Amelia stared at her reflection in the elevator's mirrored walls, her mind a tangled mess of emotions. Her fingers clutched the file folder she was supposed to review for the upcoming board meeting, but the words had long since blurred into meaningless ink on paper. Her thoughts weren't on profit margins or corporate forecasts.
They were on Liam. On Julian. On herself.
Everything was shifting too fast. Just days ago, she was focused on doing her job well, on proving herself in a company she admired. But now, it felt like she was standing in the middle of a storm, and both men—powerful, magnetic, and infuriating—were pulling her in opposite directions.
Julian had offered her something clear: a new project to co-lead, visibility with the board, and a partnership built on trust and admiration. His proposal had been polished, well-prepared, and honest—at least on the surface.
But Liam… Liam was chaos wrapped in a dark suit and quiet intensity. His proposal hadn't come in the form of a pitch—it came in lingering looks, subtle guidance, and that fire in his eyes when he spoke about ambition, loyalty, and legacy. He didn't say he wanted her to stay by his side. He made her feel like she already belonged there.
But how much of it was real? And how much was manipulation?
The elevator doors slid open. Amelia exhaled shakily and stepped into the marble hallway that led to the executive wing. The atmosphere was colder here, quieter. Like decisions made in these rooms didn't just impact numbers—they shaped lives.
As she neared Liam's office, she paused. The door was closed. A flicker of doubt ran through her.
She didn't knock. Not yet.
Instead, she turned and walked past his door, down the corridor and into one of the small, unused meeting rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows. The New York skyline sprawled before her in glittering chaos, the city alive with choices, opportunities—and consequences.
She sat down, letting the file slide onto the table untouched.
What am I doing?
It wasn't just about two men anymore. It wasn't even about the career opportunity Julian had dangled before her, or the undercurrent of attraction she felt every time Liam walked into a room.
It was about trust.
And survival.
Because deep down, Amelia knew that whichever path she chose, something would break. Maybe it would be her career. Maybe it would be her heart.
The door creaked open.
She turned, startled, to find Liam standing there, his grey eyes unreadable. He closed the door behind him quietly.
"I thought you were heading to the boardroom," he said, voice low.
"I needed a minute," she replied, her tone more defensive than she intended. "To think."
He approached slowly but didn't sit. Instead, he stood across the table from her, watching her the way he always did—like he saw more than she wanted to reveal.
"Thinking about Julian's offer?" he asked.
"I'm thinking about everything," she replied, lifting her chin. "About what it would mean to choose either of you. About what I'd be giving up if I let my emotions interfere with my future."
He tilted his head slightly, that ever-so-slight smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. "And what do your emotions tell you?"
"That I'm confused," she said honestly. "That I care about something I probably shouldn't."
Liam's expression shifted then—so subtly, most people would miss it. But she saw it. The flicker of something raw in his gaze.
"You think caring about me is a mistake?"
She hesitated. "I think it could be dangerous."
"For you, or for me?"
"For both of us."
Silence stretched between them, filled only by the distant hum of traffic far below.
Liam stepped around the table, closing the distance between them. "What if I told you I'm not asking you to choose between us?"
She looked up at him sharply. "Aren't you?"
He leaned on the table with both hands, just inches from her. "I want you to choose yourself. I want you to make the decision that feels right for you. But I also want to be a part of whatever that decision leads to. I'm not perfect, Amelia. You know that. I've done things—things you'd hate me for. But when it comes to you, I'm not playing a game."
Her throat tightened. She wanted to believe him. God, she did.
But then she remembered the overheard conversation. The cryptic warning about revenge. The name of her father tossed around like it still carried power—and resentment.
She stood, suddenly needing space. "You say you're not playing games, but you still haven't told me the truth. About your history with my family. About what this all started as."
Liam's jaw tensed. "Some truths are heavier than they seem."
"Then let me carry them," she said, voice trembling. "I deserve to know what I'm stepping into."
He looked at her for a long moment, then gave a slow, pained nod. "I'll tell you. Everything. But not here. Not like this."
Her heart thudded in her chest. "When?"
"Soon. After the board meeting. After you've had the chance to decide what you want—without the truth clouding your judgment."
"But the truth is part of the decision, Liam."
He nodded. "I know. And I'll give it to you. I owe you that."
They stood in silence for another moment, then Liam stepped back.
"For what it's worth," he said quietly, "I didn't expect you. I didn't plan for you. But you're the one variable I can't control. And maybe that's what scares me the most."
With that, he left.
Amelia sat down again, her legs weak, her mind buzzing. She had asked for honesty. She had demanded a choice.
But the truth was, she still didn't know what her heart wanted. Only that no matter what she chose—Liam or Julian, ambition or feeling—something in her world would never be the same again.
And maybe… that was the point.