Chapter 52 Chapter 52
Liana's POV
"Mum," I said, the second Cam had taken off again in the direction of her chair across the counter, leaving behind a path of sticky fingerprints and innocence in her wake, I was actually surprised she didn't say anything. My voice was strained, too sharp around the edges, and I didn't like how defensive I already was. "About this morning…”
She didn't bat an eye. She flipped the last pancake onto a plate like a woman who'd spent her life flipping more than breakfast… dialogues, expectations, situations. "Yes?" she said offhandedly, but the glint in her eye told me that she knew exactly what I was going to say.
"It wasn't what it looked like," I rushed to explain. "Dominic only spent the night because I… I wasn't in a good place last night. And I didn't want to be alone. It wasn't serious. I promise."
She finally turned to face me, wiping her hands on the apron she somehow had on in spite of being in recovery. Her eyes, calm and clear, searched mine. “Liana,” she said simply, “you don’t need to explain. You’re a grown woman.”
I exhaled, slow and cautious. That was when Dominic coughed behind me, still lingering in the doorway of the kitchen like a ghost who wasn't sure he'd been invited in.
"Good morning, ma'am," he said, as stiff as a board. "Thanks for having me but I was actually going to… "
I turned, met his eyes with a questioning look. Really? That soon?
"Stanley," Mum said, without hesitation. She always called him that. "I was only joking. Sit and eat. We've got enough to spare, and I'm sure Liana would prefer you didn't slip away like a guilty character in a soap opera."
He hesitated. Cam, oblivious and chipper, waved a syrup-covered fork. “Stay! Grandma’s pancakes are the best! And I like having you around.”
And just like that, the man I’d never seen by anything gave a slow nod and stepped into the kitchen with measured grace. He sat beside Cam, across from me, and offered a cautious smile like he was walking into a lion’s den disguised as a Sunday breakfast table.
Mum brought him a mug of tea. "There. That wasn't so hard, was it?" I tried not to smile, but one slipped out anyway.
We ate in silence for a few minutes. The air eased, warmed by the scent of maple and cinnamon and the gentle clink of utensils on plates. Cam chattered away and away about some dream she'd had: a dancing bear and a lemonade castle and I let her words take up space in the air like music. Stanley listened with polite amusement, eyes straying now and then to me as if checking to make sure I was all right, really all right.
And for a moment, I was. He cleaned his mouth with a napkin after his last bite and shoved his plate away. "Thank you," he said, nodding in my mother's direction. "That was great."
She smiled smugly. "It always is."
Then he turned to me, his voice gentle. "I should get going. You have a meeting, and I don't want to hold you up."
I stood automatically. "I'll walk you out."
We moved quietly through the hallway and out the front door. The morning sun had risen high enough to warm the brick steps. His black car was already waiting, the driver standing near the front, eyes respectfully averted.
Dominic turned to me. “You’ll be fine. You’re more than prepared to take him down.”
“I hope so.”
"You're more than ready, Liana." he said again, his eyes locking onto mine. "You have the upper hand with them now. You aren't the same woman you used to be."
I caught my breath. There was something in the way he said that, like he'd watched me grow, seen it happen. That tightened my chest.
Then there was the pause. That gentle, forceful silence that demanded attention.
His hand came up slowly, fingers brushing a stray curl behind my ear. I leaned my head without thinking, instinct overriding reason, and before I could stop it…
His mouth touched mine. Soft and certain. Like a key turning easily in the right lock. Time elongated. The sun warmed my skin and my breath hitched.
It wasn't hot or chaotic or like the pounding rush of first kisses. It was quieter, steadier. Like he was anchoring me without a word.
When he pulled back, just an inch, and I immediately felt empty. My body leaned forward, just a little, chasing the warmth that had just left me. And that's when I saw it, a movement in the corner of my vision.
Behind the room curtains, which were bare, a small shape stood. Cam. Her small hands were on the windowpane, her forehead pressed gently against the glass. Big, round eyes wide with curiosity open.
I was startled. Dominic noticed at the same time.
We both tensed simultaneously. The mood changed, tension replacing everything else.
He coughed. "I should go. Go get ready for the meeting."
"Right," I whispered, voice suddenly weak. "Yeah. Good idea.".
He walked towards his door, steps measured, and when he got into the car, he turned once, lifting a hand in a soft wave. I stood there watching him go, heart pounding at the thought of all that had happened.
Slowly,I turned to head inside, but my phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out, and another shock wave hit me.
It was Serena.
Great. Just what I needed, another whirlwind. I stared at the screen for a moment, then answered.
"Hi," I said calmly, trying not to sound rushed.
"Oh, thank God you picked up," Serena said, out of breath. "Where are you?"
"At home. Why?"
"You'll need to sit down for this."
I frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I just found out you have a meeting today. The agenda is to make you believe you're settling then when you've compromised all your evidencies, they will strike and render you powerless.”
“Where did you get this from?” I asked, totally shocked.
“Someone leaked it, someone I cannot disclose."
My heart dropped.
"What?"
“You must take everything I say seriously, Liana. Files, projections, your whole arsenal. Give them a bit but take the rest for yourself. And Liana?" Her voice lowered.
"They are no longer playing fair, so I am going to come in too".