I stepped into the luxurious spa, Liam by my side. Yesterday's events still lingered in my mind, but he seemed oblivious.
He had barely spoken a word about the party, about Greg, or anything that transpired. No apology, no acknowledgment. Nothing. Instead, this morning, he had casually instructed me to follow him to the spa, like everything was perfectly normal. I, on my part, have put the ugly incident behind me, I don't need any more drama around me.
I trailed behind him, juggling his things and trying to keep up with his stride. We had barely stepped through the door when he turned sharply toward me, his eyes cold and impatient. "Did you confirm my appointment for 3:00, or do I need to remind you again how things work around here?" His voice dripped with disdain, his gaze slicing through me like I was an inconvenience to his perfectly scheduled life.
"Yes, I have done that." I replied, rechecking again.
"Well, someone's being diligent." He scoffed.
I forced a polite nod. "I'll be at the lobby while you go in."
"No, I don't want you lounging around wasting time." His voice cut me off sharply, his irritation palpable. "You'll stay nearby. I might need something, and when I do, I expect you to be ready. And God help you if I have to wait more than a minute."
I gave him another tight nod, my stomach twisting with frustration. It was always like this with him.
"I need to relax," he said as we reached the desk, his voice nonchalant."Massage and treatment for me,"
The receptionist smiled. "Right this way, sir."
We were escorted into a private room, probably for VIPs.
He didn't even thank the attendant as she handed him a robe, just brushed past her like she was invisible.
"Make sure my phone is on silent but accessible," he snapped at me, already unbuttoning his shirt as if I wasn't standing right there. "And don't you dare let any calls slip through unless it's urgent. And by urgent, I mean something that would cause the company to implode. Understood?"
"Yes, understood." I nodded.
"Good," he muttered, clearly unsatisfied but too focused on whatever treatment he was about to indulge in to press further.
I could feel his eyes darting toward me every few minutes, as if waiting for me to make a mistake, to somehow screw up even though I was just standing there. My heart pounded in my chest, and I kept running through a mental checklist of everything I needed to do, just to make sure I hadn't forgotten something he could use against me later.
"Water," he barked, his voice breaking the spa's peaceful atmosphere.
I rushed over to the side table and grabbed the bottle of sparkling water I had brought with me, the one he insisted on—because regular water wasn't good enough, of course. I unscrewed the cap, trying to steady my trembling hands, and poured it into a glass.
"Don't make me wait," he muttered impatiently.
I handed it to him quickly, careful not to spill a drop. He took a slow sip, his eyes flickering open just long enough to cast me a withering look, as if even the act of drinking water in my presence was somehow a disappointment.
"Now get out of my way or you want to see me naked?"
I hesitated. "But you were the one that asked me to follow you here."
Liam stopped, smiling at me. His expression was indifferent, but his eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief.
"Well, not anymore. Get out of this place." He snapped. "You, book her a session. I can't have her staring down on me."
"No thanks," I muttered, crossing my arms over my chest. "It's not necessary. I'll be at the lobby."
Liam's lips twitched into a half-smile, still not looking at me. "Don't be stubborn, Amelia, I don't want you in the lobby. What if I need you?"he said lightly.
"I said I don't want it," I snapped, sharper than I meant to."No, I'm fine. I'll be by the door."
"Don't be ridiculous, I don't need a bouncer. It's part of your job. Book her a session in the next room."he said, his voice low.
Before I could protest, the assistant came back with another person.
I opened my mouth to object, but Liam's gaze silenced me.
"What did I tell you about questioning me?" he whispered, eyeing me.
I clenched my jaw, frustration bubbling up inside me. Why is he doing this? He didn't care about how I felt yesterday, and now he's hell bent on frustrating me.
"If you don't," Liam added, his voice dropping lower, "I'll make sure to punish you for being difficult. And you know I don't make idle threats."
I bit the inside of my cheek. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction, but I also knew Liam well enough to know that he wasn't joking. He could make things difficult when he wanted to, and I am too emotionally drained to fight with him.
"Fine," I muttered, following the spa attendant into the treatment room beside his, my shoulders stiff with resentment.
"Don't get too comfortable though, I can call for you at any time." I heard him say.
