wait, Amber. I have to return the rubber band.¡± Grinning at Liam warmly, Mia wriggled free from him arms: ¡°There is a ck rubber band on my bedside table. I borrowed it from Amber. Will you be so kind to bring it here?¡± Liam put her down on a chair beside and entered the guest room for the rubber band. Mia whispered to Amber: ¡°Excuse me¡­ Liam is getting rougher on bed. He was the one to be med for my twisted anklest night.¡± Chapter 19 A Feeling of Loss Chapter 19 A Feeling of Loss He was the one to be med for my twisted anklest night¡­ Mia¡¯s shy, sweet smile evoked the hot sights on Amber¡¯s mind: on a messy king-size bed, Liam and Mia were enjoying their rough, passionate sex¡­ Get a grip! Amber shut her eyes to banish these unwee images. These are too hardcore for a virgin like her! When Liam brought the rubber band, Mia was beaming gently while Amber was flushed in abashment. As if the former had teased thetter. What was the matter? He wondered. ¡°Is this one?¡± Liam gave it directly to Amber. Without a second look at him, Amber snatched the robber and dashed outwards. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. However, tripped up in rush, she almost took a tumble. ¡°Watch out!¡± Liam gave her a hand, regarding her eyes shrewdly. Amber was feeling down, Liam was can sense that. In a long face, she said thanks icy cold and left in a hurry. ¡°Liam, what the matter with Miss Currie?¡± Mia gave Liam a quizzical look. Liam shrugged. Hesitating for a while, Mia grinned: ¡°Liam, it seems that she does not like you¡­¡± Ambushed by her observation, Liam paused and pulled an indifferent chuckle ¡°So what? Why should I care?¡± Mia scratched thece on her nigh gown, pulled a smile that doesn''t reach her hooded eyes. So what? If he did not care at all, why the loss in his eyes looked so obvious? What made the calcted poker faced Liam Croft forget to hide his emotions? Amber entered the library resentfully. Another shitty day! None of the data in need is essible. The books she wanted were borrowed by others! How frustrating! The same question kept popping up on her mind: What are Liam and Mia doing now? The conclusion: There are so much to do for a loving, unmarried couple after a long separation. ¡°Hello! May I sit here?¡± A warm and husky male¡¯s voice. Amber looked around to find a young man, in a dark blue T-shirt and washed jeans, was grinning at her. About 180 cm in height, this bookish, refined man, but for his ordinary clothing, looked exactly like a wealthy silver-spoon kid thanks to his unique elegant air. ¡°Of course.¡± Amber moved her notebooks on the table. The man glimpsed at her books and extended his thanks. Then he asked: ¡°Are you a graduate majored in media?¡± Looking at the Theory of News Communication on the desk, Amber nodded. The man put down his bag, took out several books and a cup. Then he started reading. After a while, Amber found herself was too upset to read. ¡°Let¡¯s call it a day.¡± She thought, ¡°The afternoon part-time job is waiting for me. Why not check in earlier?¡± She started to packing up. The man moved to make room for her. Unfortunately, his arm knocked over the cup and drenched one of Amber¡¯s books. Oh, no! Amber fumbled for her scarf to dry the book. It was a treasured unique copy borrowed from the library! She could never afford thepensation for damage with her pathetic sry! The young man, scared by the ident, joined the rescue in a hurry. Sadly, the brown tea had seeped into the yellowish pages and dampened the whole book. On the verge of tears, Amber desperately kept wiping the book with tissues, trying to recover the loss as far as possible. The man apologized: ¡°Sorry, it is all my fault. Let me buy you a new one!¡± Amber dropped her eyes in dismay: ¡°It is a unique copy out of print, difficult to source.¡± Pondering for a while, the man took out his phone: ¡°Tell me your phone number. I will contact you as soon as I get one.¡± Looking at his faded jeans, Amber shook her head: ¡°Forget it. I will solve the problem.¡± Poor people should support each other! Seemingly understanding her thought, the man gave her a broad, dimpled grin: ¡°My uncle is proficient at repairing rare books. Rest assured! He will make the book look like a new one again.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Amber¡¯s face lighted up. Terrific! Obtained her number, the man smiled: ¡°Can you tell me your name, please? My name is Jack Cavendish.¡± Chapter 20 Is This a Fashion Show? Chapter 20 Is This a Fashion Show? After giving Jack her phone number, Amber rushed her way to the shopping mall to attend a job interview. A couple of days ago, she saw an advertisement for the recruitment of fashion models and decided to give it a shot. She sent a copy of her resume to the recruiter who responded promptly by scheduling an interview with her at the shopping mall. She wolfed down the cheapest set meal avable at a fast-food chain in the mall before finding her way to the office where the interview was going to take ce. ¡°Are you Amber Currie, a final year student at the University of Nerton?¡± The interviewer was a woman named Lily Green in herte twenties. She wore perfect makeup on her face and her body was d in a tight dress¡ªthe look was professional yet a tad bit sexy. Holding Amber¡¯s resume in her hands, Lily gave her a once-over. Amber had a feeling that Lily thought she was shabby because she was staring at her worn-out sneakers. Staring at Amber¡¯s wless and translucent skin, Lily spoke coldly, ¡°Please head downstairs and get changed. The fashion show is about to start.¡± ¡°Does she mean I¡¯ve got the job? This is surprisingly easy!¡± Amber thought. Feeling delighted yet slightly uptight, she asked, ¡°The fashion show? Am I going to walk on a runway?¡± Amber panicked as she had no experience in being a runway model. She applied for the job assuming that it only required her to take photos with some products. ¡°Yes, you are. You¡¯re here just in time as we¡¯re short of a girl at the moment. The pay is 50 dors per hour.¡± Amber saw no reason to turn down the job right after Lily mentioned the lucrative pay. With the money, she would be able to get Pearl a decent birthday gift. Amber then made her way downstairs hurriedly, holding the name tag given to her by Lily. ¡°Mr. Croft, here¡¯s the Department of Administration. Please follow me.¡± Just then, a middle-aged man dressed immactely in a suit was walking toward Amber together with arge entourage. As soon as Amber noticed them, she immediately held her head low and quickened her pace. The corridor was extremely quiet at the moment. Liam was walking next to the general manager of the Watson Group when he noticed Amber striding in his direction with her head kept low. She was wearing only a thin windbreaker in ck to keep her warm despite the wintry weather. Although her long hair was slightly ruffled, the volume entuated her perfect heart-shaped face. She did not notice Liam because she was keeping her eyes downcast. Mr. Jackson, the general manager, knew just what to do when he noticed Liam staring at Amber. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. While Liam was engaged in a conversation with the director of the department, Mr. Jackson made use of the chance to instruct one of his subordinates, ¡°Did you see that girl who just walked past us just now? Find out which department she¡¯s from.¡± By the time Amber reached the changing room, most of the models had already gotten changed. Amber was surprised to see Lily there. Just as she was wondering how Lily managed to make it there so quickly, Lily tossed a pile of fabrics into her arms and demanded tly, ¡°Wear this!¡± Amber went stupefied when she saw what was in her hands. ¡°W-What¡¯s this nonsense? Can I even call this a¡­bikini?¡± she wondered. It was a two-piece swimsuit made with so little fabric that it might not even be enough to cover her mouth. Seeing that, Amber stammered out of anxiety, ¡°Ms. Green, is this the only thing I have to wear?¡± Lily lost her patience and frowned at her. ¡°This is a bikini and lingerie show! Come on, get your feet into that pair of heels now! You¡¯re up next!¡± ¡°It¡¯s a bikini and lingerie show! No wonder the pay is so high. The deal doesn¡¯t seem so sweet now that I have to wear a bikini in this kind of weather and put up with the ogling eyes of the lecherous men out there¡­¡± Ambermented in her head. She shuddered in fear at the thought. Apologetically, she looked at Lily and ventured, ¡°I¡¯m sorry Ms. Green. M-May I quit the job now? I had no idea this is a bikini and lingerie show when I applied for the job.¡± Lily looked daggers at her and responded crossly, ¡°You can¡¯t quit now after signing the agreement! Now, just cut the crap and get changed!¡± Chapter 21 Annoyance Chapter 21 Annoyance The outdoor runway was teeming with arge crowd waiting for the show to begin. Right after Amber slipped her feet into the pair of high heels, she bit the bullet and stepped onto the runway without having any makeup on her face. It was freezing outside. Amber was positive that she had never felt this cold before in her life. Lively music was ring out of the speakers to spice up the event. Amidst the falling snow, Amber tried hard to look calm andposed while standing behind the rest of the models. She felt so embarrassing wearing the revealing costume that she felt like crying. Yet, she had no choice but to hold her tears back. The spectators, who were pleasantly surprised to see so much skin at the event, went uproarious and started whistling at the modelssciviously. None of them was bothered by the bitterly cold weather because the appealing sight was enough to keep them warm. Meanwhile, Liam was examining the financial reports of thepany with Mr. Jackson¡¯s assistance. He cast a casual nce at the za outside, and his blood froze. Someone looking familiar to him was standing on the runway¡­ Mr. Jackson wondered why Liam¡¯s attention was drawn to the fashion show poorly run by a seedy Despite feeling puzzled, Mr. Jackson was very dedicated to his job. ¡°Mr. Croft, the fashion show is organized as part of our marketing n to promote winter sports. The pace of life in the modern world has be so fast that people find themselves having less and less time to exercise. So, the fashion show is held to encourage people to adopt a more active lifestyle and pay more attention to their health,¡± he exined. Liam¡¯s face turned grim when he saw Amber. Seeing his reaction, Mr. Jackson¡¯s pulse started racing in apprehension. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Does Mr. Croft think the fashion show is a bad idea? Does he think the models are dressed too scarcely, and it¡¯s not good for thepany¡¯s image?¡± he wondered. ¡°Mr. Croft, shall we go and check out the event?¡± Mr. Jackson ventured. His heart was pounding like a sledgehammer, and he could hardly put up with the awkward silence. Liam raised his brow in a nomittal way with his brooding eyes still fixed on the runway. No one could gauge his emotion from his poker-faced expression. Mr. Johnson took his silence as consent. After wiping the sweat off his forehead, he shot a look at his subordinates. With that, they escorted Liam to the za outside the shopping mall. The models were sashaying along the runway and striking the best pose they could manage. The crowd responded to their performance with rapturous cheers and apuse. Half of Liam¡¯s face was hidden in the shadow under the umbre held by Mr. Jackson. He fixed an N?velDrama.Org owns this text. unwavering gaze on Amber, his face expressionless. Standing in the most inconspicuous corner of the runway, Amber looked petite among the models. Her long hair was tied back into a loose ponytail, and she was wearing a two-piece ck bikini which revealed arge area of her curvy and beautiful body. Although the way she walked on the runway was amateurish, her youthful and vivacious aura made up for her shorings. When Liam set his sight on her luminous and fair skin, he could feel desire burning inside him. Then, he scanned the crowd and found they were mostly made up of men his age. Their scious eyes were riveted on the models. Some of them were even taking photos of the models with their phones. Seeing that, Liam¡¯s eyes turned frosty, and his lips were pursed in displeasure. Amber did not notice Liam at all as she was fervently praying for her bikini straps to stay in ce. She was very worried that the entire bikini, which was tied to her back somewhat loosely due to the time constraint earlier, might fall off at any minute. To avoid the disastrous situation, she tried her best to keep her steps as steady as possible. One slightly bigger movement and she would instantly go naked in front of the crowd. The high heels she was wearing were a pain in the ass too. The size of the shoes was not a good fit for her, so the straps were grazing her heels and making her miserable with every step she took. Out of curiosity, Mr. Jackson followed where Liam was staring. At one nce he was able to recognize Amber as the girl they encountered in the corridor earlier. Inspiration hit him at the moment. After years of trying to curry favor with Liam, Mr. Jackson was d that he finally discovered the right way to do it. He sized Amber up to see what was so special about the girl. Obviously, she was not the gorgeous and sexy type. Her hair was not properly styled, and she did not even haverge breasts. Although she was quite good-looking, she was far from a stunner. The only thing that made her stand out was her fair and wless skin. Just then, the models turned around and struck a new pose. Mr. Jackson narrowed his eyes when he noticed Amber¡¯s nice and firm butt. ¡°I bet that¡¯s what caught Mr. Croft¡¯s eyes just now¡­¡± he mused. After some contemtion, Mr. Jackson beckoned one of his subordinates over and whispered some instruction to him. His subordinate nced at Liam with a knowing smile before making a hurried exit. Chapter 22 Similar Taste in Women Chapter 22 Simr Taste in Women ¡°Look at that one wearing the red bikini! See how long and smooth her legs are? I wish I could touch them right now!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have a thing for women with long legs. For me, the one standing first in the line is the real catch. Her tits are so muchrger than my wife¡¯s!¡± ¡°You guys have such a lousy taste in women. Can¡¯t you guys see that the girl in the ck bikini is the cream of the crop? She¡¯s young, and her skin is wless. Most importantly, she has got one hell of a nice butt! I would have no regrets in my life if I could have her as my girlfriend!¡± A bespectacled man pointed at the runway andmented excitedly. The bunch of young men was making lewd remarks on the models somewhere not far away from Liam. Mr. Jackson noticed that the bespectacled man was checking Amber out too. ¡°That guy has got a simr taste in women as Mr. Croft!¡± he thought. Liam heard what the bespectacled man said too. Looking sullen, he spun around and walked away in silence. Mr. Jackson trailed behind Liam, feeling on pins and needles because of the dour expression on Liam¡¯s face. The only thing he could do was to hope that his subordinate would be able to carry out his instruction well. Amber, together with the rest of the models, returned backstage when the fashion show finally came to an end. ¡°Gosh, the back of your feet are bleeding!¡± Lily eximed worryingly. Amber lifted her feet and found blood all over the shoes. She did not feel the pain earlier because her attention was fully focused on the bikini. Now that she saw blood on her feet, she immediately felt an intense paining from the wound. The situation worsened because she had hematophobia. Coupled with the pain, her legs turned to jelly and she nearly keeled over. ¡°There¡¯s a lounge over there where you can take a rest. Let me deal with your wound with some sters!¡± Lily kind-heartedly offered. Amber was slightly puzzled by the drastic change in her attitude. Despite so, she did not overthink her gesture. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Lily took Amber¡¯s windbreaker over and draped it over her body. With her help, Amber slowly made her way to the lounge. The lounge was renovated and decoratedvishly. The walls were covered with golden wallpaper, and the room was lit by beautiful wallmps. There was a soft and velvety carpet on the floor, a luxurious sofa in the middle of the room, and a veryfortable-looking bed next to the sofa. Lily made Amber sit down on the sofa. With a pleasant smile, she said, ¡°Look at how pale you are! Please rest here while I fetch some sters for you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Ms. Green!¡± Amber looked at Lily with her eyes brimming with gratitude. To her surprise, Lily turned out to be quite a helpful person despite looking rather obnoxious and snobbish in the beginning. Lily shed her a sweet smile. ¡°No worries. It¡¯s my pleasure to help you.¡± Soon, Amber felt a lot better because it was warm inside the lounge. As Lily ended up taking longer than expected, Amber started getting restless as she desperately needed to get changed. She felt ufortable because her body, except for the part covered by the windbreaker, was exposed. After some time, Lily was still nowhere in sight. ¡°I think I can go to the dressing room myself since I¡¯m feeling a lot better already. As long as I keep my eyes away from the blood, I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t faint,¡± she thought. Just as she was ready to stand up and leave, the door was opened. ¡°Ms. Green¡­¡± Amber was left tongue-tied when she looked up at the door. Instead of Lily, it was Liam who was standing in front of her. Chapter 23 His Mind Wandered Off Chapter 23 His Mind Wandered Off Amber leaped to her feet at once, too shocked to speak a word. Liam nced at the windbreaker and her exposed thighs. In a frosty tone, he questioned, ¡°Are you short of cash at the moment?¡± Although Amber could not decipher the emotion behind his eyes, she could detect the contempt and N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. annoyance in his voice. ¡°What¡¯s his problem? Since I¡¯m not prohibited from taking a part-time job ording to the agreement, why can¡¯t he just leave me alone? Why does he think he has the right to mock my life?¡± she thought. Amber clutched the windbreaker and held it closer to her body. She met Liam¡¯s gaze and responded coldly, ¡°Of course I¡¯m short of money. Otherwise, why would I have agreed with the deal with you?¡± Liam frowned slightly when Amber referred to their rtionship as a deal. ¡°Do you think it¡¯s fine to wear such a revealing costume in front of so many people because it¡¯s a deal too?¡± What he said startled Amber. ¡°Did he catch me on the runway just now?¡± she wondered. Feeling annoyed and ashamed, Amber noticed rage burning in Liam¡¯s prating eyes. Liam was scrutinizing her, and he did not try to make it subtle. Amber was not wearing any shoes at the moment because her feet were injured. The maroon-colored carpet on the floor made the skin of her feet look even fairer. When Amber noticed Liam staring at her feet, she shrunk away out of instinct and felt a pressing urge to hide her feet somewhere. She had no idea why she was feeling so flustered at the moment. Her legs and thighs were exposed too, but it did not make her feel as awkward and embarrassed as revealing her feet. She knew he despised her and looked down upon her. He had that air of superiority because he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Her face reddened with fury because she felt she was humiliated. Liam had the upper hand in the situation because he was fully clothed. After taking a deep breath, Amber strutted toward the door with her head held high. She did not even spare Liam a nce during the process. His air of superiority would not affect her as long as she did not give it a damn. Liam had no intention of making way for her. ¡°Excuse me, you¡¯re in my way.¡± Her tone was so formal and courteous as though she was speaking to a total stranger. Liam only stared at her without uttering a word. They were standing so close to each other that Amber could catch the faint smell of his cologne, which he had only started wearing ever since Mia was back. That was the power of true love. How Amber wished she could pull off the same disdainful smile on Liam¡¯s face too. No matter how hard she tried, a disturbing feeling deep down inside her was stopping her from smiling. Atst, she spoke with fortitude in a slightly quavery voice, ¡°Mr. Croft, please make way for me because I need to get out.