Lana felt too conflicted…


  Liam did not want to see her with Kyle but she owed Kyle too much and he was just only a friend of hers. If she would explain to Liam how much she owed Kyle, she knew it would only turn more ugly because Liam would feel worse knowing Kyle was the one there for her when she was away, instead of him.

  To be honest, Kyle's company during those times helped her a lot in recovering. Because Kyle was a nobody, who was not involved with her and the others, someone that she could confide in without thinking and worrying about saying something that could hurt him. Unlike her family and her closest friends who she was sure, would have only convinced her to stay and face her nightmares together with Liam. But during that time Liam became part of her nightmares that she did have a hard time dealing with Liam around her.

  She heaved a long frustrated sigh and quickly dressed up for lunch. She left the room to talk to Liam who was sitting in the living area, watching television.

  She sat beside him and said, "I will leave now. I cooked you some lunch already. Heat it up if it gets cold by the time you're hungry."

  She heard no response. Lana turned to him and added, "It's impossible Liam… Kyle already signed the contract and I offered it to him myself. Please understand that I trust the man. If you're uncomfortable with him then I will avoid being with him whenever you are around."

  Liam finally looked at her and blankly said, "Do what you want Lana. It's not like I can dictate what and how you do things… Disregard whatever I said a while ago."

  Lana could feel that it was not okay with him. She heaved a long sigh and Liam was utterly surprised with what she did next. She hugged him.

  Lana tilted her head and gave him a peck on his lips before saying, "I know I have no right to ask this of you, but please trust me okay? Kyle is just a friend so don't ever get jealous. You are the only man who has a place in my life, my mind, my body, and most especially my heart, right from the very start. I only have you and will only have you for the rest of my life."

  Liam gulped. He was distracted by her nearness alone, but most especially it was her words that affected him.

  But all he could bring himself to say were his hypocritical words, "I'm not jealous."

  Lana had that coy smile as she answered, "Alright. Not jealous then…"

  "You really don't want to come?" Lana asked once more but the was only silence so Lana assumed he did not want to go. She then gave him one more kiss before she stood up and walked out of Liam's door.

  "Shit!" Liam grunted after battling with an inner struggle on what to do. He immediately stood up, grabbed his car keys, and followed Lana.

  Lana paused when she felt someone grab her wrist. She was already in the hallway.

  "Liam?" Lana gasped.

  "I will go with you… It's been a long time since I last saw Luo anyway. I want to at least congratulate her. I heard she's pregnant." Liam whispered and released Lana's wrist.

  Lana had a bright smile on her face and said, "Alright then."

  She took the initiative in grabbing Liam's hand and clasping it tightly with hers. She smiled and walked happily when Liam did not retreat his hand from hers.

  Inside the car, Lana leaned closer and sniffed Liam.

  "What are you doing?" Liam abruptly asked with knitted eyebrows.

  "You smell nice. What cologne is that?" Lana asked in curiosity. Liam gulped because he was once again distracted. His heartbeat was racing and his breathing was abnormal. He felt an urge to pull Lana into his embrace.

  "It's my natural scent," he answered seriously, trying hard not to chuckle recalling the time when this same thing happened before, where he was curious about Lana's scent.

  Lana was the one who chuckled while she put her seatbelt on but then a thought struck her and she intentionally complained, "Your seatbelt… It's stuck."

  She acted as if she could not pull it at all.

  Liam leaned towards her to pull out the seatbelt, it easily came out. He put it on Lana.

  "Oh, thanks love…" Lana commented and gave Liam a quick kiss on his cheek.

  Lana was cheering herself inwardly seeing how red Liam's face was. He halted that Lana had to remind him by saying, "Let's go. Start the engine…"

  If Keira and Luo were to witness her shamelessness they would absolutely call it a miracle and Keira would probably say that a ghost possessed her.

  Liam quietly released some air as he stepped on the gas and drove the car. Ever since Lana came back, she never failed to surprise him. But he had to admit, he was loving a bolder Lana more.

  He preferred Lana to be like that than being the reserved one she was before. He liked it most that Lana called him 'love' for the first time since she was back. Before he even encouraged her to do it and Lana would cringe, said that it felt too cheesy.

  "Love… You said you are not jealous of Kyle so I will appreciate it if you will behave and treat him well." Lana whispered.

  Liam did not respond to her request but his face darkened. He would behave if Kyle would not do anything to annoy him.

  They arrived at Noah and Luo's place just in time. Liam's face flinched when he witnessed Lana greeting Kyle with a hug and a cheek to cheek kiss, same as Noah and Luo. He scolded and reminded himself to act cool and just go with it or else he would look like someone who was jealous of Kyle despite Lana's assurance that they were only merely friends.

  Kyle greeted him casually and he nodded.

  Luo hugged him and said, "Oh my goodness, finally you grace our home with your presence, Attorney Sy!"

  Liam chuckled and exchanged a greeting with Noah.

  He and Noah were on good terms after the incident where both of them held each other's hands to save their loved ones from the Monster.

  Luo guided them directly to the dining area where Kyle was about to sit beside Lana but Liam held the same chair to pull and said, "It's taken."

  Lana and Luo looked at each other. Luo quickly pulled Kyle to sit beside Noah and said, "You and Noah have a lot of things to discuss so sit here."

  Kyle crumpled his face and said, "But I have a lot of things to discuss with Lana as well."

  Liam's eyebrows waggled as he plainly stated, "Maybe it's better that we eat and focus on lunch first. It's not like you can't talk to Lana within that distance."

  Luo chuckled but Noah gave her a look so she cleared her throat and said, "Alright let's have hearty lunch guys. Later on, we can talk about business on the veranda over some tea."