Chapter 223: You wanted both sisters
"He..." Zara began to stand, but Liam gently pressed her shoulder, stopping her.
"Please, stay seated," he said. "I noticed you sitting here alone, so I thought I’d come over." He took the chair across from her, his eyes scanning the nearly empty hall. "Where is Nathaniel, by the way? Why are you alone?"
Zara looked in the direction where Nathaniel had disappeared with that man. "He went to see someone," she replied. "Maybe a client."
"I get it," Liam nodded. "Everyone was impressed with his AI system. Certainly, he will get several big deals."
Even though he said that, he hadn’t approached her to talk about Nathaniel and his achievements. He had been waiting for a chance to talk to her and explain why he had hidden his identity from her.
"But actually," he continued carefully, "I’m not here to talk about his project or his meetings. There is something I need to tell you."
The seriousness in his tone made Zara curious. She wondered if everything was alright between him and Riya. "What is it? Is it about Riya?" she asked. "She left early. Are things okay between you two?"
Riya’s name sent a wave of revulsion in him. But he managed to stay calm. That woman was not important enough to ruin his mood.
He let out a soft chuckle and shook his head. "No, it’s not about Riya. It’s about me—about my identity as a designer."
Zara quieted down. She was eager to know the reason for his keeping such a big thing a secret from everyone else.
Liam met her gaze. He had practiced how to tell her the truth, but now, under her steady eyes, the words seemed to escape him. He didn’t know where to begin.
It was because of her that he had stepped into the world of fashion design—to be near her, to build a connection with her find a reason to connect. Yet, things hadn’t unfolded the way he had imagined back then.
"As the only son in my family, my parents expected me to take over the family business," he began slowly. "They insisted I major in business management, and I did, just to make them happy. But deep down, I always wanted to do something in fashion design. So, I kept chasing that dream side by side."
He chuckled as old memories surfaced—how desperately he had once tried to catch Zara’s attention, though she had always seemed lost in her own world, never sparing him even a glance. He had seen her in the basketball stadium often, but she had kept her head buried in her sketch book.
Ironically, Liam didn’t know Zara had always watched Nathaniel sneakily.
"But my parents were completely against my choice," he continued with a shake of his head. "They finally agreed on one condition... They wouldn’t support me in any way. I couldn’t use our family’s name to get favors or land contracts."
"What?" Zara was surprised. "You pursued your fashion designing career against your parents’ will!"
She could relate to his struggle. Her own father hadn’t supported her career either—it had been Nora who stood by her side. Hearing Liam’s story stirred something familiar in her. She felt a connection with him.
"They gave me five years to prove myself," Liam continued. "If I managed to make a name for myself, I’d be allowed to reveal my real identity. But eventually, I’d still have to return and take charge of the family business. Now, I’ve succeeded as a designer, but the name Shay Walsh has become far more recognized than Liam Lawson. That’s why I’ve kept the two identities separate. No one knows that the heir of the Lawsons is actually Shay Walsh."
Zara understood his reasoning, though she didn’t completely agree with it. Living a double life seemed unnecessary to her, but she didn’t say so. Instead, she said calmly, "That’s your decision, and I respect it. But if you’ve kept it hidden from everyone, why tell me now?"
"Because you already know who Shay Walsh is," Liam answered without hesitation. "You were taken aback when you saw me at the Grant mansion. Since that day, I’ve wanted to explain everything to you. Now that I finally have, I just hope you are not upset with me."
Zara chuckled softly. "It’s thoughtful of you to explain all this. You didn’t have to, but you did—and that means something. Yes, I was surprised at first, but I wasn’t angry. I figured you must have had your own reasons for keeping it a secret."
At her response, Liam exhaled in relief, a smile tugging at his lips. "Thank goodness you’re not angry. I was worried you’d refuse to talk to me again."
Zara’s mouth curved into a teasing smile. "You were worrying for nothing. I’m not that short-tempered."
The last traces of doubt in his mind vanished, and his smile grew warmer. "That’s good to hear. Are you hungry? Maybe we could grab something to eat?"
She waved a hand lightly. "No need. Nathaniel will be back soon. I’ll eat with him."
"You could at least join me for some light snacks," he urged. "We’ll be back before his meeting ends."
