Liam Drake's eyes hadn't left Lauren since the image appeared.
She hadn't blinked.
Ever since the hologram was displayed—especially the one labeled as the mysterious man named Alex—her gaze had been fixed. Unmoving. Unreadable to most, maybe, but not to Liam.
He knew her. Or at least he thought he did.
Lauren was typically cold, composed, and aloof—especially during meetings like this. But right now? The look on her face was… different.
There was something raw beneath the surface. A softening in her eyes. A kind of… yearning. No—recognition.
And worse, the kind of emotion that made Liam's heart twist.
That's not… love, is it?
He forced the thought away instantly. No. It couldn't be. Lauren didn't love anyone. She barely liked people. She had rejected every suitor that came near her, including him.
