Chapter 77: Chapter 77 Getting Rich I

Ann lifted her gaze toward Liam when he had remained silent for a while, her emerald eyes searching his face.

His expression reflected everything he was thinking.

A complicated mix of frustration, realization, and something deeper—something heavier.

Liam didn’t even seem interested in checking her bank account anymore.

Before, he was so determined to find out how much she had.

Now?

He just sat there, lost in thought, staring at the floor as if searching for answers.

Ann could already guess what was on his mind.

She exhaled softly and rested her hand on his arm.

“I know what you’re thinking about.”

Liam, still staring ahead, just shook his head casually.

Then, without another word, he released her waist, stood up, and walked toward the stairs.

His footsteps were slow, his posture tense.

Ann’s heart sank as she watched him disappear upstairs, her fingers unconsciously gripping the fabric of her clothes.

She could tell.

He wasn’t just upset.

He was frustrated.

He had come home feeling like a winner, thinking that his $48,000 was a solid start to building his future.

But now, he had just discovered that his own girlfriend was already a multi-millionaire—one who made millions without even leaving the house.

Ann bit her lip.

Was it her fault?

She never meant to make him feel this way.

She just wanted to do what she loved and make money from it.

But now, she could see how it affected Liam.

Maybe she shouldn’t have been so casual about it.

Maybe she should have been more careful with her words.

She sighed and leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling, feeling just as lost as Liam.

—

Liam, on the other hand, reached his room, collapsed onto his bed, and stared at the ceiling.

But he didn’t sleep.

His mind was racing, thoughts bouncing around like wild fireflies.

If he still had his parents, would things have been different?

Would he have had a head start in life instead of constantly playing catch-up?

He hated feeling like this.

Hated feeling powerless.

He had always known that Ann was smart, that she had her own things going on…

But $3.7 million?

Liam closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He had to level up.

Not because he was insecure.

Not because he was scared of losing Ann.

But because he couldn’t accept being just another guy in the background.

He wanted power.

He wanted status.

He wanted wealth.

And fuck taking things slow.

That mindset was over.

If he wanted to catch up, if he wanted to dominate, he had to start now.

He didn’t even realize how much time had passed as he drowned in his thoughts.

He stayed there, unmoving, staring at the ceiling like it held the answers to life itself.

Eventually, his body gave in to exhaustion, and he drifted into sleep.

But it wasn’t peaceful.

His mind was still running, still calculating, even as his body rested.

—

The sharp beep-beep-beep of his alarm shattered the silence.

Liam’s eyes snapped open.

7:30 AM.

His muscles ached. His head felt heavy.

How much sleep did he get?

Two hours.

Just two goddamn hours.

Liam sighed and rubbed his face.

He had to get up.

Dragging himself out of bed, he headed straight for the bathroom, grabbing his toothbrush and running water over it.

He brushed his teeth in silence, staring at his own reflection.

His face looked the same.

But his eyes were dark and heavy.

After rinsing his mouth, he stepped out of his room and started heading down the stairs.

Then, he smelled something.

Food?

His steps slowed.

The sound of soft clanking came from the kitchen—the sizzle of something cooking, the faint aroma of spices.

Liam raised an eyebrow.

Since when did he have food in the house?

There was no way he had stocked up on groceries.

Ann.

She must have bought food yesterday while he was out.

For some reason, the thought made him pause at the bottom of the stairs.

Liam exhaled slowly, running a hand through his messy hair as he finally summoned the courage to go check what Ann was doing in the kitchen.

Standing at the entrance, he took in the sight before him.

Ann moved gracefully around the kitchen, completely focused on what she was cooking.

The sound of sizzling filled the air as she flipped pieces of pan-seared salmon in a skillet, the golden-brown surface of the fish glistening under the soft kitchen lights. A pot of garlic butter pasta sat on the stove, steam rising from it, carrying the rich, savory aroma of butter, herbs, and parmesan cheese.

Liam didn’t make a sound as he stepped forward, silently dragging a chair back and sitting down at the kitchen counter.

He rested his chin on his palm and simply watched her.

She worked so effortlessly, her movements smooth and practiced, like she had done this a thousand times before.

For a fleeting moment, Liam thought to himself—

Maybe having a wife wouldn’t be so bad.

Cough. Cough.

A sudden puff of smoke from the sizzling pan drifted into his face, making him cough twice.

Ann, startled, immediately turned around, her deep eyes widening when she realized Liam had been sitting there the whole time.

Her face instantly brightened up.

But then, just as quickly, it dulled again.

Liam furrowed his brows slightly, confused by her shift in expression, but before he could say anything, Ann set the spoon down on the counter and walked toward him.

Her hands were locked behind her back, her head tilted slightly downward, making her look like a guilty child about to confess to a crime.

Liam raised an eyebrow.

What was she up to now?

Ann hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, her voice soft and careful.

“I want to apologize for yesterday.”

Liam blinked, tilting his head.

“Huh?”

What was she talking about?

Ann bit her lip but didn’t answer his question. Instead, she pulled out her card and held it toward him.

Liam stared at it, completely lost.

What was she doing?

Ann kept her gaze on him, her expression serious.

“You can take any amount you want.”

For a second, Liam just sat there, frozen.

Then, it clicked.

She must have felt bad about last night.

She thought he was upset because of her wealth.

Liam sighed, shaking his head.

This girl…

Without hesitation, he took the card—but instead of keeping it, he immediately pushed it back into her hand.

“Ann, I’m not mad at you.”

Ann’s eyes widened in surprise, clearly not expecting that response.

“For real?” she asked, her voice hesitant, as if trying to make sure he wasn’t just saying that to make her feel better.

Liam let out a tired smile, a teasing glint in his deep blue eyes.

“I was just mad at myself.”

Ann exhaled in relief, her entire posture relaxing as she realized she hadn’t done anything wrong.

She had spent the entire morning worrying, thinking back to everything she had said the night before, afraid she had accidentally said something to hurt him.

Now, hearing that it wasn’t about her at all, she felt ridiculous for overthinking.

Liam watched her, amused, before smirking slightly.

“So you got up early to cook because you thought I was mad at you?”

Ann nodded without hesitation, then let out a small laugh at herself.

Now that she thought about it, it was kind of funny.

She had woken up so early, worriedly cooking him a whole meal, only to find out that he wasn’t even mad at her in the first place.

Liam chuckled, shaking his head, as he watched her mood completely shift from nervous to relieved.

She really cared about him.

Maybe more than he had even realized.

And for some reason…

That thought made him feel lighter.

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