THE DISABLED HEIRESS, MY EX-HUSBAND WOULD PAY DEARLY.

Inside the VIP restaurant room, the air felt heavy, thick with unspoken tension. The quiet hum of the air conditioner was the only sound that dared intrude on the silence between the two men. William sat relaxed or at least, he looked it. His back rested against the plush leather seat, his arms folded firmly across his chest. His sharp gaze, however, betrayed his outward calm, locking onto the man standing opposite him with the intensity of a predator assessing its prey.

James, seated a few feet away, shifted slightly. Outwardly, he projected ease his posture casual, his hands loosely hanging by his sides but deep down, his nerves were coiling tighter with each passing second. He could feel the weight of William's stare, sharp enough to cut through the facade he was trying so hard to maintain.

Then William's voice finally broke the silence.

"James," William drawled, his tone calm but dangerous. "I hope you didn't call me here just to look at me… or waste my time with useless information I don't need. Because if that's the case, I promise you what happened to you at the ceremony the other day? That will feel like mercy compared to what I'll do this time."

At that moment the words hung between them, cold and heavy, like a warning.

However James didn't flinch. Not outwardly. But inside, he drew a slow, deliberate breath, trying to steady the thundering rhythm of his heart. His gaze didn't break from William's, though there was a flicker of calculation behind his eyes.

"Relax Mr William," James finally said, exhaling as if releasing the tension he carried. "I didn't call you here just because I had nothing better to do. I have something to say… something that might interest you."

He paused for effect, letting the silence stretch, watching William for the slightest reaction.

"But," James continued carefully, "before I open up fully… I need to be sure. I need to know that when I tell you this, you'll give me straight answers. No games, no twisting. Just… truth. Can you do that?"

At that moment, the silence in the VIP room thickened. William leaned back slightly in his seat, his arms still folded across his chest, but his eyes sharpened like blades cutting through the air. The way James framed the question wasn't just bold, it was reckless.

Then William's lips curled into a faint smirk, but it wasn't the kind that carried amusement. It was sharp, dangerous, like a knife's edge. He let the silence stretch for several seconds, deliberately making James wait, his gaze never leaving him.

"Well," William finally said, his tone low and deliberate, "that depends on what you're trying to get at."

Then he uncrossed his arms slowly, leaning forward, his elbows resting on his knees. "If what you're about to say intrigues me, if it's something worth my attention then yes, I'll answer your question. But let me warn you…"

His voice dropped an octave, carrying a weight that filled the entire room.

"If this is some kind of joke… if you're playing games with me… or if this is about that contract we terminated the one I already said is done I promise you, James, what I did to you at the ceremony will feel like a handshake compared to what comes next."

Again James swallowed hard but forced himself to keep his composure. His fingers twitched slightly, betraying the tension he tried so hard to suppress. He knew William's threats weren't idle, this was a man who didn't bluff.

"Relax," James said, his voice steady but quieter now. "It's not about the contract. I'll get straight to the point."

He moved his head closer, his expression sharpening, tone shifting from cautious to confrontational.

"I've been watching closely," James continued. "And I can't help but suspect something. The way you move, the way you react whenever Cora's name comes up…in the ceremony" He paused, searching William's face for any flicker of reaction. "Tell me, William, do you actually have feelings for her? For Cora?"

Immediately the air in the room shifted instantly after William's words. There was no hesitation, no attempt to hide or deflect. He said it plainly, almost proudly, and that alone carried a weight James wasn't expecting.

James stared at him, expression steady but mind racing. So it's true, he thought. He's not even ashamed to admit it.

"The way you've defended her," James continued, his tone slower now, almost as if he were testing the waters, "the way your family defended her… the way the Victor backed her up… and now, this meeting?" He gestured vaguely to the room around them. "It all lines up. You can't blame me for suspecting something. And it seems my suspicion was right all along."

William smirked faintly, leaning back into his seat with a relaxed confidence that bordered on arrogance. "You've got sharp eyes, James," he said calmly, his voice carrying a dangerous ease. "I won't deny anything. Yes your guess is right."

He uncrossed his arms and leaned slightly forward, voice steady and unapologetic.

"Even though you were her husband, that chapter is closed. Both of you aren't in touch anymore, not in the way that matters. no connection, no bond. So what does that leave? Room for someone… capable to step in. And that someone is me."

He paused deliberately, letting the words hang in the air before finishing with quiet conviction. "Yeah. I have feelings for her."

James tightened his grip at his side, holding himself still to keep his composure. Hearing it said so openly was like salt in an old wound, but he refused to let it show on his face.

"Well," James said finally, forcing his voice to stay level, "good."

The word felt heavy, almost sarcastic, but William didn't react he simply studied him, his eyes narrowing slightly, curious as to where James was going with this.

James opened his mouth as if to ask more, 'What is it about Cora?' Why her?' but stopped himself. He realized quickly that such a question didn't matter. William's answer would be obvious, shallow even: her beauty, her presence, her ability to draw people in. James already knew that, that must be the reason William is running after her.