¡± Meanwhile, Liam was studying her face. Determination was shining in her eyes, and conviction was written all over her face. The expression made her look unapproachable enough to keep any strangers at arm¡¯s length. ¡°Am I a stranger to her too?¡± Liam wondered. For a moment, his mind wandered off. Chapter 24 Not Letting Her Go Chapter 24 Not Letting Her Go Amber was ticked off by Liam¡¯s behavior. ¡°What on earth does he want by blocking my way and not talking? Is he trying toe up with a new way to humiliate me?¡± she wondered. Amber decided not to waste any more time on him. Looking annoyed, she leaned forward to reach for the door handle. She knew touching his body was inevitable because he was standing right in front of the door. However, she was too desperate to leave the ce to be bothered by that. Liam caught a whiff of her pleasant scent when her body brushed against his. Before his brain could stop him, his hand reached out to her wrist and held it in a tight grip. ¡°What¡¯re you doing?¡± Amber shot him a furious re. Something was glimmering in his eyes when he stared at her. With urgency in his voice, he said, ¡°I¡¯d like to add an extra use into the agreement. From now on, you are prohibited from taking part-time jobs without my permission. To make up for your loss, I¡¯ll give you an extra 20 thousand dors as Amber was stunned to hear that. ¡°Is he negotiating a new deal with me?¡± she wondered. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. ¡°Please don¡¯t forget that you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, though only in name. Everything you do has to be appropriate for your status.¡± Liam¡¯s voice was calm, but his contempt toward Amber was palpable. He was insinuating that Amber¡¯s appearance at the bikini show was a disgrace to him! Apparently, he did not think a woman like Amber was good enough for him. ¡°Signing that agreement with me must have been hisst resort back then. I bet he wouldn¡¯t have done it if he had not been so desperate to salvage his reputation at that time,¡± Amber thought. With a smile, she countered, ¡°What if I say no?¡± Liam found himself being turned on by that smile on her face. Trying hard to stop his eyes from lingering on her lips, he responded in a voice strained with irritation, ¡°Do you think¡­¡± Just then, the room suddenly plunged into total darkness due to a power outage. Human senses generally became more sensitive amidst the darkness. Therefore, Amber only realized that Liam was still holding her wrist when the lights went out. His grip on her wrist was not gentle at all. Still, Amber¡¯s face couldn¡¯t help burning with embarrassment when she felt the warmth from his hand. She tried to free her wrist from him, but she ended up stumbling forward andnding right on Liam¡¯s body. Her forehead fell squarely on his chest. She could hear a string of rapid heartbeats, but she was not sure who it belonged to. Taken aback by the situation, Liam took several seconds to process it. He responded just in time to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her body. After some time, Amber came back to her senses and tried to shove him away. He refused to let her go. While she was tussling with Liam, she identally dropped her oversized windbreaker to the ground. She was almost naked because she was only wearing a bikini underneath the windbreaker! Feeling exasperated and embarrassed, she glowered at Liam and demanded, ¡°Let me go now!¡± For some reason, her somewhat coquettish tone melted his heart. With her warm breath caressing his neck, a jolt of electricity coursed through his body, causing him to lose the ability to think straight. He did not feel like letting her go at all. Chapter 25 Fluttering in the Heart Chapter 25 Fluttering in the Heart Amber lost her temper and decided tond a vicious kick on Liam¡¯s calf. However, she failed to cause much damage to him because she was not wearing shoes. Liam knew he shouldn¡¯tugh at her failure, but he just couldn¡¯t help it. Amber looked so adorable when she got hot under the cor. It was a pity that he could not see her amusing expression clearly in the darkness. While Liam allowed his imagination to run wild, Amber, who was offended by hisughter, went livid with rage. To punish him, she sank her teeth into the flesh of his arm! ¡°You deserve this for blocking my way andughing at me, you arrogant piece of shit!¡± she cursed in her mind. Amber bit his arm ruthlessly. Sensing her anger, Liam quickly let go of her. ¡°Are you angry with me?¡± Liam raised his brow quizzically at her and smiled craftily. Amber¡¯s face flushed in fury. ¡°What an annoying man he is! He sounds so guileless as though he didn¡¯t try to take advantage of me just now!¡± she thought. Ignoring him, she crouched down to pick up her windbreaker. However, the windbreaker got stuck somewhere. She was careful not to yank it too hard lest it was damaged. She simply could not afford to buy a new one at the moment. Liam offered to give her a hand, ¡°You need my help?¡± At that juncture, Amber happened to be straightening up while he was bending down. Just like that, the two bumped into each other. Liam¡¯s hands came into physical contact with Amber¡¯s smooth and bare skin. His heart was thumping fast, and mes of desire started burning in his lower abdomen when he could feel the beautiful and smooth outline of her waist with his hands. ¡°Is she¡­naked?¡± Liam wondered. He narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to take a better look at Amber¡¯s body. He felt her ice-cold skin just now¡­ ¡°Is she wearing nothing now?¡± he thought. In the meantime, Amber was stroking her sore jaw which was rammed into Liam¡¯s shoulder just now. She couldn¡¯t believe she was stuck in such a hopeless situation. Everything that could take ce in a soap drama had happened to her. Being as quick-witted as ever, Liam had realized that Amber was trying to search for her windbreaker. ¡°Should I turn on the screen of my phone so that you can look better?¡± Liam fished out his phone and gestured at her. ¡°No way!¡± Amber staggered backward in shock when she heard that. Once Liam turned on the screen, her body would be exposed to his eyes. ¡°Chill out, girl. It¡¯s not like I¡¯ve never seen your body before¡­¡± For some reason, hisment brought two crimson patches on Amber¡¯s cheeks. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. She couldn¡¯t believe what he just said. ¡°Did Liam, the cold and evil man, just say that?¡± she wondered. He sounded like he was flirting with her. ¡°Well, take my phone then. I¡¯ll turn around while you search for your jacket.¡± Liam groped his way in the darkness and tried to pass his phone to Amber. The moment their hands brushed against each other, both of them felt a flutter in their hearts. Amber hesitated before turning on the screen of his phone. By then, Liam had honored his words by turning around. Amber squatted down to look for her windbreaker. It was stuck on a wooden hanger next to the wall. She hastily put it back on. Just as she was about to pass the phone back to Liam, someone knocked on the door. ¡°Mr. Croft, are you in there?¡± Chapter 26 Wipe It for Me Chapter 26 Wipe It for Me When he heard soundsing from behind the door, he took a brief nce at Amber¡¯s outfit before opening the door. Even though her legs were tantly exposed, her attire was still considered tidy. He opened the door to find Lily and the manager, both wearing meaningful smiles on their faces. "Mr. Croft, the meal is ready. Would you like me to escort you to the dining hall now?" The manager spoke with the utmost respect towards Liam while observing Liam''s facial expression. As usual, Liam¡¯s face was expressionless, but the manager was quick to notice a suspicious red mark on his neck. It looked extremely simr to a woman¡¯s lipstick mark. He diverted his gaze onto Amber and observed her slightly ruffled hair and flushed cheeks. Her makeup that she wore for the catwalk a while ago needed a touch-up, and so did her lipstick. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Things added up¡ªgiven the pitch dark setting they were in¡ªMr. Croft must¡¯ve already made a move ¡­The manager was pleased that things were going as nned. With his sharp wit, Liam should be able to realize that this whole setting was nned by him. He had catered this perfect n to Liam¡¯s liking so he was extremely confident that Liam would appreciate his kind effort. Despite seeing how hard the manager was trying to suck up to him, Liam remained nonmittal. Just when Amber was relieved that she could finally keep a safe distance from Liam, he turned around to look at her and said, ¡°You¡¯reing with me.¡± Going with him? To dine together? Panic-stricken, Amber shook her head and said, ¡°No, it¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll need to go change out my clothes first.¡± The manager was extremely delighted when he heard this. This was turning out perfectly. He had never thought Mr. Croft would take such a liking to this girl! This plot of his was going extremely well! Excited, he quickly grabbed Amber¡¯s arm and uttered, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go! Go change out your clothes. We can wait for you.¡± Liam subtly nced at the manager¡¯s hand that was grabbing Amber. He was still wearing a calm expression but the manager was startled by his gaze that caused chills to run down his spine. He let go of Amber immediately and did not dare to make any further physical contact with Amber. How could he be so careless? He should nevery a finger on the woman Mr. Croft fancied! Amber wanted to reject the manager¡¯s proposal but she became strangely nervous whenever she saw Liam. As she was trying to reject the invitation, her gaze trailed downwards andnded on the lipstick mark on Liam¡¯s neck! The awkwardness was unbearable! The manager and Lily must¡¯ve noticed this too. She thought in a panic: What would they think of this? Furthermore, it was just the two of them in the room when the ckout happened... No, absolutely not. She must let Liam know of the lipstick mark. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go then.¡± Amber epted the invitation to dine together and the group made their way to the dressing room. Amber deliberately slowed her footsteps down and sneakily caught up to Liam on his left. Seeing how Lily was busy discussing the dishes with the manager, she thought this was a good opportunity to speak to Liam. She lowered her voice and muttered, ¡°There¡¯s something on your neck. Quick, wipe it off.¡± Liam had noticed Amber¡¯s weird movements from the start, which made him wonder what was going through her mind. Who would have thought that it was just to speak to him secretively? Liam¡¯s mood was strangely uplifted. Even his stern expression softened. He tilted his head as he looked at Amber and reached for his neck, ¡°What is it?¡± He looked at his palm and found it to be speckless. "Not there, it''s on your left side near your ear!" Amber had only intended to help Liam in the most ordinary way, but her cheeks were flushed after he threw a sideways nce at her with his dreamy eyes. Her heart started thumping crazily and amidst the awkwardness, she felt an unexinable feeling that was somewhat sweet with a tint of shyness. ¡°Where?¡± Liam¡¯s gentle gaze rested on her beet-red face. He lowered his voice intentionally as well. Both the manager and Lily had already gone far ahead. The sight of the two of them whispering to each other behind their backs screamed a lovey-dovey couple all over! Amber did not dare look him in the eye but seeing him rubbing around his neck without getting to the right spot frustrated her. It just so happened that they had reached a turning corner and both Lily and the manager were out of sight. Liam stopped to look at Amber and grinned, ¡°Why don¡¯t you wipe it for me?¡± He lowered his voice to the extent where only Amber could hear what he was saying. His voice in her ears was flirtatious yet had an inexplicable sense of intimacy. She red at him with her reddened cheeks and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that!¡± Liam was thoroughly delighted with her cheeky but adorable behavior but did not let his emotions show. "Okay, I''ll just let it be then." Seeing how he was fully prepared to step inside the dining hall with the kiss mark boldly exhibited on his neck, she was extremely anxious, ¡°Hold it! I¡¯ll wipe it off for you!¡± Seriously, he would be the one suffering from embarrassment¡ªwhy should she care! She felt like a back-seat driver who was panicking more than the driver! Chapter 27 A Vague Smile Chapter 27 A Vague Smile A sturdy plum tree bark could be seen outside the window from the angle at which Liam and Amber were standing. It was the coldest time of winter. Pale yellow flowers which seemed to be tightly knitted together obscured the view from the window. They were standing extremely close to each other¡ªclose enough for them to hear each other''s breathing. At that moment, the world seemed to fade away as time stopped ticking. It was as if they were the only ones in the world. Liam gently leaned forward with his head slightly lowered. From behind, it would seem as if he was going in for a kiss. His eyes were as deep as the ocean, but Amber dared not stare into them. This situation was simply too weird for Amber. She could not handle the pressure from this flirtatious situation. Panicking, she raised her arm and hurriedly wiped at the mark on his neck with her sleeve. She was blushing madly as she said, ¡°There, I¡¯m done. You should go have your meal. I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± The lipstick mark was gone so she no longer had a reason to enjoy a meal on them. The manager had acted oddly suspicious just now, and everything that happened today was somehow extremely fishy. What were the chances for Liam to coincidentally enter the resting room she was in? Moreover, what were the chances for a ckout to happen at that very moment? City A was a modernized city known internationally, not some rural vige! ¡°We¡¯re going together.¡± Liam did not spare her any further exnation but dragged her arm and continued forward. ¡°Hey! I said I don¡¯t want to! What are you doing? Let go of me!¡± The bashfulness that she had just a while ago was entirely blown away by Liam¡¯s arrogant act. Fury was all that was left. Just who did he think he was to authoritatively order her around and restrict her movements? As she was squabbling away, they had rounded the corner of the hallway, with both Lily and the manager in clear view. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. "That''s enough. I still have to make an announcement that concerns youter," Liam responded in an indifferent and light tone to Amber''s defiance as if he was coaxing a child. Amber was still struggling to free herself from Liam¡¯s hold when Lily and the manager turned to see what themotion was about. When they grasped the situation, they exchanged silent yet meaningful nces as if they knew that there was definitely something going on between the duo. Amber was filled with frustration. She felt so embarrassed! ¡°Do you need me to drag you all the way there?¡± Liam remained calm despite the stares from Lily and the manager. There was not the slightest hint of wavering in his voice. Amber shrugged him off forcefully and followed from behind with much reluctance while repeatedly cursing him in her head. The manager and Lily must have misunderstood her terribly by now! Did they think she was a female student whose greed for wealth was sufficient to drive her to sell her body? Or someone from the entertainment industry who engaged in dirty business and was looking to marry a wealthy guy? The dining hall was extravagantly decorated. A crowd of people was already gathered at the main entrance of the hall. As soon as they saw Liaming their way, it was all ingratiating smiles and respectful bows. Amber followed Liam closely as they made their way in. Judging from their outfits, they all seemed to be people from elite backgrounds. Amber could not help but steal a nce at Liam. ¡°Huh? That¡¯s weird.¡± She frowned in confusion. Liam, who normally always had a poker face on, had now, a vague smile on his face! He was already good-looking, but even more so when he smiled. His features were all the more stunning, to the point where one would be unable to look him in the eye. Amber¡¯s heart thumped loudly as her heart palpitated. She immediately averted her eyes. It was undeniable that she was indeed astounded by his gorgeous looks. If Liam was a woman instead, he would undoubtedly ruin a whole country with his looks alone. The subsidiarypany¡¯s workers were astonished as well! This was not the first time Liam hade to monitor this subsidiarypany, but they swore that this was the first time they had seen him smile! What exactly happened? Could it be that Liam had received great news a while ago? News that their rivalpany had gone bankrupt? Everyone was busy guessing the cause of this unusual phenomenon,pletely neglecting the insignificant girl who stood beside Liam with her head lowered. Chapter 28 The Bitter Emotions Hidden Inside Chapter 28 The Bitter Emotions Hidden Inside The manager was arranging for Amber to be seated beside Liam when one of the more superior directors from the subsidiarypany brought an alluring young woman over. "Mr. Croft, let me introduce you to Susan. I bumped into her earlier today." The director cast a suggestive nce towards Susan while introducing her to Liam. Amber was at loss for words when she saw the woman. Wasn¡¯t she the actress who had just made it big recently? She looked incredibly stunning and gorgeous, especially with her seductive body shape exhibited perfectly by her ck bodycon dress and her enticing eyes which were all the more defined by the sleek eyeliner. She was even more beautiful in person. Amber could not avert her gaze from her. The manager knew perfectly well what the director was trying to do, but he was in aparatively N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. lower position than the director, so he could only stay silent and contain his vexing emotions. He turned around to see Amber who had her gaze locked on Susan. He looked at her disdainfully and thought: What a useless girl! Mr. Croft must have just been ying around with her. Now that Susan is here, such a in-looking girl will undoubtedly be instantly tossed aside! Liam gave Susan a perfunctory nod and made a quick sideways nce at Amber. She was unconcerned with her surroundings and was busy studying the flower arrangement on the dining table. Celebrities that had just made it to the big screen like Susan were fully aware of how an iparable sugar daddy Liam would be, so she gave her best efforts to fawn over him with endless ttery and wine. Together with the directors, they held Liam as highly as they would an emperor. Even though Amber spent most of her time on campus, she immediately understood the situation when the crowd started to suck up to Liam. She focused on eating and diverted her attention to the dishes on the table, unconcerned about her surroundings. ¡°Whatever, I¡¯ll just treat this as an unexpected scrumptious meal.¡± As she convinced herself to think of it this way, she felt the inexplicable difort slowly fade away. ¡°Mr. Croft, you must take this drink, or else I¡¯ll be really mad!¡± With a flirtatious tone, Susan raised a ss of wine in honor of Liam. By that time, her whole body was practically flung on Liam. The crowd started to cheer while the director, with his flushed chubby cheeks, chimed in to further elevate the mood and said, ¡°How could you just shove Mr. Croft the drink like this, Susan? At least let him savor the wine through your mouth!¡± Cheers sounded all around as everyone started to chant, ¡°Do it! Do it!¡± A ruckus was raised in the hall by the enthusiastic crowd. Amber was starting to get a headache from all themotion. She stole a quick nce at Liam and saw Susan clinging onto his shoulder as she tilted her head, gazing at Liam with the brightest smile on her face. As if sensing her gaze, Liam turned and locked eyes with her. He looked slightly tipsy, but his eyes were as clear as ever. She felt her heart skip a beat and hurriedly lowered her head to avoid his gaze. Noise from the crowd¡¯s cheering and Susan¡¯s amorous talk flooded her ears. She suddenly realized how ridiculous this was. What was she doing here? Why was she obligated to be seated here and witness these detestable acts just because of Liam¡¯s single word? While the crowd was still cheering, she hurriedly stood up and made her way away from the scene. She did not belong here, she had nothing to do with all thisvishness! She recalled that her belongings were kept by the waiters, but when she asked to retrieve them, the waiter responded politely and said, ¡®Mr. Croft has directed us to only let you leave the hall after the banquet is over.