"In Miss Burns' eyes, do I seem like someone who holds grudges?"

I kept my head down and mumbled, "That’s not what I meant."

The next second, a gold-embossed business card was placed in front of me.

"You're still an intern, right? There’s a job opportunity—interested?"

By the time I returned, my head was still spinning.

The moment I stepped inside, Wade grabbed my arm. "You okay, Chloe?"

I pressed a hand against my aching stomach and muttered, "Sorry, Wade. I had surgery on my stomach before, so I can’t really handle alcohol."

He frowned, about to say something, when his gaze dropped to the business card in my hand.

His eyes widened in shock. "Is that Mr. Hughes’ personal card?!"

I nodded.

The scene from earlier flashed through my mind.

It was the kind of card people would go to great lengths to get their hands on—the kind that gave direct access to him.

Something for nothing never sat well with me.

I raised my guard and lowered my voice. "Why would Mr. Hughes offer such a valuable opportunity to an unknown reporter like me?"

He smirked faintly. "Maybe… he just finds you pleasing to the eye."

That did sound like something Liam would say.

Back when I took care of him, we slowly grew familiar with each other.

He had his moments—his sharp tongue, his rebellious streak.

And at times…

I bit my lip, swallowing the quiet sound threatening to escape, and tugged at his hair.

"You can’t see, so stop moving around."

In the dim light, he tilted his head slightly.

The soft strands of his tousled hair brushed over his unfocused eyes.

He licked his lips, fingers pressing lightly against the curve of my neck, his touch firm but careful.

His voice was barely above a whisper.

"The other parts of me are still working fine. So, be louder. Let me hear you."

Snapping back to reality, I hastily made up an excuse to brush Wade off.

The next day at the office, my supervisor called me in.

With an easy smile, he said, "Chloe, there’s a spot open on that popular dating reality show. Get ready—you’ll be joining as a special guest commentator for the next episode."

I didn’t think much of it until I started preparing for the job.

The next episode’s featured guests were Linda and Liam.

After that interview, their engagement had made headlines, dominating the trending topics.

As part of the show’s pre-broadcast promotion, the comment section was already exploding with fan reactions.

"They went through hardships together and now reunite at the top. What a perfect love story."

"I heard the Dawsons’ company was barely staying afloat, but with the Hughes Group’s backing, they’ve made a full comeback."

"Power couple goals! If you don’t support them, you have no soul!"

Skimming through the comments, I quickly closed the page.

The host, Emma Young, skimmed through the script while casually chatting with me.

"If we can dig up details about those two years Liam spent with his fiancée, the show’s ratings would skyrocket."

I tightened my grip on my pen and gave a quiet nod.

No one knew those two years better than I did.

But I couldn’t say a word.

With the backing of the Hughes family, Linda rose to the top, now one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry.

By the time the show started, the live stream was already flooded with millions of viewers.

Under the bright stage lights, I heard Emma’s voice ring out.

"Liam and Linda, since you’re already discussing marriage, could you share the journey that brought you here?"

Linda turned to him, her smile soft and composed.

"I never once believed the awful rumors about him. In my eyes, Liam has always been the one I love most."

She gazed at him with an affection so deep, it practically dripped with warmth.

However, Liam simply lowered his lashes and let out a faint laugh.

"Liar."

"When I first lost my sight, have you already forgotten how much you despised me?"

Linda hesitated for a moment.

Her gaze flicked toward me, a sharp glint of malice flashing in her eyes.

But with the cameras rolling, she had no choice but to keep up appearances, forcing a smile.

"I don’t really remember. I guess our love just kept growing stronger, and now all I recall are the sweet moments."

I glanced at the live comments flashing across the screen behind me.

"So sweet!" and similar remarks flooded the chat.

Setting down my cue cards, I tightened my grip on the microphone and turned to Liam.

"It seems like your perspectives don’t quite match. Could there be more to the story? Maybe you could share how the two of you learned to understand each other?"

I hadn’t expected him to answer.

But after a brief silence, Liam spoke.

"When I first lost my sight, I was a mess. Bitter at the world. And I didn’t like her. She was constantly running around, juggling work and taking care of me.

"One day, she was so exhausted that she completely lost track of time. She had a pot of stew simmering on the stove and stepped out to grab some seasoning… but forgot to turn off the burner."

"By the time she got back, the kitchen was on fire."

Something lodged in my throat.

In a daze, the memory resurfaced.

I could still feel the lingering heat from that evening—the suffocating smoke, the crackling flames.

I dragged Liam out of the room, grabbed him by the collar, and slapped him across the face.

Then, trembling, I had yelled, "Are you trying to die?"

Both my body and my voice had been shaking.

For once, he hadn’t fought back.

But instead, he stayed silent for a long, long time.

Then, in a hoarse voice, he asked, "Wouldn't it be better if I just died? Wouldn’t that be a relief for you too?"

It was in that moment that I suddenly realized the once untouchable heir of the Hughes family was now nothing more than a lost, beaten-down stray, baring his teeth out of habit but too tired to truly fight.

So, still gasping for breath, I shoved him back into the room.

The walls were scorched black from the flames.

One by one, I unbuttoned his shirt, my voice barely above a whisper.

"I didn’t get to eat dinner. You’ll have to make it up to me."

