Chapter 334: Clearing Things Up!

Liam pulled his BMW M4 into the underground parking garage of Miss Kelly’s high-rise luxury apartment complex, the twin-turbo engine echoing off the concrete walls before he cut the ignition and stepped out.

The air of the lower level smelled faintly of exhaust and damp stone.

His blood was still humming from the failed meditation with Wrath, the vivid images of pale skin and soft curves lingering in the back of his mind.

He headed straight for the glowing glass doors of the elevator bank, stepping inside the brushed-steel cabin and hitting the button for the twelfth floor.

The doors slid shut smoothly, and the elevator surged upward, the digital display ticking through the numbers in silence.

When the doors opened to the quiet, carpeted hallway of the upper floor, Liam stepped out and walked down the corridor toward her door. He reached out and knocked three distinct times.

A moment later, the door swung open.

Miss Kelly stood in the doorway, caught completely off guard.

She was wearing a loose grey singlet with a dangerously low neckline that sagged down, her pink nipples plainly visible and erect beneath the thin cotton fabric.

A pair of dangerously short denim shorts hugged her hips, and her long blonde hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, a few stray strands framing her flushed face.

"Liam? You’re here—" she started, her eyes widening in genuine shock.

Before she could finish the sentence, Liam stepped inside, grabbed her firmly by the waist, and slammed his mouth down onto hers.

"Mmmph!"

Miss Kelly let out a muffled gasp, but her hands instinctively went up to his shoulders, her fingers gripping his shirt as he backed her into the apartment.

He kicked the heavy door shut behind him with his heel without breaking the kiss.

His tongue pushed past her lips, taking complete control as he tasted her, his hands sliding down to cup her bare thighs just under the hem of her shorts.

He walked her backward through the entryway, her feet dragging slightly as she leaned her full weight against him, moaning into his mouth as he pushed her toward the living room couch.

Just as his knees hit the edge of the leather sofa and he was about to press her down onto the cushions, Miss Kelly suddenly broke the kiss.

She placed both hands flat against his chest and pushed him back with surprising force.

"Liam—wait! Stop!" she whispered frantically, her breath coming in short, ragged hitches.

Liam frowned slightly, his hands remaining anchored on her hips. "What’s wrong?"

With a trembling hand, Miss Kelly pointed over his shoulder toward the glass coffee table in front of the TV.

Sitting on a small plastic phone stand was her phone, its screen glowing brightly. Displayed on the screen in high definition was a live video call.

Sitting on the other end, staring straight into the camera with wide, stunned eyes, was Rachel—Liam’s sharp-tongued academic and social rival.

Rachel’s mouth was slightly parted on the screen, her eyes locked onto Liam holding Miss Kelly by the waist.

Before Liam could even react, Miss Kelly panicked, lunging forward over the back of the couch to slam her thumb onto the red button, violently terminating the call. The screen went black.

Liam stared at the blank phone screen for a second, then looked back at Miss Kelly, whose face had gone completely pale.

"Was that Rachel?" Liam asked, his voice deadpan.

"Yes! That was Rachel!" Miss Kelly stammered, pulling her hand back and pressing it over her mouth. "That was what I was trying to tell you before you started kissing me!"

Liam rubbed the back of his neck, running a hand through his hair. "Holy shit. If she tells the board, you’re going to get fired."

"Exactly!" Miss Kelly gasped, pacing back and forth in front of the coffee table, her denim shorts pulling high up her thighs with every stride. Her nipples were practically bursting through her thin singlet from the sheer spike of adrenaline. "I’m completely done! She’s going to go straight to the board Oh god, do I call her back? Do I pretend my camera glitched? What do I even say?!"

Liam watched her panic for a moment before stepping in front of her, reaching out to grab her by both shoulders to lock her in place. "Kelly. Relax."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and frantic. "Relax? Liam, my career is on the line!"

Liam asked calmly. "Do you know her address?"

Miss Kelly blinked, caught off guard by the question. "I... yes, I know where she lives. She doesn’t stay too far from here, maybe a ten-minute drive. Why?"

"Send me the address," Liam said, his voice completely steady. "I’ll go sort this out."

Miss Kelly stared at him like he had just lost his mind. "Sort it out? How are you going to sort this out, Liam? There is literally nothing you can tell her that she’s going to believe! She saw you kissing me!"

"Don’t worry about it," Liam said, giving her shoulders a firm squeeze before letting go. "Just text me the location. I’ll take care of Rachel."

Without waiting for her to argue any further, Liam turned and headed straight for the front door.

Miss Kelly stood frozen in the middle of her living room as the front door clicked shut behind him.

The apartment went dead silent.

She took a slow, trembling breath, her heart hammering against her ribs like a trapped bird.

She lowered her gaze, looking down at her bare legs. Her hand slowly slid down her stomach, dipping past the waistband of her short denim shorts and slipping right between her thighs.

