That made me hesitate. I wasn't sure if I should send people to track her down. Our mental link was still intact, which meant she was at least alive. Maybe I didn't need to worry too much.
Still, tonight's intense fluctuations were unusual, especially on the night of the gala. I couldn't decide whether to swallow my pride and call her to ask what was wrong. Maybe she would call me first?
"Elias, why did you come up here alone? You didn't even tell me. I've been looking everywhere for you downstairs."
Liv climbed the stairs toward me. Her platinum hair, my favorite, was swept into an elegant updo. Her gown flowed like a mermaid's tail. She looked exceptionally beautiful tonight. She smiled at me, but as I stared at her face, I felt nothing sweet. Instead, my mind drifted to the bank account she had frozen behind my back.
After discovering her deception, I had immediately ordered Herman to restore Serenity's accounts, then had him quietly investigate. I needed to understand why Liv had done this. In the meantime, I promoted her to my personal assistant as a cover. This kept her away from company operations while ensuring allher assignments passed through me first, a way to monitor her without raising suspicion. The investigation wasn't complete yet, which was the only reason I could still act somewhat normally around her.
I knew what I was afraid of. I was afraid that whatever secrets she was hiding would overturn everything I thought I knew. I was afraid that once those secrets came to light, the pain would be unbearable.
Afraid that my savior…wasn't who I believed her to be.
"Elias, why won't you answer me?" Liv looked uneasy as she gazed up at me.
I snapped back to the present and shook my head. "Just thinking about some things."
She didn't notice that I'd avoided her eyes.
"The speech is about to start. I'm heading down." I picked up my phone from the nearby coffee table.
Liv's eyes brightened. "You can't bring your phone during the speech, right? Elias, let me hold it for you! I'm your secretary. This is my job."
I glanced at her without expression.
"Fine," I agreed easily. Because this was actually a test.
Herman and I had discussed it. If Liv was hiding something, she wouldn't just interfere with company matters. She would want access to more secrets.
My phone would be the perfect bait.
All the confidential files inside had been fabricated in advance and embedded with a tracking program. If Liv really asked for my phone and looked through those hidden folders, every trace would be recorded.
I hoped none of this would be necessary.
"Don't mess with my phone." I couldn't help warning her one last time before letting go.
"Don't worry." Liv smiled sweetly and agreed.
I took a deep breath and headed downstairs.
I still had a few minutes before the speech. Several people approached to chat and network, discussing business proposals. I made conversation while keeping an eye on Liv. After following me down, she seemed perfectly well-behaved, so well-behaved that I started to feel paranoid for suspecting her.
Then I saw Liv suddenly pick up my phone and answer a call.
A bad feeling washed over me. I quickly excused myself from my business partners and strode toward her. "Liv! Who are you talking to?"
"Nothing. Just a telemarketer." Liv covered the receiver with one hand, blocking any sound from coming through. "I was about to reject her. Unless… Elias, did you want to take this call yourself?"
She looked completely unconcerned.
I held out my hand. "Let me see the number."
Liv froze, clearly not expecting that. She looked hurt, as if accusing me of not trusting her. But she didn't refuse. She showed me the screen. It was an unfamiliar number.
"Do you believe me now?" Her tone carried a hint of injury. Even though I didn't think I had done anything wrong, I felt a twinge of guilt.
I couldn't answer because something still felt off. A strange intuition lingered. I had felt this same instinct the day the hunters attacked the pack, the sense that I was missing something important.
