Taming My Sugar Mommy
Chapter 38: Silent threat

Chapter 38: Silent threat

A week had passed since the anonymous photograph appeared on Liam’s phone - Isabella’s father on the night of his death, the image carrying implications that made his blood run cold. For seven days, he’d watched Isabella command her world with characteristic grace, all while carrying the weight of a truth that could shatter everything she’d built. The photograph haunted him not just for what it revealed, but for what it meant: someone was moving against her, someone who understood exactly where to strike.

The Blackwood Group’s annual gala transformed the grand ballroom into a glittering showcase of London’s elite, their jewelry catching the light from crystal chandeliers. Isabella stood near the stage, champagne flute in hand, watching the crowd with practiced ease. Her burgundy gown caught the light as she moved, drawing appreciative glances she didn’t bother to acknowledge. Liam kept to the shadows at the edge of the room, his attention split between scanning the crowd and watching Isabella. She’d been tense since they arrived, though only he would notice the slight tightness in her smile, the way her fingers gripped the champagne stem a fraction too hard. ’Something’s off,’ he thought, tracking her subtle tells.

The Blackwood Group’s annual gala transformed the grand ballroom into a glittering showcase of London’s elite, their jewelry catching the light from crystal chandeliers. Isabella stood near the stage, champagne flute in hand, watching the crowd with practiced ease. Her burgundy gown caught the light as she moved, drawing appreciative glances she didn’t bother to acknowledge.

Liam kept to the shadows at the edge of the room, his attention split between scanning the crowd and watching Isabella. She’d been tense since they arrived, though only he would notice the slight tightness in her smile, the way her fingers gripped the champagne stem a fraction too hard. ’Something’s off,’ he thought, tracking her subtle tells.

That’s when he saw her – Seraphina, resplendent in a red dress that seemed to flow like liquid fire. Just like that morning at the estate, she commanded attention effortlessly, her auburn hair now styled in an elegant updo that emphasized her sharp green eyes. She moved through the crowd with familiar grace, turning heads as she always did.

"Mr. Campbell?" A young socialite appeared at his side, all perfect teeth and practiced charm. "I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m—"

"Excuse me," he cut her off smoothly, already moving. Seraphina was getting closer to Isabella, and something in her smile reminded him of that knowing look she’d given him during their first meeting, the way she’d seemed to see right through Isabella’s careful introduction.

He was halfway across the room when it happened. Seraphina "stumbled," sending her champagne splashing across Isabella’s path. Isabella sidestepped gracefully, a knowing smirk playing at her lips.

"Still making dramatic entrances, Sera?" Isabella said, her tone warm but carrying an edge that made Liam’s skin prickle.

"Oh, darling," Seraphina purred, dabbing at the spill with a napkin. "You know me so well." She looked up at Isabella through dark lashes. "Though I must say, you’ve outdone yourself tonight. The Blackwood Group’s rising star."

"I wasn’t aware you’d be attending tonight," Isabella said, her tone carefully neutral. "The Blackwood events are usually quite... selective with their guest list."

"Oh, darling," Seraphina’s laugh sparkled like the champagne in her glass, "You know how persuasive I can be when I want something."

Liam stood beside Isabella, cutting an impressive figure in his bespoke Tom Ford tuxedo - a far cry from the standard attire of the serving staff circulating through the room. The subtle Italian silk of his jacket caught the light as he moved, complementing Isabella’s carefully curated world.

"Ah, Mr. Campbell," Seraphina’s attention shifted to him, her green eyes sparkling with the same mischief he remembered. "We meet again. Though under more... formal circumstances this time."

"Ms. Ravenswood," he acknowledged smoothly, aware of how Isabella’s body angled almost imperceptibly closer to his.

"You know," Seraphina mused, her smile widening, "I’ve been thinking about our brief chat that morning. About how people from different worlds find themselves in Isabella’s orbit." She paused meaningfully. "Fascinating how quickly some adjust to her world, isn’t it?"

Isabella’s fingers tightened fractionally around her glass, her expression remaining perfectly composed even as her eyes darkened with something dangerous.

