Chapter 96

Water exploded over Liam's head, drenching him from head to toe. He spluttered, thrown off balance as he tried to wriggle free from Tricia's grasp in the pool.

But Tricia had him right where she wanted--her arms coiled stubbornly around his neck, her lips crashing into his in a hungry, unrestrained kiss.

Liam tensed, halfway to protesting, but Tricia's nimble fingers were already at her straps. In a fluid, fearless motion, she slipped out of her dress, her warm skin pressing insistently against him. She knew exactly how to unravel him. Her gentle touch glided over his chest, teasing downward, coaxing a sharp, involuntary breath from his lips.

A jolt of pleasure shot through Liam, wiping away any last trace of resistance. His body reacted before his mind could catch up-blood pounding,self-control vanishing in the heat of her advances.

Tricia's kisses deepened, overwhelming his senses until he lost track of everything but her.

She maneuvered him to the edge of the pool, easing him onto the slick tiles. Her body hovered between his legs, her head lowering as her lips explored further, sending his thoughts scattering.

Liam couldn't stop the rough groan that escaped him-a raw, desperate sound. In that fevered moment,the only thing he wanted was to flip Tricia beneath him and reclaim control.

While Tricia worked to overwhelm him with her urgent affection, Liam abruptly seized her shoulders and pinned her down. He kissed her again and again-his hunger palpable, his touch almost feverish.

Tricia's lips curled in smug delight, her eyes glinting with satisfaction.

Out in the corridor, Kayla marched beside the hotel manager, her heels echoing on the marble.

They paused before a closed door, where the manager, all deference and nervous energy, bowed low. "Mrs.Graham, Mr. Graham entered this room." Earlier, Kayla had slipped him a folded bill with practiced ease, coaxing the room number from his lips.

She sized up the door, eyes narrowed in cold amusement. Her lips curled into a razor-sharp smirk."And there's another woman in there, you said?"

The manager bobbed his head, his voice low. "Yes. The woman checked in first, and Mr. Graham joined her."

He reached for his keycard, but Kayla stopped him with a flick of her wrist."Hand it over. I'll take it from here."

The manager obeyed without hesitation,pressing the card into her palm before slipping away down the hall.

Alone, Kayla toyed with the keycard, tapping it against her manicured nails as she regarded the door with a cool,calculating glint in her eyes. "So the two of you really can't stay apart? Let's see how close you are after this."

With a triumphant smirk curling her lips, she slipped the card into her pocket and strolled off, utterly self-assured.

Inside, the lovers had tumbled from the steaming spring straight onto the bed.

The air practically crackled with tension as Tricia wrapped her arms tightly around Liam's neck, gasping between ragged breaths. "Go easy, darling. I can't take any more!"

Before he could answer, the door slammed open, rattling on its hinges. A figure in all black-hat pulled low,face hidden behind a surgical mask-burst inside, brandishing a camera.

The shutter clicked furiously, freezing the chaos in merciless flashes.

In a split second, the spell shattered. Liam, teetering on the edge of release, was wrenched back to reality.Rage surged through him. He sprang up, muscles taut with fury. "Who the fuck are you? What do you think you're doing? Get out,now!"

Tricia, utterly naked and terrified, shrieked and flung herself into Liam's arms, clinging for dear life."He′S taking pictures. Stop him!"

But the masked figure had already darted back out the door, camera in hand.

Furious, Liam snatched a towel and stormed into the hallway, barely bothering to cover himself as he chased after the figure. Tricia lay sprawled on the bed, shivering and breathless, her complexion drained of color.

Outside, Liam scanned the empty corridor, chest heaving with rage. "Coward! You've got the guts to barge in and snap pictures, but not to face me? Come back and try it again!" he roared, his voice echoing down the hall.

Hotel doors creaked open as startled guests poked their heads out, murmuring in confusion at the half-naked man yelling in the hallway.

The weight of their stares made Liam's face burn with humiliation. He turned on his heel and slammed the door,jaw clenched in frustration.

A flight of stairs away, Kayla leaned against the wall, coolly peeling off her mask. She turned the camera over in her hands, her smile sharp as glass, eyes glinting with satisfaction.

Through clenched teeth, she muttered in a voice as firm as ice, "Liam, how dare you mess with my mother's grave! Did you think I'd let that go?"

Back inside the suite, any trace of intimacy had vanished, replaced by a suffocating tension.

Tricia slipped into her dress, hugging herself as she perched on the edge of the bed, her eyes rimmed with red. "Do you think those photos will get posted? I'm not worried about myself-but you're the head of Perennia Group. If this gets out, it could destroy everything."

Liam, halfway through buttoning his shirt, turned with a thundercloud brewing in his eyes. "If you really cared about my career, you wouldn't have dragged me to this place in the first place. Whoever set this up clearly planned it to corner me.

Tricia reached for his arm, desperation sharpening her voice."Could it have been Kayla? What if she's trying to collect proof of your affair?"

He slipped his hand free with a cold gentleness. "Kayla's known about us for ages. If she wanted to nail me,she wouldn't have waited until now." Hearing him defend his soon-to-be ex-wife shattered what was left of Tricia's composure. "She's already leaving you, and you're still on her side?"

"So I should trust you instead, is that it?" Liam shot her a venomous glare. "Do you even understand what this divorce is going to cost me? Are you going to cover that for me?"

A bitter,hollow laugh escaped Tricia. "Right. So deep down, you still see me as less than her."

Liam smoothed down his collar, tying his necktie with practiced indifference. "This isn't the moment to talk about it. I need to figure out who set this up. Go home."

He strode out, slamming the door behind him with a final, angry crack. Tricia, shaking with rage, seized a pillow and hurled it at the door.

"Liam, you're such a sucker! Kayla couldn't care less about you!"