Chapter 20 Liam

Chapter 20 Liam
Liam
My days always started with silence. Well until Luciana and the girls returned to my life. Now it is perfection. I wouldn't have it any other way. The girls have been my solace. I don't even listen to music while working out anymore. I just listen to the girls Yap, and Luciana moving around the room, trying to get the girls to dress up.
Curled on her side, hair loose, one hand tucked beneath her cheek like she was guarding something precious. I imagined her longer than necessary, watching her breathe, letting myself have the luxury of softness before the day demanded me. She would have my head if I snuck in her room…she is too much of a light sleeper.
I dressed quietly.
By eight, I was seated at the head of a forty-foot conference table.
Floor-to-ceiling screens lined the walls, each displaying a different division and clean finance, offshore investments, political portfolios, private equity, shadow accounts that didn’t officially exist. Men and women in tailored suits filled the room, voices hushed, tablets ready.
I didn’t speak at first.
“Q2 growth for Global Holdings is up twelve percent,” the head of international finance said, gesturing to the screen. “We’ve expanded our footprint in Southeast Asia and secured three new sovereign clients.”
“Details,” I said calmly.
He swallowed. “All funds have been structured through legal frameworks. No flags.”
Good.
Next division.
“We’ve successfully moved six high-risk accounts without triggering audits,” another executive reported. “The shell networks are stable.”
I nodded once.
They watched me like gravity itself might shift if I frowned.
This was what I did.
I caught myself thinking back to Luciana's sexy body grinding on mine. And her soft lips claiming mine desperately. Now I know she still wanted me.
I caught myself smiling before I could stop it. Now the executive is going to think they did a good job.
“I can't believe you think that was actually impressive." I full on laughed. “This is the worst report all morning. Get this shit working or I show you the way to the homeless shelter"
I didn’t just manage money, I took the chaos of billionaires, politicians, mafias, and turned it into order. I made illegal money clean. I made legal money disappear. I made problems stop existing. I couldn't just let them see me smile at work.
And everyone in that room knew it.
Halfway through the meeting, my phone buzzed once on the table.
A message from my assistant.

'Your wife is at a spa. Cassandra is there. With Alyssa, Gia, and Julian. Security is in place.'

I exhaled through my nose and leaned back in my chair.
Of course she was.
“Continue,” I said, waving a hand as if nothing had happened.
But my mind wasn’t there anymore.
I pictured Luciana...probably pretending she wasn’t watching Cassandra, probably pretending she wasn’t already planning something devastating. She might have even done something. I smiled despite myself.
When the meeting ended, I signed the documents carefully accessing them.
At lunch, I called Julian. I was informed he was with them.
“Don’t you have patients to treat?” I asked flatly immediately he picked up
“Yes,” he said cheerfully. “And I also have a hospital full of competent doctors. Or did you forget I own the hospital. So today, I’m off.”
“Technically they belong to your great grandparents who probably did human experiments in their basement"
He gasped dramatically “and I thought I could trust you to keep my family secret"
I snorted.
“Just make sure she’s safe.”
A pause. “Funny how you never ask me to be safe.”
“Go fuck yourself.”
He laughed. “Love you too.”
I ended the call smiling. That was who he was to me. An easy person. Someone who I could lean on without worrying. But I will never tell him that. His ego is too big already. He needs me to ground him.

By late afternoon, I was standing outside Lucia and Lyla’s school, jacket off, sleeves rolled up.
They came running the moment they saw me.
“Daddy!”
They crashed into my legs, nearly knocking me over.
“You’re early,” Lucia said suspiciously.
“I wouldn't want to keep my princess waiting would I?” I replied. “But I missed you.”
Lyla looked at me seriously. “Are you being good to mummy?”
I blinked.
“We are going on a date" They gasped like I’d announced something sacred.
Lyla nodded.seriously as if in approval. “Good"
“You should buy her flowers,” Lucia added. “And don’t fight.”
My chest tightened.

“Buy red ones,” Lyla instructed.
“And tell her she’s pretty,” Lucia said.
“I already know that,” I murmured.
“Thank you my little matchmakers. Uncle Julian will be here soon"
10 minutes later Julian came to pick the girls up. They were so excited. First time Julian would babysit them.
Then I waited. I waited till 7 when it was time to go and she still isn't back. I called her number it wasn't reachable…called Alyssa and she told me to calm my tits. That she is coming soon. Her phone died.
Five minutes.
Ten.
Thirty.
Then she appeared.
Luciana stepped out of the car like she owned the street.
Black dress. Simple but enough to make me so captivated. Dark eyes. Calm violence wrapped in elegance. Nothing could get me to et tired of her beauty. She is truly too good for me.
She looked like a fallen angel who’d decided not to apologize for it.
My breath left me.
“I’m sorry,” she said, walking toward us. “We got carried away.”
“With Cassandra?” I asked lightly.
She smiled like she was remembering the fun she had today. “Yes.”
“Must have been a good spa day"
“The best"
I handed her the flowers.
“You are so beautiful. I can't stop looking at you"
She looked down and fiddled with bow on the flower, her cheeks red. “You don’t look bad yourself.”
The girls groaned.
“Ew,” Lucia said.
Lyla giggled.
" Julian!”
" I’m going, I'm going.” and he drove them off finally.
" Are you sure you don't want to give them to alyssa and Gia” Liam sighed. And I laughed softly.
" You know they have work so Julian is our best option here”

As we drove away,
I thought; briefly and selfishly that if this was all I ever got, it would be enough.
For now.