¡± Amber was dumbfounded by the waiter¡¯s reply! ¡°Screw you, Liam Croft!¡± she cursed unhappily. He had guessed that she would want to leave the hall in the middle of the banquet! ¡°Damn this cunning old fox!¡± So now, she couldn¡¯t leave¡ªbut she didn¡¯t want to return to the chaotic scene either. Frustrated, she stomped her way to the washroom. She nned to return after the crowd was done with whatever they were onto. What was that lunatic thinking¡ªforcing her to stay! He must have only wanted to make her feel ridiculed and awful! Amber stared into the mirror in the washroom and observed her appearance. Her hair was neat and tidy, her skin as fair as ever, her eyes bright ck, and her lips, a supple pink. No matter how one looked at her, she had the refreshing looks of a proper youngdy! How did she stoop so low as to enter a bikini fashion show, apany big shots in a banquet and witness a trade of sexual bribery! Feelings of unjustness crept in as the bitter emotions slowly emanated from within her. She stayed in the washroom for a while to calm herself down before heading back to the dining hall reluctantly once more. They should be done with the drinking or whatever that was by now, right? Just as she walked out of the washroom and was about to round the corner towards the hall, she saw Liam heading in her direction. He had taken off his jacket to reveal a pale blue shirt with a navy-blue tie underneath. Along with a pair of ck pants, his tall and sturdy figure was all the more elevated. A faint twinkle yed in his eyes as he walked towards her. Chapter 29 Name Your Price Chapter 29 Name Your Price Amber was angry when she saw him in a good mood. As he walked towards her, she spoke in an irritated tone, "Liam Croft, please ask the waiter to return my bag. I want to leave." Seeing her annoyed expression, Liam¡¯s smile reached his eyes as he asked, "What¡¯s the matter? Is the food not good?" N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Amber mimicked Liam¡¯s usual unbothered expression and coldly replied, "I''m full and I''m leaving." Liam blocked her way with his long legs. With his over 6 feet height, he looked down at her and asked, " Oh really? I didn¡¯t see you eat much just now." Amber was a little annoyed. Why was he blocking her path? Was he trying to intimidate her? "Does what I eat have anything to do with you? You better focus on that wine-sipping ceremony of yours! Leave my bag alone!" The sentences tumbled out of Amber¡¯s mouth aggressively. She was in a bad mood and was not the least afraid of offending him. Liam remained silent but he was not angered at all. He merely continued to stare at Amber as the smile in his eyes deepened. Liam wondered to himself: Why did what she said about him focusing on the wine-sipping ceremony somehow felt like music to his ears? Amber was originally quite straightforward, but as he continued to stare at her, she inexplicably grew flustered and lost her confidence. Her face was burning as she looked up at Liam and snapped, "What are you looking at? Have you never seen a beauty? I¡¯ll start charging fees if you continue staring!" Liam guffawed at her words. He suddenly bent forward and whispered into her ear, "Just name your price." Amber¡¯s ears were burning. Finding herself at a loss for words, she fled the scene as if she was escaping Liam! Back in the dining hall, her heart was still pounding like mad as she took her seat. What Liam did just now was beyond her imagination! Liam had always been cold and arrogant. Beneath his impable demeanor hid prejudice and a deep sense of superiority. But this guy whose attitude was as cold as a 10,000-year-old iceberg had justughed! He even asked her to ¡°name her price¡± in such a nonchnt manner! The contrast was just too big! Amber frowned in distress. She was starting to wonder whether this deal of hers with Liam had been a little too rash. How had this man started to be so involved in her life? The atmosphere in the banquet hall was very much rxed without Liam¡¯s presence. Susan must have heard some rumors because she started to show a strong interest in Amber. "I heard that you''re a student at South X University?" Susan took her time with her words as she evaluated Amber from head to toe. "Yeah," Amber tly replied. She could instantly feel Susan''s arrogance. She thought to herself: What a joke! Was she not just a less renowned artist? Who did she think she was¡ªto speak to her in such a superior tone? She wasn¡¯t even a die-hard fan of hers! With her poprity on the rise, Susan was used to being pampered by people around her. Amber''s indifference got on her nerves. Her gaze was fixed on Amber''s fleece sweater which was a little worn out as she said, "University students from less fortunate family backgrounds are The Watson Group¡¯s key target when ites to providing financial aid! You should take a drink or two with Mr. Croftter¡ªwho knows? You¡¯ll easily These words sounded nice at surface level, but the implications behind them were obviously hostile. Amber could understand her implication perfectly. Was Susan not just implying that she should find herself a sugar daddy? The world was messed up. At that very moment, Amber received a text message. She threw a slight smile at Susan and lowered her head to read the text. Susan didn''t expect a poor student to just daringly ignore her presence. Furious, sheughed coldly and turned to her director, Mr. Neil. "Female students sure are getting ruder and ruder these days! I''m not sure who hired them. What a shame!" John, the manager, did not expect Amber¡¯sck of respect towards Susan. He started to sweat as Mr. Neil¡¯s chastizing gaze bore into him. Just as he was worried about how he should exin thister, he spotted Liam entering the hall and hurriedly changed the topic. He smiled at Susan and said, "Mydy! Mr. Croft is back. Why don''t you hurry and im your victory? Chapter 30 The Unexpected Chapter 30 The Unexpected Susan was rising in fame and had hence gotten used to being constantly praised by those around her. She couldn¡¯t contain her dissatisfaction when Amber didn¡¯t take her seriously. However, when even John the manager followed suit, she didn¡¯t think she could bear it anymore. Upon Liam¡¯s return, a huge crowd cheered, wanting to raise a toast for her and Liam. The smile returned to Susan¡¯s face as she raised her wine ss to an executive standing next to Amber. She drink with you!" Susan walked over with her ss of wine in hand. As she approached Amber who was sitting next to this executive, she suddenly stumbled. Her whole body lurched towards Amber, causing the ss of red wine to spill all over Amber¡¯s hair! Amber had not seen thising as she was focused on her cell phone. She was shocked when the ss of wine spilled all over her. To make matters worse, the wine had trickled down her hair and into her eyes, causing them to burn. Tears rolled down her face uncontrobly. "How did that happen?" Liam was the first to react amongst the crowd. He grabbed a napkin from the table and rushed to Amber¡¯s side. While helping Amber wipe her hair, he looked at Susan and said coldly, "If you can''t even walk properly, I don''t think you should even be acting." This sole sentence from Liam caused Susan¡¯s expression to change drastically. The sense of triumph in her eyes instantly turned into despair and defeat. Everyone¡¯s facial expression grew dull as well. They understood perfectly what Liam meant by this. Such words from Liam simply meant that Susan''s acting career was over. With Liam''s connections and financial ability, whoever he wanted to ban was basically dead meat. Susan stared at Liam, eyes wide in disbelief as she asked, "Mr. Croft, I just identally spilled some wine and now you...you are going to ban me because of this female student?" Susan was not convinced! Although she had yet to undergo the "wine-sipping" ceremony with Mr. Croft, he had been quite friendly to her. It was rumored that Liam was normally Jack Frost when he interacted with women¡ªbut he had chatted with her for quite some time just now! She had even felt that he had purposefully tried to get close to her a couple of times. How did a mere ss of wine manage to take a turn for the worse? She found it unbelievable that Liam had actually chosen to ban her just because of this poor female university student! Liam paid no attention to Susan but concentrated on wiping Amber''s hair. When the napkin was fully drenched, he unreservedly took off his tie and carefully helped Amber wipe her eyes. Amber''s tears were flowing to the point that she could not open her eyes at all. She had no idea what Susan and Liam were arguing about. The only thought that was going through her mind was how embarrassing this whole thing was. She wondered how she had ended up in this situation¡ªhaving a ss of wine being poured on her in public, her hair drenched, and her face covered in tears. How did she, Amber Currie, find herself in this N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. mess? Everyone was stunned as they watched Liam wiped Amber''s eyes with his expensive necktie. His actions, as gentle as ever; his gaze, as focused as ever. Meanwhile, Susan stood beside him, her face written with shock and a sense of being wronged. Truly, this was an unexpected situation! Liam, known to be a germaphobe, had the reputation of being cold and distanced towards others. The temperature at an event would immediately plummet to a freezing point if he was present. How shocking it was that he now willingly wiped the tears of this female student with his necktie! Susan, still unconvinced and standing beside Amber, chokingly asked in disbelief, "Mr. Croft, are you really going to ban me because of this woman?" She pointed at Amber with her slender index finger and looked contemptuously at the mess Amber was. Liam turned his head slowly and looked at Susan condescendingly. In a voice that had not the slightest hint of warmth, he replied, "Scram!" Chapter 31 Not in a Good Mood Anymore Chapter 31 Not in a Good Mood Anymore Susan¡¯s face turned pale as she stared nkly at Liam for a few seconds before letting out a wail and bursting into tears. Covering her face with her hands, she ran out the hall. Everyone in the dining hall was shocked, but given Liam¡¯s grim facial expression, nobody dared intercede on behalf of Susan. Nobody was brave enough even to breathe. The huge dining hall was suddenly as silent as a graveyard. Amber, too, was stunned when she heard Liam telling Susan to scram. "What in the world was going on? It couldn¡¯t be that Liam had stood up for me, right?" Amber lowered her eyes as she wondered. Right beside her was Liam¡¯s pressed trousers. Those straight, long legs of his emanated an air of arrogance. All of a sudden, bubbles of happiness formed in the depths of her heart. Liam surveyed the shocked faces of his subordinates quietly before he opened his mouth to speak. ¡°I am honored to introduce to everyone my fianc¨¦e¡ªAmber Currie.¡± Fianc¨¦e? Everyone was stunned into silence once again. They were all familiar with gossip regarding Liam¡¯s habit of appearing at hotels with different women, but this young girl in front of them who wore simple clothes and whose actions were unmatured was nothing like the women on the news! Those who appeared in the photos were flirtatious women who dressed scantily. John the manager and Lily exchanged nces. Both of them wore grim expressions on their faces. They had a hunch that this was taking a bad turn. John immediately tried to fend for himself as he exined, ¡°Mr. Croft, I... I had no idea that Miss Currie is your fianc¨¦e. Lily was the one who arranged for the catwalk¡ªI had no knowledge of this at all!¡± Lilly red at John as she gritted her teeth in frustration, but because her position was lower than his, she had no choice but to suppress her anger. Mr. Neil was standing at a side, enjoying the show. He was relieved that he had only arranged for Susan toe to apany Liam for a drink, and had nothing to do with Mr. Croft¡¯s fianc¨¦e! ¡°Go retrieve your 24-months sry from the finance department! Don¡¯t evere back.¡± Liam didn''t speak with a loud voice, and his usual indifferent look was back. Yet those words of his were nothing short of a bomb, causing everyone to jump out of their skin. They had all met their CEO''s previous fianc¨¦e¡ªshe was even prettier and more elegant than Miss Currie¡ªbut Liam had never been in such a rush before! It was a mere ss of wine. Even if Susan had done that on purpose, it didn''t require such a decision right? What more to say, John had worked for years at thispany¡ªhow could Liam just fire him this way? This was simply too heart-wrenching! After settling matters with John, Liam diverted his attention to Mr. Neil. ¡°Sell off your shares. I¡¯ll pay you double the price.¡± Liam dragged Amber with him as he left the hall that was dead silent, leaving the crowd behind to wonder amongst themselves. The jolly celebration had suddenly turned into a murderous situation. Once they walked out of the dining hall, Liam let go of Amber¡¯s hand. Amber looked at Liam in confusion and realized that he looked terrible¡ªeven worse than when they were in the dining hall! She had wanted to thank him, but seeing how bad he looked, she dared not open her mouth to say anything. Those bubbles of happiness deep down in her heart immediately popped. She was no fool. Liam was giving her attitude! If she had thought that Liam had a thing for her just now, it was evident that she had thought too highly N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. of herself. The reason he had so boldly stood up for her just now was probably none other than to protect his own reputation! Chapter 32 In a Foul Mood Chapter 32 In a Foul Mood Liam, who looked sulky, did not speak a word with Amber throughout the whole journey. After passing two junctions, he pulled up by the roadside. ¡°Get out of my car,¡± he ordered. Amber could not believe what she just heard. ¡°Is he doing this to me in the middle of a highway?¡± she wondered. The sky darkened earlier than usual during winter, and it was snowing outside. To her utter dismay, Liam, who had always prided himself on perfect manners, was abandoning her in the coldness. Liam did not even bother to look at her. He fixed his eyes on the ground which was covered with snow while drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. It was obvious that he was running out of patience, and he was sick of having Amber near him. Feeling humiliated, Amber bit her lower lip and got out of his car without asking him any questions. She saw no point in staying there and being an eyesore to him. It was silly of her to have harbored the wishful thinking that they might have a future together! She could never understand how the mind of rich people like him work, so it was probably best that she steered clear of him as soon as possible. Liam¡¯s car roared off right after she left. Deeply irritated by his action, Amber whirled around and red at his car resentfully. ¡°Liam Croft, you¡¯re a douchebag!¡± she cursed in her heart. At the same time, she felt a lump in her throat. ¡°Why did I even fantasize about having a rtionship with him before this? What¡¯s wrong with me? How can I forget that Mia Cavendish is his rightful partner? He¡¯s a man with a respectable status and background, and I¡¯m nothing. All we have between us is just a deal. When ites to an end, we¡¯ll be total strangers!¡± she thought. Liam watched Amber¡¯s reflection in the rearview mirror until it vanished out of his sightpletely. Then, he put the pedal to the metal to elerate his car. He kept all the windows open to allow the wintry wind to surge into his car, but it did little to unclutter his mind. ¡°Ethan, let¡¯s go for a drink.¡± To give Ethan a phone call, Liam stepped on the brake abruptly to slow down his car, producing an ear-splitting screeching sound. Inside a dimly lit bar, Liam downed a ss of wine and stared nkly at a wall painting in front of him. ¡°Hey, it seems like you¡¯re up for a change in your lifestyle!¡± With his jacket hung over his shoulder, Ethan paraded over with an impish grin on his face. He leaned toward Liam and gave him a suggestive look. Liam, who was unfazed, maintained an icy stare at him in silence. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Ethan retrieved his hand from Liam¡¯s shoulder and shed him a roguish smile. ¡°Why¡¯re you staring at me in this way? Did you just have an epiphany that you¡¯re more into men than women?¡± Thatment was thest straw. Finally, Liam grabbed a bottle of wine from the table and gently knocked Ethan¡¯s head with it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, okay?¡± Ethan sprung away from him and asked, ¡°What inspired you to ask me out tonight, Mr. Croft?¡± ¡°Just drink and stop talking.¡± Liam filled up a ss with wine and handed it to Ethan. In the meantime, Ethan eyed the half-empty bottle of wine in front of Liam suspiciously. ¡°Something¡¯s out of ce here. As far as I know, you always have perfect self-control when ites to drinking. It isn¡¯t normal for you to have finished half of that bottle before I¡¯m even here. Tell me, what¡¯s bothering you?¡± Staring at the half-empty bottle, Liam was not in the mood to answer his question. The longer Ethan studied his expression, the more convinced he became that something was amiss. ¡°Why are you looking so down in the dumps? I¡¯m sure it isn¡¯t about yourpany. Has Mia decided to dump you?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re going to ramble on for the whole night, you might as well leave right now.¡± Liam threw a spiteful look at Ethan. Ethan was right¡ªLiam had always had incredible self-control and had never let his emotions show. However, he was a different man when he fired several senior employees of hispany because of Amber. Without him realizing it, Amber had slowly be someone important enough in his life to affect his mood and emotions. At that thought, Liam took a swig of the wine again. He loathed the feeling of losing control. He always despised those who could not control their emotions well, thinking they were no different from morons. But now, he had started acting like one of them because of a woman he barely knew! It had been the first time Liam felt disappointed in himself in the past thirty-one years of his life. Chapter 33 Who’s Your Crush? Chapter 33 Who¡¯s Your Crush? Having no other ce to go, Amber returned to Liam¡¯s apartment albeit reluctantly. She opened the door and saw Mia, who was wearing a ckcy dress with an apron tied to her waist. A trace of disappointment flickered in Mia¡¯s eyes when she saw Amber, but she concealed it quickly enough before Amber could notice it. Mia shed Amber a bashful smile and said, ¡°I¡¯m preparing dinner for tonight, and I¡¯ve brewed Liam¡¯s favorite chicken soup. Ms. Currie, would you like to have some?¡± Looking at Mia¡¯s beautiful face and how domesticated she appeared, Amber was seized by a sense of inferiority. She shook her head and answered Mia with a smile, ¡°Thanks, but I think I¡¯ll pass because I just had my dinner outside. Well, I should let you get back to your cooking.¡± Amber then returned to her room. She felt like calling Pearl, but she was worried that she might have already gone to bed. After some hesitation, she decided to send Emma a message instead: ¡°Emma, how does it feel to fall in love with someone?¡± She received a reply from Emma in a sh: ¡°Who have you fallen in love with?! Have you slept with him yet?!¡± Being a drama queen as always, Emma sounded agitated. Amber couldn¡¯t help chuckling at her message; she could easily imagine how excited Emma must be looking at that moment. She replied: ¡°I can¡¯t say for sure that I¡¯ve fallen in love with him, but it just feels good to be around him.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s the guy?! Do I know him?!¡± Emma¡¯s message came with several face-with-monocle emojis. Amber took some time to consider her answer before replying to Emma: ¡°Forget it. There¡¯s no point in telling you about him because nothing¡¯s going to happen between us. Also, I¡¯m pretty sure my feelings for him aren¡¯t reciprocated.