Chapter 4
907 Words
Elena adjusted the thin straps of her borrowed evening gown in the restroom mirror, trying not to look like a fraud. She’d spent years waiting tables and sketching in her cramped apartment, not walking red carpets with the elite. But Alexander had insisted she accompany him tonight as part of her “duties.” Duties, she suspected, that extended far beyond managing his calendar.
The dress had been delivered that morning, along with a pair of diamond earrings too heavy for her comfort. She felt like Cinderella — except the prince was a brooding, infuriating billionaire who knew exactly how to make her blood boil.
“Elena,” came his voice from outside the door. Smooth. Low. Commanding. “We’re late.”
She inhaled, squared her shoulders, and stepped out.
Alexander’s gaze swept over her, a flicker of something unguarded crossing his usually stoic face. “You’ll do,” he said coolly, though his eyes lingered a second too long on her bare shoulders.
“You’re welcome,” she muttered, brushing past him.
The gala was a blur of champagne flutes, glittering chandeliers, and whispers of money that seemed to hang in the air like perfume. Elena walked beside Alexander, painfully aware of the curious stares. Every woman in the room seemed to want him. Every man seemed to envy him. And she… well, she wasn’t sure what she was doing here at all.
Alexander placed a hand at the small of her back — a guiding touch, protective, yet possessive. “Smile,” he murmured against her ear. “You’re representing me tonight.”
Her pulse skittered. “You mean I’m your accessory.”
His lips curved, almost amused. “For now.”
They moved from one cluster of wealthy guests to another, Alexander trading sharp quips and business promises with practiced ease. Elena, meanwhile, felt like a prop, sipping her champagne too quickly and wishing she could melt into the marble floor.
It wasn’t until a tall, golden-haired woman approached that Elena’s discomfort turned into something sharper.
“Alexander,” the woman purred, touching his arm familiarly. “I didn’t expect to see you here tonight.”
“Victoria,” he said evenly. “Always a pleasure.”
Elena’s stomach tightened. Of course. The ex.
Victoria’s eyes slid to Elena, assessing her with a smirk. “And who’s this? Your latest… project?”
Elena bristled. Before she could speak, Alexander’s hand tightened on her waist. “This is Elena. She’s with me.” His tone left no room for interpretation.
Heat rushed to Elena’s cheeks. With him. Not his assistant. Not his employee. With him.
Victoria raised a perfect brow but said nothing more, drifting away with a knowing smile.
“You handled that well,” Alexander murmured, steering Elena toward a quieter corner.
“I didn’t do anything.”
“Exactly. You didn’t rise to her bait. That’s strength.”
Elena’s heart thudded at the rare note of praise in his voice. She wanted to snap back, to remind him she wasn’t a pawn in his social games… but his eyes held hers, dark and unreadable, and the words died in her throat.
The string quartet swelled, couples gliding onto the dance floor. Alexander set down his glass and turned to her. “Dance with me.”
She blinked. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
“I don’t—”
But his hand was already outstretched, waiting. Against her better judgment, she placed her hand in his.
The world blurred as he led her onto the floor. His palm was firm at her back, his movements precise, commanding. Elena stumbled at first, but he steadied her effortlessly. They moved as though tethered, the music pulling them closer.
“You’re nervous,” he said softly.
“I’m not used to… this.”
His lips brushed her temple as he leaned in. “Get used to it. You belong here more than you realize.”
Her breath caught. For a moment, the room, the crowd, the noise — all of it faded. There was only his hand on her waist, his breath against her skin, his heartbeat steady and unshakable.
But just as quickly, the spell broke. Elena remembered herself, remembered who he was. The billionaire who could break her world apart without blinking.
She pulled back slightly. “This isn’t real, Alexander.”
His jaw tightened, his eyes flickering with something unspoken. “It feels real enough.”
Before she could reply, applause erupted around them as the song ended. He released her slowly, reluctantly, as though letting go cost him something.
For the rest of the night, Elena smiled, laughed when required, and played her part. But inside, her heart waged war — between the girl who swore she’d never be swallowed by someone else’s world, and the woman who couldn’t ignore the pull of the man at the center of it.
And Alexander? He watched her with a hunger he didn’t dare name.
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