The Handsome CEO Is My Husband
Chapter 23

Chapter 23: Chapter 23

"Mrs. Sterling!"

"Sabrina, you know you can call me Adeline. You are one of the special people I can make an exemption for," Adeline said as she stood to greet the young woman. "I haven’t seen you in ages. You’ve been flying all over. Is it for business or leisure?"

"It depends on where I fly to," Sabrina Ward replied. "I’ve missed you so much. I was thinking of calling you and just when I picked up the phone, you called me."

"Great minds think alike," Adeline smiled. She was reminded a bit of herself when she looked at Sabrina.

Sabrina was well-mannered, poised, and from a wealthy family. Sabrina had everything needed for Liam but the moment was missed.

Sabrina sat down opposite Adeline. She looked around for the person she wanted to see most. "Will Liam be joining us? I saw the news about his wife. Was it really a suicide attempt or an accident?"

Adeline drank a sip of water. "Nothing more than that woman seeking attention. I have headaches just thinking about her. What did I do to deserve this?"

Sabrina reached for Adeline’s hands. "I didn’t know you had it so hard. What was Liam thinking? He didn’t tell anyone about her. Not even me and I thought..." she trailed off, realising her mistake.

"Thought what?" Adeline urged Sabrina to speak. "It will be kept between us. I always thought there was something special between you two. No matter who he dated, he just couldn’t stay away from you."

Sabrina blushed. It had always been so but she didn’t think Adeline of all people had noticed it. "We are good friends. At least, I thought we were. I didn’t get an invitation to his wedding."

Adeline rolled her eyes. "Most of his family didn’t see an invitation so don’t feel bad about it. It was her doing. Can you blame her? Why would she want to be surrounded by anyone from his life to show how she doesn’t fit in?"

"And her employees made up most of her guests," Adeline chuckled.

This was all one big joke someone was pulling on her. She was going to wake up tomorrow and go back to the time when Liam was not married.

Sabrina tapped the bottom of the glass cup she held, thinking about the position Liam was in. "This isn’t like him. Other than you, I know Liam better than anyone. Why her?"

Sabrina remembered the deal she made with Liam. If they hadn’t found anyone by a certain age and their families were pressuring them to get married they would just marry each other.

Sabrina envisioned herself settling down with Liam and when she heard the heir of the Sterling empire was going around on arranged dates, she had been heartbroken at first but knowing Liam, he would not pick any of those women.

’This isn’t the past,’ she said back then. No one got married from arranged dates anymore.

Her hope fell flat when his marriage to a woman no one knew was announced. It wasn’t like Liam to not at least inform her. To not send an invitation.

’It is that woman,’ Sabrina concluded.

This Veronica woman was changing Liam for the worse.

"Are you still in love with him?" Adeline abruptly asked.

"I- well," Sabrina stuttered. "It is hard to stop loving your son. I thought we would end up together."

"You still can. That marriage won’t last much longer. I heard interesting news recently that she lost her memories because of the fall. Her little show backfired on her but it worked in my favour. I would love you as my daughter-in-law. Well, if you want to be,’ said Adeline.

Sabrina didn’t think it was possible. For how long was Adeline trying to meddle but failed? "I would like to be with him but I think that chance has gone. Liam is confusing me but he is a thoughtful man. He will not leave her when she is like that."

"Sabrina, my family has important elections coming up and I’ll be damned if she stands beside my family during that time. She has not only angered me but my father and brother. She will not be around for much longer so, think about whether you want to be with Liam," Adeline said, knowing Sabrina would make the right choice.

Sabrina touched her neck as she thought about Liam. She didn’t like things stolen from her. Veronica had enjoyed Liam long enough and now it was time to hand him back over to where he belonged.

Sabrina smiled. "It is good that they didn’t have a child."

Adeline smiled. She was awaiting the moment Sabrina would drop the little act of pretending she didn’t want to go after Liam. "You’re a woman who captures the attention of men wherever you go. Liam is a gentleman who cannot resist helping a woman like you."

Adeline continued, "There is a party he cannot miss and with that woman not knowing how to act, he cannot take her. Where is the harm in you ending up on his arm because you have no date? He cannot leave his friend alone."

"There will be reporters at this party," Sabrina saw right through Adeline’s plans. "Won’t this damage his image a little? He’s the city’s dream man in the business world."

Adeline looked down at the glass of red wine she had yet to touch. "I’ve come to realise that I need to sacrifice something to get what I want. His image can always be fixed so don’t worry about it. It will get better when you are by his side."

"I trust you," Sabrina replied.

Adeline didn’t want anything bad to happen to Liam just as much as Sabrina didn’t want it to happen.

"We have a lot to cheer for," Sabrina said, picking up her glass of wine. She had to find a way to match her dress to whatever Liam planned to wear to the party. "One for Veronica wanting attention and to the start of a new relationship. My father will be pleased."

"Yes, he will be," Adeline replied, looking forward to this. It was just what she wanted, considering Sabrina’s father fit into the list of friends her family needed. "You need to come over to my home next time instead of meeting at this restaurant."

"Or, how about we meet at an art gallery? I heard there is one close by. I have been waiting to see how she spent Liam’s money," Sabrina said, wanting a closer look at Veronica.

Only then could she figure out how Veronica snatched up Liam so fast.