Ch. 1971..1975

Chapter 1971

Chapter 1971 The driver was taken aback. Liam instructed in a timely manner, "Uncle Ben, just follow the navigation system."

Uncle Ben was the driver that had worked for the Stocktons for several decades. Upon hearing Liam, he did not enact a response. Instead, he glanced at John through the rearview mirror.

John seemed rather upset. Where are you taking us?"

Liam answered firmly, "To my place."

‘What are we doing at your place?"

“We're going to get something to eat, then settle in for the night," Liam said without changing his expression. John frowned disagreeably, ’No-"

"Ahem." Sherry stepped in.

Caprice jabbed at her father with her fingers as well and made a face at him. The message was clear: stop making things difficult for Liam, or else she was going to get angry!

John took a deep breath and kept his complaints to himself.

Liam turned to John and Sherry. "Uncle John, Aunt Sherry, just take a quick nap if you need to. It’s a smooth drive to my place from here, and it'll take roughly twenty minutes at most."

Sherry answered with a bright smile, "Alright, sorry to trouble you.” Liam was very polite. "It's not a problem at all. It’s the least | could do." John grunted. At least, he was courteous. Caprice winked subtly at Liam who smiled faintly and turned away.

Meanwhile, inside another car directly behind them, Isabel did not sit with Sylvia and Odell. Instead, she sat in the middle row by herself.

She looked at the car in front of them and remarked casually, "I’m sure Liam knows how to handle Uncle John."

Sylvia chuckled when she heard this. She expressed emotively, "I have to say, it was a pretty eventful night for John and Sherry. They must have been furious."

And justifiably so. Even she was furious when she saw Isabel being pushed to the floor on the large screen.

Caprice did not have it any better. She got kicked around and accused of being a common thief, and that was on top of being mercilessly insulted. She was only nineteen years old, nothing more than an ordinary university student that had yet to see the world.

How could they be so cruel to someone who was essentially still a child?

It was a good thing her parents were John and Sherry. If her parents were only common folks, there was no way she could have shaken off those unjust accusations.

What a terrifying thought.

Odell gently caressed Sylvia and coaxed her in a tender voice, "Don't stress over it. Something like this is never going to happen again.”

Based on his knowledge of Liam, he was going to make sure that the foul lady named Heather was never going to show up around Caprice ever again. Sylvia nodded and grunted.

Isabel turned around and assured them, "Mom, Dad, don't worry. | will pay closer attention to Caprice in the future as well. I'm never going to let anything like this happen when I’m around"

Sylvia smiled and reminded her darling daughter, "Make sure you take care of yourself too.’ Isabel grinned warmly. "I know."

Odell remarked, "| have spoken to our HR department. You have two more days to get ready. You will officially report to the office on Wednesday."

His original plan was to publicly announce Isabel as the successor to Carter Corporation during the party. However, his plan was partially botched due to the unfortunate events that transpired, but he could still let the rest of the arrangements proceed as originally planned.

Upon hearing him, Isabel immediately turned around as if she did not catch a sentence of what he said. Nonetheless, Odell did not seem bothered.

Regardless of whether she heard him or not, he was going to make sure that Isabel showed up at the office first thing Wednesday morning. Even if she refused to, he was going to make her come by force if necessary.

‘This hasn't been an easy night for Isabel. Why don’t you give her a break?" Sylvia stepped in. She did not have the heart to see Odell impose his will on their daughter.

Odell said in a deadpanned voice, "She can handle it." Besides, she had not been the primary target tonight.

Chapter 1972

After exactly twenty minutes, the car swerved into the Carters’ Manor and stopped at one of the buildings. Caprice followed John and Sherry out of the car.

After getting out of the car, she trotted over to Liam's side.

Liam gave her a look.

Soon, the trio of Sylvia, Odell, and Isabel showed up as well. They promptly stepped out of the car. Odell and Sylvia approached John and Sherry.

’Dinner should be almost ready, so let's head in," Odell informed John. John nodded with a grunt.

Sylvia took Sherry1 s hand and led them inside.

Isabel crossed her arms across her chest and followed them into the house.

Caprice took Liam's hand which was like a bear's paw compared to hers. Liam held her hand which was tiny in contrast and walked into the house.

After entering the living room, he let go of Caprice the moment he noticed John turning over to look at them. John darted a glance at them and held his silence.

Meanwhile, the housemaids were setting the meal on the table.

Sylvia smiled and invited them graciously, "John, Sherry, take a seat please."

