Chapter 9
The folded note remained unopened.
Liam did not read it.
Not yet.
Part of him feared it would say goodbye.
Part of him feared it would say something worse.
He picked it up carefully and held it with the ring.
Gwen’s voice sharpened.
“Give that to me.”
Liam looked at her.
“No.”
The word surprised both of them.
Gwen’s face hardened.
“You don’t understand what she’s doing.”
“What is she doing?”
“She’s turning you against me.”
“No,” Liam said. “You did that.”
Gwen’s mouth opened.
For once, no perfect sentence came out.
Liam stepped inside, leaving the balcony door open behind him. Snow blew across the floor, touching the wet footprints like the apartment itself was trying to preserve them.
He placed Nora’s ring and the note on the coffee table.
Still unopened.
Still unread.
Then he looked at the sliding door.
At the lock.
At the handprint.
At the place Nora had been kneeling.
His throat tightened.
He had demanded the truth while denying her warmth.
He had asked who received the money while ignoring who gained from the accusation.
Gwen whispered, “Liam.”
He turned back toward her.
“Don’t say my name like that.”
Her wineglass trembled in her hand.
She finally looked afraid of him.
Not because he was dangerous.
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Because he was awake.
Read the full story 👉 Liam refused to hand over the note, and that was the first time Gwen realized her control over him was breaking.
