Vanessa
The elevator creaked and groaned as it ascended, the lights flickering ominously, casting unsettling shadows on our faces. The tension hung in the air, thick and unspoken, each of us feeling the weight of the moment.
Liam and Patrick took charge, doing their best to calm everyone. Liam's hand still held mine, and despite the situation, it brought me a strange sense of comfort. But when I caught my mother glancing at us, I quickly pulled my hand away, not wanting to give her any ideas.
Breaking the silence, my mother said, "Vanessa, please tell me—are you really dating that actor?"
Liam's gaze immediately snapped to me, more curious than even my mother, as if my answer meant more to him than I'd realized.
"No," I said, trying to keep my voice neutral. "It's just media nonsense. We're co-stars, nothing more."
