ire''s heels clicked against the marble floor as she navigated through the sea of chatter and clinking sses. She was determined to keep her cool after her verbal sparring match with Frank Potter, but the tension still buzzed under her skin like an electric current. The champagne flute in her hand felt heavy, though she hadn''t taken a single sip. She nced at the golden liquid and sighed.


    Why did I evene?


    The thought was barelyplete when she turned a corner and froze. There he was-Alexander.


    He stood near the buffet table, effortlessly elegant in his tailored charcoal suit, a ss of champagne bnced in his hand. His dark hair was perfectly styled, his piercing gaze surveying the room until itnded on her. The air shifted.


    Why is it always him?


    It seems impossible to imagine for ire to not see Alexander in a big event. It''s like the universe wanted them to be together. But it''s not like ire can do anything about it.


    ire frowned, her jaw tightening. She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. It was like fate had a cruel sense of humor. Their eyes met, and Alexander''s lips curled into a polite, almost cautious smile. He gave a subtle nod, lifting his ss.


    "ire." His voice was smooth, but there was a hint of something deeper-something she couldn''t quite ce.


    "Alexander," she replied, her tone clipped but civil. She didn''t want to make a scene. Not here.


    "You look..." He paused, eyes scanning her carefully. "Beautiful, as always."


    ire rolled her eyes. "Spare me the pleasantries. I''m not in the mood."


    He let out a short sigh, his gaze softening. "I heard about Matthew."


    Her body stiffened, the words slicing through her like a de. Of course he knows. Her fingers tightened around the stem of her ss, but her face remained unreadable. "News travels fast, apparently." Alexander took a step closer, his expression gentle but earnest. "How is he?"


    She swallowed hard, the knot in her throat tightening. "He''s in aa." Her voice was barely above a whisper.


    His eyes widened, the surprise and concern clear on his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but for once, Alexander Saint Laurent seemed to be at a loss for words.


    "I didn''t know it was that serious," he finally said, his voice low. "I''m sorry, ire."


    The sincerity in his voice caught her off guard, and for a moment, her carefully constructed walls wavered.


    She nodded, her gaze fixed somewhere over his shoulder. "Yeah, well... it is."


    Silence stretched between them, heavy and ufortable. She could feel herposure slipping, the weight of everything suddenly too much to bear. The noise of the party felt suffocating, the air too thick to breathe.


    "I need some air," she muttered, not waiting for his response. She turned abruptly and headed for the exit, her heart pounding in her chest.


    With Matthew being in aa and she is alone, she feels quit pressure.


    Outside, the cool night air hit her face, but it did little to calm her racing mind. Her breaths came in shallow gasps, and she leaned against the stone wall of the building, squeezing her eyes shut.


    Pull it together, ire.


    Her hands trembled slightly as she tried to steady herself, but the storm inside her refused to settle. It felt like everything was spiraling out of control, and no matter how hard she tried to hold on, the ground kept shifting beneath her feet.


    Matthew in aa. Eligos breathing down her neck. Frank''s taunts. Alexander showing up everywhere. It was too much.


    She pushed off the wall, suddenly needing to escape. The quiet streets stretched before her, dark and inviting. Without a second thought, she crossed the road, her heels clicking against the pavement as she focused on putting distance between herself and that cursed party.


    A distant honk barely registered in her mind.


    But the second one, loud and ring, jolted her senses.


    Her eyes widened in panic as she turned to her left. Headlights were barreling toward her, the car


    2 minu


    screeching as it tried to stop. Time seemed to slow, and a single thought shed through this it?


    Suddenly, a strong hand grabbed her arm, yanking her back with a force that knocked the breath out of her She stumbled, colliding with a solid chest Her heart pounded wildly as she looked up, her face mere inches from Alexander''s.


    He was livid. His jaw clenched, his dark eyes zing with anger and fear.


    "What the hell were you thinking?" he snapped, his fingers still wrapped around her arm.


    She blinked, the shock wearing off. She yanked her arm out of his grip, her own anger ring. "I was thinking I wanted to leave, and it''s none of your damn business!"


    He ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. "ire, you almost got yourself killed!"


    "I didn''t ask you to save me!" she shot back, her voice trembling.


    His eyes narrowed, his expression a mix of anger and something deeper. "No, you didn''t. But someone had to!"


    She stared at him, her breathing ragged. "Why do you even care?"


    "Because whether you like it or not, I


    do care!" he said, his voice sharp. "You think enjoy watching you


    self-destruct? You''re running


    yourself into the ground, and yo


    swnovel


    too damn stubborn to admit it!"


    Her eyes shed. "You don''t know anything about what I''m going through."


    He stepped closer, his voice dropping to a low, intense tone. "Then tell me. Stop pushing everyone away. You''re not invincible, ire."


    She clenched her fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. "I don''t need your pity, Alexander." He sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly. "It''s not a pity. It''s a concern. There''s a difference."


    They stood in silence, the sounds of the city a distant hum. ire''s eyes glistened, but she refused to let the tears fall. She turned away, staring down the empty street.


    "I can''t afford to fall apart," she whispered. "Not now."


    He stepped beside her, his voice softer. "No one''s asking you to fall apart. But maybe... just maybe, you don''t have to carry everything alone.


    She closed her eyes, the weight of his words settling heavily on her. For a moment, she considered leaning on him, just for a second. But the walls around her heart were too high, too fortified.


    She drew in a shaky breath. "I have work to do, Alexander."


    His jaw tightened, but he nodded. "Of course you do."


    She turned to walk away, her steps deliberate and steady. But before she got too far, she heard him call out.


    "ire."


    She paused, her back still to him.


    "Take care of yourself," he said quietly.


    She didn''t respond. She couldn''t. Instead, she walked into the night, the shadows swallowing her whole. Alexander watched her go, his chest tight with unspoken words. He clenched his jaw, knowing that whatever storm she was battling, she wouldn''t let him in. Not yet.


    But he couldn''t shake the feeling that one day, she might need someone to pull her back from the edge again. And whether she liked it or not, he''d be there.