Between Two Kings

Chapter 7

The conference hall was filled with quiet authority, the kind that came from power, money, and influence sitting in one room. Long polished tables stretched across the space, reflecting the soft white lights above. Men in expensive suits sat with straight backs and composed expressions, their files neatly arranged in front of them, their attention fixed on the man at the head of the table.

Alex Wills.

He sat there like he owned not just the room, but everyone in it.

And in truth, he did.

His presence alone was enough to silence even the boldest voices. His name carried weight, and his decisions carried consequences. No one spoke unless spoken to. No one interrupted unless they were prepared to face him.

But today... something was wrong.

Alex's eyes were on the screen in front of him, yet he wasn't seeing it. The graphs, the projections, the endless stream of numbers being presented meant nothing to him at that moment. The voice of the man speaking blurred into meaningless noise as his mind drifted, pulled away by something far more persistent.

Her.

No matter how much he tried to focus, her face kept appearing.It was infuriating.

His fingers slowly curled against the arm of his chair as his jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. He hated distractions. He despised anything that made him lose control, even for a second. Yet ever since that night, control had become something that slipped through his fingers more often than he liked to admit.

Her eyes.

He remembered them clearly.Fearful, yes... but not weak.There had been something else in them. Something that stayed with him longer than it should have.

And then his thoughts shifted.His expression hardened as the memory twisted into something else.

Those men.

The way they had surrounded her.

The way one of them had reached for her—

A sharp, dangerous anger surged through him immediately.

His fingers pressed harder into the chair, the leather slightly creasing under the pressure. For a brief second, his calm exterior cracked, and something much darker slipped through his eyes.

If he had arrived a second later...

The thought alone was enough to make something inside him snap.

He exhaled slowly, but it did nothing to ease the storm building within him.

"...and if we proceed with the second phase of the investment, we believe the outcome will—"

"Uhm... Mr. Alex..."

The voice cut through his thoughts carefully, almost hesitantly.

It took a moment before Alex reacted.

His eyes shifted slightly, blinking once as if returning from somewhere far away. The room slowly came back into focus, along with the dozens of eyes watching him.

The man who had spoken—one of the ministers—sat stiffly, clearly aware of the risk he had just taken by interrupting. He forced a polite smile, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed him.

Alex stared at him for a second too long.Not angrily,but not kindly either.

Just... cold.

Then, slowly, Alex straightened in his chair, his expression smoothing back into its usual unreadable calm. Whatever storm had been in his eyes vanished just as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by that familiar, controlled emptiness.

"Continue," he said.His voice was low, steady, and gave nothing away.

But something about it felt heavier than usual.

The man nodded quickly, almost relieved, and continued speaking. The presentation resumed, but the atmosphere had shifted. The tension in the room became more noticeable now, pressing against everyone like an invisible weight.

They all felt it.

Something was off.

Alex listened again, at least on the surface. His eyes followed the slides, and he nodded occasionally, but his mind refused to stay still. It kept drifting back, again and again, like it was drawn to something it couldn't resist.

Who was she?

That question had been circling his mind since that night.

He had seen countless women before. Spoken to them,worked with them,used them when necessary. None of them had ever stayed in his thoughts like this.None of them had ever made him lose focus.

And yet here he was.

Sitting in one of the most important meetings of the month... thinking about a girl he didn't even know.

It irritated him.

More than that, it unsettled him.

"Sir... what do you think about this approach?"

Another voice broke in.

Alex's gaze shifted to the man speaking, his expression unreadable once again. There was a brief pause, just enough to make the man nervous.

Alex glanced at the screen.

Then back at him.

"It won't work," he said simply.

The words fell into the room like a final judgment.

No explanation.

No hesitation.

The man immediately nodded, swallowing whatever argument he might have had. "Understood, sir."

No one questioned him.

No one ever did.

The meeting continued, but the rhythm was off. Alex's patience was thinner than usual, his responses shorter.He dismissed ideas quicker than normal, barely giving them a second thought.

It didn't take long before the room felt suffocating.

And Alex noticed.

More importantly...He was done.

Without warning, he pushed his chair back and stood up.

The sound echoed slightly in the quiet room, instantly drawing everyone's attention.

"That's enough for today.We'll revisit this in our next meeting," he said,leaving no room for discussion.

Before anyone could respond, he turned and walked out.

————————————————————————

Catherine woke up slowly that morning, her body relaxed in a way it hadn't been in a long time. For once, there was no alarm rushing her out of bed, no pressure of being late, no uniform waiting to be worn in a hurry.

It took her a few seconds to remember why.

Then it hit her.

It was her birthday.

A small smile touched her lips as she stared up at the ceiling. It wasn't the kind of excitement that came with loud celebrations or expensive gifts. Catherine had never been used to that kind of life. For her, birthdays were always simple, quiet... sometimes even forgotten.

But today felt .....different.

Maybe because, for the first time in a while, she had allowed herself to rest.

She stretched lightly before sitting up, running her fingers through her hair. Her phone buzzed softly beside her, and when she picked it up, she saw a message.

