CHAPTER 1: TENSION

I hated parties like this—filled with hypocrites who thought they were better than everyone else just because they had money. I had experienced their two-faced nature firsthand, so I’d resorted to sitting quietly, smiling politely, and throwing in a few compliments here and there to keep the peace.

My cheeks were starting to hurt from smiling all night, playing the role of the “perfect wife” while making small talk with women who saw me as competition. They wouldn’t hesitate to stab me in the back the moment I turned around.

Honestly, I didn’t even know why I was at this party. It’s not like I was invited. Liam occasionally dragged me to these events, but I wasn’t required to be at this one.

“You’re so lucky to have Liam as your husband,” said a blonde woman sitting next to me. Her voice dripped with fake sweetness. “He’s kind, handsome, successful, and he treats you so well. Bringing you to parties and never leaving your side—he’s every woman’s dream.”

More like every woman’s nightmare.

I smiled, tracing the rim of my wine glass as she went on and on about how “lucky” I was. Jealousy was written all over her face. She might as well have just said she wanted him for herself. Honestly, I’d be happy to set them up. Liam would probably enjoy it too, considering his habit of sleeping with anything that moved.

Her comments didn’t surprise me. Liam worked hard to make people think he was the perfect husband. To the world, we were the happy, madly-in-love couple with the perfect relationship. But behind closed doors, it was all a lie. A mask Liam wore to hide his manipulative, abusive, and controlling behavior.

Even if we were a happy couple, why did everyone act like I was the lucky one? If anything, Liam was the lucky one. I wasn’t rich but I was content and I would’ve never married someone like him if my greedy father hadn’t forced me to. 

Speaking of my father, I’d spotted him a few times during the evening, chatting with guests and trying to make connections. I could’ve sworn our eyes met a few times, but of course, he didn’t acknowledge me. He was too busy trying to impress the elites to care about the daughter he’d sold off for investment funds.

He wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for me—if it weren’t for my marriage to Liam.

This sham of a marriage only benefited him and Liam. My father got to flaunt his title as “father-in-law” to the Ross family and secure his business deals. Liam got to inherit his father’s company. And me? I got nothing—no dreams, no friends, just an abusive marriage. What a life.

I was tired of sitting there, pretending to care about conversations that meant nothing to me. The soft violin music grated on my nerves with every passing minute, and the blonde woman was still yapping away.

With a quiet sigh, I excused myself and headed to the bathroom.

As I turned the corner into the hallway, a voice called out behind me. I didn’t have to look back to know who it was.

“What can I do for you today, Father?” I said sharply, forcing a fake smile onto my face.

“I just wanted to ask how you were doing,” he replied smoothly, stepping closer—too close for my liking. “And if you’re making progress on what we talked about.”

I frowned. He never asked how I was doing unless he wanted something.

“You know, Dad, you never disappoint,” I said, sarcasm lacing my words. “Here I was, thinking you wanted to check up on me. But no, you’re more interested in whether I’m working on what you want. So, tell me, Dad, what is it this time?”

“Don’t give me that, Anya. I’m doing this for your own good. I told you to focus on getting pregnant for Liam so your child can inherit the Ross empire.”

I stared at him, shocked. ‘My own good?’ How has anything he’s done in the past five years been for my good? Liam abuses me—emotionally, physically. To him, I’m nothing more than a toy to break whenever he feels like it. And now, you want me to bring a child into this nightmare? Just to secure some empire?

I felt a lump in my throat, but I forced myself to speak. “You know, I’ve asked myself a thousand times when you became this person—driven by ambition and greed. Or maybe you were always like this, and I just never noticed.”

My voice cracked, but I kept going. “Did I ever mean anything to you? Did you ever notice you were destroying your daughter’s life?”

His expression hardened, his silence louder than any words. And in that moment, I knew, he couldn’t give two shits about me or how i felt

“Oh, I see,” I said with a nod, my chest tightening as a lump formed in my throat. Without waiting for his reply, I turned on my heels and walked toward the bathroom, desperate to escape this awful conversation.

But before I could take another step, a firm hand grabbed my arm.

I froze, my heart pounding. Slowly, I turned my head, meeting his cold, unyielding stare.

“Anya,” he said, his voice low and sharp. “You’re not walking away from this. I’ve sacrificed too much for you to ruin it with your stubbornness.”

I tried to pull my arm free, but his grip tightened like a vice. “Let go of me, Dad,” I said, my voice trembling with anger.

“You really don’t get it, do you?” His eyes narrowed, his tone filled with frustration. “This isn’t about you anymore. It never was.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked, my voice shaking.

He leaned in closer, his voice colder than ice. “If you don’t do what you’re told, there will be consequences—ones you’re not ready for.”

My stomach dropped. Consequences? Was he threatening me now?

Before I could say anything, a voice cut through the tension.

“There you are, darling.”

I turned quickly, relief flooding me as Liam appeared in the hallway. His charming smile masked the menace lurking beneath his polished exterior.

But the look my father gave him wasn’t one of approval or alliance. It was pure betrayal.

“What’s going on here?” Liam asked as he approached us, a small smile on his lips, hands casually folded behind his back.

“I was speaking to my daughter,” my father replied sharply, irritation clear in his tone.

“It looks like more than just speaking if you’re gripping her arm that tightly,” Liam said calmly, glancing briefly at me before raising a brow at my father.

My father let go of my arm, his jaw tight as he shot me one last look before turning and walking away.

“Well, that was intense, don’t you think?” Liam said with a chuckle, watching my father disappear into the crowd. “Shall we leave? This party is getting boring.” He didn’t wait for my response, already heading toward what I assumed was the exit.

I followed quietly, a few steps behind him.

He stopped suddenly and turned to look at me. “Walk beside me, Anya. What would people think if they saw you walking behind me like that, head down?”

“Sorry,” I mumbled, quickly stepping up to his side.

He waited for me to match his pace before continuing. When we reached the exit, our car was already parked in front. The driver opened the door, and Liam gestured for me to get in first. I slid into the car, and he followed right after.

As the car began to move, I couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in my chest. My father’s sudden change in behavior toward Liam had rattled me. He used to practically worship Liam, and now…

“What did your father say to you?” Liam’s voice cut his through my thoughts. He was focused on his phone, typing away.

“Uh… he was just asking how I was,” I said, my palms growing sweaty as I tried to sound casual. There was no way I was going to tell Liam the truth—that my father wanted me to get pregnant with his child so the baby could inherit the Ross empire.

“And what did you say?”

“I didn’t say much. I tried to walk away, and that’s when he grabbed my arm,” I said, watching him carefully to see if he believed me.

“Hmm.” Liam hummed, finally looking up from his phone. His piercing gaze met mine, and my heart jumped into my throat. Did he know I was lying?

“I don’t want you speaking to him again,” he said firmly,looking up from his phone as his eyes bored into mine.

“W-what?” I stammered, caught off guard.

“You heard me. You’re looking like a fish gasping for air, Anya,” he said with a faint smirk. “If you can’t handle it, don’t worry—you won’t be attending events like this anymore. And he’s not welcome in my house.”

He returned his attention to his phone, typing something I couldn’t see.

What the hell was going on between them?