The heavy roar of thunder split the sky, jolting Alina awake with a loud scream.
She shot up from the bed, her eyes darting to the window. Darkness had already settled outside. She remembered reading while waiting for Liam… she must have dozed off.
Was Liam back? And if he was, why hadn't he woken her? Was he planning to punish her later, or had he simply forgotten? No… Liam never forgot. Maybe he was just waiting for her to wake up.
Another crash of thunder rattled the walls, louder this time, as if the world itself were tearing apart. Alina stumbled back from the window, her body trembling. She hated thunder—it always made her feel small and powerless.
Just as she reached to close the window, a third strike tore through the night. Startled, Alina abandoned the window and bolted from the room. Before she realized it, she was standing in front of Liam's door.
Without knocking, she pushed it open and ran inside.
Liam, who had been lying on the bed, sat up in surprise. His brows knit as he stared at her, mouth slightly open. For a second, he thought someone might have been chasing her.
"What happened?" he asked, his voice low as he rose to his feet.
"I… I'm scared. I don't like the thunder," Alina admitted, her voice trembling.
Liam studied her, unsure whether to believe her. She was terrified of thunder, yet not of him? The thought almost made him scoff, she was unbelievable.
Before he could respond, he felt movement on the bed. Alina had slipped under the covers beside him. He looked down at her, stunned.
Her teary eyes met his. "I can't sleep alone," she whispered, then shut her eyes without waiting for his reply.
Liam froze, staring at her. What the hell was she thinking? Didn't she realize how dangerous this was for her?
He ran a hand through his hair, trying to calm himself, then glanced back at the girl lying beside him. His hand twitched, ready to push her away, but instead, he sighed and pulled the blanket over her.
With another deep breath, Liam lay back down, his gaze fixed on her.
THE NEXT MORNING...
Alina slowly opened her eyes, only to find a strikingly handsome face inches from her own. Liam was asleep, his breathing deep and steady, his expression surprisingly peaceful.
She rubbed her eyes, half-convinced she was dreaming. But no, this was real. She was lying face-to-face with Liam.
In the same bed.
Then everything from last night replayed in her mind. She had been terrified of sleeping alone because of the thunder. But why Liam? Why had her foolish legs carried her straight to his room?
Her heart skipped a beat. Panic rushed through her veins. Carefully, she tried to slip away, rising slowly so as not to wake him. But just as her feet brushed the edge of the bed, a strong hand wrapped firmly around her waist, tugging her back down.
Alina gasped softly, her wide eyes dropping to Liam. His eyes were still closed, yet his grip was unyielding. She blinked in confusion, frozen under his touch.
Tentatively, she tried to pry his hand off, but instead he pulled her even closer until she could feel the warmth of his chest against her back.
Her breath hitched. Why… why wouldn't he let her go?
She hesitated, knowing that if she struggled any harder, she might wake him and she wasn't ready to face his wrath just yet. Her gaze flickered to the golden clock on the wall. Eight o'clock. Morning had already come.
With a quiet sigh, Alina turned back toward him, her lashes fluttering shut. For now, she would stay.
*
A sharp knock echoed against the door, pulling Liam from the depths of sleep. His lashes fluttered open slowly, his vision adjusting to the dim light of the room. That was when he became aware of something beneath his hand something soft, smooth, and slim.
He glanced down. His breath stilled.
Alina.
His hand was curled around her waist. For a moment, he just stared, his jaw tightening before he quickly pulled it away as though burned.
If anyone were to see them like this, lying side by side in the same bed, they could easily mistake them for a couple. The thought irritated him more than he cared to admit. He was about to wake her when the knock came again, louder this time.
Liam exhaled, running a hand through his hair, and turned his gaze to the golden clock on the wall. His eyes narrowed. Twelve. Noon.
Shock flickered through him; it had been years since he'd slept this long. Not since his youth had his body allowed itself such indulgence.
Dragging himself out of bed, his movements quiet and controlled, Liam crossed the room and opened the door. Celeb stood there, head bowed respectfully.
"Good morning, Master," Celeb greeted softly, though his eyes flickered with unease.
"Is there a problem?" Liam asked, his voice low, edged with warning.
"Uh… n-no. Nothing, Master. I just thought...." Celeb's words faltered. Truth was, he had only come because the house had been unusually silent since morning. The idea of his master oversleeping felt impossible, unnatural. But now that he stood before him, his excuses evaporated.
"Get out." Liam's tone was cold, final. Without waiting for a reply, he shut the door firmly in Celeb's face, leaving the assistant staring blankly at the closed wood.
Turning back toward the room, Liam's gaze fell once more on the bed. Alina was still there, lying so still she could have been mistaken for a sleeping doll. Her dark lashes rested delicately against her cheeks, her lips parted ever so slightly as she breathed evenly.
For a moment, something strange stirred in his chest, but he forced it down with a heavy sigh. Shaking his head, Liam headed into the bathroom, shutting the door behind him.
The sound of running water filled the silence.
Alina's eyes shot open instantly. Her heart pounded against her ribs, she had been awake the whole time, pretending to sleep, afraid of what might happen if he realized.
Biting down on her lip, she sat up quickly, her pulse racing. She couldn't let him come out and find her still in his bed. No, she needed to escape before his cold eyes locked on her again.
Her bare feet touched the floor soundlessly. She glanced once toward the closed bathroom door, then darted for the exit, slipping out of the room as quietly as her trembling body would allow.
After Liam finished bathing, he came out only to find Allina gone. He didn't say a word as he walked into his changing room.
__
By the time Alina finished bathing, her stomach was already growling like an angry puppy. After slipping into a neat dress, she stepped out of the room in search of food.
Reaching the living room, she looked around carefully. When she realized Liam wasn't there, she let out a small sigh of relief, like a thief escaping the crime scene. Without wasting time, she hurried to the dining table and almost gasped. So many delicious meals were waiting for her, it felt like the table was secretly inviting her to a feast.
Her stomach growled louder, and she quickly sat down. Spoon in hand, she began eating as though she hadn't seen food in a week. Halfway through, the back of her neck tingled someone was staring. She turned slowly, only to find Liam standing there, arms crossed, watching her like he had caught her red-handed stealing. With her cheeks stuffed like a squirrel, she froze, blinking at him.
Liam's lips curved into a chuckle. He walked over and sat at the table, while one of the maids hurried forward to serve him.
Alina kept stealing glances, bracing herself for the lecture she knew was coming about barging into his room last night. But to her shock, Liam said absolutely nothing. He just started eating, calm as ever.
The silence was unbearable her spoon suddenly felt too loud against the plate. Unable to take it anymore, Alina jumped up from her chair and walked to her room.
*
Liam was in his study, working on his laptop, when Celeb walked in holding a sealed envelope.
"Master, a letter from Mr. Parker," Celeb announced, stopping beside him.
Liam's eyes remained fixed on the screen, fingers tapping across the keyboard. Only after a moment did he lift his head. He took the letter from Celeb, tore it open, and began to read.
With each line, his expression darkened. His grip on the paper tightened until the edge crumpled. Slowly, he placed the letter on the desk.
Then he rose from his chair with such force that even Celeb instinctively stepped back, a cold pressure filling the room like a storm about to break.
"Master, is everything alright?" Celeb asked carefully.
"The Parker family…" Liam's voice dropped to a dangerous murmur. "They're playing with fire."
Celeb hesitated, curiosity pulling him closer. He glanced at the letter, catching only a glimpse of its contents. From the little he saw, it seemed Mr. Parker's son was asking for Alina's hand in marriage.
But that didn't explain why his master was so furious. Unless… was Liam planning to keep Alina for himself?