Page 29 of Liam
Her eyes, still filled with contempt, challenge me to prove her wrong. For a moment, I consider letting her assumption stand. It would be easier, safer. But something in me rebels against the injustice of her judgment.
“You assume you know me?” My voice comes out low, raw with emotion I rarely allow myself to show. “Let me tell you about struggle, Dr. James. Try losing your mother at the age of eleven. Try watching your father retreat into his work, leaving you to pick up the pieces.”
Aleria’s expression shifts, surprise replacing the contempt, but I can’t stop now.
“Try being a teenager suddenly responsible for your little sister’s wellbeing. Try growing up overnight.”
I run a hand through my hair, memories I’ve long suppressed flooding back. “Money doesn’t shield you from loss, from responsibility, from the crushing weight of expectations. It doesn’t fill the void of a parent’s absence or ease thefear of failing the people who depend on you. Just because I seem happy doesn’t mean I always am.”
I meet her gaze, letting her see the pain I keep hidden. “So no, Dr. James, I haven’t struggled to pay rent. But don’t presume to know my struggles.”
The silence that follows feels heavy. Something shifts in Aleria’s expression—the sharp edges of her skepticism softening into understanding. For a moment, she looks at me like she’s seeing me for the first time.
“I didn’t know,” she says. “About your mom, about having to take care of your sister...”
“Yeah, well,” I shrug, uncomfortable with the sympathy in her eyes. “At least I learned responsibility early. I bet Jake never had to worry about thousands of employees depending on him.”
Her entire demeanor changes in an instant. The warmth in her eyes freezes over, her posture stiffening.
“Wow,” she says, letting out a short, humorless laugh. “For a second there, I actually believed you.”
“What? Aleria, I?—”
“No, really, I’m impressed.” She takes a step back, wrapping her arms around herself. “Using your dead mother to win our bet? That’s something else, Valeur. Even for you.”
“That’s not what I?—”
“Save it.” She holds up a hand, her voice steady but her eyes blazing. “Message received. You’ll do anything to win our bet. But don’t worry—you’ll see plenty of Jake’s good qualities at the Halloween party.”
Jake. The name punches me in the gut. That tight feeling in my chest flares up again, this strange burn at the idea of herwith him. But I can’t think straight with her staring daggers at me, convinced this was just another mind game.
She turns to leave, then pauses, glancing back. “You know what the sad part is? I think some of what you said was actually true. Too bad you had to use it to score points.”
As she walks away, the victory we shared earlier feels hollow. In trying to win her over, I’ve only pushed her further away.
Around me, people are still cheering, their voices mingling with the pounding beat of the music, but I’m numb. The look she gave me before she turned away—that accusation that I was just playing her—lingers, sharper than I want to admit.
And I can’t even blame her. Not really. She’s used to me being the guy who will do anything to win.
But I wasn’t even thinking about the bet. For that split second, all I wanted was her.
Chapter Nine
LIAM
“Gentlemen,” I announce, clapping my hands together, “tonight’s the night! Operation Win the Bet is officially underway. Sofia won’t know what hit her.”
I pace the length of my penthouse living room, a wide smile plastered on my face. My three best friends—Alex, Diego, and Ryan—lounge on the leather sectional, eyeing me with a mix of amusement and concern.
Alex raises an eyebrow. “You seem excited. Should we be worried?”
I laugh, perhaps a touch too loudly. “Worried? Please. I’m Liam Valeur. I excel at everything, including dating.”
Diego snorts. “Yeah, for about three dates, max.”
“I don't know what you're talking about. I'm great at dates,” I insist, straightening one of my framed degrees that hangs slightly crooked on the wall behind my desk.
Dad had laughed when I added law to my computer science degree, calling it an expensive hobby. But I'd always found learning easier than relationships.
