After spending an hour staring at marveling at the ton of gold, they made their way out through the ladders.Earlier, Liam and the rest of them descended the ladders to take a proper look at the gold to check if it was in fact real gold and not a prank all along. But the gold was real, even Samuel Roderick's machine confirmed it right.They couldn't take anything out of it since each gold was heavy and there were probably over five hundred of them.It would take days to transport the gold out of there, so Liam wanted to tread with caution and not rush things.Liam was still shocked, he could barely believe that he had seen the gold sooner than he expected. If Samuel Roderick had not approached him as a clown that night, he would have still thought that the plaza required demolition to get the gold.Liam couldn't believe his father left so much for him. He was still so touched that tears brimmed in his eyes."We have to close it and join heads together to think of a way to get the go
Liam was holding a meeting at the office when he received a call from Samuel Roderick that some thugs just evaded the plaza, beat some shop owners until they lost consciousness, and damaged goods worth $8,000,000.Liam couldn't proceed with the meeting anymore. He left and drove to the plaza at a speed, only to find the whole plaza disarrayed and in mayhem.Damaged louver glasses, ruined goods, and injured people.People were getting rushed into the ambulance through a gurney. The whole place was in chaos to the extent that Liam had goosebumps rising in his pores.It was such a terrible thing to happen to these innocent people."You did this," Wailed Mrs. Smith as she hooked Liam through his collars.And a few uninjured shop owners came to lay accusations at Liam. Some were even throwing him food and hauling insults at him.Liam let himself get pushed about. He couldn't even utter a word to defend himself because he was still too stunned to do so.It was hard, trying to understand how
Although Liam's paranoia towards Samuel Roderick stayed the same, he purposely left the man aside in the meantime and began his own findings with the other three suspects.Avery, Gibson, and Big Tony.Since Big Tony was his butler and bodyguard who lived in the same house with him, Liam began with him first.That evening, he made his way to his butler's room without even knocking on the door.Only to find the place empty with Big Tony gone.Liam put his hands on his waist and wondered where Big Tony had gone.He thought the man was in the restroom, only to wait for five minutes, and didn't see anyone coming out of it.Liam proceeded to knock on the restroom door and got no response.If Big Tony was truly in there, he would have grunted, since that was the only sound he could make.Liam later on looked through Big Tony's room, trying to find anything suspicious, but there was nothing he could see.He further on went through Big Tony's diary and found nothing.Only notes about Big Tony's
Avery Duffer was free from her CI job every Wednesday, so Liam took it upon himself to spy on her, and while he thought about it, he couldn't help but feel bad because she had risked her life a lot of times to save him. Her loyalty to him was unwavering and although Liam had feelings for her, he could not be sentimental.This was two trillion dollars worth of gold they were talking about. Avery Duffer could change overnight. Money did change people, and it didn't even matter how loyal they were before. She was a billionaire, but it didn't mean she wouldn't want more money.And because Liam was to stalk her, he disguised himself so he would not be recognized by her. Otherwise, it would ruin his plans.Never in his life did it cross his mind that it would get to a point where he would start suspecting Avery.At first, he went to her company because he knew she worked late. Upon reaching there, he took the public elevator up to her office which was on the fifth floor.All he had in min
"Liam?" Avery called out to him, with the confusion on her face evident."Why are you here with him?" Liam gritted out."I don't understand. Have you been stalking me?" She inquired."Mr. Price, it's so nice to actually meet you in person," Steve Mackay rose to his feet and stretched out his hand towards Liam for a handshakeBut Liam ignored the handshake and returned his gaze to Avery."Who's he to you?" He asked."Oh my god, are you insane? How dare you ask me such a question when I am not your sister or your girlfriend? When I am a grown woman of twenty-five," Avery could barely believe him. It felt surreal that Liam could ask such a thing."You now go on dates with men?" Liam continued."For goodness sake, I've known people before you!" Avery yelled at him, driving her finger close to his face."How can you do this to me?" Liam couldn't even hide the hurt in his eyes."What?" Avery was taken aback, wondering if she heard him correctly."Wait a minute, are you two romantically invo
Liam got home upon not fulfilling his plan of spying on Avery Duffer. Seeing her look happy with someone else who wasn't him just hit him with a lot of emotions.How she turned him down hurt deeply but he could not blame her, since he chose Stevie-Lou over her, right after she confessed her love for him.Liam could clearly see how hurt she was back then. And even the way she had wept. It made guilt stab through him. It was true that she needed to live a happy life after being through so much for his sake."Why do you look like that, all of a sudden?" Inquired Samuel Roderick upon seeing Liam return to his home."And why are you here without seeking my permission?" Liam asked him with a slight frown."I thought I was in your little group, after letting you see the gold," Samuel rubbed his palms together and winked at Liam.Liam just sighed and said nothing else. He wanted to head to his room so he could be alone with his thoughts, but having Samuel Roderick there just ruined things.
