Chapter 7: A Dangerous Request.

Kane's eyes tightened, his expression unidentifiable with some mix of suspicion and exasperation. "Okay, we will sort this out now," he reported, whispering sternly. Liam took a step back as he suddenly felt overwhelmed by the sense of burden that weighed on his shoulders. He understood he had no alternative but to answer Kane's urgency if he wanted to prevent Chloe from suffering. Then, however, he began to realize that, as with his growing feelings for her, he often felt the desire to protect her no matter what could happen. Lastly, Liam, inhaling tiredly, pivoted his gaze to Chloe, and his regret showed up in his softened eyes. "I'm sorry," he said, sounding sorrowful and regretful. "I need to handle this. Stay here; I'll come back faster." Chloe's heart sank upon hearing his words, and she felt a sense of disquietness like a dark cloud engulfing her. She wanted to shout out the words of anger and ask Liam to remain by her side somewhere where she was safe and secure. Yet it didn't escape her that he had a commitment to meet, a goal that he could not avoid pursuing, though he might want that for the time being. Chloe remained motionless, a solitary nod being her only response, as she watched him slowly vanish into the distance and fade in pursuit with every passing moment. Now she was the only one in the quietness of the vacant building, accompanied by nothing but the loneliness of her own thoughts. With each minute passing, as hours ticked by, Chloe's anxiety began to spin out of control. She had this creeping sensation in her stomach, like something clawing at her insides—the fear that Liam would not come home footsteps or that he would have been somewhere out there, where something terrible had happened. But just as despair threatened to consume her, a sound echoed through the empty room: the sound of approaching footsteps, which sounded like a familiar sound. Chloe's heart jumped up her throat as she turned around, and her eyes widened in relief at the appearance of Liam, though his expression indicated heavy weariness and resilience. Soft and resolute was his voice "I'm back". "I'm staying put one way or another." With her eyes being glued on Liam's vanishing figure, Chloe's dread deepened and started casting its shadow over her mind. The beat of the music pulsated in her ears humiliatingly, replacing intelligence and sense. She stood firmly, for the sensation of doubt was pressing down deep into her. Moments seemed to stretch into an eternity while Chloe was struggling with the claustrophobia the club caused and the unending rattle of the music. The urgency motivated all of her senses, and the agony was hungry for any piece of the conversation that might have a reasonable explanation for the matter. However, amid all the joyful behavior and talk, the music was playing stronger than these walls. Thus, the music made her efforts to reach out to them futile. A hint of exasperation passed through her eyes as she tightly fisted her hands by her sides. Her plea for answers and understanding only got louder as she looked at the disorientation of her thoughts. Although the silence remained somewhat frustrating, Chloe struggled with her fears while enclosed by the borders of loneliness. At each second that the music continues, she feels more nervous than ever, with her heartbeats matching the driving base. On one hand, she saw Liam and Kane having a sort of debate in which their gestures were swift and non-stop. Whether it was flattery or criticism, the air in the room was charged. Chloe was almost overwhelmed with anger, as she grew desperate to comprehend the circumstances that they found themselves now in. She was itching to break things off between Liam and these men, who just showed up from nowhere. Erina wanted to confront him and ask questions about their presence. But she well knew that this was not the time to be aggressive toward him and that she had instead to lie in wait for the right moment to take him on. men, The weight of the minutes as they passed started to push Chloe slowly towards the abyss created by her Anxiety. She felt like a warm body beside a window, watching Liam, the man with the cold engagement, play with the flame of death. However, deep in her heart, fear was there, yet she was not ready to let it become her prison. She just had to find a solution to hold the situation in her hands and defend herself in all possible ways from whatever fears could be found lurking in the darkness. After deliberating in her mind, this woman was gathering all her might to do something. Setting her jaw and with an aimed resolve, she advanced toward where the boys were standing, and every move was specified and purposeful. She was aware that she was heading into a situation that was certain pits for a chum, that she was entering the den of lioness. But she still stands firmly in her belief that nothing can persuade her to look away while Liam is facing his ghosts. She felt the thrill, her senses were all in tune as she came closer. She was alert, her every nerve full of excitement. It seemed that she had been paying attention to their conversation; meanwhile, her heart was leaping in the manner of a drumbeat. Then, suddenly, it was: Liam's voice, hey, so tender, blooming of despair. Her mouth went, and her heart seemed to skip a beat. With a strain, she listened, establishing word by word the plot of the conversation. That’s how the conversation started, and just as abruptly as it had come up, Liam turned away from Kane, and he was furrowing his eyebrows as he went. Chloe's heart hit the bottom as she watched his figure stroll away, and a feeling of inability hit her like an ocean tide sweeping her away. However, even in the thick darkness, a tiny flame of hope flared up in her and made her think. She may not be certain of everything at the moment, but she would rather take control of her own life than allow fear to prevail. She would know how to deal with the lie, to disentangle the clues that hid Liam and the evil world in which he took place. And such drive would never break her until she finally found the true depths of the mystery, despite the possible price.