Across the city, the floor-to-ceiling windows of the Sterling Tower reflected a sky turning to bruised purple and gold. Liam was standing by the glass, his jacket off and his sleeves rolled up, looking more restless than David had ever seen him.
"She's coming," David said, leaning against the doorframe after returning from the mainland. "She didn't say yes immediately—she looked terrified, actually—but she'll be ready on Saturday. I've already booked the private terrace at The Azure."
Liam nodded, but he didn't turn around. "Good. Thank you, David."
David watched his friend for a long moment, the silence stretching uncomfortably. "Liam... can I ask you something? Man to man, not as your assistant." Liam finally turned, his grey eyes unreadable. "Do you love her? Or is this just some psychological reaction to the stress with Sandra and your father?"
Liam went still. The word love felt foreign, like a language he had seen written in books but never heard spoken aloud. "I don't know what love is, David. I've spent my life calculated in percentages and profit margins. I've never 'loved' a woman. I've had alliances, I've had interests, but love?" He stepped closer, his brow furrowed in genuine confusion.
"But I'll tell you this," Liam continued, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Whenever I see her—whether she's in a stained apron or lying in an hospital bed ,my chest feels tight. My heart starts to beat so hard I can hear it in my ears. I feel... awake. For the first time in ten years, I'm not just a machine. Is that what it is? Is that love?"
David stared at him for a second, "what about the girl from the club,do you feel same thing for her cause I saw your reaction when she fell that night "
"David that girl from the club have same eyes as Eliana , when I saw her picture in the billboard of the club,I feel
Same thing am feeling when I see elina "he replied looking confused
"Laim what if they are same girl ,or maybe different,"David asked
"I don't know David ,am
Confused "
the image of the "Iceman" asking for a definition of a heartbeat proving too much. He burst out laughing, a loud, genuine sound that echoed through the sterile office.
"What is so funny?" Liam snapped, his face reddening.
"You!" David gasped, wiping a tear from his eye. "The great Liam Sterling, the man who terrifies boardrooms, is asking me for a medical diagnosis on a crush! Yes, Liam. That's it. That's the beginning of the end for you. Your heart is working again, and it's picked the most complicated girl in Lagos to beat for."
Liam didn't laugh. He turned back to the window, his hand unconsciously drifting to his chest. He didn't care if it was a complication or a trap. For the first time in his life, he didn't want to be cured.