Deep Love, Lost in the End

The year Sophie James had her affair, I spent a fortune buying compromising photos and putting them online, ruining Sophie’s reputation.

To get back at me, Sophie plotted to have me sign a divorce settlement, threatening:

"As long as Seaside City has me,

You will never be able to come back."

I was forced to go abroad.

For five whole years, no one in Seaside City remembered that Sophie’s ex-husband was Liam Carter; they only knew Sophie’s true love was Ethan King.

But now, I was holding an invitation to an event in Seaside City, laughing as I turned to the people around me.

"Why don't I go in your place?"

After all,

Some things

Should be personally dealt with to finally draw a conclusion.

As I was about to enter the venue, a black Maybach pulled up in front of me. The person who got out blocked my way.

"Why are random people allowed in?"

The man’s eyes fell on me, smiling.

"Five years without seeing you, and I thought you really had the guts to die outside. But, it looks like…" He twirled his fingernails, "You can’t survive and want to come back begging for mercy?"

"Liam Carter."

Ethan King grabbed a business bag and threw it at me.

"How about you beg me a little, beg me, and I’ll see if anyone will still look at you." His eyes scanned me from bottom to top, landing on my face. "This! Crap—"

Before he could finish, I grabbed Ethan’s bag and smashed it hard over his head, pulling his hair and slamming his face into the car door with a loud thud. My blood boiled with uncontrollable excitement.

"Ethan King, five years ago, the one who called me Mr. Carter, begging me to take you in..." I leaned close to his ear, chuckling. "What happened? Did five years make you forget who’s the master and who’s the dog?"

"Or maybe, after crawling into Sophie James' bed and being ridiculed by the whole internet, you forgot what it means to have any shame?"

"Since that’s the case," I patted Ethan’s face, "Let me teach you."

I grabbed his hair again, swinging the bag back.

"You psycho!"

Ethan screamed.

Bodyguards rushed forward and grabbed my wrist, shouting.

"Who do you think you are?"

Someone grabbed my wrist and started pulling me away, and as they did, my scarred wrist was touched. I winced in pain but smiled louder. "Five years gone, and you’ve raised a bunch of loyal dogs!"

I turned, landing a punch in one bodyguard's face and kicking another in the groin. Watching them wince in pain, I snatched the baton from one of the bodyguards and walked toward Ethan.

"Ethan King,"

I weighed the baton in my hand, smiling at him.

"Forgot to tell you."

I lifted the baton.

"Now that I’m back, I don’t plan on letting you go."

I swung the baton down, and just as I did, I heard Ethan scream, "Liam Carter!"

"Sophie won’t let you off!"

"Sophie won’t let you off!"

"Sophie!"

The baton was snatched away, and before I could react, I heard Ethan’s almost desperate cry, "Sophie, save me! Sophie!"

"Five years!"

"Five years, and she still wants to kill me!"

"Save me!"

The baton was pulled forcefully away, and before I could understand what happened, I fell into a warm embrace. The person’s scent surrounded me quickly, sending a shiver down my spine, and their voice rang in my ears, calm and measured.

"Liam Carter."

"Five years gone," Sophie James' hands gripped my neck, meeting my gaze. "And you’re still this rash."

"Five years ago."

I looked into this face I hadn’t seen in five years, the same flawless face I’d seen in interviews, and all I felt was disgust.