Swept away by the Tycoon

Chapter Four

Alexander

Alexander Hayes watched Sophie Albright walk away, her shoulders tense with defiance, her head held high despite the obvious turmoil she was feeling.

She intrigued him. No woman has ever had that effect on him. Not even Victoria.

He had expected outrage—but not the fiery determination she’d displayed in the bakery earlier, or the boldness she’d just shown at the gala. Most people avoided confrontation with him. Sophie seemed to seek it out, as if she believed sheer willpower could make him reconsider his plans.

It wouldn’t.

Alexander took a measured sip of his whiskey, the smooth burn doing little to ease the unexpected weight in his chest. His gaze lingered on the spot where Sophie had disappeared into the crowd.

“Interesting woman,” Victoria’s voice cut into his thoughts.

He turned to find her watching him, a knowing glint in her eyes. She was every bit the picture of elegance, her silver gown shimmering under the chandeliers.

“You think so?” he asked, keeping his tone neutral, revealing nothing.

Victoria arched a perfectly sculpted brow. “She walked straight up to you and started a fight. That doesn’t happen often.”

“No,” Alexander admitted, a faint smile tugging at his lips. “It doesn’t.”

"Who is she?" Victoria asked with a tinge of jealousy.

"She's not important". Alexander replied.

“Do you want me to handle her?” Victoria asked, her voice laced with casual malice.

Alexander frowned. “That won’t be necessary.”

She tilted her head, studying him. “You’re usually more decisive when it comes to these things, Alex. What is it about her that’s giving you pause?”

“Nothing is giving me pause,” he said firmly, though even as the words left his mouth, he wasn’t entirely sure they were true.

Victoria’s smile was sharp. “If you say so. Just remember, you have a vision to execute. One bakery doesn’t change that.”

“It’s not about the bakery,” he said, his voice clipped. “It’s about the bigger picture.”

“And she’s a speed bump,” Victoria said dismissively. “Handle it.”

Alexander said nothing, watching as she drifted away to join a group of donors. His jaw tightened. Victoria was right in some ways—he did have a vision, and Maplewood’s redevelopment was part of it. But Sophie wasn’t a speed bump. She was something else entirely.

Turning back toward the bar, he gestured for another drink, needing a moment to clear his head. He prided himself on being able to compartmentalize, to keep emotion out of business. But Sophie had a way of cutting through his carefully constructed walls, making him question things he never allowed himself to question.

He could still see her green eyes blazing with fury, hear the steel in her voice when she said

“This bakery means everything to me.”

Most people came to him with desperation or flattery, hoping to appeal to his better nature. Sophie had stood her ground, refusing to back down even when she knew the odds were stacked against her.

And for the first time in a long while, Alexander felt something he hadn’t expected.

Doubt.

It wasn’t doubt about his project—that was sound, backed by data and years of experience. No, this was something different, something harder to pin down. A nagging voice in the back of his mind, asking whether he’d overlooked something important.

Or someone.

Alexander exhaled slowly, setting his glass down with a decisive thud.

If Sophie Albright thought she could derail his plans, she was in for a rude awakening.

But as he glanced toward the crowd one last time, a part of him couldn’t shake the feeling that she might be a more formidable opponent than he’d initially given her credit for.