I didn't speak, I couldn't even if I wanted to. I didn't trust myself not to speak out of line. I was probably hallucinating, and was hearing things. Surely Liam did not just travel across half the globe just to tell me to get married to him. It was probably a prank.
Without care for his words, I lifted my cup of coffee and took a sip out of it. Before gaping at him in an attempt to read through his expressionless face.
"Did you hear me?" He asked, even though I was sure he knew the answer to that question already.
"You mean the joke earlier? It wasn't exactly funny, so I found no need to laugh." Came a cold reply from me.
I saw his eyes darken a little, but soon became cold. He stared at me for a lengthy minute, before finally speaking.
"I'm being serious Amelie." The coldness in his voice was suddenly gone. If I didn't know better, I would have said Liam Hardwood was begging me for something. But that could never happen. A self centred man like Liam would never want anything from me unless it was going to benefit him. To him I was a toy, one that would always buckle to anything that he commanded.
"You're crazy Liam!" I threw at him without caution. I wanted to yell those words to his face, but I didn't want to end up embarrassing myself in public. "What did you think would happen, that I would say yes and allow you maltreat me like you've always done?!" My tone was breaking, and without even realising I was tearing up. I managed to control myself, and stood to leave. But once again, his cold voice had me obeying against my wishes.
"Sit Amelie. We're not done talking."
"I don't want to talk to you, or anybody related to you."
He bit his lower lips dramatically, as though the words he wanted to say were difficult. But I knew better.
"You don't really have a choice in the matter."
Lifting my eyes from the menu card on the table, I gazed into his unremorseful own and cursed him under my breath.
"You haven't changed, have you?" I asked with tears now rolling down my cheeks. I had no idea why, but deep inside of me I wished he had changed. I prayed for him to change. Perhaps the dreams that I had of us getting together were the reasons for my foolish ideas. How on earth did three years of therapy amount to nothingness in the presence of Liam Hardwood?
"It depends on how you view the situation. You could say I'm adding some meaning into your boring life, or you can view this as being held hostage. It's all up to you. "
With no knowledge of my actions, my hands flew across the space between us, and landed on his face. For the first time since our reunion, I saw his expressions loud and clear. He was surprised, and I was satisfied.
His dark eyes glared into mine, and I stared back at him without fear.
"I'll never succumb to you ever again no matter what you do!" I made clear.
Instead of getting angry at my words, I watched as a mild laughter escaped his lips. He was mocking me.
"You might not have any regards for yourself, but if you fail to consider my offer, I'll have all your friends lose their jobs. And I'll make finding another one extremely difficult for all of them"
I froze at his audacity. How dare he blackmail me using my greatest weaknesses. So this was the reason why he bought Storm in the first place, to have something he would use against me.
He wasn't joking, that much was obvious. And I knew Liam had to power to do everything he just said. He was just as despicable as he was five years ago, and had absolutely zero care for how his actions affected those around him. As long as he was winning, Liam Hardwood was satisfied.
"Why exactly are you doing this? Do you get joy from torturing me?!" I questioned with demanding eyes. Why on earth does he want us to get married again? And why after all these years.
"Because I'm being challenged for ownership of Wood Industries." He replied truthfully before taking a sip out of his coffee.
"What? How does that concern me?"
"Because you're the only woman I can put up with." Came a firm reply.
"You mean the only woman you can control without any consequences!" I threw back at him. It was truth and he knew it. Any woman who had gone through my experiences with Liam would probably be in an asylum by now. It was the other way round, I was the only woman who could handle his scum attitude.
"Say whatever you like Amelie, it doesn't change the fact that I've chosen you." He said with little care. My words didn't matter to him, what matters was that he got what he want.
"I don't know what is going on between you and your family, but I honestly don't want to get involved." I said. "I have a choice." Well sort of. I didn't want Colin and my former co workers ending up in the streets because of my stubbornness. But at the same time, I didn't want to get involved with the Hardwoods.
I knew them from hair to toe, and I knew just how despicable that family is. They all had the same attitude as Liam, or maybe even worse. Avoiding them was probably best for anybody.
"That's not possible unfortunately." He said. "You see my father passed a year ago, and in h—"
"I'm sorry about your loss." I interjected. He seemed disgusted by the fact that I interrupted him, rather than being grateful that I even had a shred of care for his family."I'm sorry." I apologised.
"In his will, he wrote that the owner of the family business must have an heir. The old man doesn't want the company to ever leave the family, so he made that rule simply for this purpose."
"Well, go get a surrogate mother and have a child with one. Or better still adopt a baby." I suggested.
He ignored my remarks and continued with his explanations. "As you know, my brother Casmir is married, and unfortunately has a child. And now he wants my birth right for himself. If I don't get a child before twelve months, I'm going to lose ownership of the company."
It was sad what was happening to him, but I was thrilled. This was probably the best way to get my revenge. 'I'm sorry Colin, but you'll just have to live in the streets for twelve months.' I said mentally, as though sending a psychic message to my best friend. When I was done with my thoughts, I stood up from my seat. And boldly, without trepidations, I looked into Liam's cold eyes and gave him my final reply.
"I refuse to get married to you again."