CHAPTER FOUR: A MEETING WITH MY PAST
1139 Words
(Alexander's POV)
Across town, I sat behind my office desk staring coldly at the reports displayed across my screen.
One careless mistake was all it took for the company’s shares to start dropping rapidly.
And as if that wasn’t already irritating enough, investors were now threatening withdrawal. The more I looked through the numbers, the more convinced I became that someone had intentionally tampered with the company accounts.
My jaw tightened.
I typed quickly, correcting figures one after another while trying to ignore the pounding headache forming behind my eyes.
Then suddenly—
The office door burst open and I was so ready to snap at the culprit when I heard a high-pitched voice.
“Hi Xandy! Hi Jules! Lunch delivery has arrived!”
I shut my eyes instantly.
Beside me, Julian groaned loudly from the couch.
Alexia walked in carrying several bags of food while looking unnecessarily excited about it.
“I brought spicy ramen and cookies for dessert,” she announced proudly. “And if either of you collapses from exhaustion today, I’m burying you alive instead of taking you to the hospital.”
“Alexia!” Julian gasped dramatically while leaping off the couch. “You beautiful angel, I thought I was moments away from death.”
“You always say that before eating my food,” she replied suspiciously.
“Because starvation follows me everywhere.”
The two of them immediately started their ridiculous handshake from high school while I rubbed my temples in annoyance.
I genuinely wondered if Julian was a teenager in a man’s body.
Before I could protest, Alexia snatched my laptop from my hands.
“Alexia.”
“Nope.”
Then she pushed me slightly out of my chair using her hip and shoved a bowl of ramen into my arms.
A box of heart-shaped cookies followed immediately after.
“Eat,” she ordered firmly.
I stared at her silently before muttering a reluctant thank you.
Alexia grinned proudly before immediately focusing on my laptop.
Unlike her dramatic personality, she looked terrifyingly serious once numbers appeared in front of her. Her glasses slid slightly down her nose as her fingers moved rapidly across the keyboard.
It honestly looked unnatural.
The office fell into comfortable silence afterward.
Well—
Almost silence.
Because Julian was inhaling noodles beside me like a vacuum cleaner. He constantly made irritating slurping sounds which made me almost lose my appetite.
Then Alexia suddenly spoke casually while typing.
“Oh, by the way… the investors threatening withdrawal are considering partnering with Romano Holdings now.”
Julian slowly lowered his chopsticks while I looked up sharply.
“Who?” both of us asked at the same time.
Alexia stared at us like that's the dumbest question to ever ask.
“The second-best investment company in the country?” she repeated slowly like we were mentally delayed. “The company that’s been trying to compete with us for years?”
Silence.
Julian waved his hand dismissively.
“We’ll look into it later.” I nodded, not really caring either.
Alexia blinked slowly.
The expression on her face clearly said:How are you two running a billion-dollar company?
Then she sighed and sipped her drink.
“Oh, and Grandpa said if Alexander refuses another marriage meeting, he’s making Uncle Victor the successor instead.”
Julian choked immediately while I nearly inhaled pepper into my lungs. Alexia hummed happily while Julian coughed beside me like he was having a damn seizure.
“You’re smiling,” Julian accused weakly.
“I enjoy chaos,” Alexia replied proudly.
“That’s actually terrifying.”
“Thank you.”
Sometimes I wondered if the two of them shared the one brain cell.
---
(Thalia’s POV)
The restaurant was unbearably busy.
Orders kept flying around nonstop while customers filled almost every table inside Dal’s Café. Plates clinked loudly. Chairs scraped against the floor. The smell of coffee and grilled food mixed heavily in the air.
I could barely think straight anymore.
“Thalia!” one of the workers called out. “Table seven needs service!”
“I’m going!”
I grabbed the menu quickly before hurrying toward the table while trying not to trip over myself from exhaustion.
The moment I reached it—
I froze.
My soul practically left my body.
Slowly…
Very slowly…
The menu lowered from the man’s face and the heavens just had to bless me.
Big scary grumpy rich guy.
Every embarrassing memory from the hotel replayed inside my head instantly.
No no no, there's no way.
I immediately turned around, fully prepared to run.
“If you take another step,” his calm voice stopped me instantly.
I froze mid-step.
After inhaling sharply, I slowly turned back around with the fakest smile I had ever produced in my life.
“Welcome, sir,” I said stiffly.
His cold gaze remained fixed on me for several seconds as if trying to make me uncomfortable, which was working perfectly.
“Medium-rare steak,” he said calmly. “Garlic mashed potatoes. Black coffee.”
I nodded quickly and scribbled everything down. Unfortunately, my fingers decided this was the perfect moment to betray me.
The pen slipped from my hand and as I bent quickly to grab it, my shoulder accidentally bumped against the table.
The flower vase tipped dangerously toward the edge.
But before it could shatter, Grumpy caught it effortlessly.
Then he bent down, picked up my pen, and handed it back silently.
“Thank you,” I rushed out immediately.
For a brief second, relief softened my face. And I gave a small smile which was not returned.
Unfortunately…My mouth moved before my brain could stop it.
“You know smiling is free, right?”
The second the words escaped, I recited the Lord's Prayer in my mind.
Why was I like this?
Alexander simply stared at me.
His expression didn’t change, but something about his eyes shifted slightly.
Like he was trying not to eat a reaction show and I didn't know how to feel about that.
“Your order will be ready shortly,” I blurted before escaping immediately.
Several minutes later, I returned with his food carefully balanced in my hands.
This time, I successfully placed everything down without destroying restaurant property.
I gave him a quick smile before hurrying away before another disaster happened.
But halfway across the restaurant—
A voice stopped me cold.
“Excuse me,” the man said calmly. “Can we order?”
My fingers tightened painfully around the tray in my hands.
No.
Slowly, I turned around.
And the moment my eyes landed on him—
My breathing stopped.
Roman.
The noise inside the restaurant faded instantly.
I couldn’t hear the music or the laughter anymore. I couldn't even feel my body anymore. I felt completely numb.
Three years.
Three whole years…
- Writer
