AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Thank you. Which floor?”
“There’s only the one.” The doorman smiled kindly, and the doors whooshed shut. Sure enough, there was only one button inside the elevator, for the thirty-eighth floor. Amelia felt the elevator shift and begin to climb. It seemed that Liam did have a private elevator.
Moments later, the elevator came to a stop, and the doors whooshed open once again. Amelia stepped out, expecting to see a hallway, and instead came face-to-face with Liam.
“Oh! Hi!”
“Hello, Amelia. Thank you again for coming.” Liam stepped aside and gestured for her to exit the elevator. Amelia stepped out, right into an entryway. It was neatly lined with a shoe rack and a few jackets on a hook. Amidst a sea of black and brown loafers and black jackets, Amelia spotted one pair of tiny pink sneakers. Those must belong to little Grace.
She removed her shoes and set down her bag.
“I’ll just take you on a quick tour, if that’s all right.”
“Yes, of course.”
Amelia followed Liam out of the entryway. There were in a large, light-filled hallway, illuminated by a series of skylights. This must be the top floor of the building. As they walked, Liam pointed out other rooms — the kitchen, the living room, the dining room, the study, his office, and a bathroom. When they turned a corner, he pointed out a series of bedrooms, including his own and Grace’s, before leading Amelia to another bedroom.
“And this one will be yours.”
Amelia stepped inside. The room was well-lit, but it was also starkly bare. The walls were gray concrete, as was the floor. The bed, which stood in the center of the room, was neatly made with a set of white sheets. There were no curtains, but Liam showed her how to press a button to bring down the blinds.
“And that’s the tour.” Liam stepped back and smiled at her. “What do you think?”
Amelia took a moment to gather her thoughts. What she really thought was that this place was opulent, elaborate, and a little sad. If she hadn’t known that Liam lived here, she would have thought this whole place was just a set on a TV show about rich bachelors. There were no homey touches at all — not a single colorful pillow or curtain or rug. The few pieces of art she’d seen on the walls were just abstract gray shapes.
“It’s nice.”
Liam chuckled. “All right. Well, since you’ll be living here, feel free to decorate your room as you see fit.”
“Thanks.”
Amelia left her suitcase in the room, and they stepped back into the hallway. Liam led her into the kitchen.
“Let’s see, what else do you need to know… June comes on Tuesdays and Fridays to keep the place tidy. I also have a chef, but only on the weekends — since I’m mostly at work through the week, it doesn’t make sense to have her in every day. Would you like me to have her come in more often now that you’re here?”
Amelia quickly shook her head. “That’s all right. I can handle some cooking.” Just how rich was this man? When he’d offered her a huge sum for the fake marriage she’d had a clue, but seeing this penthouse and hearing about his range of household staff really brought his wealth into focus. Amelia glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. Maybe she should have stayed in her professional clothes, after all.
“Of course, I also have our rings.” Liam reached into his pocket and withdrew a small velvet ring box, which he handed to Amelia. Amelia took it, feeling a little strange. Men didn’t often buy her jewelry. Inside the box was a gold band, set with a series of small diamonds that sparkled in the kitchen light. It was ornate and beautiful, exactly the kind of thing Amelia would have picked for herself.
“Wow, Liam. This is gorgeous.”
“I can’t take all the credit. The jeweler suggested which ring to buy.” Liam lifted his left hand to show a matching golden band, though a little wider and without the diamonds, on his own finger. “I have one, too.”
Amelia bit her lip as she slid the ring onto her finger. “So, we’re married, then.”
“Yes. There’s also some paperwork to sign, but I’ll bring in my lawyer tomorrow to handle all that.”
“Okay.” Amelia couldn’t stop staring at the ring on her finger. Her words failed her for what felt like the hundredth time that day. But then, with a deep breath, she remembered what she’d decided on the walk to her apartment. She couldn’t let herself be personally affected by anything that was happening — not the beautiful ring, not the rush of warmth she felt when Liam was near her. None of it. What mattered was the child.
“I’ve been meaning to ask you, where’s Grace?”
As if on cue, Amelia heard a sound from down the hall.
“She was napping, but it sounds like she’s awake now.” Liam turned to Amelia. “Is she supposed to nap at this age?”
“Yes, definitely yes.” Amelia stepped into the hallway. At the other end stood a little girl, impossibly small. She was wearing what looked like an overlarge man’s T-shirt and her hair was mussed.
“Yes, the clothes,” Liam said from behind Amelia. “The social worker promised she’d send over some of Grace’s things, and they arrived this morning. But she refused to wear any of them, apart from the outfit she came in and these ‘pajamas.’ I’ll get you set up with a credit card, and you can pick out some new things for her.”