The string quartet began a new piece, the elegant strains of the waltz filling the ballroom. Seraphina’s eyes sparkled with fresh mischief. "Speaking of adjusting," she said, swirling her fresh champagne, "I believe a dance would be appropriate. After all, we barely had time to get acquainted that morning." Her gaze locked with Liam’s, deliberate and challenging. "Shall we?"

Isabella’s expression didn’t change, but those who knew her well enough might notice the slight lift of her chin, the way her gaze turned sharp as cut crystal. She couldn’t object - not here, not now - but the temperature around her seemed to drop by several degrees.

Liam’s mind worked quickly, reading the subtle currents of power flowing between the two women. A refusal would create gossip, acceptance would need to be handled with exquisite care. His gaze met Isabella’s for the briefest moment, a silent communication passing between them.

"One dance," he said smoothly, turning to Seraphina with practiced grace. "Though I should warn you, I was trained by some rather exacting instructors."

Seraphina’s smile deepened as she set her champagne aside. "I wouldn’t expect anything less from someone in Isabella’s orbit."

As Liam extended his hand to Seraphina, he caught something in her eyes he couldn’t quite read - a flash of something deeper than her usual calculated mischief. Her fingers lingered in his as they took their position, her touch a fraction too intimate despite his professional distance.

"You move well," Seraphina murmured as they joined the other couples on the floor, her eyes following his every movement with barely concealed hunger. "But then, you always did have a natural grace about you. I noticed it that morning at the estate."

The way she watched him, the slight catch in her breath when he guided her through a turn - it was more than just their usual power play, but Liam was too focused on maintaining appearances to notice the yearning beneath her sharp smile.

"You seem to notice quite a lot, Ms. Ravenswood," Liam replied, his tone pleasant but guarded as he guided her through another perfect turn.

Seraphina laughed softly, the sound carrying an edge of genuine longing she quickly masked. "Please, call me Sera." Her fingers tightened slightly on his shoulder. "After all, we could be so much more than casual acquaintances, couldn’t we?"

Liam’s steps never faltered, though his eyes hardened slightly. "I prefer to maintain professional courtesies at events like these. Wouldn’t you agree?"

"How diplomatic," Seraphina purred, but there was something almost pained in her green eyes. "She’s trained you well. Though I wonder..." She let the words trail off as they moved across the floor, always remaining in Isabella’s line of sight. Every time their bodies drew closer in the dance, Seraphina seemed to savor the contact, her breath catching slightly.

From her position near the edge of the dance floor, Isabella watched them with seemingly casual interest, though Liam could feel the weight of her attention. He kept his movements precise, each step carefully measured, unaware of how every professional distance he maintained drove Seraphina’s determination deeper.

As the final notes approached, Seraphina’s grip turned possessive. When she spoke, her voice carried both threat and hidden plea. "That photograph you received last week," she breathed against his ear, her lips brushing his skin more than necessary. "Your precious Isabella’s father, on his final night. Such a... revealing moment."

She pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, and what he saw there was complex - calculation and desire warring in her gaze. "I own every second of that night, Mr. Campbell," she continued, her voice dropping to an intimate whisper. "Every detail that would bring her empire crashing down. And you’re going to help me, or I’ll ensure the world knows exactly what happened in those final hours."

The music faded, but Seraphina held him for one more beat, her eyes searching his face with barely concealed longing. "When I need something, you’ll provide it. No questions, no hesitation. Because if Isabella learns of this conversation..." Her smile was beautiful and terrible, masking the ache beneath. "Well, let’s just say some truths are better left buried with the dead."

She released him and stepped back, smoothing her dress with elegant precision, though her hands trembled slightly. Across the room, Isabella raised her glass in their direction, her smile confident and possessive. Seraphina watched the gesture with hidden bitterness, knowing that every possessive look Isabella gave him only strengthened her resolve to tear them apart.

’You think you own him,’ Seraphina thought, watching Isabella’s confident smile. ’But soon enough, he’ll have no choice but to turn to me.’ She glided away, leaving Liam standing there, his jaw working as he processed her threat - blind to the fact that the woman who wanted to destroy his world was doing it all to claim him for herself.