I felt like I was suffocating. The restaurant suddenly felt too small; the air too thick. My hands trembled as I reached for my wine glass. I didn’t even taste it when I downed it. My world was falling apart and I needed something, anything, to drown out the fear clawing at my chest.

The waiter walked towards us then and asked if we cared for anything else.

“A bottle of Whiskey, please. Neat,” I said

“Hey..” Liam said, trying to stop me

I held up my hand “don’t…just don’t”

The whiskey arrived, and I poured myself a glass. The first burn down my throat was brutal but as if that wasn’t enough, I took another glass. And another, vaguely aware of Liam watching me.

“You should slow down,” he said at one point.

I ignored him. I wanted to numb myself. To feel nothing. I hated the way Victoria made me feel—small, powerless. I hated that Liam sat there, looking at me like he cared, when everything was so broken between us.

When I finally tried to stand, ready to leave, I felt so dizzy that I immediately lost my balance, Liam caught me before I hit the floor, strong arms wrapping around me like a shield “You’re not going home like this.”

“I’m fine,” I mumbled, but even I didn’t believe it.

“You’re coming with me,” he said firmly. “I’m not leaving you alone like this.”

I wanted to argue. I wanted to tell him to go to hell. But the room kept spinning, and the warmth of his hand on my skin…felt safe, in a way it shouldn’t have.

Without waiting for my protest, Liam scooped me into his arms and started to walk to the car. I felt silly, being carried like a baby but I was too tired to fight.

“My penthouse is just five minutes away. We’re gonna get you safe and warm in bed soon” he whispered to me. I nodded weakly.

The elevator ride up to his penthouse was a blur. I remember leaning against him, breathing in the familiar, maddening scent of him. I remember the soft click of the door shutting behind us. Liam led me into a bedroom with floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the city.

And I remembered Liam touching my face, gently, carefully, as if afraid I might break. There was something in his eyes as he watched me. His anger was still there, but there was something else-regret, pain…and want. No need, raw, desperate need.

“You should sleep,” he murmured, after dropping me on the bed, and made to leave.

But sleep was the last thing I wanted

I looked up at him, feeling reckless, hurting everywhere, and whispered, “Stay.”

He turned to look at me and then walked slowly toward me. I stood up, but I immediately lost my balance

Liam caught me and grabbed me to himself. He gazed into my eyes and I almost could not take the heat anymore. I wanted him to kiss me so bad and as if he was listening to my thoughts, he grabbed my neck.

His mouth found mine, urgent, desperate. I clung to him, pulling him closer, feeling like there was still too much space between us.

He cornered me into the wall as he continued to kiss me. I felt deliriously lightheaded from the addicting taste of him.

His hands found my dress and he tore off my beautiful green dress. His hands were everywhere—so warm, so sure. He lifted me easily, pinning me to the wall, his weight pressing on me.

I could feel his hard on pressed against my belly. He moved his lips to my neck then and gave me a sudden bite that made me yelp. He giggled knowingly.

He then carried me to the bed and dropped me like a sack. I watched as he took off his suit and trousers. I could see his hard cock, stretching out the black underwear he was wearing, threatening to rip it. I gulped, I had almost forgotten how big he was, how he always filled me, stretched the walls of my vagina.

He lay on me then, gripping my tender neck with his left hand and inserting his right hand into my dripping vagina. I gasped as the shock and pleasure ran through my body.

His mouth moved to my hard nipples then, and he gave me a sharp bite, I screamed and he chuckled.

“That’s what you get from keeping my son away from me”

But I was not listening to him, he freed his hard cock and I gasped involuntarily as I saw the hard cock and stretched out vein. He slowly inserted his cock in my vagina.

I gasped his name when he filled me, and he cursed against my skin, holding me tighter, moving deeper, harder, until nothing else existed except the two of us.

He kept thrusting and I kept screaming as pleasure spread through my body. I didn’t want him to stop, I wanted him to keep thrusting and he did.

I felt the pressure begin to build as I got close to orgasming.

I came with a shuddering cry, and he wasn’t far behind, his body trembling as he buried himself deep one last time.

After, he wrapped himself around me, breathing hard, heart pounding against mine.

***

Morning light broke through the tall windows.

I woke up tangled in his sheets, sore in the best way, and for a brief, stupid moment... I smiled.

Until reality crashed back in. What have I done? Did I just have sex with Liam Sinclair?

I slipped out of bed carefully, grabbing one of Liam’s shirts from the floor and pulling it on. My head was pounding, the hangover beginning to set in. I walked into the kitchen and made myself a cup of coffee with the coffee maker. As I sipped my coffee slowly , I noticed his laptop sitting open on the coffee table.

Something tugged at my gut and I found myself moving towards the open laptop.

I moved closer, bent done and tapped on the keys. It came on. No password.

One email was still open.

Subject: Custody Agreement Draft – Confidential

My stomach twisted.

I clicked.

Words blurred in front of me—legal jargon about full custody, payouts, non-disclosure agreements.

And at the bottom, a message:

"She won’t say no if we play this right. Let Victoria push. I’ll pull back. Good cop, bad cop. Keep the emotions high—it’ll make her easier to control."

I scrolled.

Pictures of me.

Pictures of my son.

Time-stamped notes about where we went, who we saw.

Surveillance.

Betrayal.

All of it.

A soft sound escaped me—half-sob, half-laugh—as the truth slammed into my chest.

Last night hadn't been a miracle.

It had been a setup.

I suddenly felt as if someone was watching me, I turned and saw him behind me, and I heard the way his breathing changed when he realized what I’d seen.

"You’re up early," Liam said quietly.

I didn’t turn. My voice came out raw. "How long?"

He hesitated. "Isabella—"

"How long have you been planning this?" I spun to face him, the laptop screen glaring between us.

"It’s not what you think," he said quickly, stepping closer.

"Don’t lie to me," I said, my voice shaking. "You let her threaten me. You used last night to break me down—"

"I didn’t use you!" he shouted, pain flashing across his face. "Yes, it started that way, but it changed—"

"Stop," I whispered, stepping back. "You don’t get to say that. You don’t get to pretend."

Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.

"You never wanted me back," I said, cold and broken. "You just wanted my son."

He didn’t deny it.

He didn’t say anything.

That silence told me everything.

I shoved past him, grabbing my phone and bag. I didn’t mind that I was still wearing his oversized shirt. I needed to get out as quickly as I could. "Where are you going?" he demanded.

"To find a lawyer," I said without looking back. "And to make damn sure you and Victoria never touch my son again."

I heard the soft thud of his fist hitting the wall behind me.

But I didn’t turn around.