Chapter 222: Riya exposed?
"Leaving already?" A familiar voice stopped her mid-step. She turned and saw Liam approaching with his usual calm stride.
"My presentation hasn’t even begun, and you are already walking out?"
Riya opened her mouth, but no word came out of her mouth. She had been so lost in her own turmoil that she had completely forgotten about Liam, that she wasn’t supposed to abandon him.
"Or is there another reason?" he prodded. "Still upset about your uncle’s embarrassment?"
The mention of Zachary paled her. She instinctively shook her head. "No, I wasn’t..."
"Don’t lie," Liam interjected. "I’m not blind. I saw it all. You looked uneasy the whole time everyone was ridiculing him."
"That’s not true," Riya protested weakly.
"Do you think I am blind?" Liam scoffed. "You went after him afterward, didn’t you? Met him. Comforted him. I didn’t know you were close to him."
Riya felt the pricks of chills. How could he possibly know that? Had he seen her with Zachary?
Her face turned even paler at that thought. She had recklessly run after him and had sex with him in the car. She hadn’t thought about who might have seen them. Now she regretted it.
Her mouth opened and closed, but not a single word came out.
"It surprised me that you were so worried about Zachary," Liam continued. "That man is hostile toward the Grants. Have you forgotten what he did? He is the one who pushed Nathaniel into the water back then."
Riya’s mind raced back to the past. She clearly remembered that Nathaniel had almost drowned because of Zachary. If Nora hadn’t been there, he would have died. Since then, the Grants had severed all ties with Zachary. But she had grown close to him because of the contract. At first, it was just sex, but now she could tell she had started liking him.
Her silence only deepened Liam’s disdain. To him, her connection with Zachary was not only shameful but dangerous. It threatened his standing with the Grants, and it would also be his reason to terminate the engagement with her.
"I don’t care who you are interested in or what you do in private," he said coldly, "but I can’t stay engaged to someone who is involved with Zachary. The Grants aren’t just family friends—they are our business partners. I won’t risk that relationship because of you. So..."
"I don’t have any relationship with him," she blurted. The thought of Liam breaking the engagement terrified her.
"Really?" Liam found it laughable. He wanted to show her the photograph he had taken and break off the engagement with her immediately, but he held himself back. He had a better way to do it.
"I hope you are telling the truth. If you want to leave, I won’t stop you." With that, he strode away.
Riya wanted to chase him after and explain to him, but her steps faltered when her gaze fell on Nathaniel and Zara. They were kissing openly, passionately, right there in the hall.
’How shameless she is,’ Riya seethed under her breath. ’She can’t stop throwing herself at him, even in public.’
Already shattered by her confrontation with Liam and the guilt over Zachary, the sight of Nathaniel and Zara together snapped the last thread of control she had left. Rage and humiliation consumed her completely.
"Why is she always so happy?" Riya muttered through gritted teeth.
She couldn’t stand the sight of Zara’s smile. It felt like salt rubbed into a raw wound. Every bit of joy on Zara’s face deepened Riya’s resentment. She wanted to see Zara shattered, suffering, begging for relief—not standing there, radiant and proud beside Nathaniel, basking in his triumph.
If it weren’t for Zachary’s promise that the event would end in Nathaniel’s public humiliation and Zara’s embarrassment, she would never have agreed to attend with Liam. But the reality was the complete opposite. Nathaniel had won, Zara was glowing with pride, and Zachary was the one left humiliated and seething.
Her nails dug into her palm. Zachary’s broken expression, Liam’s cutting words, and the sight of Nathaniel and Zara kissing openly—all of it piled up until she couldn’t take another second.
Stomping her feet, she stormed out.
On the other side of the hall, Nathaniel and Zara finally drew apart, though their eyes remained locked.
"Congratulations," Zara said, her face glowing with pride. "You did it, Nathaniel. I’m so proud of you."
"I want to celebrate tonight," he murmured.
"Oh?" she asked, smiling playfully. "How would you like to celebrate? I’ll make the arrangements."
"Let’s go home first," he replied, a meaningful glint flickering in his eyes. "You’ll find out soon enough how I want to celebrate."
His tone and the curve of his lips made Zara blush instantly. She could tell exactly what kind of celebration he meant. Her cheeks warmed, and she turned her face aside, smiling shyly.
