t so was the mounting tension she felt whenever Liam was around. She could tell something was different

arged with a deeper meaning. She was trying desperately to keep her emotions in check, but it was b

-

nternational partners. The numbers were flawless, a testament to the hard work and planning that had gon

her more than once when he thought she wasn't paying attention. She could feel his gaz

ting through the hum of the offic

asked, trying to keep her

scuss something with you," he sa

se as she made her way to his office. The door was slightly ajar, and she pushed it open with a soft click. Liam was sitti

he said, his gaze

door echoing in the room. She stood

gesturing to the ch

. The silence stretched between them for a few moments, and Violet c

arrying an undertone she couldn't quite place. "The board has taken notice. You've pr

e sudden shift. "A new project?

hing a new product line internationally next month, and I need someone who can oversee the logis

n incredible opportunity. She had been working toward something like this since she started, but now that it

said, her voice steady but b

you won't," he said, leaning forward slightly. "But I also need you to understand the stakes here. This project

s words pressing down on her, but it only fuel

she said, meeting his gaze he

wasn't saying. Liam had always been so guarded, so professional, but today, there was something else i

ood. We'll start the planning first thing Monday morni

er chair as he did the same. She was abou

to know that this project isn't just about work. It's abou

skipping a beat at the intensity in h

something flicker in his eyes - something unspoken, something dangerous. But before she co

voice distant now.

more to this than just work. And the closer she got to Liam, the more she felt like she

-

ouldn't stop herself from wondering what kind of game Liam was playing. She had heard rumors - whispers in the offi

more personal, that was drawing him to her? She couldn't tell, but she

hone buzzed, interrupting her thoughts.

ple Lounge tonight.

fingers hovered over the keyboard as she debated how to respond.

. The last thing she needed was to get caught in another web of confusi

eath, she type

be t

dn't shake the feeling that tonig

ords "We need to talk" hanging heavily in the air. What could Liam want? She had been preparing herself for

distance? Or had the tension between them shifted into something else, something personal? The thoughts ma

-

him outside the context of the office sent her mind racing in all directions. After a few moments of indecision, she chose a sleek black dress, the one that fell just above her knees and made her feel powerful, but not overdone. H

-

frequented, but it seemed fitting for a meeting with someone like Liam. When she arrived, the warm golden lights illuminated the diml

her a knowing smile as she approached. "You must be Miss Kensi

ortant. The bartender gestured toward a private booth in the back of the lounge, dimly lit and tucked away from the rest of

approached, Liam's gaze lifted, locking with hers. The corner

smooth. He gestured to the seat across from

he leather seat cool beneath her. The proximity was too clo

ked, trying to keep her voice steady

se but not quite as cold as it usually was in the office. There was something almost...

at I couldn't say in front of everyone else." His voice was calm, measured, but there was an undercurrent of something more. He seeme

whether to believe what she was hearing. She had worked hard to keep things professional

ed quietly, her mind racing

peaking in confidence. "I know I've kept things formal between us. I've kept myself distant, profe

stbrook Enterprises, a powerful, driven man. How could someone like him look at her-someone who was just st

he asked, her voice barely above a whisper, unable

e, almost vulnerable, in a way that Violet had never seen before. "I do," he said simply, his voice hushed. "But I also kno

een so focused on proving herself, on navigating the corporate world with him, that she

grappling with the sudden sh

I can try to be better moving forward. I don't want to keep pretending that there's nothing between us,

t raced, her mind torn between the professionalism she had so care

something that had both frustrated and fascinated her since the day they first met. But sh

olet said quietly, the words caught

king for anything right away. I just want you to know where I

as they sat there, two people caught i

heart pounding in her chest. "But m

ong while, he smiled, a genuine smile that reached

and of the unknown path they both now found themselves on. But beneath it all, the

-

l. She wasn't sure what to make of Liam's confession, but one thing