99 Times for Alpha’s Bestie novel Chapter 94

Claire’s POV

I slept soundly throughout the night, which was surprising considering what I had endured the previous day. First with Queenie and the online slandering, then topping the night off with an attempted murder by my ex-mate’s deranged mistress.

Just as I finished washing up and prepared to head out, my phone chimed with a message.

It was from Liam.

Liam [Come up to my floor now. We need to discuss the details of the furniture design.]

I frowned, ready to reply with a refusal, but as if sensing my immediate instinct to tell him off, Liam sent another message.

Liam [I’ve already talked to your boss. Just come up, now.]

Looking at the screen, I bit my lip. Despite my reluctance to be anywhere near him at the moment, since Mr. White has already approved this, I had no choice but to head upstairs.

When I stepped outside of my front door, Liam was waiting at the entrance of his right next door. I hated this. I hated that he was always right there like a pristine little stalker.

And, of course, he was shirtless, wearing only a pair of black shorts. He exuded a faint scent of essential oils.

With one hand in his pocket, he intentionally puffed out his chest, showcasing his well-defined biceps and abs.

“Claire, hey,” Liam said, his gaze hazy as he walked toward me, even tossing his hair back dramatically.

Was he seriously attempting to seduce me?

I quickly turned to rush to the bushes nearest Liam’s front entrance, the same bush that Breanne had hidden behind last night for her attack, nearly throwing up her dinner.

Liam stood frozen, staring at me in disbelief. “Claire, why are you vomiting?”

“Liam, can you not be so disgusting this early in the morning?” I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand.

Liam glanced down, a look of confusion crossing his face.

“Disgusting? Aren’t you supposed to find me charming and irresistible? I bought this bottle of pheromones; it’s supposed to make women fall in love with you. Come on, take another sniff. It’s nice, right?”

“Sorry, but I don’t feel that way. If you don’t put on a shirt, we might not be able to discuss the details.”

My words clearly hurt Liam, but he led me up the stairs to his unit and left me alone in the living room while he went to put on a shirt with a disappointed expression.

I finally relaxed and explored his newly bought apartment.

Everything felt strangely familiar, like the home I had once imagined.

A warm bed for a couple in love, a cozy living room, and the innocent doodles by pups with wildly active imaginations.

He must have offered the previous owners a substantial amount of money for them to leave everything behind.

Compared to my cold, sterile house, this place felt refreshing and lively. I would almost consider switching apartments with him if I didn’t see it turning into a trap.

“I’ll have the walls torn down and redo everything, replacing the furniture with cooler tones,” Liam called from the kitchen, accompanied by the sounds of clattering pots and pans. “Just a moment. I’ll make you breakfast.”

“You can change whatever you want,” I said, half-listening.

Wait!

What?

Breakfast?

That was something that had never happened before.

I walked into the kitchen to find Liam standing over the stove, clumsily attempting to fry an egg.

He scraped a blackened omelet from the pan and dumped it straight into the trash.

“I was practicing. These are just the rejects,” he explained with a smile. “Just a minute longer, and I promise I’ll make you the perfect fried egg.”

Watching him sweat as he worked, his awkward yet earnest demeanour stirred an unexpected feeling in. All the sarcastic remarks I wanted to make got stuck in my throat.

I quietly returned to the dining table, resting my chin on my hand, waiting in silence.

The sizzling sound of the frying egg mixed with Liam’s busy footsteps, and for a moment, it felt like I was back in the past.

In those mornings, the sunlight would gently pour into the kitchen as I prepared breakfast, and he would lean against the door frame, smiling lazily at me.

We had once loved each other so deeply, and everything that had happened since was filled with irony. Or at least, I had thought it was love at the time.

While I was lost in thought, Liam brought over a plate with a fried egg, a cup of fresh coffee, and two slices of toast spread with strawberry jam, placing them in front of me.

“This fried egg is guaranteed to be delicious. You have to try it,” he said with an almost sycophantic smile.

Reluctantly, I took a bite of the fried egg, only to find it overly salty.

Rolling my eyes, I said, “Liam, if you can’t cook, just don’t pretend you can, alright? It’s like you dropped the entire shaker of salt in this. Are you trying to kill me through high cholesterol?”

“I practiced for a whole week for this fried egg! I only dared to invite you up after finally making a few decent ones. How did it end up salty again?”

He muttered to himself, lost in his failure.

I felt a pang in my heart. Despite everything, I was still a kind-hearted person at my core, and I hated causing harm to others. Physical or emotional. It’s not in my nature.

The awkward man practicing how to fry an egg was the same man whom I had once gone to great lengths to prepare breakfast for, only to have him pick it apart.

Instinctively, I looked up at him, my gaze caught by the blisters on his hand from the hot oil, and my heart tightened.

“Was it really worth it?” I blurted out as I reached for his wrist to inspect it closely. “I can handle making my own breakfast. You don’t need to go through all this trouble!”

This sudden concern ignited a flicker of hope in Liam’s eyes.

He grasped my hand, his scarred palm enveloping mine.

“You always said I didn’t do enough. After you left, I reflected on it for a long time. Claire, I’m not just saying this to trick you, but I’m changing. I want to show you through my actions. I genuinely want to start over with you.”

I met his gaze and felt the familiar warmth I had missed. For a moment, my defences began to crumble.

However, just as I felt that shift, a shrill ringtone pierced the air.

It was Liam’s cell phone and right across the screen flashed, Breanne’s smiling face and the ID caller name: <3 My Brea-Brea <3.

Instantly freezing the warmth that I had just naively allowed myself to start to feel.