Something flickered in his expression. "Are you sure—"

Before he could finish, I silenced him with a forceful kiss, swallowing his words.

"Liam, you were never a burden to me."

That night, the world felt upside down like nothing existed beyond us.

But now, as he casually brought up the past, his fiancée sat right beside him, the picture of intimacy.

To the rest of the world, those memories belonged to them.

A sharp, suffocating bitterness exploded in my heart.

His closeness enveloped me in a scent both familiar and distant, seeping in before I even realized it.

It was everywhere, overwhelming.

But it no longer belonged to me.

He paused for a moment, letting the applause from the audience settle before speaking one last time.

"I will always remember the moonlight that night—so bright it illuminated everything. I couldn’t see, but I listened to her talk the whole night."

My grip tightened around my pen as I hurriedly lowered my head.

A sharp sting burned in my eyes.

…

Because I had improvised some of my questions, digging up details no one had ever heard before, the interview was a massive success.

By the end of the show, the live stream’s viewership had surpassed ten million.

For the first time, the public had gotten a glimpse into the hidden past of the Hughes family’s powerful heir.

Excitement buzzed through the air.

Backstage, Emma clapped me on the shoulder. "You’ve got some wits for a journalist. That last-minute question? It was brutal enough that he had no choice but to answer."

But as she turned her head, she suddenly froze.

Liam and Linda were walking straight toward us.

She suddenly fell silent.

Liam’s gaze swept over me, cool and unreadable. "Did you come up with today’s questions?"

I nodded.

Linda’s voice was sweet, but her words carried thorns.

"Miss Burns, you certainly know how to hit where it hurts. But let me remind you—basic professional ethics matter. You shouldn’t covet things that are out of your league."

I didn’t say a word.

But then, her gaze shifted back to Liam.

Appearing cold and unreadable, Liam spoke calmly. "Miss Burns is highly capable. From now on, she’ll be the primary media liaison for our company."

Linda’s head snapped toward me.

Her eyes were filled with barely concealed fear and resentment.

Later, when no one was around, she cornered me, her expression tense with both suspicion and disgust.

"Chloe Burns, you really are insatiable. You took the money back then, so why are you here now?"

I met her gaze calmly. "I graduated. I came back to work."

It was a simple statement.

"Work? Do you think I’m stupid?"

Suddenly, she snapped, swinging her handbag at me in a fit of rage.

"Get lost! Go tell him you’re stepping down from this job, or I swear, you won’t have a single peaceful day ahead!"

Her Hermès bag hit the floor with a heavy thud, the chain snapping open and spilling its contents everywhere.

I didn’t react.

I just turned and walked away.

Linda kept her word.

Suddenly, roadblocks appeared everywhere.

Several assignments that should have been mine were reassigned at the last minute.

Then, one evening before I left work, my supervisor called me into his office.

"There’s a major annual conference next month. You’ll be hosting it."

I hesitated for a moment before he added, "Mr. Hughes specifically requested you."

After work, I stepped outside—and there, parked across the street, was a very familiar Rolls-Royce.

The car window rolled down, revealing Liam’s indifferent expression.

"If you’re so curious about my past, Miss Burns, why not ask me directly?"

I lowered my head. "I wasn’t prying into your private life, Mr. Hughes. It was just part of my job."

"Even if it was for work, I gave you my personal card. You could have contacted me instead."

I pressed my lips together. "There was no need for that."

Because at that moment, it struck me—three years had already passed.

He was no longer the reckless, sharp-tongued boy who lashed out, only to turn around and cling to me for comfort, demanding kisses as compensation.

Now, he was the CEO of Hughes Group, the man who held all the power.

The Dawsons were no longer what they used to be.

Without Liam’s silent approval, Linda would never have dared to target me so openly.

Maybe, to him, that part of the past was nothing but an embarrassment, something best left buried.

I turned to leave.

But Liam's voice stopped me in my tracks.

"Hold on."

The car door swung open, and with one long stride, he blocked my path.

"Miss Burns, why don’t we talk?"

I tightened my grip on my bag and asked, my voice slightly hoarse, "What exactly does Mr. Hughes want to discuss?"

Liam's lips curved slightly.

His gaze held a trace of something else now—resignation.

"Can we talk about work?"

…

Over the next couple of weeks, Liam sought me out twice more.

Each time, it was to go over key decisions that would be announced at the upcoming conference.

During our last meeting, as if just remembering something, he handed me a document.

"This major tourism project hasn’t been publicly disclosed yet. It’s a direct collaboration with the state. You can announce it at the conference—as an exclusive scoop you uncovered."

I hesitated for a moment before taking the file.

"Thank you," I said quietly.

When Wade heard about it, he was quick to nudge me.

"Seems like Mr. Hughes thinks highly of you. Maybe you should subtly bring up how Linda’s been making things difficult for you?"

I adjusted my speech notes and smiled.

"There’s no need. Do you really think he’d go against his own fiancée for the sake of a reporter he barely knows?"

…

On the day of the conference, the venue was packed.

The center seat, where Liam was supposed to be, was empty.

Under the glare of countless flashing lights, I stood on stage, announcing Hughes Group’s upcoming major collaborations.

Then, suddenly, a voice cut through the room.

A stranger, a reporter I didn’t recognize, stood up and pointed at me.

"This classified information—where did you steal it from?"