Zara hesitated. She didn’t want to leave in case Nathaniel returned and couldn’t find her, but it felt rude to reject Liam’s offer outright.
"Um... alright," she finally agreed. "But just a cup of coffee."
"Perfect. Let’s go."
They left the hall together. As they walked, Zara quickly texted Nathaniel: ’I’m at the café.’
"There is a café around the corner," Liam said, guiding her down the corridor. "I stopped by there during the break earlier. This way."
He led her inside. The café was nearly empty, with only a handful of customers scattered around. They chose a vacant table, and soon a barista approached them.
"Good evening, sir, ma’am. What can I get for you?"
"A latte for me," Zara ordered.
"Same for me," Liam added. He glanced at her as the barista left. "By the way, your event was amazing. I couldn’t attend, but Edith filled me in. I heard you landed a bunch of new contracts."
Zara chuckled softly. "That’s all thanks to Nicole. Without her network, none of it would’ve happened. The whole team is buzzing with excitement and working non-stop to meet the demand."
"If you ever need any help, just let me know. I’ll always be there for you," Liam offered sincerely.
Zara smiled warmly. "You are so kind. Just hearing that means a lot to us."
While the two were engrossed in conversation, Nathaniel entered the café. His eyes immediately found Zara—smiling, laughing freely with Liam. A sharp pang of jealousy twisted inside him. Without a second thought, he strode toward their table.
Neither Zara nor Liam noticed him at first; they were still laughing over something.
"What’s so amusing that you are both laughing so hard?" Nathaniel’s voice cut through the air like ice.
Their laughter stopped abruptly. Both looked up to see him standing over them, his expression cold and his gaze sharp.
Zara’s face drained of color when she met his intense gaze. She could tell he was angry. Quickly, she pushed back her chair to stand.
"Nathaniel," Liam spoke up before she could say anything. "Congratulations." He got to his feet, forcing a friendly smile. "We were just talking about you."
He cast a quick look at Zara, silently asking her to confirm his words.
Flustered under Nathaniel’s sharp stare, Zara managed only a small nod. That gave Liam a bit more confidence.
"Zara mentioned you went to meet a client," Liam added casually. "So, did you close a big deal?"
Nathaniel didn’t respond—neither a smile nor a word. His gaze shifted back to Zara, his voice low but firm. "Wait for me in the car."
The authority in his tone left no room for protest. Zara didn’t dare to argue, though she felt embarrassed in front of Liam. She gave him a faint, apologetic smile before quietly walking out.
Nathaniel’s eyes followed Zara until she disappeared from view. Only then did he turn back to Liam, his expression dark. "I know exactly why you came to her," he said coldly. "That old flame of yours hasn’t died yet. But remember—she is my wife now. You don’t stand a chance."
His tone was serious, threatening.
Liam didn’t like the way Nathaniel spoke to him. The tone, the possessiveness—it grated on him. All the frustration and pain he had buried for years began to rise to the surface.
"Back then, I’d have won her heart if you had not interfered," Liam retaliated. "She would have been mine by now."
Nathaniel grabbed his collar without warning and hissed, "Don’t dare think about her. She is mine – my woman. Stay away."
Liam’s patience snapped. He lost his temper. Shoving his hands away, he retaliated, "You claimed to love Nora, yet you kept guarding around Zara, chasing off anyone who showed interest in her. While you were playing the perfect lover with Nora, you made yourself Zara’s silent guardian, never letting her fall in love with anyone else. In reality, you wanted them both, didn’t you? You are selfish and greedy. You have Nora in your heart, but your eyes were always on Zara..."
The punch sent Liam reeling, pain shooting through his jaw. Stunned, he steadied himself, glaring at Nathaniel in disbelief as his hand rose instinctively to his aching face.
"You actually hit me," Liam said in disbelief. Then a bitter smile tugged at his lips. "You really haven’t changed, have you? Remember what you did to Aaron back then? He only wanted to give Zara a love letter, and you nearly beat him senseless for it."
He let out a short, mocking laugh. "Tell me—was I wrong when I said you wanted both Nora and Zara? That’s the real reason you didn’t think twice before marrying her, isn’t it?"