¡± Soon, she received an audio message from Emma. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Amber, I can¡¯t talk right now. Make sure your phone is switched on for the rest of the day because I¡¯ll call you backter!¡± Amber put down her phone. She shook her head in resignation at Emma¡¯s unquenchable thirst for gossips. Then, she tiptoed her way out to the bathroom outside to wash up. From the corner of her eyes, she could see Mia sitting at the dining table, staring at the spread of delectable food with anticipation in her eyes. With the flowers in the vase in full bloom, the ptable food on the table, and the warm lighting that brought out Mia¡¯s dazzling, Amber could tell the night was bound to be a perfect one for Liam and her. Amber did not want to ruin the perfection with her presence. So, she finished her business in the bathroom quickly and scuttled back to her room as fast as she could manage. She did not like the idea of having to do everything in the apartment surreptitiously, and she could N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. hardly put up with the awkward situation. Now that Mia was back, she had no choice but to sneak around because she was just Liam¡¯s bogus fianc¨¦e. She tossed and turned on her bed, unable to fall asleep. After some time, she heard someone opening the main door outside. It was followed by Mia¡¯s upbeat voice. ¡°Liam, you¡¯re finally back!¡± ¡°Oh dear, you¡¯re so wasted¡­ Why did you get so drunk with your clients? It¡¯s been years since youst got this ripped. Let me brew some tea for you to make you feel better.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need it. I¡¯m feeling alright.¡± Amber felt a dull pain in her heart when she heard Liam¡¯s slurred speech. ¡°What about some chicken soup then? I¡¯ve brewed it for hours. Do you still remember how much you used to love it?¡± Mia spoke coyly. Deep down inside, Amber felt disheartened after observing Mia in action. In her opinion, Mia was the embodiment of a perfect wife¡ªnot only was she beautiful, but she was also a great cook. Amber could not even recognize some of the gourmet dishes she had prepared. ¡°I¡¯m no match for her. I¡¯d be a joke if I thought I could everpete with her,¡± Ambermented. ¡°Oh, Liam! Please put me down first! What a naughty boy you are¡­¡± Suddenly, Mia let out a soft exmation in a voice as sweet as honey. ¡°Hmm¡­ You can¡¯t do this when you are reek of alcohol! Go and brush your teeth first! Hmm¡­ Liam, you¡¯re so annoying¡­¡± Her voice faded as they retreated to the master bedroom. Atst, Amber could hear nothing after the door was mmed shut. Sitting on the bed, Amber pped her hand over her mouth as tears started streaming down her face. ¡°Why am I crying? Am I still clinging to the hope that something might happen between Liam and me? Am I in the position to feel upset because Liam and Mia are sleeping with each other?¡± she thought. ¡°I¡¯m such a joke.¡± ¡°Amber Currie, you¡¯re the dumbest girl in the world! You¡¯re hopeless, and I look down on you!¡± she reprimanded herself in her head. In the darkness, she pped herself in the face. Chapter 34 He Understood It Perfectly Well Chapter 34 He Understood It Perfectly Well Amber had no idea how she fell asleep that night, but she woke up the next morning to a terrible headache. After making sure the coast was clear outside, she crept her way to the bathroom and washed up. She then scooped up her backpack and got ready to head to the library to do some research. Her phone rang when she was putting on her sneakers in the foyer. ¡°Good morning, Amber. I¡¯m sorry that I didn¡¯t have time to call you backst night. Now, I¡¯m all yours. Spill the tea and tell me all about your crush!¡± Emma was already full of pep although it was early in the morning. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take what I saidst night too seriously because I was only joking.¡± Amber had no intention of delving into the subject at the moment. As Mia¡¯s kittenish voice she heardst night was still resounding in her head, she would be throwing her self-esteem away if she still thought she stood a chance with Liam. Emma was unconvinced. ¡°Don¡¯t try to bluff me by saying that! I know you too well to be sure that you¡¯re lying. Answer me now¡ªhave you fallen in love with Liam Croft? He¡¯s the most likely candidate I can think of!¡± Emma¡¯s spot-on guess startled Amber. She identally dropped her keys on the floor, producing a loud clinking noise. Quickly, she stole a furtive nce at Liam¡¯s bedroom. Seeing that the door was still shut, she reckoned that the lovey-dovey couple was still sleeping in each other¡¯s embrace. She stuffed her keys back into her trouser pockets and squirmed her feet into a pair of sneakers hurriedly. In an undertone, she denied vehemently, ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m falling in love with Liam because we simply don¡¯t belong to the same world! Well, I¡¯ve got to go.¡± To stop her from hanging up, Emma yelled, ¡°Hey, you¡¯re not allowed to end this call until you give me a clear exnation. Don¡¯t tell me you still have feelings for Oliver.¡± Amber, who was desperate to end the discussion, answered perfunctorily, ¡°Yes, I still have feelings for Oliver. Are you satisfied now, Ms. King? Am I allowed to hang up now?¡± In response, Emma mumbled in dissatisfaction, ¡°I know you just said that to brush me off. The sun would be rising from the west if you still had feelings for him!¡± With a faint smile, Amber replied, ¡°Listen, I must get going now or there will be no seats left for me in the library.¡± After ending the phone call with Emma, Amber closed the main door as gently as she could and left the apartment. Right after the door was closed, Liam walked out of a corner well-hidden by a cab in the living room. His face looked unruffled as usual, but his hands were clenched tightly around a ss of water. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? There¡¯s no way I¡¯m falling in love with Liam¡­ Yes, I still have feelings for Oliver¡­¡± He had heard what Amber said very clearly just now. Indeed, Amber and he did not belong to the same world. He was going to take over his family business in the future, and Mia yed a crucial part in bolstering his position in thepany. People around him had always envied him for being born into a rich family, but no one realized that he would be left with nothing if he was stripped of his status. Women and rtionships had always been at the bottom of his priority list. He needed to focus his attention fully on fending off enemies who could jeopardize his position. Liam downed the ss of water. A barely noticeable smile emerged on his face in which there were traces of bitterness and relief. The wind was blustery and the snow was falling heavily that day. By the time Amber arrived at the library, her jacket was nearly drenched. The library was less crowded than usual owing to the atrocious weather. She chose a seat near the window and dried her jacket on the heater. Then, she took out some books and herptop from her bag to start working on her dissertation. Her secondhandptop was gued with glitches right after she switched it on. It quickly drove Amber, who was already in a bad mood that day, up the wall. ¡°Hey, what a coincidence to see you here!¡± Amber looked up to find Jack waving his hands at her. There was a wide grin on his handsome face, and his pearly white teeth gave him a healthy and refreshing aura. ¡°Hey, Jack!¡± Amber smiled politely back at him. Seeing Jack had no intention to leave, she cleared up the chair next to her for him. ¡°Here¡¯s a piece of good news for you¡ªI believe I can get you a copy of the book I damaged in no time,¡± Jack said earnestly. As the poption of girls was more than guys at the university, Jake was no doubt very popr among the girls. Amber was surprised by how clear his eyes were and how good-natured his smile looked. Those were the things other guys like him did not have. ¡°That¡¯s great! I appreciate that,¡± Amber said with a smile. Mesmerized by her smile, Jack tried hard to keep hisposure. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t thank me at all. That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do after damaging your book.¡± The atmosphere became rxed andfortable after they exchanged a smile with each other. Jack did not disturb Amber after the conversation. Instead, he took the table next to hers and started reading a book. Amber returned her attention to her book too. The ce was so still and quiet that only the sound of the raging wind outside could be heard. Surprisingly, the sound added more tranquility and peace to the N?velDrama.Org owns this text. ce. Chapter 35 The Young Man from a Rich Family Chapter 35 The Young Man from a Rich Family ¡°Mr. Croft, the traffic ahead is moving like a snail¡¯s pace. Shall we switch to the route that passes by the University of Nerton?¡± Inside the ck MPV, the driver asked for Liam¡¯s instruction respectfully when he noticed there was a traffic jam somewhere down the highway. ¡°I think we should just wait until it clears up,¡± Liam turned down the driver¡¯s suggestion out of instinct. With a frown on his forehead, he turned to look at the towering gate of the campus. Just as the driver was about to move the car back to the highway, Liam changed his mind. ¡°Hold on. N?velDrama.Org owns ? this. Let¡¯s take the route you suggested just now¡­¡± The driver heeded his instruction by quickly steering the MPV in another direction. The tires screeched loudly when the car swerved sideways abruptly. The driver immediately checked Liam¡¯s expression through the rearview mirror. Much to his relief, Liam did not look irritated. Wiping off the sheen of cold sweat on his forehead, the driver felt suspicious. It was abnormal for Liam, who usually was decisive, to be wishy-washy when it came to deciding something as trivial as choosing the routes. The road along the university route was deserted. The ginkgo trees nted around the campus were covered in snow, and they looked lifeless without their leaves. The campus, which consisted of a mixture of ancient and modern buildings, was a perfect ce to study because it had an air of serenity. Staring at the campus out of the window, Liam wondered what Amber was doing at that moment. Could be she studying in the library? Or, could she be on her way back home? Although they were living in the same ce in the same city, the physical closeness was not enough to bring their hearts together. Suddenly, Liam¡¯s attention was caught by a couple strolling along the pedestrianne. A young man carrying a backpack was chatting with a girl walking next to him. Liam could not see his face clearly, but he couldn¡¯t be more familiar with the girl beside him. It was Amber. Her cheeks were red because of the freezing weather, and she was beaming at the guy she was talking to. ¡°Slow down.¡± The moment Liam uttered the instruction to the driver, he regretted it. He strained his eyes trying to take a better look at the guy¡¯s face. However, all he could see was his side profile and his nicelybed hair. The guy was wearing a pair of faded jeans together with a ck leather jacket. Liam narrowed his eyes when he recognized his outfit to be the new arrivals of a luxurious brand. Based on that, Liam deduced that the man came from a well-off family and he tried to stay low profile. Not only was he young and rich, but he also had a great fashion sense. Based on his body and demeanor, Liam could tell he must be an outstanding man. ¡°I bet a guy like him is irresistible to Amber. They are of the same age, they have many things in ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Liam instructed. He moved his eyes back and pressed the button to cover the window with curtains. ¡°Let¡¯s continue this discussion tomorrow. Where shall we meet?¡± Jack paused in his tracks and asked Amber with a pleasant smile. Somehow, he managed to suppress the urge to offer her a ride home. Amber responded delightfully, ¡°I can¡¯t believe you manage to find that book in such a short time! Let¡¯s meet at the library tomorrow too. I¡¯m usually there in the morning to work on my dissertation.¡± ¡°Sounds good to me. See you tomorrow!¡± Instead of trying to prolong the conversation, Jake walked away after waving Amber goodbye. Amber then made her way to a bus station where she boarded a bus back to Liam¡¯s apartment. The idea of going back to the apartment was extremely off-putting to her. It was because she would be forced to watch the sweet interaction between Liam and Mia there. ¡°Should I talk to Liam about moving out while Mia is staying with him?¡± she wondered. She would have to rent a ce since the house she used to stay in had been sold. All the proceeds of the sale had been given to Pearl. Although Liam had promised to sponsor Pearl¡¯s expenditure while she was living abroad, Amber thought it was safer for Pearl to have some cash with her. Just then, Amber fumbled in her trouser pocket and her heart sank. ¡°Where are the keys to the apartment? Why is the pocket empty? I remember very clearly that I did put them there this morning!¡± she thought. She went on to rummage her backpack, but there was no sign of the keys. After hesitating for a long time, she decided to turn to Liam for help. Chapter 36 Awkwardness Chapter 36 Awkwardness Liam was invited by Ethan to host the award ceremony at the annual general meeting of the Adams Corporation. He was heading toward the venue after alighting from the MPV when his phone rang. Liam did not hesitate to pick up the call knowing that it was from Amber. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± His icy tone belied his true feelings because he paused in his tracks to give Amber his full attention. Meanwhile, William Yates, the vice president of the Adams Corporation, was standing by the roadside to wee Liam¡¯s arrival. He waited patiently for Liam to finish the phone call. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve forgotten my keys¡­¡± Amber was deterred frompleting her sentence because of Liam¡¯s icy tone. What was she to ask Liam to head back to the apartment just to open the door for her? After a short beat, Liam answered tly, ¡°I¡¯ll be there in half an hour. Why don¡¯t you wait for me at Vincent¡¯s first?¡± Then, he hung up on her without waiting for her response. Amber stared nkly at her phone, embarrassment slowly eating her up. The way Liam spoke to her just now was so cold that it sounded almost rude. He did not bother about manners anymore because his resentment toward her was way too overpowering. Tears started welling up in her eyes. After some time, she made up her mind to pull herself together and not to be bothered by how Liam felt toward her. After all, their deal was about to end in six months. Vincent¡¯s was a niche caf¨¦ a short walk away from Liam¡¯s apartment. The ce was renovated in a sophisticated way. Top-notch service was offered there, and everything cost a bomb. It was not the type of ce Amber frequented, and she did not have enough cash to afford a visit there at that moment either. Therefore, she had no choice but to wait for Liam in the lobby instead. The warmth in her body was quickly sapped by the gusty wind blowing her way non-stop. Soon, her hands started shivering in coldness. ¡°Mr. Yates, I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to host the award ceremony due to some emergency. I¡¯ll phone Mr. Adamster to inform him of my absence.¡± After ending the phone call with Amber, Liam walked up to William and took his outstretched hand. William responded pleasantly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, Mr. Croft.¡± As soon as Liam returned to the MPV, he instructed the driver to send him back to the apartment as quickly as possible. The driver knew Liam had agreed to show his support for Ethan at the annual general meeting. Sensing the urgency in Liam¡¯s voice, the driver thought something serious had taken ce. ¡°Mr. Croft, has something bad happened to Ms. Cavendish?¡± he couldn¡¯t help asking. Mr. Baker the driver had been offering his service to the Croft family for decades. Because of that, he knew the ins and outs of Liam¡¯s rtionship with Mia. ¡°Nope.¡± Liam threw a warning nce at Mr. Baker. That was a hint reminding Mr. Baker that he had crossed the line. Terrified, Mr. Baker quickly kept his mouth shut and focused his attention back on the road. Liam called Ethan next to inform him of his absence. Knowing Liam very well, Ethan believed Liam would not stand him up if it wasn¡¯t for something super important. Worryingly, he asked, ¡°Liam, what happened? Is it something serious? Do you need my help?¡± Liam responded after a short pause, ¡°I appreciate your offer, but I think I can fix it myself.¡± ¡°Why did both Mr. Baker and Ethan assume that something serious has taken ce? Is this the first time I skip something important for an insignificant matter?¡± Knitting his brows together, Liam was bothered by the disconcerting thought. The truth was, he could hardlyprehend his own decision too. He wondered whether he was under some spell just now when he decided to rush back to his apartment. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. He could have let Amber wait at the caf¨¦ until he came back from the annual general meeting. He had a feeling that he was losing control of things in his life, and he detested it. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m falling in love with Liam because we simply don¡¯t belong to the same world!¡± He could still vividly remember what she said over the phone that morning. Yet, he just could not stop himself from caring about her. Chapter 37 Period Chapter 37 Period Liam saw Amber shivering amidst the biting wind when his MPV approached the apartment. She looked haggard¡ªher long hair was tousled, and her nose and lips were red. He felt a dull pain in his heart when he saw her. He peeled his eyes away from her and instructed the driver, ¡°Mr. Baker, please ask Ms. Currie to get inside the car.¡± Mr. Baker immediately pulled up next to where Amber was standing and opened the window. ¡°Ms. N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. Currie, please get into the car! It¡¯s freezing outside!¡± Amber looked relieved when she saw Mr. Baker and quickly scurried over to the MPV. Just as she was about to open the door to the front seat next to Mr. Baker, the door to the back passenger seat was opened. It was Liam. He was watching her with a nonchnt face. Thinking that it would be inappropriate to snub him, Amber had no choice but to ease herself inside the back of the MPV. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait for me at Vincent¡¯s?¡± Liam nced at her windswept hair and questioned her in a frigid tone. ¡°She¡¯s such an idiot to wait outside when the weather is this terrible,¡± he thought. Amber responded in a cold tone simr to his. ¡°I enjoy the chilly weather.¡± Her eyes were fixed on the window when she answered him. ¡°Goodness gracious, who does he think he is? Why do I have to wait at the ce he asked me to? He¡¯s just my business partner, not my father!¡± Amber grumbled in her mind. Her response put a deep frown on Liam¡¯s forehead. ¡°It¡¯s so hard tomunicate with this woman!¡± he They took the elevator from the basement parking lot to their apartment. Their reflections in the mirror-like walls inside the elevator reminded them just how ipatible they were with each other. Liam was dressed smartly in a suit that ented his tall and fit body. He was good-looking with a perfectly symmetrical face, and he had a cool and dashing demeanor. Meanwhile, Amber looked like a mess. Her worn-out and rumpled jacket looked especially shabby and cheap under the bright lights in the elevator. Her hair was unkempt, her face looked pale, and her lips were slightly bluish. Because of all that, her beauty was obscured. Amber kept her eyes downcast to avoid looking at their reflection. She needed no reminder to know that Liam was way out of her league. Due to the warmth inside the elevator, the pain she had been feeling in her lower abdomen since she was waiting for Liam outside suddenly intensified. Amber was puzzled, considering that she was only supposed to have her period three dayster. Still, the throbbing pain felt so familiar to her that she was sure it was period pain. When they reached the apartment, the pain got so overwhelming that she could barely stand upright. Her fringe was soaked with sweat on her forehead. Colors drained from her face and her lips. