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Chapter 43: Chapter 43 Crazy Taxi Driver
Liam spent most of the second day doing nothing particularly important.
He lounged on the couch for hours, watching one movie after another, flipping through different genres until he lost track of time.
Whenever he got bored, he’d grab his phone and scroll through random videos, play games, or blast music on his speakers—dancing around the house like an idiot just to entertain himself.
At some point, he got ridiculously hungry, so he ordered a ton of food from different restaurants—burgers, fries, pizza, chicken wings, and even some desserts he hadn’t tried before.
He ate so much that by the time he finished, his stomach was uncomfortably full, pushing against his shirt as he lay on the couch like a lazy king, regretting nothing.
Hours passed, and evening slowly crept in.
That was when Liam finally remembered something important—Amanda.
He had told her he would be at her house by seven.
And right now?
It was already close to that time.
Liam frowned as he sat up, stretching his stiff limbs before running a hand through his messy hair.
Truth be told, he hadn’t thought much about how he was actually going to resolve her loan issue.
It wasn’t something he could solve with just brute force—not unless he was willing to start a full-scale war with those thugs.
But even though he had no solid plan, he knew one thing for sure—he needed to be there.
If he didn’t show up, who knew what those bastards might do to Amanda?
With that thought in mind, he got up and headed to the bathroom, grabbing his towel on the way.
A quick, refreshing shower later, Liam stepped out, rubbing his wet hair as droplets of water dripped down his bare chest.
He didn’t bother dressing up in anything fancy—just a simple black t-shirt and a pair of jeans that didn’t particularly stand out.
After slipping on his sneakers, he grabbed his phone and wallet, then headed out the door.
---
As Liam walked down the street, he passed by Lana’s house.
And, unsurprisingly, there was an argument going on inside.
At first, he thought it was her mother and father again, but this time, it was different.
It was Lana and her mother.
Liam’s pace slowed as his ears caught bits and pieces of their heated exchange.
"You can’t tell me what to do!" Lana’s voice rang out, frustration dripping from every word.
"I gave birth to you! You listen to what I say!" her mother snapped back, her tone sharp and unyielding.
Liam shook his head.
He had no idea what they were fighting about, but it was clear that things weren’t getting any better in that household.
Honestly, Lana needed to move out.
It was the best thing for her. For her career
That house was nothing but chaos—between her drunken father and constant fights with her mother, she deserved better.
But, of course, that wasn’t Liam’s business.
As much as he felt bad for her, he had somewhere to be.
So, without sparing another glance, he kept walking, picking up his pace.
---
When Liam reached the main road, he hailed a taxi.
As soon as he got in, he glanced at the driver’s face unconsciously.
The last time he got into Mr. Johnson’s cab, things had turned into a ridiculous mess, so he wasn’t too keen on repeating that experience.
Thankfully, it wasn’t him.
Liam let out a small breath of relief before calling out the address to Amanda’s house.
The car started moving, but within minutes, he realized something frustrating.
The driver was slow. Painfully slow.
Liam glanced at his watch, his patience wearing thin as he watched the minutes tick away.
"Can you go a little bit faster?" he finally asked, his tone calm but firm.
The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror and smiled.
Then, without warning, he reached for his seatbelt and tightened it.
Liam’s eyes narrowed. Why was he...?
"At your order," the driver said with a grin.
Then he slammed his foot on the gas.
The sudden burst of speed threw Liam back against the seat, and before he could even react, the car was already flying down the road, weaving through traffic like a racing champion.
Liam’s eyes widened slightly.
"...Shit."
The car came to a screeching halt in front of Amanda’s house, and before the vehicle had even fully stopped, Liam practically jumped out, his pulse still racing.
"What the fuck, man?!" Liam snapped, glaring at the driver. "I told you to drive faster, not like a fucking drunk lunatic!"
The driver, completely unbothered, simply flashed his teeth in a wide grin, his hands still firmly gripping the wheel.
"Same thing, kid," he chuckled.
Then, before Liam could cuss him out any further, the guy slammed his foot on the gas again, sending the taxi screeching off into the distance.
Liam shook his head, muttering a curse under his breath.
It was only then that he realized something.
That car?
It didn’t have a license plate.
Liam’s brow furrowed as he watched the vehicle disappear into the night.
"How the hell has this motherfucker survived this long without getting caught?" he murmured to himself, genuinely baffled.
But there was no point dwelling on that now. He had more important things to focus on.
Turning his attention to Amanda’s house, he noticed something immediately.
It was dark.
There wasn’t a single light on inside.
Liam frowned as he approached the front door, knocking firmly a few times.
No answer.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Was she asleep? Or worse...
A flicker of unease ran through him.
What if those bastards had already gotten to her before him?
His mind raced with worst-case scenarios, but just as he was about to knock again, a familiar voice called out from behind him.
"Liam?"
He turned around instantly.
Amanda stood there, looking at him with tired yet surprised eyes.
The first thing Liam noticed was that she was still in her work clothes, meaning she hadn’t even gotten the chance to change since returning home.
Her long, wavy black hair cascaded over her shoulders, strands slightly messy from the long day. Her deep brown eyes, usually sharp and lively, were now dulled with exhaustion, and her full, pouty lips were slightly parted as if even speaking took effort.
Then, of course, there was her body.
Amanda was the kind of woman who could make heads turn effortlessly.
Her curvy figure was wrapped in a fitted blouse that clung to her ample chest, emphasizing just how full she was. The fabric stretched just enough to show the shape of her bust while maintaining a level of professionalism.
Her waist, slim and well-defined, led down to wide hips that swayed naturally with every step she took, and her long legs, covered in a knee-length pencil skirt, made it impossible not to appreciate her body’s perfect proportions.
But right now, despite how stunning she looked, fatigue was etched all over her face.
As she walked closer, Liam could see the way her shoulders sagged slightly, the way she blinked slowly, and the way she exhaled deeply as if she was running on fumes.
She finally reached the door, pulling out her keys with sluggish movements.
"I’m so tired..." she muttered, her voice barely above a whisper as she unlocked the door.
Liam followed her inside, his eyes scanning her carefully.
She was acting off.
Something about the way she moved, the way she spoke—it made him uneasy.
As soon as she shut the door, she turned to him, forcing a weak smile.
"What’s with the look?" she teased lightly.
Liam didn’t smile back. Instead, his brows furrowed deeply.
"Why are you so tired?" he asked, his voice laced with concern.
For a split second, a look of surprise flickered across Amanda’s face, but then she let out a small laugh, shaking her head.
"Oh, that?" she sighed, waving a dismissive hand. "Since the term is coming to an end, all the teachers decided to go out and have fun today."
Liam’s tense expression relaxed slightly.
So that’s what happened.
For a moment, he had actually thought those loan sharks had shown up early and done something to her. He had even subconsciously scanned her body for bruises, but there were none—just visible exhaustion.
Amanda stretched her arms above her head, letting out a soft groan before giving him that same tired smile.
"So?" she asked. "Why are you here?"
Liam blinked.
His mind went blank for a second.
Then his brows furrowed even deeper.
Did she seriously just ask him that?
The sheer absurdity of the question made him pause.
Had she already forgotten their conversation yesterday?
Had she forgotten about her $2.9 million debt? About the dangerous thugs who would be coming to collect it tonight?
What the hell was wrong with this woman?
Liam crossed his arms, staring at her with an unreadable expression.
