The Gilded Pact

a, a man of power and precise movements, his emotions locked away behind an impenetrable gaze. Yet, occasionally, she caught glimpses. A fleeting look of exhaustion in his eyes,

t always subtly probing for information about Liam's business, particularly the merger. He presented himself as a sympathetic figure, worried for his little sister trapped in a lovel

. As he explained the clauses, Elara noticed a subtle inconsistency in his words compared to what Liam had briefly mentioned. She paused, questioning it. Richard, usua

ited front. At the event, Victor Thorne approached them, his smile too wide, his eyes too knowing. He made a thinly veiled comment about Liam's "unconventional" marriage, hinting at its true, transactional nature. Elara felt a surge of protectiveness towards Liam, a feeling she h

between them felt different. Less cold, more... c

ell," he said, his voice unu

lush on her cheeks. "He w

"And you instinctively protected the

a replied, then hesitated. "And..

destroyed him before he built Vance Enterprises. It wasn't a confession, but a rare glimpse behind the steel facade, a hint at the profound isolation tha

projections. She saw the exhaustion etched on his face, the sheer weight of his responsibilities. Without thinking, she quietly made him a cup of tea. He looked up, surpri

company she vaguely recognized as being linked to Marcus's past, failed investments. The pieces didn't fit, but the puzzle was growing more complex, and a chilling realization began to dawn on her: someone close to Liam, someone she saw every day, was actively working against him. And perhaps, against her. Th