Chapter 3

3.

It only took Brielle a second for tears to start streaming down her face as she clutched her cheek, sobbing quietly.

"Brielle!"

Liam shoved me aside and pulled Brielle into his arms, stroking her face tenderly.

"It's all red, it must hurt so much. Don't worry, I won't let the person who hurt you get away with it."

The concern in his eyes was real, and his words were deadly serious.

I saw clear as day how he felt about Brielle, and I heard the disgust he had for me in his voice.

Liam turned to me, a flicker of shock in his eyes.

I thought for a moment that seeing my disheveled hair, my torn collar, and the scratch marks on my neck and arms might soften him.

But the hesitation vanished in an instant, and his gaze turned to ice.

"Apologize to Brielle."

My heart felt like it was being crushed by an invisible hand, the pain so intense I could barely breathe.

He hadn't asked a single question. He just declared me guilty.

I clamped my lips shut, staring daggers at him.

Brielle cried even more pitifully, pointing a finger at me. "Liam, she's the one who hit me! She also trashed your studio and smashed all the equipment you bought for me!"

"And she was waving around some fake property documents, saying this building is hers and that she's selling your law firm!"

Liam gently soothed her, a look of adoration on his face I had never seen before.

"Don't waste your time with a psycho. It breaks my heart to see you cry."

Brielle blushed instantly, burying her head in his chest and murmuring about how sweet he was in front of everyone.

The teasing from their friends made me dizzy, and I nearly lost my footing.

In five years together, I always thought Liam just wasn't the type to say sweet things. He told me he came from a humble background, worked his way through school, and didn't know how to charm girls, asking me to be patient with him.

Back then, I only saw his resilience and ambition and chose to understand.

But now I realized, it wasn't that he couldn't do it. He just wouldn't do it for me.

After calming Brielle down, Liam turned to me, his tone cold. "Chloe, are you okay? Your injuries don't look serious, but Brielle's face is swollen, so you should still apologize."

Brielle lifted her head from his chest, looking at me with a triumphant smirk.

I snorted.

"Liam, is this how you handle your cases? You don't even bother with the basic facts before delivering a verdict?"

Liam's face flushed with embarrassment.

"Chloe, are you not listening to me anymore? I already explained everything to you, so what are you doing causing a scene here?"

Seeing that I was no longer the obedient girl I used to be, he stepped closer and whispered in my ear.

"Chloe, this isn't the place to talk. Go home and wait for me, okay? I'll come back and explain everything."

He grabbed my wrist and tried to drag me out, but just then, his phone rang.

His face fell as he answered the call.

He grabbed me by the collar, his voice a low, furious hiss. "Someone just said this office was sold―what's going on? The firm is supposed to launch any day now, what am I supposed to do?"

Liam's eyes were bloodshot as he shook me back and forth.

"Chloe, you go contact that landlord right now. I don't care how you do it, you have to save this law firm!"

I pushed him away and gestured to the property manager outside the door.

The manager immediately stepped forward, holding out a tablet and several legal documents stamped with official seals to Liam.

"Mr. Donovan, these are the latest property records from the New York County Clerk's Office, along with the power of attorney signed by the Sinclair Family Trust."

I looked at him coldly. "I am the absolute owner of this building. Liam, now I'm asking you to take your people and get the hell off my property, or I will sue you for illegal commercial trespass."