Chapter 625: Changes

Mentally drained didn’t do justice to Liam’s state. He wasn’t even at his wits’ end. The battlefield of ideas was long behind him since he had suffered a complete defeat.

Even after the most extreme, collapse-inducing abuse, Liam could still somewhat keep his groggy mind working. Yet, it was empty now, devoid of any life or activity, going through the motions without recording anything at all.

Before Liam knew it, and honestly, with him barely noticing, he found himself in one of the luxurious halls on the palace’s third floor. He sat at a low marble table by the balcony with the best view over the Tribe, a cup full of tasty wine in his hand.

Liam wasn’t alone. He obviously wasn’t. Rather than the usual armchair, he sat on a cushioned bench of sorts, spacious enough for three people, which didn’t stop Rachel from staying glued to him.

Apparently, the pair was to wait for Uriah and Amber for a much-needed meeting. A lot had changed, making that private confrontation mandatory, especially before the promised celebration.

Liam kept his gaze on the beautiful night scenery outside, drinking greedily so that the wine could help override the abundant softness enveloping his arm. He genuinely yearned for something stronger, taipan-level stronger, but he couldn’t faint in oblivion just yet.

The cup didn’t stay full for long, but Rachel didn’t wait for it to touch the table. She sprang into action as soon as Liam lowered it, elegantly pouring more wine from the available jug.

Liam didn’t want to look. He knew he shouldn’t, but curiosity was a tough opponent when he sensed so much.

Rachel was still Rachel, but she was also different. New shades of her character were coming out, and Liam could spot them. She looked slightly timid but happy, like an ordinary girl who had just confirmed that her crush was mutual.

The pouring ended with Rachel looking up at the dark eyes fixed on her. For once, Liam was truly seeing her, causing a fuzzy feeling in her abdomen instead of the usual trembling heatedness.

Rachel had never hesitated to throw herself at Liam, but her movements were slow now. She placed the jug down and leaned against his arm again, resting her chin on his shoulder without breaking eye contact.

It wasn’t quite like asking for permission. The gesture simply had a different meaning now, a deeper layer Rachel wanted to savor fully while looking deep into Liam’s eyes.

It was love rather than lust.

Liam didn’t speak or move. He wasn’t mesmerized or anything. That version of Rachel was undoubtedly cute. She seemed to have become even more beautiful, but the thoughts his gears had just resumed producing involved different topics.

The situation had changed, technically beyond repair. A trap might have been involved, but things had always been heading in that direction and had now crossed the point of no return.

It might have been implicit, with no outward discussion or agreement. The actual words hadn’t been spoken, but Uriah had still approved his daughter’s relationship, and Liam had accepted it by refusing to reject it.

The involved shouts honestly made it sound more like coercion, but the deed was done nonetheless.

With how family-oriented the Tribes were, Uriah’s approval had monumental repercussions. He was the Patriarch of both his family and force, their leader and decision-maker, the one with the last word and whose word was law.

As unserious as everything had seemed, Liam risked making the Dark Heaven Tribe his lifelong enemy if he attempted anything at that stage. It would be a genuine insult that could undo the relationship they had built.

Due to how Liam saw teammates, that course of action just wasn’t an option. The potentially catastrophic problems his presence had infected the Tribe with even aggravated the matter.

Also, Liam’s relationship with Rachel was stuck on a specific course. He might not give her love or sex, but he had still decided to protect her, which meant keeping her with him. Even Grace wanted him to bring Rachel to her.

Liam had always been honest, so he couldn’t feel bad about Rachel continuing to pursue him despite his emotional unavailability. It was her decision to make. Liam had already crossed that bridge long ago.

The best Liam could hope for was for Rachel to fall for someone else along the way. It would be a waste for her to chase him all her life, but he somehow didn’t believe she would.

’She also has green eyes,’ Liam couldn’t help but think amidst that prolonged mutual look, seemingly realizing for the first time. ’Are the Heavens teasing me now?’

Due to coincidence or a twisted sense of humor, Melissa, Grace, and Rachel had green eyes. Their shades weren’t exactly identical, and the differences among them became immense if Liam considered the feelings they reflected, but it remained a curious detail.

"Honey," Rachel whispered, begging and craving, not adding anything else. She had reached her limit of that intense mutual stare.

Liam diverted his gaze, albeit not to escape. He looked past Rachel, at the hall’s entrance, where two figures soon appeared. Uriah and Amber had arrived, marking a change of mood.

Rachel left Liam’s shoulder as her parents sat on the other side of the table, but remained close enough for their arms to touch. She was beaming, barely keeping her smile in check. Her mother also smiled at her sweetly, while Uriah seemed torn between heartache and genuine happiness as his daughter shone so brightly.

"Dark Wanderer," Amber called to interrupt that both joyous and bittersweet moment, and Liam nodded, standing to stop her from adding anything.

The gesture surprised the family, with only Rachel showing a glint of knowing interest. She could guess what Liam was about to do, and she wasn’t wrong.

With how the situation had developed, the change of plans had become mandatory. Liam just couldn’t postpone the matter anymore.

It was time to give the Dark Heaven Tribe the grim full picture.