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Liam, who noticed she was limping, quickly extended his hands to hold her still. Amber could barely speak due to the acute pain. Still, she mustered all her remaining strength to shake her head at Liam. ¡°I¡¯m alright. I just need to lie down on the bed and rest.¡± She was in so much pain that she started tearing up. The thin film of tears made her eyes glisten and sparkle. Liam¡¯s heart fluttered because of the captivating sight. To keep his emotions in control, he quickly moved his eyes away from hers and helped her into her room. The moment Ambery down on the bed, something warm and wet gushed out from her down under in an instant. As her expectation, she was having her period earlier than her estimation! Her menstrual flow seemed to be heavier than usual this time mostly because she had been standing in the bitterly cold wind just now. ¡°Damn it! I¡¯m going to stain the bed linen and the mattress protector! What am I supposed to deal with them when Liam is here?¡± she thought. A frisson of anxiety hit her at that thought. ¡°You really should get back to work now. I¡¯m fine.¡± Amber was eager to get Liam out of her room. Her top priority at the moment was to get her hands on a sanitary pad and dealt with her condition in the bathroom. Otherwise, her bedroom would soon look like a crime scene. Chapter 38 Don’t Move Chapter 38 Don¡¯t Move ¡°Are you sure you are alright?¡± Liam couldn¡¯t help worrying about Amber seeing the beads of cold sweats on her forehead and her pale face. ¡°I¡¯m sure! Just get out of here now!¡± Amber held her butt up with both her hands so that the bed linen would not be stained by her menstrual blood. She was too preupied with her plight that she was oblivious to how harsh she sounded. Liam froze for two seconds before making his way to the door. ¡°Just call me over if you have any problems.¡± ¡°What a foul-tempered woman Amber was! I would surely just ignore her if she did not look so miserable,¡± he thought. Before meeting Amber, he had never dealt with women as rude and surly as her. Finally, Amber released the tension in her muscles when Liam was gone. To her dismay, blood started flowing out from her body even more rapidly after she rxed her muscles. With one hand covering her belly and the other holding the bedside table to support herself, she tried to reach for the sanitary pads kept inside the drawer. A spasm of sharp pain from her belly hit her when she stood up, causing her to stumble forward and copse on the floor. A searing pain came from her tailbone in an instant. Coupled with the pain in her lower abdomen, she was too weak to stand back up. ¡°What happened? Did you fall off the bed?¡± Liam barged into her room after hearing themotion. Seeing Amber lying on the ground, he stretched out his arms toward her. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Amber shifted her body away from him. She was very sure that her trousers had already been stained by her menstrual blood. If she allowed Liam to carry her, her menstrual blood would stain his hands too! Liam was irritated by how stubbornly Amber rejected his touch even when she desperately needed help. At the same time, he wished he could be cruel enough to let her suffer alone. Yet, he couldn¡¯t turn a blind eye to her pain. After hesitating for several seconds, he decided to carry her despite her protests. In a domineering manner, he pinned both of her arms to her back and lifted her from the floor. She could detect his masculine scent and hear his steady and strong heartbeats when her face was pressed against his chest. Thanks to his higher body temperature, she felt warm andfortable in his arms. Time seemed to stand still at the moment. Amber froze, entranced by his chiseled and beautiful jawline. At the same time, she wondered why she was feeling so safe and secure in the arms of a man who did not belong to her. Liam happened to look down at her too. When their eyes met, they fused such a powerful connection that it blew both of them away. They quickly moved their eyes elsewhere, feeling flustered. Suddenly, Liam felt something sticky and warm on his palms. He checked his hands and was taken aback by the bright red stains on them. ¡°Are you injured?¡± Horrified, Liam¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Why is she losing so much blood?¡± he wondered. Amber was so embarrassed that she wished she could hide somewhere. She squirmed around in an attempt to get on her feet, but Liam insisted on carrying her. In her desperation, she buried her face in his chest to avoid his inquisitive eyes. N?velDrama.Org owns this text. Amber was certain she was experiencing the most embarrassing moment in her life. With Amber cowering in his arms, Liam could not see anything but her reddened ears. He could tell there was something not right with Amber, but he could not pinpoint the issue. ¡°Lie down on the bed. I¡¯ll take a look at your injury.¡± He gave up trying to pry information from her and decided to take a look at her himself. Amber jumped out of her skin when she heard his offer. Unable to keep mum any longer, she struggled to free herself from his arms and pleaded, ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that because¡­I¡¯m just feeling slightly under the weather. Don¡¯t worry, I can take care of myself! You should get back to your room now.¡± While she was writhing about in his arms, her body was brushing against some of the most sensitive areas of his body. Suddenly, his muscles tensed up and his throat was parched with desire. The blood in his body rushed downward and he was losing control of himself. As his mind was in turmoil, his brain did not have enough capacity to interpret what Amber said. In a raspy voice, he warned, ¡°Stop moving around, or¡­¡± Amber, who assumed that he would insist on examining her body, blurted, ¡°That¡¯s enough, Liam! You have no business here because I¡¯m just having my period!¡± Chapter 39 The Tweet Chapter 39 The Tweet Liam went stupefied when he heard that. He was not one of those ignorant guys who did not know that women had periods. For some reason, the thought of it just did not ur to him just now. It was hard for Liam to describe his feeling at the moment¡ªit was a mixture of awkwardness, confusion, and joy of knowing something private to Amber. Thinking that things couldn¡¯t get any worse after she told Liam the truth, Amber appeared considerably calmer. She scowled at him and snapped, ¡°Let me go now!¡± Liam, who was jolted back to his senses by her angry stare, realized he still had her in his arms. With his face burning with embarrassment, he quickly put her down on the bed and tucked her in. Just as he was about to leave, he found Amber staring at him with a sly smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Liam felt uneasy under her stare. He stopped himself from touching his face just in time when he remembered his hands were still covered with blood. Amber, who decided to pull his leg, beckoned him over. ¡°Come over here. There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡± Liam, who was used to givemands to people who work for him, was not used to it when things happened the other way round. He approached Amber hesitatingly and asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Smiling craftily, Amber stared at him and drawled, ¡°Liam, your face was so red just now!¡± Liam dashed out of her room in a sh to avoid the embarrassment. Amber guffawed in delight while watching his back. Making fun of Liam killed two birds with one stone ¡ªit alleviated the pain in her belly and gave her a goodugh when she saw the funny look on Liam¡¯s face. She wondered whether the tabloids would believe it if she told them that Liam, the president of the Watson Group, would blush when someone talked about periods in his presence! Feeling ted because of her sessful prank on Liam, Amber fumbled in the drawer in search of the sanitary pads. To her horror, the drawer was empty. She thought she still had some stashed inside it, but apparently, she was wrong. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . How was she supposed to go out and buy some in her current condition? She ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. Usually, the flow was heavier on the first day of her period. She dreaded to imagine how her bed and her trousers would look like if she could not get her hands on some pads as soon as possible. She took stock of her situation and decided there was only one way to save her out of the debacle. Liam was restlessly reading his emails in the study room when he received a text. His pulse raced faster when he saw it was from Amber. Without hesitation, he read her message. ¡°Could you please do me a favor and buy me some pads at the convenience store downstairs?¡± When Liam stepped foot in the convenience store, he felt like a hero who was going to save the world. It had been his first time buying sanitary pads for a woman in his life. Thest time he swung by a convenience store was ten years ago when he was still a student. After he graduated from university, he no longer had to worry about his daily necessities because his housekeepers would take care of them for him. Therefore, he had no idea how sanitary pads looked like at all. Pacing back and forth in front of the shelf filled with wet wipes, tissues, and cotton pads from various brands, Liam was in a spin. ¡°Excuse me, could you please fetch me a packet of pads?¡± Liam, who was at his wit¡¯s end, had no choice but to turn to the shop assistant for help. ¡°Pads?¡± The shop assistant swooned over his good looks while asking curiously, ¡°Do you need sanitary pads or cotton pads?¡± ¡°I need those for girls when they¡¯re having a period,¡± Liam answered with his voice strained with embarrassment, which was rare because he was usually good at keeping hisposure. ¡°I see. It¡¯s sanitary pads that you¡¯re looking for.¡± Staring at Liam¡¯s handsome face, the shop assistant was envious of his girlfriend. ¡°I can¡¯t believe a hottie like him is also a sweet guy who buys sanitary pads for his girlfriend. I¡¯m sure his girl must be a rich and gorgeous one. s, a girl like me is never going to get such a good catch like him!¡± she thought. While Liam was paying for the pads at the cashier, the shop assistant secretly snapped a photo of him. She went on to type a caption for the picture: ¡°Look at that major babe who visits the store to buy sanitary pads for his girlfriend! He looks so adorably awkward!¡± She clicked on a button and tweeted it. Chapter 40 The One Used by Paris Hilton Chapter 40 The One Used by Paris Hilton Much to Amber¡¯s relief, she found some pantyliners stashed in her backpack. She should be able to get by with them until Liam came back. Then, she quickly reced the soiled sheets and got changed. Thinking that it was not a good idea to throw her bloodstained sheets and clothing straight into the washing machine, she stuffed them into theundry basket. She nned to wash them with her hands after Liam was gone. When Liam made it back, he found that Amber had changed the sheets. He did not ask any questions despite feeling curious. He did not want to risk aggravating Amber by asking her awkward questions. ¡°Here¡¯s the thing you need.¡± Liam handed a carrier bag to Amber. Both of them carefully avoided each other¡¯s eyes during the process. Amber went speechless when she saw what was inside the carrier bag. The bag was filled to the brim with at least twenty packets of sanitary pads. They were enough tost her for a couple of months. ¡°Thanks! How much are they? I should pay you back.¡± Amber kept her eyes fixed on Liam¡¯s shoes when she thanked him. ¡°I paid it with my credit card, so I didn¡¯t notice the price.¡± There was a barely noticeable trace of annoyance in Liam¡¯s level voice. ¡°He didn¡¯t notice the price! That¡¯s the typical thing rich people do,¡± Amber muttered in her mind. Just as she wanted to ask Liam to give her an approximate figure, he had left. Amber was not in the mood to dwell on it. She immediately took a pad and rushed her way into the bathroom. Colors drained from her face several seconds after she put the pad on as an icy wave surged from her down under right up to her lower belly. She started shivering as her body quickly started losing heat. Feeling puzzled, she grabbed the packet of sanitary pads and scrutinized its packaging. Only then did she realize that the pads were designed for the summer and they were made with a unique ¡°Cool Pad Technology¡±. The ¡°Cool Pad Technology¡± was a horrible idea during winter. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with Liam? Why didn¡¯t he take a closer look at the packaging before he bought it? Oh, no. I¡¯ve owed him a huge sum of money and a big favor in return for a pile of sanitary pads that are going to freeze me to death!¡± shemented. She could not believe her luck. Atst, she decided to put up with the difort and made her way to the convenience store herself to buy some sanitary pads of the normal variant. When she was back, she happened to see Liam standing by the door, signing the receipt of some stuff he bought online. At the sight of Amber, Liam handed the box to her. ¡°I bought you a set of new sheets.¡± Amber looked as though she was just struck by lightning. She tossed the carrier bag she was holding aside and dashed toward the bathroom. As her expectation, her soiled sheets and clothing had vanished. Staring at the emptyundry basket, Amber felt both embarrassed and furious. ¡°Who does he think he is? Why does he think he has the right to throw my stuff away? Did he ask for my permission before he did that?¡± she thought. She marched furiously back to the living room. ¡°Liam Croft, where are the sheets in theundry basket?¡± she confronted him, her voice an icy st. Liam was taken aback by how miffed she looked. ¡°I¡¯ve thrown them away. Is there a problem?¡± ¡°Is she going to wash the soiled sheets and use them after that? Isn¡¯t that disgusting?¡± he wondered. The idea of keeping the bloodstained sheets was uneptable to Liam, who was a clean freak. ¡°That¡¯s my stuff! Shouldn¡¯t you have asked for my permission first before dumping them?¡± Amber tried N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. her best to keep her strained voice calm. Liam shrugged. ¡°Why don¡¯t you take a look at the new sheets I¡¯ve got you?¡± The sheets, which were also used by Paris Hilton, set him back 300 dors. The design was beautiful and the material wasfy. Liam was sure Amber would like it. Chapter 41 Why Does She React So Aggressively? Chapter 41 Why Does She React So Aggressively? Amber stared at Liam incredulously. He sounded very sure that she would ept his charity and every arrangement he made for her readily. That was what she hated most about him¡ªhis innate sense of superiority and condescending manner. The way he looked down on her and pitied her drove her up the wall. ¡°Please stop meddling in my business in the future!¡± Right after saying that Amber strode back to her bedroom furiously. She was indeed an ordinary folk, but that did not make her any less of his equal! She did not need his charity or his sympathy! ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Liam was dumbstruck while he watched Amber walking away. He stood rooted to the spot in silence for a while before heading back to his study room. He could not see why Amber reacted so aggressively to the new sheets he bought for her. In his opinion, he merely did it out of kindness. Atst, he concluded that Amber was probably in one of her mood swings during her period. While Liam was staring at his reflection on the ss windowpane, he realized to his horror that he couldn¡¯t stop himself from spending his time and effort on Amber. He frowned in irritation at that thought. To distract himself, he put a vinyl record on a gramophone and immersed his soul in the melody of ¡°Afternoon of a Faun¡± by ude Debussy. Meanwhile, Amber was having a video call with Pearl. Thanks to that, she was slowly able to calm herself down. Things seemed to be working out fine on Pearl¡¯s side. She had almostpleted all the preliminary examinations, and the next step was to undergo a final examination before the surgery. ¡°Amber, thanks for sending all my favorite snacks over here!¡± On the screen, Pearl looked energetic and in good spirits. Amber was dumbfounded because she did not send Pearl any snacks. As snacks generally contained food additives and preservatives which were not good for health, she did not send any to Pearl lest they might undermine the effectiveness of the surgery. ¡°Pearl, I didn¡¯t send you the snacks. How did you get them?¡± Amber¡¯s voice was strained with anxiety. She dreaded to imagine what would happen if the snacks were sent to Pearl by someone who tried to harm her. ¡°A nurse brought them to me, saying that the snacks were sent from my home country. Amber, are you sure you didn¡¯t buy them?¡± Pearl sounded equally confused. Amber pondered over what she said¡­ It just urred to her that Liam had asked her about Pearl¡¯s favorite food before. He must be the one who sent the snacks to Pearl! Amber was surprised by how Liam had gone the extra mile to take care of Pearl¡¯s needs. He was not obligated to do so since his rtionship with Amber was nothing more than a deal. Amber bit her lower lip as she felt a twinge of guilt deep down inside. She reflected on her attitude earlier and wondered whether she was being too harsh on him. ¡°Amber, are you still there? Have you found out who sent me the snacks? Could Emma be the one who did it?¡± Pearl asked when Amber fell silent. Amber shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s not Emma. I think the snacks are from Liam.¡± Upon hearing that, a bright smile spread across Pearl¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Liam! I adore that guy. Amber, could you please thank him on my behalf?¡± ¡°I will.¡± After having some small talk with Pearl, Amber ended the video call feeling preupied. ¡°Should I apologize to Liam? Perhaps, he only bought the sheets for me out of kindness instead of sympathy.¡± ¡°Am I being too sensitive?¡± she wondered. After ruminating about the issue for some time, she made her way to his study room and knocked on the door. She was sure Liam was inside because she could hear music ying from the gramophone. After adjusting her emotions, she put on the brightest smile she could manage on her face. Chapter 42 Her Attractive Scent Chapter 42 Her Attractive Scent Liam did not answer the door. Thinking that he probably could not hear her, Amber started rapping on the door even harder. Still, the door was not opened. ¡°Is he angry with me?¡± she wondered. Standing at the door, the smile on her face faded away. She decided it waspletely normal for Liam to be ticked off by her rude attitude earlier. ¡°Fine, I¡¯m just going to let him be sulky all day long inside. I can¡¯t just barge inside and beg for his ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . forgiveness, can I?¡± she mused. Amber shook her head in resignation before heading back to her room. Just as she walked past the pots of nts ced nearby the study room, Mia came back from outside. She looked hot wearing a ckcy dress with a snowy white fur coat draped on her shoulder. When she noticed Amber walking over from Liam¡¯s study, she knitted her brows slightly. She couldn¡¯t help wondering why Amber, who was wearing pajamas, dropped by Liam¡¯s study. ¡°Hey, Mia.¡± For some reason, the sight of Mia made Amber feel restless and somewhat guilty. She had no clue why she was feeling that way when she did not do anything wrong. Mia stered a pleasant smile on her face. ¡°How¡¯s it going, Amber?¡± She eyed Amber suspiciously, but she did not ask her anything about her visit to Liam¡¯s study room. Amber felt awkward as she was not even given the chance to exin herself. After the brief exchange with Mia, Amber quickly scurried back to her room. Meanwhile, Mia went to the study room and heard music ying inside. Her heart sank because she knew Liam was inside. As Liam did not answer the door, she opened it and walked straight inside. ¡°Liam, what¡¯s this song you¡¯re listening to?¡± Mia put aside her handbag and pecked on Liam¡¯s cheeks. Mia found herself being infatuated with Liam because of his good looks and his great taste in music. Subtly, Liam shifted away from Mia. ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be having dinner with your friend now? What brings you back home?