"Avery?" Liam was surprised to see Avery at the door. She had made her way in without knocking.It was morning and she was supposed to be at her company or performing a task given to her by her boss from the CIA, but she chose to stop by his place."Let's put yesterday behind us and discuss how to get the gold out since we don't need to demolish the building anymore," she told Liam as she walked further into the dining room where Samuel Roderick and Big Tony were having breakfast, except Liam who had his laptop in front of him instead."Woah, we weren't exactly expecting to see you here," said Samuel with a mouth full of food."What do you even mean by that?" Avery wrinkled her face at him, not understanding what exactly he meant by that."Liam…" Samuel Roderick was about to spill the exact thing Liam told them the previous day when Big Tony hurriedly stomped on his foot."Ow!" The man growled, forgetting about talking for a split second because of the pain he was caused by Liam's but
The exact day came and the thugs who had been sent to vandalize the plaza and kill people were taken aback upon seeing a party going on with over three thousand people, both in and outside the plaza. It was even hard for one person to make their way into the plaza because of the population. Not only well-known musicians were invited to perform, but even prominent people were present with their bodyguards. And some were from different countries. It was hard for these thugs to go on with what they were instructed to do. They had their excavators stopped a few blocks away from the plaza since hundreds of cars were lined up in front of the plaza.'Have you started?' Hunter asked the leader from the phone."There's a problem here," The man responded as he scanned through the place. All the eleven excavators were packed at one side.'What could that be?' Hunter inquired after a short pause of silence."Someone is hosting a party and they invited thousands of people to attend. As it stand
Three months later."It's a boy," Liam was trying to keep a straight face but he was woefully failing at it."And?" Avery raised a brow as she put some documents aside. She was in her office and Liam just bursted in without even knocking."We did genetic testing and it turns out that he's truly mine," he told the truth at last and fist-pumped the air in excitement."That's great news, Liam. Congratulations," Avery offered Liam a genuine smile but she still remained in her sitting position."It's still incredulous that I have a son," Liam put his hands on his waist and stared at the ceiling."It feels surreal, right?" Avery asked."He was so tiny that I was afraid he'd fall from my arms," Liam blurted out."And the mother, how is she?" Avery swiftly changed the topic."Chloe is still on treatment, she delivered the child through CS," Liam informed her."She needs a lot of rest, it wasn't easy at all," Avery finally left her seat and went to stand beside Liam."I wish it wasn't her but
It was sort of hard to leave the Cabin when Avery immediately passed out right after Liam embraced her. And there was Stevie-Lou, who couldn't even walk because of the bullet wound she had. It was completely dark outside, almost past 9 PM and Liam could still hear the sirens from afar. Quickly, he put an unconscious Avery on his back before going over to the other room to check up on Stevie-Lou.She was sitting on the floor, her face was dried with tears and her leg was still bleeding."It's all over, Stevie, I'll get you out of here," Liam said softly but Stevie-Lou couldn't even look at him.Liam put Avery on the floor before hurrying to Stevie-Lou's side so he could cut off the ropes from her body since she was tied to a chair as well."I am so sorry, Liam. It's all my fault," She apologized when Liam finally cut off the last of the ropes, and it was obvious that she felt guilty over luring him there."No, don't apologize. Nothing is your fault," Liam didn't mind. At that moment
"Shit, shit, shit!" Liam swore out loud because he was trying as much as he could to free himself from the ropes, but he could not. He had been trying for the past two minutes and the time bomb on Avery's body was reading 5:22 seconds. And Avery was still unconscious."Avery, wake up!" Liam called out to her.Still nothing. She was unmoving, still in the exact position she was left, while the bomb was still ticking."Wake up, please. You can't die this way. We need to get the bomb from your body. If anyone deserves to live then it's you." The whole room was already smelling like death.And Liam could hear Stevie-lou's sobs from the other room.This was worse than he ever thought.His enemies tricked him, made him sign all his fortune to them and then they ran away, leaving him to die along with the two women who mattered to him.Liam let out a shuddered breath when Avery began stirring until she flicked her eyes open."Avery, can you hear me?" Liam called out to her while she stared
"Hello, Liam. We have a little surprise for you," Hunter returned with a smirk and then he rubbed his hands together as if he just did a job well done."Where's Avery, what have you done to her?" Liam couldn't help but ask because his heart was already quaking in his chest from the fear of losing Avery."You should see for yourself, don't you think?" Hunter still had his smirk resting on his face.And at this, Liam took a rough gulp. Afraid that they had killed Avery Duffer.Gibson and Ted Price returned, and they didn't untie Liam from the chair, afraid if they did, he would gain the strength to fight back. So they just carried him along with the chair and took him into another room in the cabin.And the sight that greeted Liam would have sent him to his feet if he wasn't already tied to the chair.Avery was still unconscious and she had a ticking time bomb to her body."What have you done!?" Liam was already trembling in his seat, he could feel his heart rising to his throat. "Hurr
