Chapter 25
977 Words
Chapter 25: Face to Face
The palace had started to feel quieter at night.
Not peaceful.
Just… controlled.
Monica sat in one of the private lounges near the east wing, a book resting unopened on her lap while soft piano music played somewhere in the background.
She hadn’t read a single page.
Her thoughts drifted too easily now.
To Kian.
To Alexander.
To herself.
And that was the problem.
Because the more time she spent here—
the harder it became to separate pressure from comfort.
Control from care.
A quiet sound pulled her from her thoughts.
She looked up.
Alexander entered the room calmly, dressed simply tonight compared to his usual formal appearance.
Yet somehow—
he still carried that same impossible presence.
“You’re awake late,” Monica said softly.
“And you’re pretending to read.”
A faint smile touched her lips despite herself.
“You notice too much.”
“I notice you,” he replied smoothly.
The answer landed harder than she expected.
Alexander walked toward her slowly before stopping beside the sofa.
“Come here,” he said quietly.
Monica hesitated.
Only for a second.
Then she set the book aside and stood.
The moment she reached him, his hand settled naturally against her waist, drawing her closer.
Not forceful.
Certain.
Monica looked up at him, pulse slowing and racing at the same time.
Dangerous.
That was the only word for whatever this was becoming.
“You’ve been distant tonight,” he murmured.
“I’ve been thinking.”
“That again.”
A soft laugh escaped her before she could stop it.
And Alexander noticed immediately.
The sound.
The reaction.
All of it.
“You laugh more now,” he said.
Monica blinked slightly.
“I didn’t realize that.”
His fingers brushed lightly against her jaw, tilting her face upward.
“You didn’t before.”
The room suddenly felt smaller.
Warmer.
Monica’s breath caught slightly as his gaze dropped briefly to her lips.
And this time—
she didn’t pretend not to notice.
Alexander leaned down slowly.
Giving her enough time to pull away.
Enough time to refuse.
But she stayed.
The kiss came deeper this time.
Immediate.
Certain.
Monica’s fingers instinctively curled against his chest as he pulled her closer, the warmth of his hand firm against her waist.
Her thoughts blurred embarrassingly fast whenever he kissed her.
And what unsettled her most—
was how naturally she responded now.
The kiss deepened slowly, unhurried but intense enough to make her chest tighten.
Alexander kissed like he handled everything else in his life—
controlled.
Confident.
As if he already knew she would melt against him eventually.
And Monica hated how close that felt to the truth.
A soft breath escaped her before she could stop it.
Alexander noticed instantly.
His hand tightened slightly at her waist.
“Monica.”
The way he said her name—
low and close against her lips—
made her heart stumble.
And for one dangerous second—
she forgot everything else.
Until—
“Sir.”
The voice cut through the room sharply.
Monica pulled back immediately, breath uneven.
One of the palace staff stood near the entrance, visibly tense.
Alexander’s expression shifted almost instantly back into calm composure.
“What is it?”
The staff hesitated.
Then spoke carefully.
“Mr. Anderson is here.”
Silence.
Monica froze.
Her heartbeat instantly changed.
Kian.
“He insisted on entering,” the staff continued nervously. “Security attempted to stop him, but—”
“Enough.”
Alexander’s voice remained calm.
But colder now.
Monica stepped back slightly.
“He’s here?” she asked quietly.
Before anyone could answer—
another voice filled the room.
“I’m right here.”
Monica turned instantly.
Kian stood at the entrance.
Breathing hard.
Eyes locked directly onto her.
And then—
his gaze shifted.
To Alexander’s hand still resting against her waist.
The room changed instantly.
The tension became unbearable.
Kian’s jaw tightened hard enough for Monica to notice even from across the room.
Neither man spoke immediately.
Because they didn’t need to.
Everything was already there.
The anger.
The challenge.
The claim.
Monica’s chest tightened painfully.
Because suddenly—
the reality she had been avoiding stood directly in front of her.
Kian finally spoke first.
His voice low.
Controlled.
But barely.
“So it’s true.”
Monica opened her mouth slightly—
but no words came out.
Alexander removed his hand from her waist slowly.
Not because he felt threatened.
But because he chose to.
“You entered without permission,” Alexander said evenly.
Kian didn’t even look at him.
His eyes remained on Monica.
Only Monica.
“You stopped answering me.”
The words hit harder than they should have.
Monica swallowed softly.
“Kian…”
“You disappeared.”
Pain sat underneath every word now.
Barely restrained.
“I was worried sick.”
Monica’s chest tightened.
Because part of her wanted to walk toward him.
Immediately.
Instinctively.
But another part—
the part that now understood the weight of everything around her—
kept her still.
Kian finally looked at Alexander.
And the room instantly turned colder.
“What exactly are you trying to do?” Kian asked sharply.
Alexander met his gaze without hesitation.
“What I intend has already been made clear.”
“That doesn’t mean she belongs to you.”
Silence.
Sharp.
Heavy.
Monica closed her eyes briefly.
This was exactly what she feared.
Alexander stepped slightly closer.
Not aggressive.
But unmistakable.
“She is here by choice.”
Kian looked at Monica immediately.
Straight to her eyes.
And that—
that was the moment that hurt the most.
Because now—
he was waiting for her answer.
And Monica realized—
for the first time—
that no matter what she said next…
someone was going to break.
- Writer