¡± he asked with a smile. Smiling coyly, Mia slung her arms around his neck. ¡°I feel bad for leaving you alone at home. So, I¡¯ve canceled my dinner date with my friend to keep youpany.¡± Mia was puzzled because it was unusual for Liam to be at home at this hour. Liam checked the time on his wristwatch. ¡°It¡¯s dinnertime. What would you like to have for dinner?¡± Mia winked flirtatiously at him. ¡°There¡¯s a diner nearby which is famous for their fish and chips. I saw their advertisement in the elevator just now. Should we give it a go?¡± Liam chuckled in amusement, ¡°Are you sure about that? You¡¯ve never stepped foot in that sort of ce because you think the food is unhygienic.¡± Mia melted into his arms and said, ¡°Anything is gourmet food as long as I get to eat with you.¡± Liam¡¯s mind wandered off when he caught a whiff of the perfume Mia was wearing. It was a type of feminine, sweet, and alluring scent. However, it was not as charming to him as the scent of Amber¡¯s body¡­ ¡°Liam, what kind of discussion did you have with Amber just now?¡± Relishing the warmth in Liam¡¯s embrace, Mia asked tentatively. ¡°Amber? She wasn¡¯t here just now.¡± Liam sounded confused. ¡°She wasn¡¯t? I must have gotten the wrong idea when I saw her walking back to her room from the corridor.¡± A wave of relief washed over Mia at the moment. ¡°Well, let¡¯s head out for dinner then,¡± she said with a sweet smile. After Liam and Mia had left, Amber quickly got dressed and headed out for dinner. She was famished and she needed food immediately. Her stomach started rumbling when she saw the advertisement of a diner nearby that offered delectable-looking fish and chips. Chapter 43 She Can’t Have It Chapter 43 She Can¡¯t Have It When Mia and Liam entered the diner, the rest of the patrons couldn¡¯t help gluing their eyes on them. Liam was tall and handsome whereas Mia was beautiful and elegant. They exuded a distinguished aura that was out of tune with the morous and packed diner. The business was brisk. All the tables were taken except for one located just beside the door. A waitress approached them with a menu. ¡°Sir and Madam, this way, please. That table next to the window is avable. It¡¯s brighter and more spacious there, so I¡¯m sure the two of you will like it!¡± ¡°Brighter and more spacious? It¡¯s going to be freezing because the table is right next to the opened window.¡± Mia thought with her brows furrowed slightly in displeasure. Tempted by the sight of the delicious-looking fish and chips, Mia decided to sit down after some hesitation. They waited at the table after they finished ordering their food. Just then, they heard a waitress apologizing to a customer standing outside the diner. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, all the tables have been taken at the moment. Why don¡¯t you take a seat here and wait?¡± ¡°Sure. How long do I have to wait for a table to clear up?¡± The girl¡¯s voice immediately caught Liam and Mia¡¯s attention. It was Amber. She was wearing a ck down jacket with a backpack on her back. Amber couldn¡¯t help noticing it when Liam and Mia spun around in her direction at the same time. ¡°Ms. Currie, what a coincidence!¡± Mia greeted Amber enthusiastically. In response, Amber smiled pleasantly at her. ¡°What are the odds!¡± Noticing their interaction, the waitress said to Amber, ¡°It¡¯s wonderful that you girls know each other! Girl, why don¡¯t you just join your friends over there?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good idea¡­¡± Amber quickly shook her head. Thest thing she wanted at the moment was to be a third wheel to the pair of lovebirds. Mia did not want Amber to join them either, so she did not invite Amber over. Nevertheless, the waitress did not notice the tension in the air between them. She led Amber to Mia and Liam¡¯s table and said zealously, ¡°Please take a seat while I fetch you a cup of tea.¡± Amber¡¯s face was burning with embarrassment. Just as she wanted toe up with an excuse to flee the scene, Liam spoke in a collected voice, ¡°Why don¡¯t you sit down and have dinner with us?¡± There seemed to be a magic in his calm voice that could somehow convince everyone else to do everything he said. Thinking that it would be rude to turn Liam down, Amber had no choice but to sit down. Mia was not pleased. However, she started chatting with Amber affably instead of letting her emotions show. The food was delicious, but Amber had lost her appetite. She couldn¡¯t help feeling bitter seeing Mia wiping the non-existent stains on Liam¡¯s mouth and talking coquettishly with him. In the meantime, Liam kept a straight face no matter what Mia did. He did not appreciate her gestures nor did he show signs of repulsion. Mia noticed the sour expression on Amber¡¯s face. Based on that, she was positive that Amber had feelings for Liam too. While she was showing off how lovey-dovey she was with Liam, she was secretly sizing Amber up from the corner of her eyes. The coat Amber was wearing was worn out and out of style. Judging from the cheap material it was made of, Mia was sure Amber must have bought it from a thrift store. The jumper she was wearing underneath looked old and one size too small for her. Mia reckoned she must have been wearing that jumper for years. To make her outfit look even worse, she wore her outfit with a pair of hideous boots. Although Amber was blessed with a pair of long and slender legs, she kept them d in a pair of boring jeans. Mia couldn¡¯t believe a girl like her thought she had what it took to win Liam¡¯s heart. When they finished the food and asked for the bill, the waitress served them several ice-cream bars. ¡°Here¡¯s some desserts for you guys. They¡¯re on the house.¡± Enjoying cold desserts during winter had be a thing recently. Mia, who had never eaten an ice N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. cream bar,mented in amusement, ¡°These look interesting. Liam, please pass me one of them.¡± Liam handed one of the ice-cream bars to Mia without asking Amber whether she wanted it or not. Mia was baffled by Liam¡¯s behavior. Knowing that Liam was a gentleman, it seemed unusual to her that he would neglect Amber¡¯s needs. With a smile, she asked, ¡°Liam, why didn¡¯t you pass one to Ms. Currie too?¡± Liam nced at Amber before replying, ¡°She can¡¯t have it.¡± ¡°She can¡¯t have it? How did hee by that kind of information? What on earth happened between them?¡± Mia wondered. Mia then cast a prating nce at Amber. ¡°Ms. Currie, do you mind telling me why you can¡¯t have the ice cream?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Amber¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment. How was she supposed to answer her? To their surprise, Liam answered on her behalf candidly, ¡°She¡¯s having her period.¡± Chapter 44 Watching Every Step Chapter 44 Watching Every Step Liam¡¯s answer pierced through Mia¡¯s heart like a dagger. She couldn¡¯t believe that her fianc¨¦ knew about the menstrual cycle of another woman so well! Mia could hardly maintain the smile on her face. She was clenching her fists so tightly that her nails were cutting into her palms. Still, she managed to ask Liam with a smile, ¡°Liam, why do you know something so private to Ms. Currie?¡± Liam noticed the hard edge in her voice. After ncing at Amber, who was looking like a cat on a hot tin roof, he answered with greatposure, ¡°I learned it by chance.¡± His answer was not helpful at all. However, Mia did not probe knowing how Liam hated to be pestered with too many questions. Instead, she turned to look daggers at Amber. Amber looked awkward andpletely at a loss. She would suspect that everything was Liam¡¯s n to turn Mia against her if he did not look so innocuous at the moment. Unable to put up with the tension, Amber grabbed her backpack hurriedly and said, ¡°I¡¯ve got to go.¡± She was too desperate to leave the diner that she couldn¡¯t bother to care about manners. Then, she fought the blustery wind and ran back to the apartment. She opened the door to the apartment and found Mia¡¯s hat hanging on the rack, her designer high heels kept inside the shoe cab, and her lingering scent in the air. All of those things made her feel awful. To her dismay, Amber realized that she had be a third wheel who had shamelessly sabotaged Mia¡¯s rtionship with Liam. While they were still outside, she quickly took a shower in the bathroom and then retreated to her room. She balked at the prospect of bumping into them, so she was doing everything she could to prevent that from happening. After Amber was gone, none of Mia and Liam spoke while waiting for the waitress to fetch them their bill. The atmosphere at the table couldn¡¯t be more awkward. Mia was so disheartened that she was on the brink of bursting into tears. She had no idea what she N?velDrama.Org owns this text. had done wrong to deserve such treatment. As a woman who had been in love with Liam for years, she couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she was defeated by a woman whom Liam had only known for less than a month. The possibility that Liam might cheat on her had never urred to her. It was because she had always considered herself his perfect match in terms of her appearance, her education, her family background, and her personality. Liam had never spent much time mingling with women because his career and friends came first. However, things had changed drastically after he met Amber. Liam knew Mia was upset, but he was never fond of offering exnations. After a moment of silence, he patted her hands and said, ¡°Mia, there¡¯s nothing between Amber and me.¡± He said it half-heartedly. Did he speak the truth? Even Liam did not have a sure answer to that question. At that moment, he was not in the mood for some deep soul-searching. Mia was a woman with good emotional intelligence. Since Liam had given her an out, she did not hesitate to take it and act ordingly. ¡°Liam, I admit I was jealous and a little bit annoyed just now. But now, I¡¯ve decided to trust you,¡± she said. Mia knew that she would give Liam a sense of aplishment by telling him that he had her trust. Also, that would make him feel more guilty whenever he was going to do something that could let her down. After paying for the meal, they walked out of the diner. ¡°Liam, I feel like catching a movie. Let¡¯s do it together,¡± Mia suggested in a kittenish tone. She had to upy all his free time so that he would have no chance to be with Amber. ¡°Mia, I think we should maintain a distance from each other for the time being. We don¡¯t want the paparazzi to catch us being close to each other, do we?¡± Liam brushed her arm off his and said apologetically, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t watch the movie with you because I need to head back to the office. Why don¡¯t we do it tomorrow night? I¡¯ll reserve the entire cinema just for the two of us.¡± Mia puckered her lips in dissatisfaction. ¡°You¡¯re right. The paparazzi are so annoying. Can¡¯t you just terminate the agreement with Amber earlier?¡± Liam shook his head. ¡°Mia, the deal I¡¯m having with Amber isn¡¯t as simple as you might think. I have to watch my every move now because my situation is still pretty precarious at the moment. I¡¯m only able to end the deal with Amber after mypany finished the process of corporate restructuring.¡± Looking at his handsome side-profile, Mia nodded dispiritedly. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Mia, here¡¯s the thing.¡± Liam stared solemnly into her eyes and said, ¡°Amber will start appearing as my fianc¨¦e in public more frequently in theing months. So, you have to be mentally prepared for that.¡± ¡°Liam, I understand. I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Mia nodded with tears in her eyes. Liam let out a sigh. ¡°I know it must be tough for you,¡± he said while caressing her face. Chapter 45 Get Lost Chapter 45 Get Lost Mia Cavendish returned to Liam Croft¡¯s apartment alone. Though it was quiet inside, she could still smell the scent of another woman, Amber Currie. Frowning with disgust, Mia mmed the door. In a bad mood, she took out the iPad and passed the time by checking updates on Weibo. There was a post of ¡°Buying Sanitary Napkins for His Girlfriend¡± on today''s trending topic list. Mia clicked to open it. Having nced over the content, she looked more and more grave until her whole face was contorted with fury and jealousy. On the most popr post, there was a picture, which showed the profile of a man who was buying sanitary napkins for his ¡°girlfriend¡± in 7-ELEVEN! She recognized the man at once; after all, she couldn¡¯t be more familiar with him. Amber was on her period. Liam was buying sanitary napkins at the convenience store. The hatred, just like the raging wildfire, ignited the wrath of Mia immediately and finally got her lost her mind. She thought of nothing but tearing apart that innocent face of Amber. mming the iPad into the wall, Mia rushed to Amber¡¯s door like a whirlwind and banged on it. Amber, who was reading papers, was startled by the bangs on the door. She then ran quickly to open the door. No sooner had she opened the door and seen who it was out there, a resounding pnded on her face. Stunned by the p, Amber covered the part of her face and looked at Mia aze with anger. ¡°Amber Currie! You really have something on you! Does it feel so good to steal someone''s boyfriend? You had my boyfriend buy sanitary napkins for you. How dare you! You bitch!¡± Pointing the finger at Amber, Mia looked very terrifying. Mia found out about the sanitary napkins. Covering the part of her face, Amber exined hastily, ¡°Listen to me. It¡¯s not what you think. My period came, and Liam happened to ...¡± ¡°Shut up! Don¡¯t you ever, ever say the word Liam! You do not deserve it!¡± Mia wouldn¡¯t listen to her exnation at all. ¡°You want money, right? I can give you that. Please stop pestering my fianc¨¦!¡± Mia turned around and rushed into her bedroom, then she took out a check and threw it in Amber¡¯s face, ¡°Is 500,000 enough?!¡± Bit by bit, Amber¡¯s guilty faded away. She raised her head and kept her eyes on Mia coldly, ¡°You are so pathetic, Mia! If you doubt Liam and I are having an affair, you should seek Liam, rather than me for confirmation. After all, he is your fianc¨¦!¡± Mia sneered, ¡°If you hadn¡¯t seduced Liam on purpose, would he buy sanitary napkins for you?¡± Liam Croft was a man who always kept himself aloof from others. Though dating with her for several years, he never bought anything for her at the convenience store. Yet, he bought sanitary napkins for another woman! A sharp pain pierced Mia¡¯s heart like needles. She glowered at Amber and felt like pping her face once again. ¡°You¡¯ve sweet, kind and considerate around men, yet in the presence of women, you¡¯ve betrayed yourself and lost all reason. So much for a fair-skinned and prettydy from a decent family! I do pity you, Mia.¡± Amber said in a cold and calm voice, imitating Liam¡¯s way of speaking. She knew that would be quite annoying. Not surprisingly, Mia suddenly raged, and almost screamed, ¡°Get lost! Get out of Liam''s apartment! You are not wee here!¡± Amber looked at Mia¡¯s face and smiled softly, ¡°You are not in a position to say this. If you want me to get lost, tell Liam toe and say that himself.¡± After saying that, Amber mmed the door without giving Mia a chance to react. Outside the door, there came Mia¡¯s frantic kicking sound. With her back against the door, Amber slipped down slowly and squatted upon the ground. She buried her face in her arms, weeping a flood of tears. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Why? Why did she have to suffer such a humiliation? Why should she be called a ¡°bitch¡± though she was innocent? She knew that Liam was not the right person she could date with. Mia needn¡¯t remind her over and over again. She also knew she and Liam, were from different worlds. Her only connection, with him, was this contract. Amber chocked, trying hard to restrain herself from crying out. She didn¡¯t want Mia to hear her crying. Even being humiliated and belittled, she would straighten her back and keep smiling. Chapter 46 This is Life Chapter 46 This is Life Amber Currie began to pack up. She wanted to leave the house that suffocated her. She did not want to stay here for another second! Mia Cavendish was watching a video online when she suddenly heard the door shutting. Did Liam Croft Currie''s door wide open. Mia Cavendish walked over to have a look. The room was neat and clean, but the small things Mia Cavendish was overjoyed. She pulled the closet open and saw that it was empty inside. There were only a few clothes left. ''''It¡¯s weird, these clothes look brand new, and the style and texture are pretty good!'''' Mia Cavendish casually turned over the tag of a dress and looked at it. ''''Chanel!'''' Mia Cavendish was sure that those clothes were not hers, but how could there be Chanel in Amber Currie''s wardrobe? Standing by the closet for a while, Mia Cavendish suddenly realized. These clothes were bought by Liam Croft for Amber Currie! All of big brands still had hang tags on them. Mia Cavendish suddenly wanted tough. Liam Croft bought these clothes, but Amber Currie never wore them! Ridiculous? The man she loved to death, the man she worshiped like a Prince Charming, pleased other woman and was ignored! Too ridiculous! Mia Cavendish wanted tough, but tears fell in clusters. Her heart had never felt so painful that she could hardly breathe, and every cell in her body was crying in pain. ''''You don''t want it, do you? You don''t cherish it, do you? It will be wanted and cherished instead!'''' Mia Cavendish went to the bathroom to wash her face and put on makeup again. Her eyebrows were like a crescent moon with a light bend, her big eyes were charming and gentle, her straight nose, soft lips, white and delicate oval face. Everything was beautiful, but Liam Croft just didn''t see it. Mia Cavendish took out her phone, dialed a number, and called: "Ethan, what are you doing? I want to drink. Can youe with me?" When he received Mia Cavendish''s call, Ethan Adams was driving and was so panicked that he almost ran over a flowerbed by the side of the road. Mia Cavendish called him? Although they all yed together as kids, Mia Cavendish consciously kept a distance from him since she established a rtionship with Liam Croft. She would not call him for anything. Ethan Adams just couldn''t ept it and questioned her. But Mia Cavendish said that if they continued to keep in close contact, Liam Croft would get upset. Ethan Adams had loved Mia Cavendish for 20 years, and Mia Cavendish had loved Liam Croft for 20 years. This was fate, and there was no escaping it. Ethan Adams had already epted his fate. Surprisingly, Mia Cavendish took the initiative to call him and even ask him to drink with her! Liam Croft''s shadow shed in Ethan Adams''s mind and he asked, "where''s Liam? Is he going too?" "He is working overtime. Ethan, youe to stay with me." Mia Cavendish''s voice sounded like she was crying. Twenty years ago, when Ethan Adams fell in love with Mia Cavendish, she was being teased by two little boys with a blue caterpir crawling on her skirt. She was in tears, and her voice was hoarse from crying. She did not look beautiful or cute at all, but Ethan Adams just fell for her. He couldn''t stand seeing her cry. Even if she was now his sister-inw, someone else''s woman. Hearing her tearful voice, Ethan Adams still felt distressed. "OK now, don''t cry, where are you? I''lle right now." Ethan Adams asked for the address, hung up the call, and dialed Liam Croft''s phone number. "Sorry, the subscriber you have dialed is not in service..." the mechanical female voice mechanically repeated the same sentence. Ethan Adams tried more than a dozen times, but he couldn''t get through. Gritting his teeth, he turned the car around and drove to the bar Mia Cavendish had mentioned. There were both good and bad people there, and Mia was such a simple girl. It would be too unsafe for Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. a girl like her to be there alone. Chapter 47 It’s not Easy Chapter 47 It¡¯s not Easy By the time Ethan Adams rushed to Max¡¯s Bar, Mia Cavendish was already half-drunk. Mia¡¯s cheeks were flushed from the alcohol amidst abination of watery eyes and droopy eyelids. The dignity and grace characteristic of her had disappeared, leaving behind a tipsy and charming girl, looked at by other men of ill intent lustfully out of the corner of their eyes. ¡°Mia! Why did you drink so much!