Page 2 of Liam (The Valeur Billionaires #4)

Gone is the shy undergraduate who used to clutch her physics textbook like a shield in our Advanced Linear Algebra class.

Now stands a woman who carries herself with quiet confidence.

Her features have matured, her cheekbones more pronounced, giving her an elegance that takes my breath away.

Her gaze flicks to the small scar near my left eyebrow, a souvenir from my reckless post-college years, before returning to meet my eyes .

Dr. Kim glances between us, eyebrows raised. “You two know each other?”

I nod, memories flooding back unbidden. Stolen moments in empty lecture halls, her back pressed against the wall, my hands tangled in her hair. The way she looked at me, eyes full of something I didn’t deserve. The warmth of her body, pressed against mine in the dark, her breath soft on my neck.

I realize I've been staring and clear my throat. “We had a class together at Stanford.”

“Wonderful!” Kim beams, though her smile doesn’t quite reach her eyes.

“Dr. James, remember what we discussed about the importance of this partnership. Please give Mr. Valeur a comprehensive tour of our facilities.” She pauses at the door, her tone carrying a weight that makes Aleria’s shoulders tense. “A very comprehensive tour.”

As Kim’s footsteps fade, the silence in the lab grows thick and heavy. Aleria’s fingers clench and unclench at her sides, her jaw tight.

“What are you doing here?” she asks.

I straighten my tie, a nervous habit I thought I’d long since abandoned. “I’m here to discuss the ASTRA project, Miss James.”

“It’s Dr. James now,” she corrects, her chin lifting.

“Of course, my apologies,” I say. “Dr. James, I’m here on behalf of Valeur Tech to explore a potential collaboration.”

Aleria’s laugh is sharp, cutting through the air like shattered glass. “Collaboration? Is that what you’re calling it now?”

The bitterness in her voice makes me flinch.

“This is a professional visit,” I say. “Valeur Tech’s interest is solely in the scientific potential of your work. ”

Aleria scoffs, turning back to her workstation. She picks up a beaker, her knuckles white around the glass. “Right. Because you’ve always been so interested in science.”

I take a deep breath, squaring my shoulders. “Dr. James, I understand there’s history between us. But this is business. We’re both professionals. Surely, we can put the past behind us and focus on the potential benefits of this partnership.”

She whirls to face me, eyes blazing. The beaker in her hand slams down onto the counter with enough force that I’m surprised it doesn’t shatter. “Put the past behind us? Like you put me behind you without a second thought?”

Her words hang in the air, charged with years of unresolved hurt and anger. I swallow hard, fighting the urge to defend myself, to explain. But I have no excuse.

“Aleria, I—” I start, then stop, the words catching in my throat. What could I possibly say to make this right?

“I never meant to hurt you,” I say, the inadequacy of the statement painfully clear.

“This project is my life’s work,” she continues, ignoring my statement, her voice low and intense. She gestures around the lab at the whiteboards covered in complex equations, the humming machines. “I’ve poured everything into this. I won’t let it become just another one of your conquests.”

I step closer, careful to maintain a professional distance. “I assure you, that’s not what this is about. We have the resources to bring your work to fruition, to make a real difference in the world. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?”

For a moment, there’s a flicker of the passionate, idealistic student I once knew. But it’s quickly replaced by a hardened skepticism.

Aleria crosses her arms, regarding me. “And what’s the cost of those resources, Valeur? My autonomy? The integrity of my research?”

“We can negotiate terms that work for both parties,” I say, trying to steer us back to safer, more professional ground.

“I’m not here to take anything from you, Dr. James.

I’m proposing a mutually beneficial partnership.

Your brilliance, combined with our resources, could change the world.

Or you could continue toiling away in obscurity, your groundbreaking work never seeing the light of day. Your choice.”

She studies me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Finally, she sighs, some of the fight seeming to leave her.

“Fine. You want to talk business? Let’s talk business. But don’t for a second think this changes anything between us. We are not, and never will be, friends.”

I nod. “Understood. Shall we begin with a tour of your facilities?”

Aleria leads me through the lab, her steps quick and purposeful.

“This is our main research area,” she says, gesturing to the cluttered workstations. “I’m sure it’s not up to Valeur Tech’s gold-plated standards, but we make do.”

I bite back a retort. “It’s efficient.”

She snorts. “That’s one word for it. Another might be ‘under-funded.’”

We pass a whiteboard covered in complex equations. I pause, studying it. “Impressive work. Is this part of the ASTRA project?”

“Oh, you can read that?” Aleria asks, feigning surprise. “I thought your eyes might have trouble focusing on anything that isn’t a stock ticker or a trust fund statement. ”

I clench my jaw. “I graduated with honors, Dr. James. Or have you forgotten?”

“How could I forget?” she replies, her voice saccharine. “You only reminded everyone every chance you got. Tell me, did Daddy frame your diploma and hang it in his office or yours?”

“That’s enough,” I say, my patience wearing thin. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am.”

Aleria laughs, the sound devoid of humor. “Worked hard? Please. You were born on third base and think you hit a triple. Some of us had to claw our way up from nothing.”

She leads me to a complex machine, sleek despite its obvious age. “This is the heart of our spectroscopy research. We’ve had to modify it to meet our needs. Not all of us can just buy the latest equipment whenever we want.”

I lean in, intrigued. “You’ve made some ingenious adaptations. This level of innovation is exactly why we’re interested in your work.”

“Ah yes, now you’re interested,” Aleria mutters. “Funny how that works. Ignore something long enough, and suddenly it’s valuable.”

The bitterness in her voice makes me wince. “Aleria, I?—”

“Save it,” she interrupts, moving to another station. “Let’s just get this over with.”

Her elbow jerks, catching the edge of a teetering stack of papers. The tower sways, then collapses in a cascade of white, carrying with it an assortment of gleaming instruments.

We both lunge at it, reaching to catch the mess. My hand reaches out just as hers does, and for a moment, our fingers collide, skin against skin. A jolt shoots through me, electric, burning, a reminder of everything we were. Everything we never finished.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Aleria recoils as if burned, her cheeks blooming with color. “I... I should check that,” she mutters, turning away.

The beeping intensifies, transforming into a wailing siren that assaults my ears. Red warning lights flash, bathing the lab in an eerie glow.

Lockdown.

Aleria's face pales, her hands flying over the controls. “This shouldn’t be happening.”