Chapter 186 Strangers Help

Liam stood still, staring at what was apparently supposed to be a house.

If Seo-yeon wasn’t standing right beside him, he would’ve thought they were at the wrong place. It looked more like a forgotten warehouse than a home. The walls were cracked, the paint had long peeled off, and the windows were mismatched, some taped up with plastic sheets instead of glass.

"This is it?" Liam asked, his tone flat.

Seo-yeon looked a bit embarrassed but nodded. "Yeah... this is where we stay."

He looked at her again, genuinely confused. "Why? Why are you two living in a place like this?"

She hesitated for a second, then let out a breath. "Our house was seized by the court. Debts. My mom tried to hold on to it, but in the end, they took it. This was the only place we could find. Someone lets us squat here in exchange for a few work every week."

Liam rubbed his chin slowly, processing it all. "Makes sense now..."

He looked back at the building again, unimpressed. It didn’t matter how much effort they put in—there was no way this place could ever feel like a real home.

"Can I go in?"

Seo-yeon blinked. "Um... sure."

He ducked his head slightly and stepped through the narrow entrance.

The inside was... honestly, not terrible. Or at least, not as bad as he expected. The floor was swept, the few pieces of furniture arranged as neatly as possible. A small wooden table, two mismatched chairs, a floor mattress against the wall. But it was bare. There was no television, no fan, not even a working clock. Just the essentials. And even those were old, worn-out, and barely hanging on.

They had tried to make it livable. That was clear. But the poverty was obvious.

Liam took a slow breath, then turned to her. "Pack what you need."

Seo-yeon furrowed her brow. "What?"

"I said pack," Liam repeated. "Photos. Stuff that matters."

She stared at him. "Why?"

"Because I’m getting you a new house."

It hit her like a punch.

She didn’t respond. Her lips parted slightly, her expression frozen in disbelief.

"A... new house?" she whispered, her voice barely making it past her lips.

"Yeah," Liam said, casually. "I like your mom. She’s got fire. Even after getting robbed blind, she still had it in her to appreciate someone who just bought a damn bouquet. That’s rare."

Seo-yeon’s eyes watered, but she fought it.

A house? Just like that? Was this a joke? Some twisted prank?

She opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Her emotions were too tangled up—gratitude, shock, disbelief, and confusion all hitting her at once.

"But... why?" she finally asked again.

Liam looked her right in the eye. "Because she reminds me of someone. Someone who never gave up no matter what life took from her. Your mom’s got that same strength. And people like that? They deserve a break."

He glanced around the room again.

"So, yeah. We’re getting you out of this dump."

He paused, then added with a smirk, "Just bring the important stuff. Don’t start packing these broken stools."

Seo-yeon blinked rapidly.

She dropped her gaze, then bowed low—so low that her forehead nearly touched the floor. "Thank you..." she whispered. "Thank you so much..."

Liam sighed. "Alright, you gonna spend the whole damn day thanking me or are you gonna get packing? We don’t have all day."

That made her look up with a startled laugh, wiping at her eyes quickly. "Y-yes! Okay, I’ll pack right away."

She moved quickly, vanishing into the side room and gathering things. Fifteen minutes later, she came back out holding a large duffle bag that looked like it weighed more than she did. She stumbled a bit under its weight.

Liam stepped forward and casually took it from her, slinging it over his shoulder like it was nothing.

"Let’s go."

The next few hours passed in a blur.

They went house hunting—or at least, Liam did. With his resources, it didn’t take long. He already had a few options in mind and made some calls.

By the time they stepped into the new place, the sun had already begun to set.

Seo-yeon stood just inside the doorway, her breath catching in her throat.

The house was massive—three floors, each one pristine. The living room was like something out of a dream: sleek white walls, silver trim, state-of-the-art furniture, massive flatscreen TV mounted on the wall. The kitchen was equipped with everything from a marble-top island to high-end appliances. Upstairs, the bedrooms were airy and filled with natural light, the beds already made, soft and inviting.

And everything was already paid for.

It was fully furnished. Clean. Safe. Beautiful.

Seo-yeon couldn’t even move.

The number on the document that Liam casually tossed aside said $3.5 million.

She nearly passed out.

This wasn’t just a house.

It was paradise compared to where they came from.

She stepped deeper inside, touching the smooth white surface of the wall like it wasn’t real.

The floors didn’t creak. There was no smell of dampness. No rats. No broken furniture. Everything was perfect.

It was too perfect.

Seo-yeon’s mother was still at the shop, but Liam told her they would send a car to bring her here after.

Seo-yeon looked at Liam, speechless.

He had changed everything in a single day.

And he didn’t even act like it was a big deal.

Seo-yeon thought it was over.

She had barely started believing that the new house was real when Liam told her to follow him again. She didn’t know what else could possibly be next. What else could top what he had already done?