¡± Seeing the empty wine bottle on the table, Ethan felt angry and distressed. He shielded her from the sight of all the other men with his body and sat beside Mia. Her body was leaning against the sofa; so he used his arms to firmly pick her up. Mia was wearing a ckce dress, her porcin skin white and alluring in the dim light. The dress showed a lot of cleavage revealing her exposed skin. Ethan did not dare to look at it. Mia raised her eyes in a drunken stupor, and took a long time before she recognized Ethan. She curled her lips into a smile but immediately teared up. ¡°Ethan!¡± She threw herself into his arms, ¡°Stay with me, I¡¯m so lonely, it hurts so much¡­¡± As Mia wept out her grievances, her tears began to soak his shirt. Ethan hugged her carefully and tenderly, conscious of the distance between the two of them. He softly reach him on the phone¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t mention him again!¡± Mia dishearteningly interrupted him. She raised her ss and took a big gulp of wine. ¡°His heart belongs to someone else now; he doesn¡¯t want me anymore¡­¡± Distressed, Ethan took a paper towel and wipe away the wine stains off Mia¡¯s mouth. ¡°That can¡¯t be true. Liam isn¡¯t that kind of person. Don¡¯t you know his temper? He might seem indifferent on the outside but deep down he¡¯s a softie.¡± ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand. He likes that contract girlfriend now! Her name¡¯s Amber Currie! Ethan, I¡¯m definitely right!! Liam got tempted by her!¡± Mia cried and trembled all over, no longer caring about her tear-stricken and drunken appearance. Ethan held Mia tightly. He gently patted her on the shoulder, trying tofort her. The girl he has been in love for twenty years was in his arms. However, she was crying for another man...It was as if he had traveled back in time. That little girl who was scared to tears by a caterpir over two decades ago, dressed in a white skirt with a bow tie on top, with her big sparkling eyes looking at him timidly. He felt a pain stabbing his heart and hugged her even tighter. ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry anymore. I¡¯ll ask Liam. If it¡¯s true, I swear I won¡¯t forgive him!¡± Tired of crying, Mia shook her head, and did not want to mention Liam again. Just the thought of him made her heart so full of pain that she couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°Well,e on, let¡¯s cheers! To evesting youth and friendship!¡± She raised the ss in her hand and gestured towards Ethan to do the same. Ethan¡¯s original intent was tofort her, but the conversation made him depressed. It made him want N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. to get drunk too. So, he picked up a drink and gently touched sses, ¡°Cheers! To evesting youth!¡± Friendship? Ethan¡¯s feelings towards Mia were never about friendship. But at this moment, he didn¡¯t care. To be able to drink with Mia alone was already a rare asion. Alone and tired, Amber dragged her suitcase behind her as she wandered in the streets. A hotel popped into view, half-hidden in a small and remote alley. Its tiny neon sign says: 80 yuan for amodations. Amber squeezed the purse in her pocket. Gritting her teeth in grim resignation, she walked towards the hotel. Whatever that has happened, she decided to think about it tomorrow after a good night¡¯s sleep. Chapter 48 Surely, Shes Hot Chapter 48 Surely, She''s Hot Amber was unaware that two men were watching her when she entered the tavern. "Shane, she''s hot!" A thin man with slit eyes and long hair swallowed, staring at Amber. Standing next to him was a big bald man whose eyes were gleaming with excitement and bloodlust. With a lewd smile, he concurred, "Indeed! Her face is pretty and her ass fat! Damn, She''s my type! Chaim, I''ll taste the peach and getid first!" Despite his dissatisfaction, the long-haired man named Chaim managed to smile tteringly, "For sure, you always have the first bite!" The tavern was quite shabby. The cockroaches were crawling, and the air smelled damp and musty. Amber looked at the grayish bedsheet, sighed, took out her own bedsheet from the trunk, and changed it. After a simple cleanup, she nned to wash up and hit the bed. In the bathroom, she turned on the tap, but no hot water wasing out! N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. ''The room service is terrible!'' Amber groaned inwardly and dialed the number of the receptionist. The attitude of the middle-aged woman was good, but her reply rendered her speechless. "Sorry, you came toote, and the hot water ran out! I''ll have two bottles of hot water sent to your room." "Ugh, okay!" Amber had to ept it and wait for the hot water. Rat-a-tat! The door was knocked brusquely. Amber opened it and saw two strangers standing outside. The taller, bald one was carrying two thermos bottles. "Thank you!" Amber reached out to pick up the bottles, but the man dodged and headed inside the room. "I''ll carry them in for you!" ''Strange! Absolutely abnormal!'' Every hair of her body stood on end, and Amber hurriedly intercepted the man. "It''s okay! Thank you, I''ll do it myself!" "Toote!" The long-haired man mmed the door shut, locked it, and walked towards Amber with a lewd smile. "Girl, isn''t it lonely to sleep alone? We can warm the bed for you!" At the sight of the closed door, Amber felt a shiver down her spine. "Who are you? Get out! Or I''ll call the police!" she warned them sternly to disguise her fear. The bald man smiled viciously, saying, "Calling the police? Okay, have a try!" Following his speech, he wrapped his arm around Amber''s neck and gagged her with a towel. Grabbing her arm, he tossed her to the bed and quickly tore open her clothes! A pink bra that packed her plump breasts then came into view. The bald man leered at her, and the lust in his eyes grew stronger. "Hmm¡­" Since her arms were gripped and her mouth gagged, Amber was unable to call for help! She struggled desperately, trying to kick the bald man. "Woah! She''s tough!" The bald man winked at his aplice, "Chime, hold her down!" Chaim Reed held Amber''s legs, anxious to see Shane Morris kissing her frantically. "Shane, what are you doing? Take off your pants and do her!" "What do you know? I''ll turn the bitch on and have all the fun!" ''Am I going to be tarnished by the two bastards?'' Amber groped about on the bed, looking for something to hit the scum! Suddenly, she felt something cool and hard. A cellphone! Her cellphone! Luckily, her phone was a feature one! As long as the bald man didn''t find out, she could call 911! As her fingers touched the keyboard, she struggled with feigned panic and tried to avoid his sight. Chapter 49 Sexual Assault Chapter 49 Sexual Assault In a dashing car, Oliver Stein¡¯s phone rang. To his bliss, it came from Amber! He called her a thousand times after the break-up drama, all hang out by her! Today marked his one more failed attempt¡ªhe managed to get her new number and still yet able to make her pick up the phone. Surprised to have her call! God, what was going on? A noisy buzz oozed through the phone. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Hottie, give up struggle already. In our ce, you are lucky to catch our fancy!¡± ¡°Totally true! Behave yourself and enjoy the fuck today!¡± Then something smashed and a woman was struggling and groaning heavily. Ghostly pale with fright, Oliver pressed the elerator hard towards the nearest police office. When Oliver led the policemen broke into the motel room, Amber was found only in her pantie, hands bound onto the bedside, red bite marks all over her body. She burst into tears at the sight of him, loosened up from the verge of a breakdown. Closing her eyes, she left the irrational tears falling unrestrained. Against all expectations, it was Oliver who came to her rescue¡ªthe man who hurt her worst. While the police taken out the suspects for trial, Oliver freed her from the rope and removed the dirty towel that gagged her. Amber kept her eyes closed, long eyshes dampened by tears. She could not help trembling, with a broken lip corner and frightening bite marks on her neck. Oliver felt a pang of bitterness. Damn! How dare the two gangsters touched the girl he had been pursuing for four years! Even he failed to obtain her virginity. ¡°Rx, honey¡­It is okay now.¡± Oliver murmured, holding her tight in his arms, stroking her hair. Huddled in this familiar hug, Amber left all the unpleasant and unbearable, the betrayal and injured behind. For this moment, she was only a terrified, mortified little girl who would die for a hug and a bit of warmth. She cried her heart out in his arms. Taken advantaged by two gangs, she was still gorgeous and sweet. What the hell cut into me to sell her out? Oliver could not be more regretful. After the investigative record, Amber stepped out with Oliver with her head down. Throwing away her previous torn clothes, she was wearing his coat. He was dragging her suitcase. ¡°Thank you for saving mest night.¡± Amber stopped at a crossroad, ncing the rosy clouds of dawn extending along the horizon. After a humiliating and chaotic night, the dawn had broken. To Oliver¡¯s dismay, Amber would not look him in the eye. ¡°Let me send you home! Where do you live?¡± He could barely track her footprint, as if she was separated from him by a mysterious, invisible power. ¡°No, thank you! I will go by myself.¡± Then where to go? Staring at the traffic light, Amber felt so much at a loss. Chapter 50 Entangled Relationship Chapter 50 Entangled Rtionship Encouraged by Amber¡¯s hesitation, Oliver hurried on: ¡°How about sending you to school? There are plenty of empty rooms since many senior students have moved out during internship.¡± Good idea! School was a safer ce where she could sleep on the bed of Emma King, her dearest friend, who went back home for internship. Darting a look at Oliver, Amber nodded: ¡°Don¡¯t bother. I will go myself.¡± Finally, Amber would meet his eyes! Oliver dragged her suitcase in strides: ¡°That¡¯s okay. I can drive you there on the way.¡± Amber demanded three times for her suitcase back, all ignored. In a morning street wakening up with more and more people, a squabble with Oliver would be least wee. She could only surpass her anger and followed him. However, they were caught by three people, one of them a tall man carrying a video camera. A woman in ck dress ced a microphone towards Oliver¡¯s mouth: ¡°Do you think it is appropriate to park your car on the sidewalk?¡± Until then, Amber noticed the BJTV logo on the microphone and the yellow sticker with the same mark of Morning Traffic News. The spot coverage of illegal parking! God, not another buzz on TV! Amber fended her face from the lens in a hurry. ¡°It is none of your business! Who do you think you are¡ªa policeman or traffic warden? I only ept the judgment of due authorities! Now stay out of my way!¡± Oliver yelled at the woman reporter. ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . Damn it! Such a good chance to win back his honey, all ruined by stupid reporters! Without the prior consent for the interview, the woman seemed intimated by Oliver¡¯s aggression. She turned to Amber: ¡°As his date, what do you think of such vition?¡± Amber covered her face and followed Oliver to enter the car: ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t ept your interview.¡± When the car door was shutting, Amber heard the reporter bbered: ¡°Parking vitions are illegal acts that involve parking a motor vehicle in a restricted ce or in an unauthorized manner, bad for both citizens¡¯ daily lives and urban administration. We can see the obvious want of moral quality in those vitors¡ª the couple we met are typical examples.¡± In the apartment elevator, Liam, exhausted from a sleep-less night, was watching the elevator disy for morning news with an empty gaze. After a couple of extra hours, he came home to find Amber disappeared from his apartment, phone switched off and no lodge records avable throughout the city. Damn you Amber, where are you? While he was lost in wayward spections, a familiar woman¡¯s sound startled him from the reverie. Amber Currie! Liam narrowed his eyes and fixed the screen with intense gaze. A woman covering her face single handedly, was following a man towards a grey car. Amber and Oliver! Liam hooded his gaze, eyes darkening with a cold gleam. What a love-struck woman! Can¡¯t wait to see her date even during the menstrual period! Staring at the car license te on screen, Liam made a call: ¡°Locate the car numbered as XXXXX now!¡± Chapter 51 I love Liam Chapter 51 I love Liam In ate night, Max Bar, Ethan Adams was stung by the bitter sweetness aroused by drunk Mia. Sleeping on the couch, she had a beautiful profile. Rosy cheeks, delicate lips and a scattered lock of hair swaying in her sweet breathing. Drinking in her features, Ethan Adams was struggling with his flying hormones. Hesitatively, he smoothed a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Holy shit. It felt so good and soft¡­ Adams caressed her face back and forward on the back of his hand. ¡°Liam¡­¡± Mia muttered, dragged his arm towards her, demanding for a hug. Disarmed by alcohol, Adams lost his bnce and bowed headlong onto her. ¡°Mia, sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to¡­¡± Ethan elbowed against the sofa, trying to sit up straight. ¡°Liam, shush¡­ stay with me¡­¡± Mia begged tenderly against his ear. Her breath was soft and sweet. ¡°I¡­¡± against the stern warnings of his subconscious, Ethan was entranced by the tempting proximity of Mia, scrabbling around for self-restraint. ¡°Liam, don¡¯t you want me at all?¡± From beneath hershes, Mia cast him a cloudy, needy gaze. God, it was captivating. Throwing her arms inch by inch around his neck, Mia reached around his face frantically with her lips and gave a blissful sign when finding his. Then, she kissed him deeply. A delicious current zapped through Ethan. Thank God! The girl he had been longing for more a decade, was kissing him and inviting him to enter her wholeheartedly. Paralyzed with the sensation sharpened by alcohol, Ethan surrendered to his desires, forgetting N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. everything else¡­ friendships, reputation and the aftermath. This moment only belonged to a man and a woman, overwhelmed by lust. In dire need for closerbination, he would die to set his sexual urge free. He wanted this woman even when she was calling the name of another man! Even when he was nothing but a backup in her eyes! He would apology tomorrow to Liam. He wanted to marry Mia¡ªwhat it would take. When the morning sun shone through the white gauze, Mia turned to shun the glow, only to be pressed by something heavy on her waist. What the hell! It was Ethan¡¯s thigh! She was sleeping with him, all necked. In a panic attack, she screamed, pushed him away desperately and grabbed a pillow to cover her body. Holy crap! How did she end up sleeping with him? Awaken by Mia¡¯s outcry, Ethan was spiked through by frustration when he saw Mia¡¯s expression: Her eyes were brimmed with panic, disbelief and something else¡ªoh, no, it was utter disgust¡ªas if he is thest man in the world she would sleep with. ¡°Mia, I am sorry¡­ I think I can exin...¡± ¡°No, no! Stop talking! Zip it! I am leaving at once! Nothing happedst night! Will you keep it a secret for me? Ethan?¡± Her befuddled brain struggled through its visual memoriesst night. Holy crap. She thought it was Liam! Upset by Mia¡¯s aversion, Ethan¡¯s head swam with bitternessst night, it was Mia who gave him the French look in the first ce! Otherwise he would never touch her! ¡°Mia, let¡¯s tell Liam everything. You said he does not want you, right? I want you! I will marry you and make you the happiest woman in the world!¡± Ethan promised in a hurry. ¡°No! I love Liam. He is my only love! You knew it 20 years ago!¡± Mia shook her head violently. No! She does not love Ethan at all! She only wants Liam! Completely thrown with fury, Ethan grabbed the pillow from Mia and pointed at the love bites all over her body: ¡°Yes! I knew it 20 years ago! Then why did you hook up with mest night? Why did you panted and moaned at me like a whore? Did you regard me as a ponce or one-night stand sex partner?¡± Stung by his bitter, vulgar irony, Mia dragged the nket for coverage and yelled back: ¡°I was wasted! Shameless for you take advantage of a drunk woman! Damn you bastards! I hate you! All of you!¡± Tears ran down her face endlessly. Chapter 52 A Disarming Smile Chapter 52 A Disarming Smile As always, Mia¡¯s tears disarmed Ethan Adams. ¡°All my bad, Mia. No more tears.¡± Ethan delivered a tissue on bedside to wipe her face. Mia shunned his hand: ¡°No need tofort me. Will you keep it from Liam?¡± Ethan paused. What the hell was this about? Cheating on Liam? A love affair with the woman of his dearest friend? ¡°Let¡¯s tell Liam the true, shall we? I will take all the responsibilities!¡± He croaked. ¡°Take all the responsibilities? What are you talking about? It was a mistake! Let¡¯s forget it, okay?¡± Mia did not expect Ethan would be so stubborn. A lengthy, embarrassing silence. It took a while for Ethan to squeeze out the promise through his nerves: ¡°Okay. If you insist. Mia. I give you my words.¡± Mia gave him a tearful smile: ¡°Thank you. Ethan! I know you will be nice to me.¡± Ethan rub his face weakly: ¡°Get up, I will send you home.¡± Emma agreed to offer her room. ¡°You can live here whenever you need. My roommates are all easy-going. Call me any time!¡± Dear Emma! Generous as always! Her heartyugh gave Amber a lift in the down in the dumps. ¡°When will you return? I miss you!¡± She had so much to share with Emma, the only one she could turn to. ¡°Half a yearter. Oh, I almost forget. Have you told Liam about your moving out?¡± ¡°Not yet. My phone ran out of power yesterday. It just started charging.¡± Damn Liam! The mention of his name racked her nerves. ¡°Amber, I don¡¯t think he will relish your n¡ªa short-time stay might be fine, but not a long-term option. The paparazzi will find out your trick! Liam signed the agreement to save his reputation and he will not let you get away with it after paying a fortune to cure your sister.¡± ¡°I will figure it outter. Enough of him or his date. Call youter. Bye!¡± Amber greeted Emma¡¯s roommates and headed towards the library to meet Jack Cavendish who would return her the rare book. On her way, a message popped up. It came from Oliver Stein. ¡°Have a good rest. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± He knew her so well: Driven as always, Amber would not rest one day more. So what? Amber deleted the message directly. One deception and one rescue. Great! They made it even. ¡°Hi, Amber! How providential!¡± In the winter morning glow, a handsome, ck-haired big boy approached her in a big, broad grin. Copyright by N?v/elDrama.Org. ¡°Hello! Jack!¡± Amber waved at him. ¡°Have some hot coffee?¡± Jack pointed at the paper bag. Amber noticed there were two cups inside. ¡°Special offer today¡ªbuy one get one free. Be my guest.¡± Awkward to reject his offer, Amber took the coffee: ¡°Thanks!¡± Wow, it was delicious, obviously better than Starbucks, the best brand she could afford. She nced at the cup¡ªa logo she had never seen before. That was very profligate of him, a financially strapped boy, to buy such fine coffee. Amber felt a little bit guilty for this ungratefulint while enjoying his coffee. When Jack looked up towards her, Amber pulled a big smile at him. A slim, fair-skinned young woman, peeked at Jack with a cloudy gaze through longshes steamed by hot coffee. Suddenly, she smiled a dazzling, unguarded, natural, all-teeth-showing, glorious smile at him. Jeez, it''s disarming. Jack¡¯s heart lurched at this moment. At the corner of the teaching building, a man in ck took several pictures of Amber and Jack. Chapter 53 Evading an Answer Chapter 53 Evading an Answer It was unnerving to return the book sourced by Jack instead of the previously smeared one¡ªthe substitution has no official library stamp at all. How could she deal with the possible inquisition by the librarian? To her surprise, the book keeper just nced the paperback briefly and ept it without a word. A misconduct in office or neglect of duty? Was it necessary to remind the librarian about the recement? Jack winked at her confidently: ¡°Rest assured. All done.¡± When he walked her out of the library, Amber blurted out: ¡°Are you the son of Chief Librarian? So resourceful to find the right rare edition and get away from the questioning. Are you exerting some sort of VIP privilege?