The Tie That Binds: A Marriage of Convenience Novel

I glance down at my Oscar de la Renta evening gown nervously. It’s stunning and figure hugging, but I’m worried I’ll look overdressed. After all, I ordered it months ago. Back when I thought I’d be hosting this event alongside Daniel. I thought this would become our first official public appearance together.

I suppress the heartache I’m feeling and take Liam’s hand. “You ready?” he whispers. I nod at him. He’s been wonderful tonight. He hasn’t pushed me once, and he hasn’t crossed the boundary of propriety.

“Don’t worry. You look stunning,” he says. I smile at him and try my best to settle my nerves. I’m not ready to see Daniel. I promised myself I’d let him go when I signed the divorce papers last week, but my heart isn’t ready.

Liam looks torn and eventually pulls on my hand as he leads me towards the Devereaux mansion. This place has always been like home to me, yet now I feel like an intruder. We both pause at the entrance of the makeshift ballroom and stare at it in awe. Every year I’m stunned by how the large backyard gets transformed into a ballroom, and this year is no exception. I look around with twinkling eyes as I take in the countless chandeliers and the stone floor underneath us. I know Mary reuses most of the same materials every single year, but she still manages to make things look different every time.

I tighten my grip on Liam’s hand when I spot Daniel. He’s standing next to Mary and Dominic. I hate that I’m relieved to find that Olivia isn’t with him. For all I know, he might just have walked away from her for a second. There’s every chance I’ll have to sit through a night of watching him fawn over her.

“We’ll have to greet the hosts,” Liam murmurs. I look up at him with my heart in my eyes and he cups my cheeks gently. “It hurts that bad, huh?” he whispers. “Would you like to leave?”

I place my own hands against his chest and shake my head. Liam looks at me with eyes that are filled with understanding, and I’m so grateful to have him here with me tonight.

“Come on,” he whispers. His hand slides down my arm until he’s holding my hand and I tighten my grip on him, as though that’ll give me the courage I’m lacking. He smiles at me and leads me towards Daniel, my heart beating louder with every step. I inhale deeply and put my best corporate poker face on. Mary smiles when she sees me, her expression wavering for a second when she realises I’m holding Liam’s hand. She recovers quickly and wraps her arms around me. “I’m so glad you made it, honey,” she whispers.

I hug her back tightly before moving on to Dominic. “You look good, Lyss. Beautiful,” Dominic says, a wide grin on his face.

I freeze when I’m finally standing in front of Daniel. I look up into his gorgeous grey eyes and my heart skips a beat. He looks handsome. I love him in a tux and my hands are itching to yank off the bowtie he’s wearing. He looks at me and then at Liam beside me before looking back at me with a raised brow. He clenches his jaw and stares me down. He looks jealous and hope soars within me, but I squash it down. I clear my throat and try my best to smile at him. “I — It’s good to see you, Daniel. You look good,” I murmur.

“Hmm, what is this?” he asks, glancing at Liam. He doesn’t hug me. He doesn’t even really say hi. “Is this a date?”

Liam wraps his hand around my waist and pulls me in closer, intimately. “Thanks for having us,” Liam says. Daniel scoffs and shakes his head. He looks angry and betrayed when he’s the one who signed the divorce papers and moved out. The way he looks at Liam sends a chill down my spine. If I didn’t know better, I’d think he was furious and burning with jealousy.

I breathe a sigh of relief when Liam grabs my hand and pulls me towards the dance floor. He smiles at me reassuringly and wraps his hands around my waist while I automatically put my hands around his neck. He pulls me in closer and bends his head to whisper into my ear. “We can leave as soon as you say so,” he murmurs.

I shake my head. “I can’t. I agreed to auction one of my mother’s necklaces. I need to stay to buy it back.”

Liam sighs and twirls me around the dance floor, allowing me to forget about my heartache for a couple of minutes. “Thank you,” I whisper. “I know this isn’t what you might have hoped it would be, but I’m still really happy that you’re here with me.”

Liam smiles at me sweetly. “Lyss, I’ve always adored you. I’m happy to spend time with you, even if it isn’t a date. You don’t ever need to feel like you owe me anything. I’m here because I want to be.”

I lean in closer and rest my head against his chest briefly, the two of us swaying around the room. I’m dismayed when the song comes to an end and Liam chuckles. “We can keep dancing, you know. There’s no limit on the amount of times we can dance together.”

I laugh, but my smiles fades as Daniel leads Olivia onto the dance floor. He’s smiling at her and she’s smiling back at him. They’re looking at each other like no one else exists. Has he ever looked at me that way?

I didn’t think it’d hurt this much, but my heart genuinely feels like it’s physically aching. Liam angles me so I can’t see them and looks at me with such pity that I start to feel sorry for myself. I promised myself I’d be better, so why am I such a mess?

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, pulling away from Liam. “I need a couple of moments. I’ll just go to the restroom for a bit and I’ll be fine, okay?”

Liam nods at me with a sad smile. I feel his gaze on me as I escape from the room. I feel bad for leaving him by himself, but if I stayed I’d burst into tears right there on the dance floor.