Emma's POV
I liked everything to be neat and in order. My life was built around schedules, plans, and expected results. But Liam Winters was the opposite of all that. He was unpredictable, and unpredictability was risky.
Ever since Liam moved into my penthouse, everything felt... off. He was noisy, even when he wasn't talking. His messy sneakers didn't match my spotless floors. His random jokes interrupted my focus. And his endless questions? Annoying.
"Do you even enjoy living like this?" he asked one evening while I was working on a project.
I frowned. "Living like what?"
"Like a robot," he said, waving at my immaculate apartment. "Everything's so planned. Don't you ever just relax?"
I let out a deep breath. "Efficiency isn't about being boring, Liam. It's about having a purpose."
"Sounds lonely." he said with a shrug.
"It's not." I replied, but my voice was sharper than I intended.
He didn't argue, but his words stayed in my head, even after he left the room.
---
Two weeks had passed, and Liam's unpredictability caused real trouble. He was supposed to accompany me to a board meeting on my big AI project. His job was simple: sit next to me, be quiet, and look supportive.
But of course, it wasn't that simple.
"I can't wear this tie." he complained, holding up the purple tie I picked for him.
"You can, and you will." I said, adjusting my blazer.
"It's bright purple." he muttered.
"It's a bold choice." I said.
"It's a ridiculous choice." he shot back.
We argued, but in the end, he wore it.
I walked into the meeting with confidence, knowing that I was talking about my area of expertise. I knew exactly what to say. However, halfway through my presentation, Liam could not keep still.
At one point during the presentation, one of the executives asked me a question, and Liam blurted in before I could answer.
"Basically, it's like teaching a toddler to solve problems but without tantrums." he said.
The room fell silent. Everyone stared at him. My jaw tightened.
"That's... not quite right," I said, forcing a smile. "But thank you for your passion."
Liam's face turned red as he went down into his chair.
---
In the car after, neither of us said anything for a bit. Finally, he sighed. "Okay, I messed up."
"That's putting it lightly," I replied icily. "Do you know how much that presentation was worth?"
"I was just trying to help." he said in his defense.
"Help?" I snapped. "You made me look unprepared in front of the board!"
He rubbed through his hair upset. "I don't know how to act in these situations. I thought I could contribute."
I wanted to scream at him, but seeing the defeated look on his face made me shut my mouth.
"Just don't do it again." I said.
"Got it." he mumbled.
The rest of the car ride was quiet.
---
That night, I found Liam on the balcony, staring at the city lights.
"I don't fit in here." he said without looking at me.
I hesitated before sitting beside him. "You don't need to fit in. You just need to play the role."
"Easy for you to say," he murmured.
"You've got everything figured out."
"Do I?" I asked, surprised by myself.
He looked at me. "You're Emma Carter. You're practically perfect."
I laughed a real laugh. It felt strange.
"Perfect?" I repeated. "If only you knew."
He looked at me curiously, tilting his head to one side. "Well, then tell me."
For a second, I was going to let him have it. All those nights lying awake, questioning my own abilities, fearing failure. But I was not ready for that.
I stood up. "It's getting late. We have an event tomorrow."
He didn't move, but I sensed his eyes on me as I walked out the door.
---
The next day, a package came in. There was no name or return address on the small box. Inside it was just a plain bracelet with one charm, a lightbulb.
Liam walked into the room as I raised it.
"What's that?" he asked.
"I don't know." I said, staring at the charm.
He grinned. "Well, it's better than all this high-tech stuff you have here. Sometimes simple is good."
I didn't say anything, but those words echoed in my head.
For all of his faults, Liam had a way of being observant of my perfect world and reminding me of things I'd forgotten.
And that scared me more than I was willing to admit.