It began with a kiss (Completed)

Chapter - 35 Meeting the grandmother

"How can you be so sure that I don't like someone?" she asked with smirk on her face.

Within a second Liam's relaxed posture changed and he pulled Eva by her wrist. "Eva, remember one thing very clearly. You are my girlfriend. So you are not allowed to think of any other guy."

For a minute Eva thought he was jealous but then theirs wasn't a real relationship. "I am just a pretend girlfriend. So my heart is free to love or like anyone I want."

She had no idea about where this courage to talk back to him was coming from but her heart was hurt. For the first time in her life she was in a relationship which was now tagged as a 'fake relationship'. Fake boyfriend, fake love, and fake feelings. Everything was fake. Then what was real in all this, she wondered.

Nothing- came the answer from within her.

" Eva?" she was brought back from her reveries by Liam's hard voice.
"You have caused this trouble so now you have to sort it out and during this time I don't want you to get distracted from our purpose, that is, to make grandmother believe in us. So your focus should just be on me and me alone."

She wanted to argue again, to speak of her protests. But she had just opened her mouth when Liam interrupted her,"I will not have any relationship with any other woman during this time. So, you will be the only one."

She relaxed a little but then remembered something.
"So you had relationships with women." the statement or the question she herself wasn't sure what it was, was out before she could even stop it.

Her question caught him off guard."Eva, can we please not talk about that." he released her wrist and rubbed it gently with light fingers.
" I never had any relationship." he spoke  when Eva thought he would give her silent treatment.
"Though I have shared the bed with quite a few women," he said hesitantly and Eva tried to pull her hand away from his hold but he didn't let go. He continued,"but I am a celibate from the past 5- 6 years because our business wasn't doing good. Dad was too stressed because of this so I had to manage it all on my own and it needed my hundred percent attention. So I had no time for anyone in my life." he breathed out as he finally let go of her hand and resumed his position.

'So his heart never belonged to anyone...' she smiled to herself but it made her sad too because now she had no idea to whom his heart will finally belong to? She felt pain in her chest.

"Eva?"

She turned to look at Liam.
"I want this to look real. So-"

"Ok, Liam." she finally said his name and that brought a small smile on his lips. The tension from earlier eased a little.

"But I don't want anyone to know about this fake relationship thing." she said looking at him.

"Why? Do you think it will be bad?" he questioned. "They will call you my girlfriend they would have no idea whether it's all fake or not."

"No. I don't want that. Just keep it a secret."she had always dreamt of a boyfriend. A guy whom she had never seen or met but in her imagination he was tall, handsome, smart, intelligent, hardworking and successful and surprisingly Liam had all those qualities but the irony was that he he will never be able to give her the only thing she wanted the most. Love.
"I don't want anyone to know about this." She said.

"Alright."he agreed.

The car finally came to a stop and Eva  realised they had reached the restaurant.  Driver opened the door for her. The moment she stepped out of the car Liam was already by her side.

He placed his hand at the small of her back and again she felt that electricity rush through the body. She could feel the butterflies dancing in her stomach. She looked at him nervously.

"Don't worry." He smiled looking at her. "Just follow my lead."

The manager greeted them as they entered the restaurant. The restaurant was beautiful and elegant but there was one thing that was really strange about it, that is, the restaurant was empty.

" I booked the restaurant so we won't be interrupted." Liam answered as if he read her thoughts.

She looked up at him and chuckled.

"What?" he asked frowning.

"The way you have booked the entire restaurant makes me feel as if we are going to discuss a deal that the world should not know about."

"Your brain is filled with some interesting thoughts." he smiled.

" I'll take that as a compliment."

As they reached their table grandmother was already waiting for them. Liam hugged his grandmother and smiled at her. Even though he was annoyed at his grandmother's attempt of dragging him to the altar but he still adored the old lady, Eva realised.

Grandmother looked at Eva who was standing behind Liam.
"Hello, Mrs Richardson." Eva greeted the old lady completely at a loss about what to say. Especially after the gossip incident.

Grandmother smiled at Eva before taking her seat and giving Liam a questioning look. Liam pulled a chair for Eva and as they took their seats a waiter arrived to take the orders. Liam ordered for them and Eva could feel the old lady's curious gaze on her. The waiter left and grandmother was still watching her.

Eva looked at Liam from the corner of her eye and gently touched his thigh to get his attention so that he would do something to divert his grandmother's attention from Eva or else she was sure she might end up spitting the truth the very next minute.

But Liam held onto her hand and placed it on his thigh. She tried to pull her hand away from his touch but his hold just got stronger with her every attempt and this was making her more and more nervous. Liam was looking calm and composed just like his usual self while Eva was on fire.

"Sorry grandmother but I don't want to marry the girl you brought to my office." said Liam.

"Reason?" The old lady sighed.

" I like Eva." he said plainly.

"Eva?" grandmother looked shocked. However Eva was neither offended nor  surprised at her reaction because how the old lady was supposed to believe this especially after the things Eva had said about her dear grandson.

"Yes, grandmother. I like her."

"But she said-'' the old lady tried to state her doubts.

"That was all because she was mad at me. You know the couple fights."he said smiling at Eva and behind that smile Eva could see the that he was still mad at her about that incident.

"Well...that explains it... somewhat."said grandmother still looking confused.

"So will you please tell that girl that I am not interested in her."

"Her name is Louisa and you can tell her yourself."said  grandmother still absent minded.

"Alright. I'll call her tomorrow."

"You don't have to wait till tomorrow. She is coming here." grandmother announced.

"You could have told me!"

" I had no idea my grandson would suddenly turn into a romantic prince from a workaholic CEO!"

'Oh yes! And your grandson can get the Oscar for the best actor.' Eva had wanted to say when she suddenly felt something soft touching her hand and she looked at Liam. She saw her hand up in the air, in grandmother's view, still in his hold and he was placing a kiss on her hand. She turned red from ear to ear.

'Leave my hand you idiot, stupid CEO! You are driving me crazy!' Eva was screaming in her head.

She looked at his grandmother from the corner of her eye and the old lady looked equally shocked. Of course Eva herself was  shocked!

She heard the old lady chuckle.

"Well... it's alright then. You can tell Louisa when she comes."

Liam  finally let go of her hand but the place he had just kissed was still burning.

"Of course, I will tell her then."

"What will you tell me?" Eva heard  a soft female voice that belonged to...