She turned to the younger ones-Caprice, Isabel, and Liam as well. "Come on, take a seat at the table." Isabel obliged.

Caprice smiled briefly and led Liam to the table with her.

They were all seated at the table in no time, and every seat at the round table was filled.

Caprice observed the fruit juice and dishes set out in front of her. They were all her favorite dishes, specifically catered to her taste. There were some of her parents’ favorite dishes as well.

"Come on and eat. It’s getting late, and we need to rest after the meal,” Sylvia remarked. Everyone picked up their utensils and began eating.

Caprice was starving. She devoured several pieces of meat and downed several glasses of fruit juice in minutes, filling up her stomach nicely.

It was only after she picked at every single dish positioned closest to her that she began to move her sights to the dishes set farther away. A plate of grilled ribs caught her eye. She wanted to eat it.

Although she was very close with the Carters, she thought it was impolite to reach across the table to grab the ribs. Oh well, she would just eat something else. She pursed her lips and went for a plate of fish.

As she was about to begin eating the slice of fish she got for herself, she caught a figure rising to stand from the corner of her eye.

Liam had risen from his seat to reach across the table to get a rib that Caprice was eyeing.

Soon, he slid a rib onto Caprice’s plate. It was the largest piece of the ribs.

She turned to Liam and smiled warmly, thanking him sincerely, "Thank you, Liam."

Liam spoke softly, "Go on, eat."

Caprice happily stuffed herself with the rib.

The entire time, she was not aware that everybody else at the table had been paying attention to her interaction with Liam. They may not be staring at them directly, but they were taking note of what was happening between the two.

Sylvia smiled and met Odell's eyes.

Both John and Sherry smiled gladly, and John seemed less upset than he was before.

They had known Liam ever since he was a child and was familiar with his character. Ever since he was a boy, he had always been unaffectionate and distant, sometimes even resembling a robot instead of an organic person. The only time he ever displayed flashes of emotion was when he was with the people he was closest to.

It was obvious that he cared a lot about Caprice.

"| want a piece of grilled rib too." Suddenly, Isabel who was sitting next to Caprice spoke up. Liam barely turned to acknowledge her, "Get it yourself."

Isabel remarked playfully, ‘That's not fair!"

Sylvia chuckled.

This made Caprice self-conscious. She quickly reached for the plate of ribs and put a piece on Isabel's plate. "Here you go, Isabel."

Isabel smiled in approval. That's my Caprice." Caprice smiled.

Sylvia and Sherry shared a chuckle as well.

It was a cheerful dinner.

After dinner, Sylvia wanted to bring John and Sherry to the guest bedroom.

 

Chapter 1973

John said with a glance at Caprice, "We're not in a hurry. Why don’t you send Caprice to the bedroom first?" Sylvia smiled and obliged, "Sure."

She could tell that John's true concern was that Liam would steal away Caprice when they were out of sight. Sherry smiled weakly, then she waved over at Caprice who was standing next to Liam. "Caprice, come with us." Caprice cast a reluctant look at Liam before dragging her feet over to Sherry.

Liam noticed where she was headed and followed after her.

John cast a morose look at him. "Why are you following her?”

*I'm walking her back to her room," Liam said without the most remote change of his expression.

John took a breath and let it slide.

As Caprice smiled and drew closer to Liam, Sylvia and Sherry shared a hearty chuckle at their interaction. Caprice was going to stay over in the guest room on the second floor.

The room was large, clean, and cozy, and it was adjacent to Liam's bedroom.

"Caprice, would you mind using this room tonight?" Sylvia asked her.

Caprice replied appreciatively, "Sure, Aunt Sylvia, thank you very much.”

Sylvia smiled, then she turned to John and Sherry. TH take you two to your room."

Sherry smiled. "Alright."

As for John, he cast an unfriendly look at Liam who was standing by the door. "What are you still standing around there for?" Liam glanced at Caprice, then he turned around and walked out.

Caprice puffed up her cheeks and looked at John grumpily. That was all it took for John to shift his demeanor, and he suddenly became gentle and doting.

He gently ruffled Caprice's hair and said, "Be a good girl and make sure you get enough sleep. We're going to bed as well." Caprice grumbled. With that, her parents walked out of the bedroom, making sure to close the door behind them.

Caprice pressed her ears against the door and listened for their footsteps. After their footsteps had faded away, she threw the door open. She knew where Liam's room was, and she was going to find him.

To her surprise, she met Liam as soon as she stepped into the corridor.

