Taming My Sugar Mommy

It had been a week since Liam was discharged. His body was now ready for work but he still couldn't shake off the accident that almost got him killed. If not for Christina, he would have been long gone by now. "Imagine me as a ghost," he smiled to himself. He owed her everything.

A knock snapped him out of his thoughts, as usual making him feel like he was late for school or something. He headed to the door expecting to see Christina - they'd grown closer since the incident. She'd been following him to all his hospital appointments while Isabella and Marcus were at work, though they always managed to come early these days. He figured there wasn't much to do at the office.

Opening the door, he was surprised to find Isabella herself standing there. 'What could have brought her here?' he wondered.

"Good morning, My lady ," he said, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Morning," she replied, her expression as indifferent as ever. "Hope you slept well?"

"Yes, ma'am," he replied, though sleep had been elusive, haunted by memories of the accident.

"You will be resuming work today, and there is a lot you have to do," she said, pausing before adding, "But first, there's a leaking pipe in my bathroom I want you to fix. Or don't you fix pipes?"

"I can, ma'am," he said, a hint of determination in his voice.

"Good. Now walk with me."

Inside Isabella's room, she directed him to the bathroom. The morning sunlight streamed through the large frosted glass windows, casting soft shadows across the cream marble tiles. The air was heavy with the scent of jasmine and expensive bath oils. Gold-plated fixtures gleamed from every corner, and a massive claw-foot tub dominated one wall.

He spotted the leaking pipe immediately - it seemed someone had loosened the nut deliberately, but he kept that observation to himself. He pulled off his shirt, his upper body now exposed to Isabella who stood watching from the bathroom entry.

Kneeling beside the ornate sink, Liam reached for the pipe connection. Water dripped onto his shoulder as he worked, running down his back in thin streams. His hands moved with practiced precision, remembering countless similar repairs from years of taking odd jobs. The leak was simple enough - just a matter of tightening the connection and checking the seal. Still, he took his time, making sure everything was perfect.

The bathroom felt smaller with Isabella standing there, her presence filling the space. He could feel her eyes on him as he worked, but he kept his focus on the task at hand. The only sounds were the occasional drip of water and his steady breathing.

Isabella found herself almost forgetting why she'd come here in the first place. Her eyes traced the movement of his muscles as he worked, noting the careful confidence in his movements. She'd always wanted a man who was talented and cool-headed, someone she could easily control and have dominance over. Every rich person she'd met had been a spoiled brat,some interested only in her status. But now she wanted something different - a man who would want her for herself, someone that doesn't belong in that world.

Still, she wasn't sure if Liam was that kind of guy, though her instincts were telling her otherwise. She would have to wait and see. Her fingers tightened on the doorframe as she watched another drop of water trail down his spine.

The scent of his skin mixed with the bathroom's expensive fragrances, creating something new and intoxicating. She found herself stepping closer, as if drawn by an invisible thread. Her shoe clicked against the tile, and she saw him tense slightly at the sound.

He finished tightening the pipe connection, wiping his hands on the small towel. "It's done, ma'am."

"Good. Go take a shower and get ready for work," Isabella said, her voice carrying its usual commanding tone. Despite living in her house for a week now and having a new car sitting in her garage, she still insisted they travel to work together.

After his shower, Liam emerged from his room dressed in his work clothes. Isabella was waiting in the foyer, perfect as always in her tailored suit. Her driver held the door of the black Mercedes open as they stepped out into the morning air.

The drive to Ashworth Events was quiet. Liam stared out the window, still adjusting to this new routine. The expensive car she'd given him remained unused in her garage - another symbol of her control, he supposed. 'A gilded cage is still a cage,' he thought.

As they entered the building, Liam followed at her back. It was the first time they would walk together to the office. Through the halls, every employee bowed their heads as they saw Isabella, but he couldn't shake the feeling that their eyes lingered on him too. Each glance felt heavy with unspoken questions.

As they approached the elevator, Isabella's stiletto caught on something. She pitched forward suddenly, but Liam's reflexes were quick. His arm caught her waist, steadying her with gentle firmness. The moment hung between them, his hand warm against her expensive suit, but Isabella didn't even flutter an eyelid or offer a thank you. She straightened herself without acknowledging what had happened, as if the contact had never occurred.

***

After the elevator incident, the day stretched before them like an endless parade of meetings and paperwork. Liam settled into his new routine, acutely aware of the whispers that followed him through the corridors of Ashworth Events.

Isabella sat at her mahogany desk, the afternoon sun casting long shadows across her office. Her fingers moved across her tablet with practiced precision, but her mind wandered. A headline caught her eye - the Rothschild estate's annual auction gala. Her lips curved into a slight smile as she read about London's most exclusive event, where the elite gathered to bid on priceless artifacts and rare art pieces.

'London's elite,' she mused, her amber eyes narrowing. 'All those billionaires and aristocrats, desperate to prove they belong.' With a few elegant taps, she secured her invitation. The auction house's response was immediate, practically tripping over themselves to accommodate Lady Isabella Ashworth's last-minute RSVP.

But the auction wasn't her real focus. Her gaze drifted to her office door, beyond which she knew Liam was working. 'A test,' she told herself, though something deeper stirred beneath the surface of her thoughts. A man who had spent his life merely surviving had no place in her world of power and privilege. If he failed to adapt, he would remain just another employee, another asset to be managed.

Yet something else nagged at her. What if he didn't fail? What if he walked into that auction and held his own among London's finest? The thought both thrilled and unsettled her. For the first time in years, Isabella found herself unsure whether she wanted to win or lose this particular game.

"Liam," she called out, her voice carrying that familiar note of command that brooked no argument.

He appeared in her doorway, his clothes still perfectly pressed despite the long day. His presence filled the frame, a reminder of the raw strength that lay beneath his controlled exterior. "Do you need anything, ma'am?"

"Let's go," she said simply, rising from her chair with fluid grace. She offered no explanation - that wasn't her way. Besides, the slight confusion in his eyes as he followed her command gave her a familiar thrill of satisfaction.