"I'll listen for your call." I replied coldly.
As I lay down, I could feel the tension in my muscles, the weight of all the unspoken words sitting heavily on my chest.
But then, as the masseuse began to work her hands over my back, a strange thing happened. The knots in my shoulders, the ones that had been so tight they felt like they would snap, started to loosen. All my days, straining my muscles as a cleaner were being massaged away.Slowly, the warmth of the room and the rhythmic motion of the massage began to chip away at my tension.
I closed my eyes, reluctantly letting my body sink into the table. It was subtle at first, but soon the tightness in my muscles eased further, the stress ebbing away bit by bit. The scent of lavender filled the air, calming me more than I had expected. The masseuse was skilled, gentle, and somehow knew exactly where to press to make the discomfort melt.
And then, when the hot towels were wrapped around my legs and the soft music filled my ears, something shifted. I felt so relaxed. The stress, the anxiety, the frustration—it started to slip away.
Ahh, comfort. Or should I say, luxury...
The way the spa attendants pampered me with scented oils, gentle massages, and soothing music was so comforting. I began to unwind, surprised by how much I needed this.
After the treatment, I found Liam lounging by the pool, sipping champagne.
"What's next on my schedule?" he asked, eyes closed.
"Meeting with the Kings' company reps at three." I replied.
Liam's lips curled into a subtle smile.
"Good,"
******
Author's Pov
Felix stood in the kitchen, leaning against the counter, arms crossed as he watched Hela move about the room, her movements sharp, tense. She had been like this since last night, and he still couldn't wrap his head around why. The air between them was thick, and the unspoken tension finally boiled over when she turned to him, her eyes flashing with frustration.
"I just don't get why you had to drive her home," Hela said, her voice clipped. She was trying to sound calm, but the annoyance underneath was impossible to miss.
Felix blinked, surprised by the sudden shift. "What? Are you seriously mad about that? I just gave her a ride home after what happened. It's not a big deal."
"Not a big deal?" Hela huffed, crossing her arms tightly across her chest.
Felix furrowed his brow, trying to make sense of her reaction. "She was shaken up, babe. I couldn't just leave her there after what happened. She almost got—" His voice faltered, the words too heavy to finish. "What was I supposed to do, just ignore her?"
Hela's lips thinned into a tight line, but she didn't back down. Instead, she threw her hands up in frustration. "I just don't understand why you're so involved. You barely know her."
Felix felt a flicker of irritation rise in his chest, but more than that, confusion. "What's wrong with you?" he asked, his tone incredulous. "I thought you liked Amelia when you first met her. You were all friendly with her. Now, suddenly, you're upset that I helped her out? What changed?"
Hela's face softened, but her eyes betrayed a flicker of unease. "Of course, I care about Amelia. I just worry about you stressing yourself out."
A flash of something unreadable crossed her expression before she masked it with a smile—a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "I just don't want you to get too involved and stress yourself out. That's all."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, not sure whether to push further or drop it altogether. "That's not it, Hela," he said slowly, watching her carefully. "You're acting like there's more to this than just concern for me. What's going on?"
Hela's smile tightened, but her eyes darted away from his, betraying the calm façade she was trying to maintain. "I just don't want you getting too close to her," she said, her voice low, a hint of something sharper now. "She seems… like she could be a lot to handle."
Felix stared at her, bewildered. "A lot to handle? Amelia was almost assaulted, and you're more worried about me giving her a ride home? What's your problem?"
Hela's expression wavered, but she quickly recovered, plastering on another strained smile. "You're overthinking this, baby. I care about her too. I do. I just don't want you to get wrapped up in her issues. That's all I'm saying."
"Are you hearing yourself right now?" He asked wide eyed. "What if she was your sister?"
"Babe let's just drop this okay?" She said with a forced smile.
Felix nodded, but his mind whirred with questions.
Why was Hela being so possessive?
What did she have against Amelia?
He couldn't shake off the feeling that Hela was hiding something, he wasn't buying it. Something about the way Hela was reacting to Amelia felt off. He couldn't put his finger on it, but her hostility toward someone she had once been friendly with didn't make sense. And the way she was trying to dismiss the whole thing made him even more suspicious