Annie.

"Happy birthday, my girl! Don't even think about spending today like a boring old woman. I'm coming over."

Catherine let out a small laugh, already shaking her head.

"That girl..." she murmured to herself.

Annie had always been like that—loud, lively, impossible to ignore. The complete opposite of Catherine in almost every way, yet somehow the one person who understood her the most.

⸻

By the time Annie arrived, the apartment was filled with her energy.

She didn't knock quietly.

She never did.

"Birthday girl!" Annie's voice rang out as she pushed the door open and walked in like she owned the place.

Catherine laughed as she stepped out of her room. "You could at least pretend to be normal for one day."

"On your birthday? Never," Annie shot back, pulling her into a quick hug. "Look at you... you're glowing already."

Catherine smiled softly, a little shy under the attention. "It's just a normal day, Annie."

Annie pulled back and stared at her like she had just said something offensive. "Did you just say normal? Catherine, today is not normal. Today, we celebrate you."

Catherine shook her head, amused. "And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"

Annie's eyes lit up instantly.

"Oh, I'm glad you asked."

Catherine narrowed her eyes slightly. "Why do I feel like I'm not going to like this?"

"Because you're dramatic," Annie replied easily. Then she leaned closer, lowering her voice like she was about to reveal a secret. "We're going to a club tonight."

Catherine froze.

"A... club?"

"Yes. A club," Annie repeated, watching her reaction carefully.

Catherine immediately shook her head. "No. Absolutely not."

"Come on, Catherine—"

"I've never even been to one before," she said quickly, almost defensively. " Besides It's not my kind of place."

Annie crossed her arms. "That's exactly why you need to go."

"I don't need to do anything," Catherine replied, though her voice lacked its usual confidence.

Annie stepped closer, her expression softening just a little. "Come on, girl... you're not a kid anymore."

Catherine looked away.

"You've spent your whole life being careful," Annie continued gently. "Always doing the right thing. Always holding back.

Catherine... it's time to choose yourself for once."

Her words hit deeper than Catherine expected.

Memories surfaced quietly.

Losing her parents at the age of twelve.

Moving in with her aunt, who had taken her in without hesitation, loving her like her own child, making sure she never felt alone even when everything had changed.

Her aunt had been her strength.Her home.Her only family since she didn't have any siblings.

And Catherine had grown up trying not to be a burden, trying to be strong, responsible... perfect in her own quiet way.

She had worked hard in school, pushed herself through every challenge, and finally graduated last year with a degree in computer science.

She had dreams.Big ones.

But life had not been fair.

Months of searching for a job had led to nothing. She had face rejections,silence, disappointment. Until she had no choice but to take the job at the fast food store, telling herself it was temporary.Just until something better came.

But even with all that...

She had never allowed herself to simply live.

Annie watched her closely. "Just one night, Catherine. You don't have to become a different person. Just... enjoy yourself today for once."

Catherine hesitated.

Her fingers tightened slightly against her arm as she thought about it.

Then....She sighed.

"...Fine."

Annie blinked.Then her face lit up instantly.

"Wait—really?"

"Yes, really," Catherine said, already regretting it a little. "But if I don't like it, we leave immediately."

Annie grabbed her hands excitedly. "Deal!"

⸻

Hours later, the room felt completely different.

Clothes were scattered across the bed, shoes lined up on the floor, and Annie was moving around like a stylist on a mission.

"Try this one," Annie said, holding up a dress.

Catherine took it hesitantly.It was a short red dress.It looked revealing.

And definitely not something she would normally wear.

"Annie..."

"Just try it out."

After a moment of hesitation, Catherine finally gave in and went into the bathroom to change.

When she stepped out...

Annie went completely silent.

For once.

Catherine shifted slightly under her gaze. "What?"

Annie blinked slowly, then placed a hand on her chest. "Okay... wow."

"How do I look?" Catherine asked,giving a small twirl.

"Cat, you don't even realize how stunning you look right now."

Catherine let out a small laugh. "Stop exaggerating."

"I'm not!" Annie insisted. "Cat, look at yourself."

And she did.

The off-shoulder red dress hugged her perfectly, tracing every curve of her body in a way that was both elegant and bold. Her skin looked smooth and radiant, glowing softly under the light. The dress stopped just above her knees, revealing her long legs, which were made even more striking by the silver heels she wore.

Her hair fell naturally around her shoulders, framing her face beautifully.

Her eyes stood out the most, bright blue and captivating, drawing attention without effort.

She looked.....different.

Not the quiet girl from the fast food store.

Not the one who always blended into the background.

She looked like someone who could walk into a room and be noticed.

Someone unforgettable.

Annie smiled proudly. "You look astonishingly beautiful Cat."

A soft blush crept onto Catherine's cheeks at the compliment. "You're just saying that."

"No, I'm not," Annie said seriously. "If anyone sees you tonight, they're not going to forget you."

Something about the way she said it made Catherine's heart skip slightly.

A strange feeling settled in her chest.

Like tonight...

Might change something.

She didn't know what.But she felt it.