Taming My Sugar Mommy
Chapter 85: Suspension

Chapter 85: Suspension

Isabella stepped out of her room, stretching lazily as the morning sun poured through the hallway windows. She glanced around. No sign of Liam.

Her heels clicked against the polished floor as she made her way downstairs. The faint hum of conversation drifted from the kitchen, followed by a burst of laughter. She stepped inside and found Sophia giggling, her little hands clapping excitedly while Chef Maria worked at the stove. And beside them—Liam, sitting on the counter, a wooden spoon in hand, pretending to be deep in a serious cooking lesson.

Isabella leaned against the doorway, watching them. A small, rare smile touched her lips.

Sophia turned first, her eyes lighting up. "Aunt Belle!" She scrambled down from her seat, rushing over. Isabella crouched slightly, letting Sophia throw her arms around her neck.

Liam looked up, catching her gaze. "Morning, boss." His tone was teasing, but his eyes held something softer.

Isabella smoothed down Sophia’s curls before shifting her attention to Marcus, who had just entered the kitchen. "Take Sophia out today. Give her a good time." Her voice was firm, leaving no room for argument. "Like father and daughter."

Marcus’s brow lifted slightly, but he nodded. "Got it." He crouched down to Sophia’s level. "What d’you say, little troublemaker? You up for an adventure?"

Sophia beamed. "Yes! Can we get ice cream?"

Marcus ruffled her hair. "Anything you want dear."

Isabella turned to Chef Maria next. "Something light for me and Liam." Then, to Liam, "Go get a bath. We’re leaving soon."

Liam smirked but hopped off the counter without complaint. "Yes, ma’am."

Finally, she glanced at Christina, who was leaning casually against the counter, arms crossed. "Take the day off."

Christina blinked. "Seriously?"

Isabella gave a single nod. No explanation. No discussion.

Christina smirked, pushing off the counter. "Well, don’t have to tell me twice."

After breakfast, Isabella stepped outside, heels clicking against the pavement as she approached her car. It was a sleek grey beauty, polished to perfection, its elegant curves reflecting the morning light. This was her favourite. Not just any car—the one she never let anyone else drive. Not Marcus. Not Christina. No one.

Yet, today, she tossed Liam the keys.

Liam caught them midair, his brow lifting slightly. He glanced at the car, then back at her. "You’re really trusting me with this?"

Isabella settled into the passenger seat, legs crossed, tapping absently at her phone. "Drive."

Liam hesitated for half a second. He’d noticed over time—this car was different. Marcus drove her other vehicles, but never this one. No one touched it. It meant something to her.

His fingers tightened slightly around the wheel. "Why me?"

Isabella didn’t look up. "Because I said so."

Something about the way she said it made it clear—this wasn’t just about the car.

Liam exhaled, turning the key. The engine purred to life, smooth and powerful. Whatever it meant, he’d figure it out later.

For now, he just drove.

For a while, they drove in silence. London blurred past the windows, the city waking up around them. Isabella finally put her phone away, exhaling softly.

"We need to finalize Davies’ contract today," she said.

Liam kept his eyes on the road but nodded. "Thought it was sorted?"

"It is. But Davies is..." She searched for the right word. "Particular. He likes to feel in control."

Liam snorted. "So, like you then?"

She shot him a look. "I’m nothing like him."

Liam grinned. "If you say so."

She ignored that. "He wants reassurance. Wants to know Ashworth can handle his exclusive clientele without a hitch."

"And that’s where I come in?"

"Partially." She studied him. "You’ll be handling most of the logistics, making sure his team integrates smoothly with ours. If he senses any weaknesses, he’ll use them."

Liam’s grip tightened on the wheel. "Then we don’t give him any."

A ghost of a smile played at her lips. "Exactly."

Silence settled between them again, but this time, it wasn’t uncomfortable. Liam navigated through the morning traffic with ease, his focus sharp. Isabella watched him for a moment, the way his jaw tensed slightly, the way his hands gripped the wheel—steady, controlled.

"You’ve come a long way," she murmured.

Liam glanced at her. "That supposed to be a compliment?"

She turned to the window, the corner of her mouth twitching. "Take it however you want."

Liam chuckled, shaking his head. "And here I thought you didn’t do praise."

"I don’t."

"Right."

The Ashworth building came into view, sleek and towering against the city skyline. Liam pulled into the private entrance, easing the car to a smooth stop. Before he could say anything, Isabella was already unbuckling her seatbelt, her mind clearly already on business.

Liam leaned back, watching her. "You really don’t switch off, do you?"

She opened the door but paused, looking at him over her shoulder. "Neither do you."

Then she was out, heels clicking against the pavement as she strode toward the entrance.

Liam exhaled, shaking his head with a smirk before stepping out after her.

***

The boardroom had been a battlefield that morning—discussions running long, numbers dissected down to the decimal, and decisions finalized. Now, hours later, the tension had settled, leaving the office in a deceptive calm.

Isabella was back in her office, fingers scrolling through financial reports on her tablet. The numbers should have had her full attention, but her mind was still running through the meeting’s finer points.

She was used to high-stakes discussions, used to the calculated voices of men who thought they understood power better than she did. The board had agreed to the proposed financial restructuring—well, most of them. A few had hesitated. And hesitation was dangerous in business.

The sound of knuckles rapping lightly against the doorframe pulled her from her thoughts.