His towering figure was leaning against the wall. He cast a profound look at her with a deep, dark gleam underneath his eyes. Caprice's eyes shone, and she threw herself into his arms immediately.

"Liam!" she called his name affectionately.

Liam gently ruffled her hair and asked, "What happened at the dinner party tonight?"

She scowled. "It's all in the past now. All that matters is I’m fine now."

She did not want to dawdle over such depressing affairs.

Liam mindfully dropped the subject. "Alright, make sure you get enough sleep."

Caprice tightened herself around him and tried to say something to get him to stay. "My...my back still hurts." Liam briefly inspected her back. He could not see anything of note since she was still wearing her dress.

"What happened to your back?"

‘They stepped on me several times," she said in an aggrieved voice.

Liam frowned. "I'll call the doctor right now."

She hurriedly stopped him. "It just aches a little. There's no need for a doctor."

Liam was silent for a moment, then he led her into her room and drew closer to the bed.

Caprice looked at him with a puzzled expression.

He ordered, "Lay on the bed."

She quickly got the message. Liam wanted to inspect her back for any signs of injury. She obediently lay face down on the bed. She stared at the snow-white quilt and listened to Liam's ruffling movements as he lowered himself onto the bed. Soon, she could hear the streak of the zipper on her back being pulled open.

She felt an unexpected chill the moment he pulled her zipper open, and it suddenly occurred to her that she was tense. It was as if she was nervously anticipating something.

 

Chapter 1974

She tucked her lips inward and suppressed the restless feeling boiling inside her. When she stared in front of her, she saw the shadow of Liam cast onto the quilt. After noticing that he was not moving at all, she asked nervously, "Liam, is everything okay?"

Liam wore a tight grimace.

While he was unzipping the dress for Caprice just now, he had to admit that he was feeling slightly bashful, but right now, the only emotion he felt was pure, unfiltered rage.

There were several bruises and red, swollen spots scattered along Caprice’s smooth, delicate back. They were marks left behind by high heels, amongst many other things.

What exactly happened to her at the dinner party?!

"Liam?" Upon failing to draw a response from Liam, Caprice turned over to look at him. As soon as she turned around, the loose front of her dress slipped off her body.

Liam grew wide-eyed with shock.

Caprice noticed his expression and immediately looked down at her chest. She blushed instantly and pulled her dress up to cover her body.

She cried out sharply, ‘What are you looking at?!” Liam was suddenly at a loss for what to say. For a moment, he did not know if he should laugh or continue to stew in his previous anger.

One thing he could be sure about was that his fiery emotions had cooled down considerably when he observed Caprice's embarrassed childlike demeanor.

He bent over the bed to get closer to Caprice. Then, he gently pinched her cheeks while smiling mischievously. "Why are you being so shy? It’s not like

| haven't seen it before." Caprice suddenly recalled their previous date at Carter Tech City. Somehow, her already red cheeks managed to darken by another shade." I'm not shy!”

"Then, why are your cheeks so red?" Liam could never get enough of teasing her. He gently brushed the tips of his fingers against her cheeks again. "Wow, you're burning up!"

“lam not! Something is wrong with your eyes!"

To prove that she was truly not embarrassed, she suddenly pulled the front of her dress down to reveal herself. She cocked her chin upward and looked at Liam boldly as if to hammer home the point that she was not shy. Liam was speechless.

Acrack of a smile formed on his lips.

After several seconds of stunned silence, he smiled faintly before hooking his arm around her neck and planting a deep kiss on her lips.

Hm?

Caprice was dumbfounded.

She was still angry at him. Why the sudden kiss?! She instinctively shoved him.

He refused to let up and continued to suffocate her with a deep, passionate kiss. Despite how mightily Caprice shoved him, she could not wring herself free. If anything, it only made him kiss her with more force.

Something strange suddenly consumed her. Within moments, she felt her fingers creeping toward Liam's shirt, she was mimicking his movements and feeling him all over.

An indeterminable amount of time passed.

Suddenly, Liam's figure collapsed over her.

She sunk into the bed with a loud thump.

She yelped.

That was when Liam suddenly froze. He quickly removed himself from Caprice.

Her face was flushed with red by this point. She held her tiny hands in front of her as she looked at him with watery eyes. She was irresistible.

Liam pursed his lips tightly, then he suddenly escaped from the bed and retreated to the bathroom.

Caprice was still lying on the bed, unable to grasp what had just happened.

