Alexander felt Elena stiffen beside him. The tension in the room was so thick that even he could feel it. He was about to step in and stop his grandfather before things got worse, but Elena beat him to it.
“It’s finally nice meeting you, Mr. Hartwell,” she said.
Her voice was calm and steady, even though Alexander could see the nervousness hidden behind her eyes.
Patrick raised an eyebrow but remained silent.
“I’ve heard a lot about you,” Elena continued. “And I must admit, you’re every bit as intimidating as people say.”
Patrick’s sharp gaze remained fixed on her.
“But tell me something,” she said, forcing a small smile. “Do you act this way because you enjoy scaring people away? Because if that’s the case, then I should warn you—I am anything but weak.”
The moment the words left h