But when he took her to the city’s high-end shopping district, she finally understood.

He wasn’t done yet.

Not even close.

They started at one of the biggest boutiques in the area. A tall glass building with mannequins in designer dresses stood like guards at the entrance. Seo-yeon hesitated to walk in, her hand lingering in the air, not even sure if they were allowed to enter a place that shiny.

Liam didn’t wait. He simply pushed the door open, walked in, and said, "We’re buying everything you need."

Her head snapped toward him. "Wait—what?"

He turned toward the staff and nodded. "She’s going to need clothes. And shoes. Something classy, something casual. Lingerie, too. Don’t skip that. Oh—and she has a mother. Get her something elegant. Size medium, I think."

The staff immediately scattered like ants in action.

Seo-yeon stood there like a mannequin herself, frozen stiff as designer heels, dresses, jackets, skirts, purses, and accessories were brought forward like she was some celebrity client.

Then came cosmetics—shelves of them. Lipsticks in every shade, palettes, skincare products in gold-trimmed bottles. Perfumes that cost more than she had ever held in her hand.

And he didn’t stop there.

They went to a jewelry store next. A real one. The kind with thick glass counters and security cameras in every corner. The kind where just one bracelet could fund their old rent for two years.

He pointed casually at a pair of earrings. "These would look good on your mom."

Then another pair. "And these are yours."

She didn’t even argue anymore. She just followed, holding onto the edge of her sanity while he kept spending like money was air.

At one point, she turned to him, voice shaking. "Why... why are you doing all this?"

Liam shrugged. "Because I want to. You two need it."

She couldn’t wrap her head around it. No matter how hard she tried. How could someone spend like this without a single pause? Didn’t he have a limit?

Of course, what she didn’t know—what she couldn’t have known—was that Liam didn’t have a limitless bank account. Not even close. He had just a million to his name in his own account. Everything else? Every swipe of the black card he was using, every designer label he picked without flinching, all of it was thanks to one person:

Lilith.

He had her card. And Lilith didn’t give a damn what he spent it on.

It wasn’t his money. But right now? He didn’t care. The look in Seo-yeon’s eyes was enough reason to keep going.

When they finally returned to the new house, the trunk of the cab was loaded full. Bags, boxes, dresses, cosmetics—everything. The kind of haul that would make any influencer cry with joy.

But someone was already waiting for them.

Seo-yeon’s mother stood outside the house, clutching her purse like a lifeline. She hadn’t even gone in. She was just standing there, staring at the structure like it might vanish if she blinked too hard.

Her eyes were wide, filled with disbelief.

"Mom..." Seo-yeon called softly.

Her mother turned toward her, lips trembling. "This is... this is the house?"

Seo-yeon nodded.

Still, the woman didn’t move. She just kept staring at it. Her knees looked like they were about to give out. This was the kind of house you saw in magazines. The kind you passed by on the road and whispered dreams about. Not the kind you were allowed to walk into.

When Liam stepped out of the car and walked toward her, she nearly dropped to her knees. Her hands clasped together like she was about to pray.

"Stop," Liam said immediately, raising a hand. "Don’t kneel."

She froze in place.

He walked up to her and looked her straight in the eye. "I know this is a lot. But you’re allowed to have nice things. You earned that much."

The woman’s lip quivered, and she looked like she was holding back tears. Seo-yeon stood beside her, clutching one of the bags to her chest, watching the scene unfold.

"Go inside," Liam said. "You two need to start setting up your stuff. Figure out where you want things. Take your time."

He turned as if to walk away.

But just as he did, Seo-yeon suddenly dropped her bags.

She didn’t say a word.

She just moved forward and wrapped her arms tightly around him from behind.

He stopped.

"Thank you," she whispered into his back, voice cracking. "Thank you so much..."

This time, she couldn’t hold back the tears. They rolled down her cheeks like floodgates opening.

Liam didn’t move for a second. Then he sighed and gently turned his head.

"I didn’t do anything crazy," he said. "You’re making it sound like I saved your life."

"You kind of did," she replied, her voice muffled.

He didn’t say anything to that. Just let her hug him for a moment longer before gently prying her arms off.

"You’re welcome," he said simply.

He stepped away, walking toward the cab. But before he opened the door, he glanced back at her.

"Oh," he added, "give me a call later."

"Why?"

"I’ve got a job for you."

Then he stepped into the cab, shut the door, and it drove off, leaving a trail of stunned silence behind.

Seo-yeon didn’t move.

She just stood there, her arms still slightly raised like she was still holding him.

A job?

After all this?

Even now, he was thinking about giving her something more.

She didn’t know what kind of man Liam really was... but today, he had changed everything.

And not just with money.

He gave them something they hadn’t had in a long time.

Hope.