¡± Jack burst into heartyugh: ¡°How could it be possible? We have different family names.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s right!¡± Amber smiled. What a whimsical thought. ¡°Look! There is an exhibition!¡± Jack pointed at the west side of the hall, a zone separated with wooden frames in all sizes, disying an array of paintings. ¡°It says: Ink Wash Painting Exhibition Tour of XXX¡± Narrowing her eyes, Amber read out loud the words on a red banner. ¡°Awesome! You can read cursive script? Even I cannot recognize all the characters.¡± Jack stared appraisingly at Amber. God! This beautiful girl was deep! She did note from a relevant major! Amber nodded and darted Jack a wicked grin: ¡°At School of Communication Studies, everyone has to take Calligraphy Appreciation as the optional course. Did you skip the ss?¡± Jack smiled at Amber with a steady gaze: ¡°Actually, I am majored in civil engineering.¡± ¡°Civil engineering? Why do you study here?¡± That sounded wired¡­ In her university, the library of Civil Engineering School was much better-equipped! Jack blinked: ¡°I came here by ident.¡± He did not want to admit that it was the sight of Amber attracted him to visit this small library of School N?velDrama.Org holds ? this. of Communication Studies. Intrigued and impressed by Jack¡¯s engineering background and the proverbially stereotyped nerdiness, Amber felt at ease with this amiable the-big-boy-next-door. ¡°So the Top 1 Asian Suspension Bridge was designed by your school¡­ Do you know Professor Hill? A gentle academic giant?¡± ¡°Did the winning team of Global Road and Bridge Engineering Design Competitionst year came from your school?¡± They enjoyed talking with each other¡ªas school mates, they shared so muchmon ground. While visiting the painting exhibition, Amber flexed her artistic muscle. Jack was knocked out. ¡°A worthy experience to navigate the exhibition under my guidance?¡± Amber chirped naughtily, treating Jack as a good friend already. Jackughed and pat her head: ¡°Yes, indeed! Thank you for your stimting boration on Chinese Drinking in Amber¡¯s gorgeous grin and twinkling eyes, Jack felt like it was the happiest moment in his life. Chapter 54 Sorry, No Way Chapter 54 Sorry, No Way In the top floor office of the Watson Group, an executive conference was going on. Intimidated by the cool gleam in Liam¡¯s eyes, people were reporting their work with the most meticulous care Thank God! It was Sales Department¡¯s turn to present the performance, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. This year found a resounding sess in Watson Group. Mr. Croft would be happy with this remarkable quarterly sales growth. Finally, the senior officers felt able to breathe again. While presenting the impressive performance with stylish, well-polished slides, Sales Director nced at Liam confidently, only to find he was not watching the data at all. Instead, he was glowering at his own hand in a stern face. God, he was watching the phone¡ªthere seemed some bad news. He did not look pleased. That was true. Staring at the pictures on the phone, Liam was simmering with anger and frustration. Three quick-snapped pictures. Picture 1: Amber was chatting andughing with a tall young man, each holding a cup of coffee¡ªobviously purchased from the same store. Picture 2: They were visiting an exhibition shoulder by shoulder. The man was fencing around the waist of Amber to block her from the surging crowd. Picture 3: Amber was smiling up at the man while the man was patting her head, in dubious intimacy. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. Liam recognized the young man at first sight. He had seen the man in South University! Unfortunately, he did not see his face clearly. These pictures only showed his back and a part of his side face. Oh, fuck the meeting! Tired of the bragging and nagging by Sales Director, Liam mmed his phone onto the table: ¡°Session dismissed!¡± What? People gazed at one another, dumfounded. It was so not Liam Croft at all. What drove this cold fish out of control and lose of temper? How could such a remarkable sales performance fail to please Mr. Croft? Paled with fear, Sales Director struggled desperately to figure out what was wrong. Liam stepped out of the meeting room resentfully, leaving all the rest at loss. They exchanged fleeting quizzical looks and scattered out of the door when Liam¡¯s footsteps heading afar. Liam did not recollect himself until he drove all the way to the gate of South University. He hit the brake abruptly. His car halted, causing the risingint of drivers behind. Ignoring the hoot right after the other, Liam called Amber anyway. ¡°What?¡± Amber¡¯s tone sounded clipped and cool. Slightly cooled off, Liam knitted his brow again. ¡°Miss Currie, you seem to forget about our agreement?¡± Paused for a second, Liam still threw out the question. Damn it! It was not righteous for him to question her dating. In ordance with the contract, she has the right to see someone else. He could only leverage the condition of living together to ground her in his apartment. Damn the agreement! It felt so award to live under the same roof with Mia. Why must she deign to be the hateful other woman? Mia articted her mind very clearly. How could she have the cheek to move back? ¡°Liam, get straight to the point. Bag your dirty tricks.¡± Amber retaliated. She knew she was venting her anger towards Mia on him. But she could not help it. Liam could not recall when thest time was being treated with such crudeness and crudity. He took a sharp intake of breath and scrabbled around for his equilibrium: ¡°Amber Currie. In ordance to the agreement, we shall live together for three months. Pleaseply with the conditions, or I cannot guarantee the eye surgery for Pearl Currie will performed as scheduled.¡± Threatening was the least preferred move for Liam. Unfortunately, he doesn¡¯t know how to deal with the badass Amber Currie, except for the agreement, the only opportunity to approach her. They were poles apart and from two very different worlds. Amber paused. After a while, she whispered: ¡°Liam, the eye surgery for Pearl¡­please let me pay you back when I graduate. Can you cancel the agreement?¡± Enough humiliation to be a home wrecker! She was not and would not be the other woman! Why must she take the shits and live with the brutal insults from Mia? ¡°Sorry. No way.¡± Emphatic in tone, Liam glorified himself as a man of word instead of a control freak who would not let go of Amber. Damn you Liam Croft! ¡°Must you bully me with your ECO title, deep pocket and privileges? Why wouldn¡¯t you give up your reputation or career for Mia, your true love? Damn you, vulgar, mean, disgusting snob!¡± In a fit of outrage, Amber threw out her furious reproach. Wasn¡¯t Mia enough for him? Why wouldn¡¯t he steer clear of her? Was she soulless or heartless than Mia? Chapter 55 Steel Resolution Chapter 55 Steel Resolution A vulgar, mean, disgusting snob¡­ Holding the cellphone, Liam¡¯s hand trembled slightly. So that was how Amber thought of him. Total aversion. All these flush, flutter and fantastic eye contacts were nothing but a school girl¡¯s instinctive reactions¡­How could he have misread the situation between them so utterly? Chocked by frustration, Liam failed to express himself. His head swims with the anger that built up, simmered, soared, and then, dashed into infinite, stark desperation. He hung up the phone and made another call. ¡°Terminate all the operation arrangements for Pearl Currie and¡­¡± Liam paused, ¡°Inform her family members immediately.¡± Pearl Currie only had one family member¡ªAmber Currie. He thought Amber would beg for his mercy. As a disgusting snob, he did not mind updating his proven track records. Liam¡¯s car parked at the gate of South University in vition of traffic rules, criticized and cursed by students badly. However, Amber did not call him when it waste into night. Two days passed and nothing was heard from Amber at all. He found his mood caught on a wired down way spiral. ¡°Liam, you are back! I made your favorite filet steak¡­¡± Another long day passed. When Liam stepped into his apartment with a porker face, Mia, in herce apron and exquisite light makeup, greeted him with long pent-up joy. As if she had been waited at the door for ever. For two days, Liam was steering clear of her, leaving her on pins and needles. Was her secrete ConTEent bel0ngs to N?v(e)lD/rama(.)Org . disclosed? God, no! Hardly remembering what she had done in the bar, she shuddered at the possibility of being witnessed and reported. Liam frowned at Mia¡¯s proximity and held her waist effortlessly to avoid her kiss. Mia turned off the light and light up thevish dinner with candles on silver candlesticks. Liam felt almost guilty to let down all these delicate entertainment and beautiful, sweet Mia. Unfortunately, he could not shift the mood however he tried. Liam was feeling down again. Mia sensed that. Suppressing the butterflies on her stomach, Mia decided to step up her charm. She took off the apron to reveal her killing dress. A sexy low-cut cocktail dress decorated with three dazzling rhinestones. Mia exerted her movements to maximize the dazzling radiance. As expected, Liam smiled: ¡°Why dress up like this?¡± Mia lowered her head and smiled through theshes: ¡°It is been a long time since ourst romantic dinner. So I dress up a little bit.¡± She gazed at Liam expectedly. To her disappointment, he only gave a light smile and lowered his head again. God, what a Sphinx! Torn by panic attack, Mia smoothed hair and grinned shyly: ¡°Am I looking good?¡± ¡°Yes, you look ravishing.¡± Liam nced at her dress andplimented politely. He did not even look at her bust or her face! Burnt with sadness, Mia was still wearing a smile. However, a glimmer of desperate resolution lighted up her eyes. Chapter 56 A Car Accident Chapter 56 A Car ident When their half bottle of wine was consumed half-way through, Mia was shed with alcohol. The dim, soft light ttered Liam¡¯s good look perfectly. Gazing at the Liam, the epitome of male beauty, Mia was filled with bitter sweetness. It was her triumph to have this man recognizing her as his real girlfriend though his heart had been stolen by someone else. Ah, maybe she had never managed to nail his heart. The time hade¡ªshe could not afford any dy. ¡°Liam, would you mind bringing here our desert, the ice-cream I made from the refrigerator?¡± Mia begged sweetly, unable to pluck up the courage to look into his eyes. ¡°Sure.¡± Liam nodded and rose up. When he heading into the kitchen, Mia trotted to the greenery beside the dinner table and fished out a little box that contained two pink pills. She gave a deep sigh of relief when one of them sank into Liam¡¯s cup and dissolved. ¡°Why are you sighing?¡± Liam¡¯s voice startled her into a shudder, lips paled. She struggled to pull a grin: ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. You must have misheard!¡± Liam brought two little crystal bows with him, each containing exquisitely ornamented fruit ice cream. Mia urged him attentively: ¡°Liam, have a taste! I made it myself¡±. Liam smiled and shook his head: ¡°You know sweets are not my thing.¡± ¡°Come on! Have a bite, please. It is my handmade masterpiece!¡± Mia scooped the ice cream with a little silver spoon and sent it right beside his mouth. ncing at her, Liam opened his mouth reluctantly. ¡°Then have a sip of this wine¡ªa perfect apaniment!¡± Mia offered a cup of wine. That was odd. Mia was always too restrained to show her desire. Why so passionate today? Wondering at the change of Mia, Liam drained his cup of wine. With a little bit of guilt, he knew how much she was onto him. She spent her prime years on loving him. He would try his best to please her without touching the bottom line. Mia settled her agitated mind when Liam finally finished his wine. God knew how much she had been longing for this man, his body, his touch and the reassuring feeling of having him inside of her. She wanted to prove that he was still hers. Nothing could set them apart. Shaking her cup, Mia drained the wine in one gulp. What a perfect moment¡ªsiting with her love, enjoying the delicious ice cream, listening to the beautiful Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. music. Everything was set in ce. The cell phone on the table rang up. ¡°Hi¡­¡± ¡°Mia, where are you? Jack had a car ident! Hospitalized!¡± The anxiety of Mrs. Cavendish, Nora White, buzzed through the line, frightened Mia off the seat. ¡°Mum! How is he going? Is he badly hurt?¡± Mrs. Cavendish was sobbing: ¡°He was sent to first aid room. Your dad was caught in a business trip! Come here quickly!¡± ¡°Mum! Don¡¯t worry. I will go for you at once.¡± Mia hung up the phone and rush outside. ¡°Jack had a car ident! I am going to the hospital.¡± ¡°I am going with you.¡± Liam rose up and hit by a dizziness. ¡°Wait a second. I have to change my cloth. Oh, Liam¡ªAre you okay?¡± Liam shook his head: ¡°I am fine. A little bit dizziness. Let¡¯s go.¡± Holy shit! What have I done¡ªMia changed her mind and stopped Liam. ¡°You had better stay home and let me go myself. Jack do not get along well with you. I am afraid your visit might upset him.¡± On her 23th birthday, Mia was waiting for Liam to take her for a movie he promised in her best princess dress, against the icy breeze for a whole night. However, he failed his words only because he worked extra hours and forgot about it. Ever since, Jack had never given Liam an easy look. On the contrary, he tried hard to persuade his elder sister to leave this man countless times. To his disappointment, Mia¡¯s determination proved his efforts in vain: ¡°I love Liam and I pay out for him self-willingly.¡± God! Please save this love-struck, silly woman! Jack was always regarding Liam with hostility. As a man, he knew too well that Liam did not love Mia at all. Liam hesitated and nodded. ¡°I will send a driver for you. Keep me abreast of Jack¡¯s conditions.¡± Mia took a breath of relief: ¡°Have a bath and go to bed early.¡± It was nothing but aphrodisiac¡ªMia thought. For now, nothing was more important than her younger brother. Right upon Mia¡¯s leaving, Amber called in. ¡°Mr. Currie, I ept all the conditions on the agreement. Please keep your promise on the surgery for Pearl.¡± Amber¡¯s clipped and cold tone left Liam torn and frustrated. It felt so frustrating and embarrassing to conquer a woman like this. Liam said nothing. Misunderstanding the silence, Amber raised her voice: ¡°I am moving back tonight. Hold the door for me if you are home.¡± Then she hung up the call anyway. Liam smiled wryly at the busy tone. Was that what he wanted¡ªforcing her to move back and live under his scrutiny every day? He should have taken other road: divorcing with Amber and marrying Mia in a high key after the reorganization. Only by binding the Cavendish, could he aplish his financial empire. What made him deviate from his original n? How did he face Amber? Chapter 57 His Gaze Chapter 57 His Gaze Liam cleared the mess on the table himself. It was not his style to leave the leftover and used dished behind. After the clearing. The dizziness worsened. Liam frowned and washed his face in the bath room. What was wrong with him? Strained from overworking? The sickness was on the rise. Overpowered by the wired heating dizziness, his heartbeat elerated. For some reason, a nce of an open door of lured him in. It was Amber¡¯s room, organized and empty, all her little personal gadgets were gone. The wardrobe was yet to shut properly. He opened it, only to find all the clothes he bought for her were left in good trim, brand new with the Liam signed. Suddenly, a little wad of fabric caught his attention. It was a sky blue night gown, worn and faded after repeated washing. Running his fingers through this shabby dress, Liam was stung by a sense of loss. Belonging ? N?velDram/a.Org. It must be hers¡­ left behind at the corner of the wardrobe. Liam was caught¡ªspellbound. He lowered the head to rub the fabric against his cheek. Oh, it was as soft as skin and smelt good. Hard to tell this delicious smell came from theundry detergent or the body of someone on his mind. He took a sharp intake of breath, the smell ignited a hot drive all the way down to somewhere dark and deep in his belly. Liam was never lustful. Even in his prime age, except for Mia, he had never touched any party girl. How could a sleep gown of Amber turn him on like this? What the hell was that? Something must be wrong ever since the dinner. Suppressing the rising hot desire and chilling disappointment, Liam rerunning every retail of his meal. Damn it! Mia must have made some funny business, probably with the wine or the ice cream. His gaze hooded, eyes darkening, Liam was mesmerized by the powerful urge. He could hardly stop himself from rubbing his erection with the sleep gown. Scalding hot with desire, his body was screaming for a woman¡¯s body to quench the cravings. Almost paralyzed by the need, Liam staggered towards the bath room, trying to distinguish the unwee lust with a cold shower. When Amber knocked at door, Liam just finished his cold shower, considering to have the second one as the cold water failed to cool him off at all. In dizziness, the doorbell somehow struck him as wee surprise. Amber Currie! He had not seen her for three days. He hurried to open the door, forgetting about decency. Amber was thrown how Liam looked. Oh, god! What was wrong with this man? Pale on face and darken in eyes, wet and glistening from the shower, wearing nothing but a towel around his waist. For some reason, Amber nced down at his erected crotch. Holy shit! What was wrong with him! It was so embarrassing! ¡°Stay here!¡± Liam mped her wrist. Dragged back into the door, Amber snapped at him with an angry gaze: ¡°What is your problem?¡± Mesmerized by her pink sh and pursed lips, Liam ran his thumb across her lips. Holy fuck¡­Totally thrown, Amber stared at him in fear and stepped back all the way against the door. What the hell was he going to do? His gaze was terrifying. Chapter 58 I want this woman Chapter 58 I want this woman All his careful control was evaporated. ¡°Amber!¡± He growled and lunged at her, pushing her against the door and bowed to press his lips on hers. The kiss made both of them captivated. Her cold, soft lips chilled from the freezing outdoor eased his burning body temperature. Leaving all the power struggles and wild ambitions behind, he held her inside his arms, the sweetheart as stubborn and proud as she was sensitive and attentive. Maybe, he had fallen for her at the first sight. Oh, fuck the self-restraint! He wanted to reach for the bliss right before his eyes¡ªwhatever it would take. He trailed kisses along her mouth and sucked at her lips wildly. Restored from the initial shock, she started to struggle. Holy shit! Changeable and elusive as he, Liam had never forced her like this before! What a beast Content ? copyrighted by N?velDrama.Org. hidden behind his impassive face! Unfortunately, her writhing only sent his hormones flying up higher. Her wriggling pushed her body nearer to his, making him sweating on the forehead. He held her head in ce with one hand and evaded her mouths with his tongue to stroke hers. Oh¡­she smelt good! His tongue greedily exploring her mouth, all bump and grind. "No Liam, stop¡ªno¡­" She tried to kick him with her knee, only to be pinned on the door. He got both of her hands in one of his in a vice-like grip above her head, leaving her helpless and panicky¡ªher hands fixed, her face held, and his hips restraining her. Holy shit. Amber burst into tears. Why did Liam treat her so? Did her secret daydreaming and little crash on him deserve such cruel offence? Why the fuck she ended up like this? Amber was quivering in broken sobs, quaking like a leaf. It was all her fault! She should never make any deal with this devil! Amber¡¯s tears halted Liam¡¯s movement, bringing him back to reason somehow. He struggled to let go of her and stepped back. What the hell was he doing? How could he treat a woman so beastly? Released from his grip, Amber pped Liam Croft right on the face: ¡°Damn Liam Croft! You bustard! Son of bitch! You are the most disgusting man I have ever seen in my life!¡± In his whole life, Liam was never abused and insulted like this before. Not to mention those harsh words thrown at him came from Amber Currie, whose tears that he cared so much a moment ago. Fixing his steady gaze at her, he narrowed his eyes and murmured huskily: ¡°Thank you for your