"The seminar isn’t over yet," she reminded him softly. "Are you sure you want to leave early?"
She expected him to stay until Liam’s presentation ended—after all, their families shared a strong bond. The Grants and the Lawsons were not only business partners but also close friends. With Liam and Riya’s wedding on the horizon, it only made sense for Nathaniel to stay. But his answer caught her off guard.
"I don’t care," he said firmly. "My team can handle the rest. I want to celebrate with my wife."
His words touched Zara’s heart. She couldn’t look away from his eyes. There was something in them – instead of joy and pride, there was a glint of affection in them which she had never seen before.
Zara had longed for that look, for him to see her as the only woman in his heart. Not Nora, not anyone else—just her. And now, that moment had finally come.
Her pulse quickened, her heart fluttering uncontrollably. Lost in his gaze, she could only nod.
"Then let’s go," he murmured. Taking her hand, he turned to leave.
"Mr. Grant." A voice from behind stopped them.
They turned to see one of Nathaniel’s team members hurrying toward them.
"Hello, Mrs. Grant." The man bowed slightly at Zara and then turned to Nathaniel. "Sorry to disturb you, sir. But there is something important you should know." He leaned closer and whispered something discreetly in Nathaniel’s ear.
At once, Nathaniel’s expression shifted—his brows lifted, and a faint smirk appeared on his lips. "Really? That’s great news."
The man nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, sir. He wants to meet you personally."
Nathaniel looked excited. But when he turned to Zara, his eyes dimmed a bit. He wanted to leave as soon as possible to celebrate the night. But something urgent came up that he couldn’t ignore.
"Zara, I need to..."
"Go," she cut in gently, understanding his hesitation. "I’ll wait for you."
His smile returned. "It won’t take long. Wait here for me." He then walked away with the man.
"The client seems extremely interested," the team member continued as they walked. "He said he was impressed with the AI system and would like to discuss a potential partnership directly."
Nathaniel hummed shortly, his excitement rising. This was no ordinary opportunity—it was a chance to take his project to a global level. He hadn’t expected such a high-profile figure to attend the seminar.
"I’m looking forward to meeting him," Nathaniel said, brimming with energy.
"He is waiting in the lounge."
They both headed to the lounge. As they entered, they found a man in a grey suit seated on a sofa, with a wine glass in his hand.
The man looked up, and their eyes met. Dressed in a tailored grey suit, he exuded quiet power and authority. His sharp eyes and composed demeanor commanded attention. The air around him carried an undeniable dominance.
It was Augustine Bennet, the president of the Sphere Group, one of the most influential business tycoons in the industry.
Nathaniel’s pulse quickened with excitement and awe. This was a man everyone in the corporate world wanted to work with. Landing a deal with him was like striking gold.
"Mr. Bennet," Nathaniel greeted, smiling as he extended his hand. "I had no idea you were attending the seminar."
Augustine set his glass down and rose to shake his hand firmly. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Mr. Grant. I’ve heard quite a lot about your work. After seeing your presentation today, I must say—it exceeded my expectations. Please have a seat."
He gestured toward the sofa. As they sat down, Augustine added, "I’m planning to open a branch office in this city, and collaborating with you would not only be a privilege but also a strategic advantage for both of us. Let’s discuss it further."
Nathaniel’s grin spread even wider. Meeting such a prominent figure in person was beyond anything he had hoped for, and the prospect of partnership made his nerves spark with enthusiasm.
Their conversation started. Nathaniel was so engrossed in conversation that he didn’t even realize how much time had passed.
Zara stayed seated, appearing composed on the outside, though unease slowly crept into her chest. The final presentation was already concluded, yet Nathaniel was nowhere in sight.
The guests started to leave one by one.
Zara checked the watch. ’What is taking him so long?’ she wondered anxiously. ’Is everything alright?’
She took her phone, thinking of calling him. But she hesitated.
’No... he is probably busy,’ she reasoned, forcing herself to stay patient. ’If I call now, I might interrupt something important. I’ll wait another ten minutes.’
She put the phone back into her bag, trying to calm herself.
"Zara?" A familiar voice drew her attention. She looked up and saw Liam towering over her.
"Why are you sitting here alone?" he asked, his tone laced with concern. "Where is Nathaniel?"