Kelly raised an eyebrow as she leaned forward slightly, her fingers delicately tracing the rim of her glass. "Where do you know from?"
Liam didn’t hesitate. He leaned back, arms stretched across the back of his chair as he replied casually, "Rap."
That was it. It hit him as soon as he saw her face. He’d seen her in her own multiple rap music videos, sotis at the side of the big female artists, sotis spitting a few lines herself. She had that street-chic aura, that confident look only soone who’d brushed shoulders with fa could wear. Liam’s mind flicked to Dickson, and he nearly laughed.
If Dickson was here, he’d be losing his damn mind. That guy practically worshiped any woman with thick thighs and a big ass, and Kelly checked those boxes in a way that wasn’t even up for debate. Hell, Dickson would probably try to build a shrine to her in the restaurant bathroom.
Kelly smiled bitterly, her lips curling just slightly as she nodded. "Yeah. That was ."
Liam glanced around the small, dimly lit restaurant they sat in. Greasy walls, cracked nu displays, and the constant background noise of pans clanging in the kitchen. He tilted his head, eyes narrowing slightly. "So what’s soone like you doing in a place like this shit hole?"
She leaned back in her seat, folding one leg over the other, confidence radiating from her body. "Sa reason you’re here."
That made Liam pause. His brows furrowed. "What do you an?"
She gave a sly little grin. "To escape."
Liam’s eyes narrowed further, his senses sharpening. He didn’t like people who talked in riddles. But before he could say anything, she added with a teasing tone, "And because the food slaps. This fried rice? Way better than any overpriced trash I’d get in those stuck-up influencer restaurants."
That earned her a short chuckle from Liam.
But then she tilted her head slightly. "Also... you’re Liam, right?"
His chopsticks stopped halfway to his mouth.
He hadn’t told her his na.
He looked at her calmly, setting the rice back into the bowl. "I don’t rember giving you my na."
Kelly didn’t flinch. She reached for another green bean on her plate and chewed on it slowly before responding. "You didn’t have to."
Liam didn’t respond, his face unreadable.
"Relax," Kelly said, lifting her hands in mock surrender. "I’m not a stalker. Just... who in this city doesn’t know who you are? You got arrested, then cleared of murder, then crowned ’Couple of the Year’ with Lana. You’re basically the internet’s favorite drama show."
Liam raised a brow, picking up a chunk of beef with his chopsticks and popping it into his mouth. He chewed slowly before answering. "That still doesn’t explain why you ca to sit with ."
Kelly gave him a playful smirk. "What? A girl can’t walk up to a handso man and join him for lunch without needing a damn reason? You sound like you just escaped from a romance manga."
Liam let out a short laugh despite himself. "That’s the worst excuse I’ve ever heard."
Kelly feigned offense, placing a hand dramatically on her chest. "Wow. My first attempt at flirting in weeks and you shoot down like that? Brutal."
Liam shook his head, rubbing his temple. "I already feel a headache coming."
She snorted, amused by his reaction. There was a silence between them as both returned to their food for a mont. Liam wasn’t sure what to make of her. She didn’t feel like a threat. If anything, she felt too casual. But he also knew people wore masks. Kelly might have hers on right now.
"You were looking for peace, right?" she asked suddenly.
Liam glanced at her.
"That’s what I ant earlier. Sa reason you’re here. Tired of the caras, the people watching, the whispers. All that fake bullshit. You just wanted to eat your damn rice without soone asking for a selfie."
She wasn’t wrong. That had been one of the things driving him crazy lately. Every step he took outside was under soone’s lens. The price of notoriety, he guessed. He didn’t care for it.
Liam nodded slightly. "Yeah. Sothing like that."
Kelly leaned in slightly. "Well, for what it’s worth, I’m not gonna ask for a selfie. I just wanted a quiet al too."
That settled the air a little. Liam picked up another bite of his food and continued eating without a word.
Kelly reached for her drink and sipped from it. "Besides... I already have all your pictures saved."
Liam paused.
She burst into laughter before he could react, shaking her head. "Relax. I’m kidding. Damn."
He exhaled slowly. This woman was either bold, crazy, or just ssing around. Maybe all three.
Still, for so reason, he didn’t ask her to leave.
Liam leaned back in his chair, sipping the last of his bottled water before standing up with an easy stretch. He gave Kelly a polite smile as he picked up his tray.
"Well, it was nice eting you, Kelly," he said casually, already turning to leave.
Kelly gave him a look, her lips parted slightly like she wanted to say sothing, but she stayed quiet. She just watched him walk, admiring the confident ease in every step he took.
But then, halfway through his departure, Liam suddenly turned back.
"Actually," he said, narrowing his eyes slightly, "can I get a selfie?"
Kelly blinked. For a mont, she genuinely didn’t know if she heard him right. "Wait... what?"
"A selfie," Liam repeated, nonchalantly. "With you."
She stared at him in disbelief. A man like Liam—tall, sculpted, dressed like he just walked out of a damn magazine, asking her for a selfie? "Uh, yeah, of course," she replied, trying to play it cool.
Liam reached into his pocket to pull out his phone—and cursed softly under his breath. He forgot. It was still lying on the couch back at Lilith’s house.
Kelly caught the way his expression shifted and smirked knowingly. "Looking for your phone?"
He glanced at her, slightly annoyed with himself. "Left it at a friend’s place."
"No problem," she said, already pulling hers from her bag. "We can use mine."
She stood up quickly and walked to his side, flipping the cara as she leaned in close to him. Their heads brushed slightly. Kelly tilted her head, sticking out her tongue playfully and flashing two fingers in a peace sign, one eye shut in that classic teasing pose.
Liam just raised an eyebrow at the whole thing, giving a look that was sowhere between amusent and confusion. She snapped the photo right then—and sohow, it ca out perfect.
Two beautiful people, one goofy, one effortlessly cool, caught in a spontaneous fra. It looked natural. Genuine. Real.
"You want to send it to your email?" Kelly asked, already opening her gallery to admire it.
"Nah," Liam replied, stretching slightly. "You can just send it to my number."
He took the phone from her gently and typed in his WhatsApp number, making sure she got it right.
"There," he said with a faint grin. "Thanks."
"Bye" she said, smiling softly as she watched him turn again and walk away.
But just as Liam disappeared from the restaurant, soone stepped up behind Kelly.
"You know your father won’t be happy if he sees you with a man like that," the man said, his voice low and disapproving.
Kelly’s relaxed shoulders imdiately stiffened. She turned slowly to see one of her bodyguards—Marcus—standing just inches behind her.
She narrowed her eyes. "Excuse ?"
"You heard ," Marcus said flatly. "You’re ZK’s girl. You know how your father feels about—"
"What, so now I’m not even allowed to talk to soone without a permission slip?" she cut in, fire suddenly rising in her tone.
Marcus’s eyes darkened. He stepped forward and grabbed her wrist—not painfully, but firm enough to make a statent. "What do you think ZK’s gonna say if he sees you with so unknown guy?"
Kelly yanked her arm free and took a bold step back. "ZK is not my owner. He’s not my man. We’re not anything, and I don’t owe him a damn explanation."
"Your body will belong to ZK. No other man," Marcus said with conviction, like he was quoting a damn commandnt.
Kelly sneered at him. "Yeah? Tell ZK he can choke on that idea."
Marcus clenched his jaw but said nothing more. Kelly brushed past him and walked off, her heels clicking loud on the floor. Her fists were clenched by her sides, but her head was held high.
Whatever ga ZK thought he was playing, she was done playing along.
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