Then I felt it.


    That sharp jolt of awareness. A presence behind me–warm, dominant,ced with familiarity and power. My body tensed before I even opened my eyes.


    And when I did…


    Alexander.


    His shirt clung to his chest, damp from a run. His hair was


    pushed back, and every muscle looked cut and defined beneath


    the fabric. For a moment, I just blinked at him. The man


    could’ve walked out of a fitness magazine, except there was


    something else to him–stillness,mand.


    “Good morning,” I said quickly, trying not to look like I’d been


    staring. “The sun’s a bit harsh this morning. Made me dizzy for a


    second.“‘


    He raised a brow. “You might go blind if you keep staring


    directly into it.”


    I looked away, heat creeping up my neck. “Right.”


    To recover, I asked, “Morning run?”


    “Obviously,” he replied, wiping his temple with a towel draped around his neck. Then, without warning, he pivoted, his tone sharpening. “I saw youst night.”


    My heart skipped. “Saw me?”


    “On the third floor of the yacht,” he said. “You were watching!””


    I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice neutral. “It was just


    coincidence. I was going up for air and… I didn’t expect to see


    you two in the middle of… that. I left right away”


    His eyes narrowed. “In the middle of what?”


    I hesitated. “An… intimate moment.”


    He tilted his head slightly. “Define intimate.””


    My cheeks flushed. I hated that he could corner me like this


    with just a few words. “Kissing,” I said, barely above a whisper.


    “You were kissing. It looked… intense.”


    There was a long pause. Then he scoffed lightly. “You


    misunderstood.“”


    “Misunderstood?”


    a


    “I don’t like kissing,” he said tly. “Especially not with women.”


    My eyes widened. That threw me. Not because of what he said-


    Chapter <b>24 </b>


    but how he said it. Like it was both a confession and a dismissal. My mind scrambled. Did he mean he was gay? Or that he just didn’t enjoy that kind of intimacy? Was everything with Jess… fake?


    He took one step closer, his gaze unreadable. “As a secretary, you shouldn’t be forming such personal interpretations of your boss’s behavior.”


    It wasn’t angry. But there was a warningced in every syble.


    I nodded immediately. “Understood.”


    He looked at me for one more beat, then turned without


    another word.


    And walked away.


    By the time I returned to the room, Jess was awake and


    brushing her hair calmly in front of the mirror likest night’s


    drama had never happened. Her eyes met mine through the


    reflection, and she gave aposed smile.


    “Thanks for taking care of me,” she said in a clipped,


    professional tone.


    I nodded slightly, unsure how much of her ‘drunkenness‘ was


    real and how much was just strategy. Without waiting for


    more, she gathered her things, straightened her jacket, and left


    like nothing happened.


    At 9:00 a.m. sharp, I apanied Alexander, Gai, and two senior executives to the Washington branch office for a routine inspection. Jess was already there waiting at the front entrance, dressed in a crisp white suit that fit her like it was tailored to perfection. Her heels clicked against the marble floor, her aura


    collected, sharp, andmanding.


    She weed Alexander with a bright smile. “Alpha


    Alexander. Wee.”


    He gave a polite nod.


    No handshake. No warmth. Just a formal exchange before we


    all followed him into the conference room where the scheduled


    activities for the day began.


    It was a whirlwind. The hours slipped past in a blur of presentations, audits, project debriefings, financial reviews, and a deep dive into regional operations. Jess facilitated most of it efficiently, guiding every segment without missing a beat. Alexander, as usual, was quiet butmanding, listening more


    than he spoke–until he did, and then everyone listened.


    For lunch, Jess had arranged a business meal at one of Washington’s most prestigious local restaurants. I was too focused on my notes to taste anything. Gai looked as tired as I felt. I noticed him stifling a yawn, his fingers tightening around


    his tablet.


    When the dinner meeting finally rolled around, Jess was still fresh–faced. She hosted it in a private booth at an upscale hotel with several potential investment partners. Gai and I stepped outside mid–meal to catch our breath and review some numbers in peace.


    I leaned against the railing outside the booth, flipping through the reports on my tablet. Something wasn’t adding up.


    “Gai,” I said, my voice low, “look at this.”


    He stepped over and peered at my screen.


    “The factory’s system logs 2,035 clock–ins daily… but the


    attached employee roster shows only 2,026 active names,” I


    exined. “It’s been consistent across multiple weeks. That’s not


    a fluke.”


    His brows furrowed. “That’s a nine–person gap.”