Every one of Liam’s words jabbed at Rita’s heart.
It hurt.
It hurt a lot.
She’d still been struggling, but she quieted down.
She looked at the man before her, eyes red, heart wavering.
But to waver was to poison herself and give someone a chance to hurt her family.
“Trust me, Rita. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you and your parents.”
As if seeing through her, Liam wiped away the tears at the corner of her eye and pleaded, “Don’t leave
me again, please? Or I’ll really lose my mind.”
“Liam, I… mph.”
Rita spoke hoarsely, but her ruby lips stung once more.
He’d bit her again. “Hush!”
“?” Not understanding, Rita raised her head and glared at Liam doubtfully.
The man smiled, pulled her into his arms, and gently closed his eyes. “I’m tired. I want to sleep for a
while.”
Ever since Rita had hit him with the breakup, Liam’s insomnia had flared up again.
With each blow she dealt his heart, he’d grown more anxious and ill-tempered, and he couldn’t sleep at
night.
He’d gone several days without sleeping properly and was thoroughly exhausted.
At this moment, Rita realized the man beside her was running on fumes. There were deep bags under
his eyes, and his complexion looked unhealthy and tired.
Consciously, she softened her voice. “If you’re tired, go home and sleep. You can’t rest well in the car.”
“I’ll be fine with you here.” With her here, he could sleep deep.
Rita giggled, thought of something, but a weight came on her shoulder.
He was asleep?
He’d fallen asleep just like that?!
Looking at the man’s peaceful bearing, shock, guilt and heartache ran through Rita’s chest.
He must have hurt these days.
Liam Wilson, you dummy.
Why won’t you just let me go?
If you could’ve just been a bit more ruthless, my plan can go on ahead.
And now…
She sighed to herself. At the end, she couldn’t match his determination.
Now that it’d gotten this far, she might as well let him have a good nap.
In the shotgun seat, Jacob glanced at Liam as he slept, then propped his hand up against his left
cheek, looking pained.
“What’s wrong, Jacob?” Lee looked at him and asked, voice low.
Jacob gazed at the embracing pair through the rearview mirror and laughed bitterly. “Nothing, it’s just…
I have a toothache.”
Lee looked at the mirror that Jacob had glanced at, saw the embracing couple, seemed to understand
something, and shot a sympathizing look at Jacob.
“Had your heart broken is all. That’s nothing. It’s okay, son. I believe you’ll find someone to love and
cherish you.”
Jacob gaped. “!!!” Were old people this progressive now?
Er, that wasn’t the point. The point was he really didn’t feel that way about Liam.
I’m a butch, Lee.
A butch through and through.
…
As Liam slept, Rita, still wrapped in his arms, took out her phone and browsed the economic news.
The moment she tapped in, news about the Brown Group were all over the place.
Most articles were bashing them.
There were even rival companies taking advantage of the situation and promoting their own, one
hundred percent plant-based dyes, even inviting media to tour their factories.
In her past life, after this incident, the Brown Group eventually cleared their name, but it was too late by
that point.
It had taken them six months to find out who was behind the poisoning, and on those six months, the
companies that had cooperated closely with the Browns abandoned them out of practicality.
Because of that, the Browns’ Gold Dust Fashion Company was also affected.
GD. Fashion held out for another five months, but for the Brown Group already at the end of their rope,
this was the straw that broke the camel’s back. Not long after, the Brown Group declared bankruptcy.
She’d thought she’d changed enough for the Brown Group to avoid such a crisis.
But in an unwelcome surprise, it had come along anyway.
Quicker and more severe than before, too.
In her past life, the people who had caused this were the P. Group, behind Connor Trent.
And this P. Group just so happened to be Michael’s company.
Michael… Burke…
Running the name over in her head, Rita narrowed her eyes.
So-
Michael’s promise not to harm her parents or Liam was just to buy time.
Good.
Very good.
She’d been trying to find a way to mediate and resolve the grudges from her past life.
But it looked like mediation was off the table now.
Time for her to take the necessary measures.
Right now, someone in the subsidiary SF. Brown knew who was behind the poisoning. But she’d need
to think up a strategy to dig them up…
With a plan in mind to turn things around, Rita looked at the bright blue sky outside, eyes full of the
determination and drive to reverse the board.
This time, she wouldn’t let her parents come to any harm, and she’d fulfil her promise to keep the
Brown Group safe.
Even if some people in the Brown family weren’t worth it, the grandfather who’d guarded her with his
life and her loving parents were.
She was allowed a chance to live her life again, and she would pay all her debts, good or ill.
As Rita stared off into the sky, she didn’t realize that the man beside her had opened his eyes.
Liam’s first reaction was to check his side to see if the girl was still there.
When he saw her lie there comfortably in his arms, he closed his eyes again, but his hand at her
slender waist pulled her towards him.
He wanted to grind her into a paste and inject her into his veins and marrow.
This way, he wouldn’t worry about seeing where she was.
And he wouldn’t have to worry about her disappearing.
As she stared off into space, Rita felt the force at her waist and looked at the man towering above her,
only then realizing that Liam had woken up when she wasn’t aware. “You’re up?”
“Yes,” Liam replied, his voice sonorous and deep.
Rita looked at him. He still seemed tired. “Want to sleep a while longer.?”
The man nodded.
“It’s too cramped in here. Can’t be comfortable for you, right? Want to go home and lie on down your
bed for a while?”
Hearing her remerging concern, Liam smiled uncontrollably.
Supporting his head with one hand, he bent down to look at the pale, delicate face in his arms, his
deep eyes full of starry light. “Want to sleep with me, Rita?”
Sleep with him?
Those three words meant a lot of things, and everyone in the car took it the wrong way.
Rita’s small face blushed bright red. “…”
Lee, having experienced all that the world had to offer, grinned. “…” Young people went straight to the
point.
Jacob jerked and almost fell down his seat. “…”
This… this direct invitation had really come out the mouth of the private, all-business, ruthless Liam
Wilson?
Sweet Jesus Mary and Joseph.
His heart hurt, his eyes hurt, his ears hurt.
He felt like he’d sustained a million points of critical damage all across his body. It was horrible.
The Liam of old was gone.
Gut-wrenching.
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