Chapter 487

Liam Sullivan’s fingertips gently brushed her swollen cheek.

His voice was low and tender. “Does it hurt?”

The slap had been too forceful.

Vivian Bennett felt dizzy and disoriented.

Hearing his caring tone broke down her last defenses.

She curled into his embrace.

Her voice trembled with emotion. “Liam, it hurts so much.”

Tears welled in her eyes.

She had built such resilience in her professional life.

But faced with sudden violence, she was still just a woman in her twenties.

She felt fear.

She felt helpless.

She felt panic.

Then he appeared.

He shielded her.

His strong arms became her safest harbor.

With him there, she knew no one could harm her.

Thomas Carter stood nearby, frozen by the chilling aura radiating from Liam.

He had always respected and feared his boss.

Now, the man seemed like a wrathful deity descended from hell.

It was terrifying.

Seeing the raw concern in Liam’s eyes, the way he treated her like precious treasure, Thomas felt both envy and dread.

He spoke stiffly. “Boss, I will investigate this thoroughly.”

Liam shot him a cold glance.

He scooped Vivian into his arms.

He carried her away without looking back.

Ryan Johnson arrived in a hurry.

He found Thomas standing rigidly alone.

“What happened?”

Thomas quickly explained the situation.

It was clear the other party had provoked the conflict.

Vivian was completely innocent.

The instigators in the detention center remained defiant.

Ryan had worked with Liam for years.

He was skilled at handling such matters decisively.

He immediately ordered a deep background check on the troublemakers.

The findings raised his suspicions.

These were small-time players with no connections.

Yet they acted arrogantly even after being caught?

If it was just about money, that would be one thing.

But such audacity suggested someone was pulling the strings.

Ryan smirked coldly. “Keep digging.”

“Find out everything about them, going back three generations.”

“Let’s see how long they can keep up this act.”

Liam drove at high speed back to the villa.

He gently laid Vivian on the bedroom bed.

His expression was dark and frightening.

A cold intensity radiated from him.

It felt as chilling as the deepest winter.

Vivian knew he was angry because of her.

She gently tugged his sleeve. “Don’t be angry. I’m okay.”

Liam glared at her. “Your face is swollen like this, and you say you’re okay?”

She bit her lip guiltily. “I just didn’t react in time…”

“Even if you had, you would have still been hurt!”

The thought of those thugs harming her enraged him.

His fists clenched tightly.

Veins bulged on the back of his hands.

A terrifying fury churned in his eyes.

He couldn’t bear to lay a finger on her himself.

Yet outsiders had dared to hurt her like this.

No matter who was behind it, he would make them pay.

Liam turned and fetched some ice.

He wrapped it carefully in a towel.

He gently pressed it against her swollen cheek.