The Stand-In Who Burned the Script novel Chapter 493

They were too close.

So close that Vivian could smell the faint, lingering scent of his cologne.

Liam, Silas, and the rest of their circle had grown up together. Regardless of their constant banter, the genuine brotherhood between them was undeniable.

Vivian suppressed her breathing and forced a calm, composed smile.

"If that were true, how exactly do you plan on not sitting idly by?"

"By eloping with you."

"..."

A wicked, rakish grin spread across Liam's lips as he looked at her, his tone half-joking, half-serious. "Under those circumstances, there'd be no way you could stay with Silas anyway. So I'll just whisk you away to some remote corner of the world where nobody knows us, and we can live out our days as hermits."

"..."

Hermits, my ass!

Vivian raised a hand and shoved him back. "You're really something, you know that? Constantly obsessing over your best friend's woman."

Liam clicked his tongue against his teeth, radiating pure, unadulterated arrogance. "So what if I'm obsessing? Coveting doesn't mean I have to claim you. If a man could control who he falls for, would it even be called love?"

Love, by its very nature, was the surrender of free will.

If someone could just turn it on and off, it wouldn't be worth a damn.

Honestly, Vivian didn't believe for a second that he was hopelessly in love with her. How long had they even known each other?

There was no way a few subtle flirtations on her end had reeled him in this deeply.

Every single person in their elite circle was a master manipulator.

This was nothing more than a calculated test.

She took a silent, deep breath, the brief moment of panic having naturally dissipated. "You can relax. Your concerns are completely unfounded. My feelings for Silas are one hundred percent genuine. No one in this world loves him more than I do. Besides..."

"Besides what?"

"Do you think Silas is an idiot?"

Vivian scoffed. "Do you honestly believe I'm capable of pulling the wool over his eyes?"

"In business, Silas would never get played. But when it comes to someone he truly loves, he's completely blind."

"How blind?"

"If you killed someone, he'd bury the body for you."

Naturally, the question was directed at Liam.

Vivian instinctively shuffled her feet, looking for an escape route.

"Stand right there. Don't move."

"..." Oh.

She pouted and froze in place.

Liam shot her a glance, the smile still playing on his lips. "Just dropped by to ask her a few questions."

"Are you done?" Silas reached up to loosen his collar. For a second, the gesture felt borderline lethal, but upon closer inspection, the murderous intent faded. "If you're done, get out. Your mom wants you home for bed."

Liam rubbed his nose, throwing one last amused look at Vivian.

"I'm out."

Once he was gone, the silence in the living room was absolutely deafening.

Vivian licked her lips. "Um..."

Before she could even formulate an excuse, the man's polished dress shoes stopped right in front of her. His low, magnetic voice practically purred, "Acting a little guilty, aren't we?"