Jeremy leaned against the doorframe, tapping a pen against his palm. Despite the long board meeting, he looked as relaxed as ever.

"By the way," he said, almost as an afterthought, "saw Edwin and Seraphina having a little chat in the garage earlier."

Isabella didn’t react. Didn’t look up. Her fingers remained poised on her tablet, scrolling through figures she was no longer reading. "Oh?"

Jeremy stepped inside, his voice light but edged with something sharper. "Yeah. Right after their finance discussion. Looked private."

Coming from anyone else, she might’ve dismissed it. But Jeremy wasn’t just anyone. As CFO, he understood the weight of financial decisions, the layers beneath polished reports. And he wasn’t the type to mention something unless it mattered.

She flicked to the next page on her tablet, her face giving away nothing. "Interesting."

Jeremy studied her. "I figured you’d think so."

She finally looked up, offering him a cool, unreadable glance. "Do you have concerns?"

"None I can confirm. But I know a calculated move when I see one." He gave a half-smile, pushing off the frame. "Thought I’d keep you in the loop."

She gave a small nod. "Appreciated."

He lingered for half a second longer, as if gauging her reaction, then left without another word.

The moment the door shut, she leaned back in her chair, pressing her fingertips together.

’Seraphina and Edwin. In the garage. On the day of a board meeting. Not a coincidence.’

She exhaled slowly, setting her tablet down. If they were maneuvering, she needed to know why—and more importantly, how far they planned to take it.

Seraphina had always been ambitious, but she had never been reckless. She knew how to operate within boundaries, how to take calculated risks without stepping over a line she couldn’t return from. So what had changed?

Edwin was an entirely different case. He had always been a wildcard, a man who thought charm and persistence could carry him further than actual strategy. He had tried, once, to align himself with her—offering veiled suggestions about partnerships that could make both of them "untouchable." She had brushed him off without hesitation.

Yet here he was again. And now, with Seraphina.

Her fingers drummed lightly against the desk. ’If they’re forming an alliance, what’s their goal? What do they think they can gain that they don’t already have? And why now?’

A faint knock interrupted her thoughts. The door swung open a second later, and Liam walked in, a stack of files in one hand, a coffee cup in the other.

He set the files down, glancing at her. "You look like you’re plotting something."

Her lips curved slightly. "Do I?"

"Yeah." He leaned against the desk. "It’s that thing you do when you’re thinking too hard. Barely blinking, barely breathing. Means you’re two steps ahead of someone, and they don’t know it yet."

She picked up the coffee, taking a slow sip. "And what if I’m three steps ahead?"

Liam smirked. "Then I’d hate to be them."

She studied him for a beat. His sleeves were rolled up, a faint oil stain on his wrist—because, of course, he couldn’t leave a broken lift unattended in the parking lot. He had an uncanny ability to notice things that others didn’t. She didn’t know if that made him an asset or a threat.

She closed the file in front of her, smoothing down her dress as she stood. "I have places to be."

Liam didn’t stop her, but as she walked past, she felt his gaze follow her.

And she knew one thing for sure—if Edwin and Seraphina were making moves, she would be ready.

Instead of heading straight to her next meeting, Isabella changed course. She took the back stairwell, descending into the garage. It was quiet at this hour, the air cool and smelling faintly of petrol.

Her heels clicked softly against the concrete as she walked toward the security office. She knocked twice before pushing the door open.

Paul, the head of security, glanced up from the monitors. "Miss Ashworth."

"I need the footage from earlier today," she said smoothly. "The garage. Around the time Edwin and Seraphina were seen talking."

Paul hesitated, fingers hovering over the keyboard. "Any particular reason?"

She gave him a small smile. "Curiosity."

Paul didn’t question her further. He pulled up the footage, scrolling through the timestamps. Isabella leaned forward, watching the screen closely.

Edwin and Seraphina appeared on the feed.

They weren’t just talking.

Seraphina handed Edwin something—small, discreet. A flash drive.

Isabella’s lips pressed together.

Paul glanced at her. "Need a copy?"

"Yes."

He burned the footage onto a separate drive, sliding it across the desk. "Want me to keep this quiet?"

"Of course." She picked up the drive, slipping it into her pocket. "Thank you, Paul."

As she walked back to her office, she turned the situation over in her head.

’A flash drive. On board meeting day. If Seraphina is feeding Edwin information, I need to find out what’s on that drive—and fast.’

And as for Liam...

She had a feeling he wouldn’t stop watching her until he figured out what she was up to.

Back in her office, she placed the flash drive in her desk drawer, locking it with a small click.

Moments later, there was another knock at the door.

Liam.

She arched an eyebrow. "Back so soon?"

He stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. "Just had a feeling."

She tilted her head. "About?"

He watched her carefully. "You disappeared for a bit. And now you look even more like you’re plotting."

She smiled. "Maybe I am."

Liam didn’t return the smile. He stepped closer, resting a hand on the back of the chair. "I know you don’t like telling people what you’re up to."

"True."

"But if something’s off, you should tell me."

She studied him, weighing the moment.

Then, with a smirk, she reached for her coffee. "Noted."

Liam exhaled sharply, running a hand down his face. "You’re a nightmare."

"And yet, here you are."

He let out a low chuckle, shaking his head. "Yeah. Here I am."

And for some reason, he didn’t leave.

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