Her breath caught in her throat.

’Am I crazy?’ she thought to herself, her fingers coming away glistening and wet.

Even with the absolute terror of losing her job hanging over her head, the sheer, taboo rush of being caught—of Liam taking charge like that while her rival watched—had turned her body completely inside out. She let out a shaky breath, leaning her hips back against the couch as she stroked herself lightly through her underwear, her eyes fluttering shut.

Outside, the twin-turbo engine of the M4 roared to life as Liam pulled out of the garage. He checked his phone mounted on the dash. A text message from Miss Kelly had just come through with an address and a house number.

He followed the GPS directions through a few tree-lined avenues, turning into a quiet, upscale neighborhood.

The houses here were large, well-maintained, and spaced far apart, surrounded by manicured hedges and quiet streets.

Liam slowed down as he approached the middle of the block, eyes scanning the house numbers until he spotted it.

Number 15.

It was a beautiful, two-story house painted a crisp, clean white, featuring a dark slate roof and a small, immaculate flower garden lining the front path. A detached garage sat to the side, and the lawn looked like it was manicured with a pair of scissors.

Liam parked his car along the curb, shut off the engine, and stepped out. He smoothed down his shirt, walked up the stone walkway crossing the green lawn, and stepped onto the front porch.

He reached out and pressed the brass doorbell button.

Ding ding.

He waited. Silence stretched for a few seconds. He glanced around the peaceful neighborhood, wondering if he had missed her or if she had already rushed out to report what she saw.

Just as he was about to reach out to ring it a second time, the heavy wooden door clicked and swung inward.

Standing on the threshold wasn’t Rachel.

It was an extraordinarily attractive mature woman.

She had her dark hair styled up in an elegant clip, and her face carried sharp, striking features.

She was wearing a beige knitted top and a fitted pencil skirt—clothing that looked undeniably expensive, but sat ridiculously tight against her figure, accentuating a heavy, spill-over bust and broad, rounded hips that stretched the fabric to its absolute limit.

Floating right over her head in glowing, blue system text was a distinct marker: [80/100].

’Fuck!, she’s so hot’

The woman looked Liam up and down, a polite, surprisingly warm smile spreading across her lips as her eyes lingered on his tall frame and broad shoulders.

"Can I help you?" she asked, her voice smooth and welcoming. "Who are you looking for?"

"I’m looking for Rachel," Liam said directly.

The woman’s warm expression instantly froze. Her eyes widened slightly, a flicker of genuine shock crossing her features before she quickly masked it with a light, nervous chuckle.

She stepped back from the entrance, opening the door wider to invite him in.

"Oh..." she said, her voice dropping slightly as she gestured into the pristine foyer. "I see. Please, come inside."

Liam stepped through the heavy wooden threshold into the bright, pristine foyer, the polished marble floor gleaming beneath his boots.

She closed the front door behind him with a soft click, her beige knitted top straining over her full bust as she turned to face him.

"Rachel, darling!" her voice echoed up the grand winding staircase, smooth and loud. "You have someone here to see you!"

A beat of silence hung over the house before a sharp, distinctly annoyed voice called back down from the upper floor.

"Who on earth could possibly be looking for me right now?"

The rhythmic, impatient thud of socks dragging against carpet sounded from the top landing.

Rachel stepped into view at the head of the stairs, her dark hair slightly messy, wearing a oversized grey sweatshirt that slid off one shoulder and a pair of tight black leggings.

She took three steps down before her eyes landed on the tall, dark-haired figure standing casually in her entryway.

Rachel froze mid-step, her foot hovering an inch above the wooden riser.

Her mouth parted in absolute shock.

The sharp, arrogant composure she usually wore at school vanished instantly, replaced by a sudden, intense flush of deep crimson that spread rapidly from her collarbone up to the tips of her ears.

She gripped the polished wooden handrail tight, her dark eyes wide as she stared down at him.

Liam stood near the base of the stairs, hands tucked casually into his black denim pockets, a slow, dark smile spreading across his face as he locked eyes with her.

Rachel’s mother glanced back and forth between the two of them, her sharp eyes catching the immediate, thick tension in the room.

Her brow furrowed slightly in complete confusion, her gaze lingering on the way Liam looked at her daughter and the overwhelming blush taking over Rachel’s face.

"Is... everything alright?" her mother asked, her tone laced with suspicion. "Also are you Rachel boyfriend?"

Rachel swallowed hard, forcing her leg to move as she descended the rest of the staircase.

She stopped on the bottom step, barely three feet away from Liam, her chest heaving slightly under her loose sweatshirt as she tried to regain her usual sharp composure.

"What are you doing here?" Rachel asked, her voice trembling just enough to betray the storm brewing behind her dark eyes.