Chapter 87

A man's voice drifted through the phone. "Is there trouble at home? Weren't we supposed to meet tonight?"

Brushing aside the question, Zoe said with clear irritation, "I already said that I'mn not available tonight.Let's meet another day."

She didn't bother with further words. The call ended as she pressed the button, abrupt and final.

The man was the manager at that hotel. Lately, Zoe had gone to great lengths to seduce him. Once they'd had sex, she coaxed him into altering the guest records. This way, Jeremy's people wouldn't discover she was an imposter.

Once everything fell into place, a sense of victory washed over Zoe. She felt sure this would open the door for her and Jeremy once more. As she stretched out across her bed, her mind wandered into daydreams-she pictured herself walking beside him as his partner, sharing a life brimming with happiness.

"Jeremy, you'll be mine," she promised herself in a fierce whisper.

The moment Kayla entered her grandmother's ward,a water glass came flying in her direction. Her reflexes kicked in and dodged just in time, the glass skimming her cheek and exploding against the wall.

Without flinching, her eyes went cold as she glanced around the room.

Liam's finger jabbed at a caregiver as he let his temper loose. "Marsha is elderly. How hard is it to help her get to the bathroom? What if something happens and she falls? Why isn't anyone keeping an eye on her during the night? Accidents can happen. Are you willing to take that risk?"

Standing much shorter than him, the caregiver quivered and said softly, "It won't happen again."

But Liam's frustration lingered. "I've paid a lot for her care. If your attitude stays the same, you may as well pack and leave."

Remaining quiet, Kayla watched, piecing together the truth behind Liam's words. She caught on quickly-his anger wasn't aimed at the caregiver alone; it was meant for her as well.

Kicking a chair aside, she strode in and dropped the food container onto the table. Her words were sharp as frost. "What's with all the shouting this early? Do you want to wake Grandma?"

As if only just seeing her, Liam turned, exasperation written across his face. "You finally showed up, Kayla.Just look at this. The caregiver is hopeless. We should move Marsha somewhere with better care. You're always caught up with work. There's never enough time for family." Annoyance prickled at Kayla's nerves. She interrupted him without waiting for him to finish. "Why must you ramble endlessly? If you're that idle, find something better to do."

Liam's jaw tightened as her words echoed across the room,stinging with public embarrassment. He tried to steady himself. "Kayla, you know my only concern is for Marsha. Don't you want her to be safe and well taken care of?"

Without missing a beat, Kayla's lips curled in a cold,dismissive smile. "She's my grandma, so let me handle her care. You're raising your voice at the caregiver,but we both know you're really upset with me."

Liam struggled to keep his irritation at bay. "Let's just be clear. I don't want you wasting time at those useless parties anymore. After work, you come here.Spend your evenings with Marsha."

Kayla chose not to answer and instead made her way over to Marsha's side, chatting with her.

Marsha,whose mind wasn't as sharp as it used to be,didn't seem to notice the tension in the room. She was simply delighted to see Kayla. Grasping her hand,she asked, "Kayla, don't you have to be at work soon?I'd hate for you to be late."

With a reassuring squeeze, Kayla said, "No worries.There's still plenty of time. I want to stay here and keep you company." Liam's presence faded into the background as the warm exchange unfolded. Feeling dismissed, he spun on his heel and marched out of the room.

Later, Kayla left Marsha's bedside and discovered Liam brooding in the hallway,cigarette smoldering between his fingers. Raising her hand, she covered her nose."Didn't you see the 'No Smoking' sign? Or do you just ignore the rules?"

Rather than comply, Liam took a slow drag and let the smoke drift toward her, causing her to cough.

Fed up, Kayla headed down the hall, quickly returning with a security guard in tow.

"Sir, there's no smoking in this facility. I'm going to have to ask you to step outside," the guard said,wasting no time as he guided Liam away.

Throwing one last glance at Kayla, who watched from afar with an unreadable expression, Liam spoke, his voice low. "I need a word with you. Come out here for a minute."

Kayla offered no reply, choosing instead to return to Marsha's side. From outside, Liam bombarded her phone with message after message, refusing to let the matter drop.

By the time Kayla stepped out of the nursing home,dusk had started to settle outside. She wandered into a small cafe nearby,spotting Liam waiting for her with a cup of coffee in hand. The loosened tie and creased shirt lent him a look of studied indifference, as though he had nowhere better to be.

As soon as she appeared, half her face hidden behind a mask, Liam greeted her. "If the smoking was a problem, I'll quit right now."

Brushing aside his attempt at an apology, Kayla responded in a frosty tone, "You said you needed to talk. Make it quick. I'm only giving you five minutes."

Liam leaned forward, placing both palms on the tabletop, and fixed her with a solemn gaze. "You want to reclaim your mother's company, don't you? I'll settle every debt owed to Newton Group and hand Cooper Group back to you."

A faint, mocking chuckle slipped from Kayla. Her words dripped with disbelief. "You swore you'd never return Cooper Group to me. What's made you change your mind? Or did Perennia Group suddenly stumble into a windfall?"

There was a flicker of triumph in Liam's eyes as he replied, "Money won't be an issue, not with me running the show. I've ended things with Tricia. If I return Cooper Group to you, can we put aside this talk of divorce?"