Soon, she heard the sound of running water coming from the bathroom. She came back to her senses, and the strange heat inside her slowly dissipated. She gathered herself, pulled her dress snugly around her, then sat up.

Liam emerged from the bathroom.

The collar of his shirt was unbuttoned. He had splashed water all over his face and his bangs were soaked wet. Beads of water continued to trickle down his jaw, toward his chin. There was a deep, quaint look inside his eyes as usual.

“Liam, what's wrong? Why did you suddenly go away to wash your face?" Caprice asked perplexedly.

She...she had not had enough of him yet.

Chapter 1975

Chapter 1975 Liam coughed dryly. "Nothing. He approached the bed and gently ruffled her hair. "Sleep.”

Upon realizing that he was about to leave, Caprice grabbed his wrist. She looked at him and pleaded softly, ‘Liam, | want to sleep with you tonight."

Liam stuttered for a moment as he looked into her eyes.

It was a sincere request. All Caprice wanted to do was to spend the night in his arms.

“No,” he refused firmly.

Caprice wrinkled her nose, feeling wounded.

Liam took a breath and spoke in a soft, patient voice, "Caprice, we cant sleep together just yet.’ "Then, when can we sleep together?" Caprice asked in a confused voice.

They were already dating, so what was wrong with that?

Liam pursed his lips. "Just wait until we get engaged.”

Since Caprice's father had not agreed to their getting engaged, that meant he had not approved of their relationship yet. With that knowledge, he could not allow himself to lay a finger on Caprice.

"Okay," Caprice muttered weakly without concealing the disappointment in her voice, then she let go of his wrist. ’Go to bed. I'll see you tomorrow." He ruffled her hair again.

Caprice looked at him sadly. "Goodnight, Liam."

He responded with a soft smile before heading out, carefully closing the door behind him as he left.

Caprice sighed softly.

Wait till they get engaged.

After Liam came out of Caprice's bedroom, he walked toward the end of the corridor until he reached Isabel's room. He knocked on the door twice. There was no response.

He knocked again.

Soon, he heard Isabel cry out in an annoyed voice, "Who is it?"

He said solemnly, "It’s me."

After a while, Isabel opened the door, wrapped in a coat.

She was very cross since she had just managed to fall asleep. "I just fell asleep! What do you need from me? Aren't you supposed to be with Caprice right now anyway?"

"What happened to you and Caprice at the dinner party tonight?’ Liam asked without skipping a beat. Isabel seemed surprised. "Hasn't Caprice told you?" "She didn't want to talk about it, so | didn’t press her."

“Hm. | think the entire thing traumatized her a little," she reflected with a sigh. After that, she relayed the events of the night to Liam. She talked

about how Heather and her mother plotted against Caprice and framed her for stealing Mrs. Duwait’s pink diamonds.

Liam's expression darkened immediately upon hearing the full story. His murderous scowl scared even Isabel. She recoiled away from him when she sensed his dark aura.

Liam remain silent for a few seconds, then he asked suddenly, "Who stepped on her back?" Isabel answered truthfully, ‘Weather has been provoking us all night. At one point, | couldn’t stand her arrogance anymore and

wanted to beat her up myself, but her friends backed her up and shoved me to the floor. After that, Caprice threw herself over me to protect me, and that’s when Heather and her friends began stepping on her with the tips of their high heels."

“Who are these friends of hers? Do you know them?” "No, | don't." "Do you remember what they looked like?"

’| don't remember clearly, but | think you can get the surveillance footage from Mrs. Duwait." After Isabel brought this up, she asked in a puzzled voice, "Why are you asking me all this?”

"Don't worry about it. Go to bed." Liam turned and left without providing an apt explanation.

Isabel could sense that he was up to something. She told Liam, "Hey, Dad and Uncle John are going to make sure the Mansons get what they deserve anyway, so you don't have to worry about it. Just make sure Caprice is okay. Don’t worry about the rest.”

Liam ignored her and continued marching toward his bedroom. After closing the door, he reached for his phone and called his assistant, Mitch.

The call was connected promptly, and he ordered without bothering to greet Mitch, "Contact Mr. and Mrs. Duwait. Tell them we need the surveillance footage from tonight's dinner party.”

Mitch answered dutifully, "Yes, sir. | will contact them right away.” Liam hung up without another word.

The lights in his bedroom were not turned on yet. The darkness in the room paled in comparison to the sullen darkness on his face. He was beyond furious. He wanted to see what exactly happened tonight and what these people had done to Caprice!

He swore to himself that he was not going to let any one of them get away with what they had done!