"Allie, where are you?"
"Downtown at Sam's Diner," Allie said quietly, holding her phone tightly.
Liam's voice was cold, laced with irritation. "Come home. Now."
The line went dead.
Allie stared at her phone, stunned, before standing up. "Sorry, everyone, something came up. I have to go."
She grabbed her bag, ignored her coworkers' curious glances, and rushed outside to catch a cab back to Lakeview Heights.
Their house sat on the edge of the hills, like a modern castle—beautiful, but distant, like Liam himself.
When she arrived, the butler opened the door. "Miss Brooks, welcome home."
"Where's Mr. Hart?"
"He's upstairs, in the bedroom."
Allie's heart pounded as she went up, pausing outside the bedroom door, unsure why she felt so nervous.
Finally, she stepped inside. The room was empty, but the sound of running water from the bathroom told her Liam was
showering. She sighed, setting her purse down on the sofa.
Staring at the bathroom door, Allie's mind spun. Everything felt surreal—this marriage, her life in this house. Just yesterday, she was a nobody, and now… Mrs. Liam Hart, wife of the CEO of Hart Industries. The idea was as baffling as it was intimidating. Why her? What did he see in her that he didn't see in any of those other women?
The bathroom door creaked open, and Liam stepped out, dripping wet, a towel slung low around his hips. Allie's eyes wandered, involuntarily taking in his lean, chiseled frame.
Liam raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips. "Like what you see?"
Her face turned red, and she looked away quickly. "I've seen better," she muttered, instantly regretting it.
"Oh, really?" His voice was low, challenging. He took a step closer. "Why don't you come over here and take a closer
look?"
Allie's heart raced as he closed the distance between them. She could feel the heat radiating from him, his intensity as unsettling as it was thrilling. Her hand reached out, almost as if on its own, brushing his chest.
Before she could pull away, he caught her wrist, pulling her closer. "Allie," he whispered, his voice rough, sending a shiver down her spine.
She closed her eyes, surrendering to the inevitable.
When she opened them again, it was morning, sunlight streaming through the curtains.