Four hours ago…Avery knew something was up with the way Liam left without paying any attention to her. Normally, he always noticed her but this time he did not. He even ignored her when she called out to him, and it was rather strange.She was about to hop into her car to trail after him when she saw Gibson, the traitor approaching her."Hello there, Avery Duffer," Gibson offered her a little smile as he stopped in front of her and put his hands right behind him.Avery waited for Liam to drive off before she turned to Gibson."You," she sneered at him."Come on now, you can't say you hate me because of what happened," Gibson cast her an innocent look."Your audacity is stinky, sir," Avery insulted, with her eyes showing him how much she was upset with him.And the man chuckled, clearly amused by the way she just spoke to him."How dare you show up here and act like it's not a big deal to betray Liam?" Avery gritted out as she covered the distance between them. He was taller, old enou
They hit Liam with whatever they could find and beat him black and blue until his face was battered and his vision was blurry."We'll only let you live on one condition," panted Hunter as he wiped his bloodied fist on his shirt.Liam's face was already swollen enough that his voice sounded groggy when he tried to speak."Sign these papers and pass out all your inheritance to us, and then we'll let you go without killing you," said Charlotte."And of course the gold, you need to give us the gold," Hunter added.Liam's head fell to his side, he was in so much pain that it hurt to even stay awake."Speak up now or you'll be gone in a matter of seconds," Hunter cocked his gun and aimed it at Liam.And this reminded him of the nightmare he had on two occasions. The one where he dreamt about his downfall and death, and it generated panic attacks which he never had.The nightmare was manifesting itself, even though the people whom he found in the dream weren't complete.Even though it was ju
Liam got in the direction Stevie-Lou had texted him. It was in a remote area, a place that he had never been to before. He wasn't scared, that was the main reason he went alone because he aimed to rescue Stevie-Lou from his cousin. He stopped his car and took the footwalk until he got to the cabin.Liam could feel his heart hammering in his chest as he stared at the cabin.Why on earth would Ted kidnap Stevie-Lou and hurt her? But then again, obsession was a dangerous thing, because it could be that he was mad at Stevie-Lou for ditching him at the wedding and running away with Liam. And then he found out a few weeks later that she was dating Liam. So it hurt him, but that was about four months ago.Liam clenched his jaw as he made his way to the cabin. He didn't know what was waiting for him there, but he knew he could risk it all for Stevie-Lou. She didn't deserve to get hurt, after being through so much in the past months. Indeed, Liam still cared deeply for her. That was why when
'Liam?' Stevie-Lou's shaky and tearful voice sounded from the other end of the phone."Stevie?" Liam could barely believe that she picked up her phone to call him. Unbeknownst of her situation.'A-a-are you alone?' She sounded as if she was in so much pain."Yes, Stevie. What's wrong? Are you hurt anywhere?" Liam was genuinely worried for her sake because he still cared for her.I was kidnapped by Ted Price, he lured me into his trap, claiming it was you who wanted to see me. And when I went there, he shot me in the leg and locked me up in this cabin,' Stevie-Lou explained while sobbing."Christ!" Liam swore out loud as he jumped to his feet.'He shot me in the leg, Liam,' she continued."Ted shot you?" Liam could feel his breathing growing deep.'Yes, so I wouldn't run away. And then he left me out here to suffer,''Can you give me a description of this place, so I can come to your rescue?' It was taking everything within Liam to not panic.'I'm afraid if you come with the police, he
Stevie-Lou and Jake were filling up their stuff in boxes, they were to leave town the following morning, since Stevie-Lou managed to secure a job out of the city and she wanted to relocate as fast as possible. She was still upset over her break-up with Liam since she still cared deeply for him.It hurt that she was still affectionate towards him but they could not be together. Liam had way too much going on in his life and she couldn't cope. Nor would she go back to Ted Price who had numerous baby Mamas and kids all over the place.Still, she had this one last urge to see Liam, to hug and bid him goodbye before cutting off from him entirely and starting life afresh. They went through a whole lot together.Starting from when she saved his life when he was getting kidnapped. Fast-forward to the time she showed up at his house so she could take permission from him, before putting his story out.How Liam had dressed up as clumsy Thomas just so he could get close to her. He even bought her