Emma Johnson seemed to realize what she had done. A wave of nervousness washed over her. She edged toward the door, but her fingers, trapped in Liam Williams's grip, began to struggle violently. The harder she fought, the more ferocious his kiss became, as if he intended to devour her whole.
Liam's reaction grew increasingly intense. The heat inside him blazed like an inferno, nearly consuming all his restraint. But just then, a scene flashed through his mind—Elijah Clark's smiling face as he looked back, and the delicate box sitting on the table.
His dark pupils contracted sharply. He snapped back to reality, abruptly halting all his actions and instantly retreating to his seat.
The warmth that had just begun to spread across Liam's face slowly faded, turning cold once more. In the blink of an eye, he had transformed back into that gloomy, icy man.
Emma hadn't expected him to let her off so easily today. Her lips parted slightly, but in the end, she said nothing.
This wasn't like Liam at all. If it weren't for his hesitation, she wouldn't have escaped so easily.
Countless doubts swirled in her mind.
Had he seen something just now when Elijah appeared so fiercely?
And the gift—though she had hidden it away, Liam's eyes had definitely caught a glimpse of it, hadn't they?
Should she explain?
Emma felt like an ant on a hot pan. But if she explained now, would Liam even believe her?
Just moments ago, he had clearly asked her if that man was Elijah, and she had denied it, claiming she was innocent. In the end, he had caught her in a lie.
Now, wouldn't it seem abrupt if she suddenly admitted the truth?
What if Liam hadn't actually seen anything at all?
If she brought it up herself, wouldn't that be asking for trouble?
Forget it. She'd rather stay silent.
If he asked again, she could explain then.
Her mind raced through a thousand possibilities, but in the end, she chose to keep quiet.
Emma hadn't always been like this. In the past, if something was on her mind, she would say it directly. When had she become so cautious, walking on eggshells?
Sometimes she didn't understand why she always felt so nervous around Liam.
Was it because his violent temper had scared her so badly?
Or was it because she cared too much about his feelings, afraid that he might misunderstand her—even just a little?
She lowered her head gently, brought the lollipop to her lips with her fingers, and looked at Liam awkwardly.
She blinked twice, but still couldn't read his thoughts.
Liam's icy face was dark and unreadable. His thick brows were tightly knitted, forming a deep crease between them. His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at the steering wheel in his hands, his expression troubled.
This was more than just frightening.
Emma knew better than to offend him. Even if she had no common sense, she understood when to speak and when to stay quiet.
Liam released the steering wheel, raised his hand to loosen his tie, and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt. He said quietly, "Don't you really have anything to say to me?"
He was giving her a chance. If she would just admit it, no matter the situation, he would trust her unconditionally.
Why had Elijah appeared here? Why did it seem like their meeting had been planned, with him prepared to give her a gift?
What was inside that box?
All these doubts flooded his mind. Liam used every ounce of his strength to suppress his anger and asked that question.
All he wanted was the truth.
Even if Emma said it was a coincidence, he would believe her.
The air seemed to freeze instantly. The temperature inside the car plummeted. Emma looked at Liam uneasily.
Say it? Or not?
She hesitated for two seconds. Just as she was about to speak, Liam impatiently started the car, putting on an expression that said, "Even if you tell me now, I might not believe you."
"Forget it," he said coldly, his voice echoing in the car. "Emma, I hope you never lie to me for the rest of your life. Not even one sentence. There's a price to pay for deceiving me."
Never lie to him for the rest of her life.
Not even one sentence!
After hearing that, Emma felt her body go stiff.
Yes, she had just lied. Elijah's sudden appearance had caught her off guard, and she had been afraid of being misunderstood by Liam.
After thinking it over, she still felt it was better to wait and find a chance to explain later.
But what did Liam mean by that? Who would want to be deceived?
Emma paused, looked at Liam silently, and nodded gently. "Liam, what if... what if I lie to you later? What would you do?"
As God was her witness, Emma had known Liam for a long time, and she had never lied to him. Today was an exception.
Since he hated being deceived so much, would the consequences be severe?
Emma was so scared she barely dared to breathe, let alone look up at him.
"I don't know," Liam replied, "but I'm sure of one thing—I will never let go of anyone who deceives me in this world."
He had expected Emma to ask him that.
Because of Elijah's appearance.
Was she really hiding something from him?
Or, to put it more seriously, was Emma not as simple as she seemed?
Thinking about this, Liam's brows furrowed even deeper. The scenes he didn't want to see and the words he didn't want to hear kept replaying in his mind.
Emma and Elijah—if they were just ordinary people, why had she tried to cover it up all night?
One by one, unknown thoughts crept into his mind. Liam felt like his head was about to explode.
The light in his eyes dimmed. He was silent for a long time before finally starting the car.
When they got home, Benjamin Williams and Christopher Martin were sitting on the sofa, chatting. After nearly a week of getting to know the situation, Benjamin had grasped the basics of the Las Vegas Entertainment City and planned to officially enter as the general manager.
As Liam had arranged, Christopher would help Benjamin manage the company until his position was stable. This way, Benjamin would learn quickly.
Liam glanced at the two people in the living room. His anger hadn't completely dissipated, but he forced himself not to show it in front of them. He simply took off his coat quickly.