Chapter 42
Liam raised his voice deliberately so that everyone nearby could hear. His smug smile widened as conversations began to quiet.
“You see, Catherine?” he said loudly, swirling his glass of champagne. “You could’ve chosen the. Now that the Wharton Group is officially working with the Coles, I’m practically in the same circle as your grandfather, Buf Instead, you chose to stand beside this… nobody.”
The sharp edge in his tone drew eyes from every direction. His friends laughed on cue, their voices blending into a chorus of mockery.
Whispers rippled through the hall.
“Is that true?” someone murmured.
“She’s the manager of the National Bank, right? And that guy with her who is he?”
“Probably some freeloader chasing after her money,” another guest snickered.
Catherine’s chest tightened. The humiliation burned her ears, but she forced her expression to remain calm.” Liam,” she said coldly, “you’re making a scene. Let go of whatever grudge you have and-”
Before she could finish, Liam reached out and grabbed her wrist, his grip firm and possessive. The move was quick, casual – like he thought he had every right.
“Come on, just one dance,” he said, his voice dropping to a low, suggestive tone. “Let me show you what a real man feels like.”
Catherine’s face hardened. She struggled to pull free, but his hold tightened. “Let go of me!” she hissed, her voice sharp with anger.
The nearby crowd stirred. Some looked away awkwardly, others leaned in, drawn by the scent of conflict.
And then Adrian moved.
—
His steps were unhurried quiet, almost gentle – but his presence changed the air. He reached out, grasped Liam’s wrist, and twisted it slightly, just enough to make Liam wince.
“Let go,” Adrian said, voice calm, almost polite.
But the pressure behind that calm tone made Liam’s knees weaken. He tried to pull back, but the strength in Adrian’s hand was unrelenting, like steel hidden beneath silk.
“Argh- let go!” Liam hissed, jerking his arm free. His expression darkened when he saw the faint red mark forming on his wrist.
“You bastard,” he spat. “Do you know who you’re touching?”
By now, half the hall was watching. The music had softened, the chatter dimmed. The humiliation in front of his peers ignited Liam’s fury.
Just then, Margaret, Sophia, and Lucas appeared their timing impeccable, their smiles cold.
Margaret clapped slowly, pretending amusement. “Well, this is unexpected. I didn’t think we’d see Adrian crashing events meant for people who actually belong here.”
1/3
Whos this man?
Lucas laughed, his voice loud and mocking. “Oh, look who we have here the famous black–card thief, Still playing dress–up, I see.”
Sophia’s tone dripped with venom. “He even married my sister for money. Manager Catherine, he’s the most pathetic person I have even seen”
The laughter that followed was sharp and mean–spirited. Guests who barely understood the situation joined in anyway, eager to curry favor with those from powerful families.
Liam adjusted his jacket, feeling emboldened by the crowd’s reaction. “You hear that, Catherine? Even they can see what kind of man you’re defending. You’re only making yourself look bad.”
Liam glared at Adrian, fury burning through his embarrassment. “You’ve just made the worst mistake of your life. I’ll make sure you can’t set foot in any circle that matters again.‘
Adrian didn’t respond. He simply looked at him and that quiet gaze, devoid of anger, somehow felt more dangerous than any threat.
Then, calmly, Adrian took out his phone.
The gesture silenced some of the laughter, curiosity replacing mockery. He dialed a number and waited only a second before speaking.
“Reyes,” he said evenly, his voice carrying through the quiet. “Terminate all cooperation between the Coles and the Wharton Group,” Adrian said evenly. “You have ten seconds to execute it.” immediately.”
A stunned silence followed.
Then, as if on cue, the laughter erupted again.
Liam doubled over laughing. “You- terminate cooperation? With the Coles? What kind of fantasy are you living in?” He turned to the crowd, waving a hand. “Did you hear that? This man thinks he can call Miss Reyes – the executive director of the Coles Group – as if she even knows his name!”
Adrian didn’t bother replying. He simply raised his eyes to meet Liam’s and said quietly, “Ten seconds.”
The laughter paused for a heartbeat.
Liam frowned. “What?”
“Ten,” Adrian said, glancing briefly at his watch. “Nine.”
Murmurs began again, uncertain this time.
“Is he serious?” someone whispered.
“He’s bluffing,” another scoffed.
“This is getting ridiculous,” Margaret said loudly. “He’s lost his mind.”
Adrian’s voice was calm, patient, each number cutting through the air.
“Eight. Seven.”
At “seven,” Liam’s phone began to ring.
The sound sliced through the room. Startled, Liam fumbled to answer. “Father? I’m in the middle of something
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+25 Bonus
“Middle of something?” his father’s voice roared so loudly that even nearby guests could hear. “What the hell did.
you
do?! The Coles just canceled everything! The contracts, the joint projects, even the loan guarantees all gone! They said it came directly from Miss Reyes herself! Do you understand what this means?! You’ve ruined us!”
The call ended abruptly.
The silence that followed was suffocating. Every pair of eyes in the room turned toward Liam.
The arrogant smirk on his face had vanished, replaced by disbelief from his hand, shattering against the floor.
“Th–that can’t be true…” he muttered. “No, it’s impossible…”
But the truth was already spreading. Whispers rippled like wildfire.
་་Wait
did he actually just make that happen?”
“Who is that man?”
“He called Miss Reyes directly… could he be–?”
then panic. His champagne glass slipped
Margaret and Sophia’s faces drained of color. Lucas stepped back instinctively, his earlier laughter frozen on his lips.
Catherine stood in stunned silence, her heart pounding. She turned slowly toward Adrian – who was still standing calmly, phone lowered, eyes as steady as ever.
It was as if the chaos around him didn’t exist.
For a moment, no one spoke. The humiliation, the reversal – it was absolute.
Liam Wharton, the man who had walked into the hall boasting of his new alliance with the Coles, had lost it all in less than thirty seconds.
And the man he’d mocked as nobody had done it with a single phone call.
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
