Chapter Five
874 Words
Cold.
Dangerous.
Alicia’s heart dropped.
“You wouldn’t—”
“Try me.”
Her breath became uneven.
“Leave him out of this,” she whispered.
“Then stop giving me a reason to bring him in.”
Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall.
This wasn’t just about her anymore.
It was about Alex.
And suddenly…
Her choices didn’t feel like choices at all.
“Think carefully,” her father said, standing up. “Because the next move you make won’t just affect you.”
He walked past her, stopping briefly at the door.
“You wanted to live in his world,” he added coldly. “Now you’ll understand what it costs.”
The door closed.
And Alicia stood there alone.
Trapped between two lives.
Two choices.
Two impossible futures.
One where she loses herself…
And one where she risks losing him.The street felt quieter than usual.
Or maybe…
It was just him.
Alex stood outside the small mechanic shop, staring at nothing in particular. The tools were in his hands, but he hadn’t moved in minutes.
Everything reminded him of her.
The way she smiled.
The way she argued.
The way she stayed… when she didn’t have to.
And the way she left.
“You’re going to break that if you keep squeezing it like that.”
The voice pulled him back.
Vanessa Cole leaned casually against the entrance, her eyes fixed on him.
Alex exhaled, dropping the tool onto the bench.
“What are you doing here?”
She shrugged slightly. “Visiting.”
“This isn’t your kind of place.”
A small smile curved her lips. “Funny… I was about to say the same thing about you and Alicia’s world.”
He didn’t respond.
Because she wasn’t wrong.
Vanessa stepped closer, her heels soft against the concrete this time.
“You pushed her away,” she said.
“I did what was necessary.”
“Or what was easy?”
His jaw tightened.
“Why do you care?”
She tilted her head, studying him.
“Maybe I don’t like seeing people throw away something rare.”
He let out a short, humorless laugh.
“People like you don’t believe in things like that.”
“People like me?” she echoed, amused. “And what exactly is that supposed to mean?”
He finally looked at her.
“Rich. Untouchable. Always in control.”
Her smile faded just a little.
“You think Alicia is like that too?”
He hesitated.
And that hesitation said everything.
Vanessa noticed.
Of course she did.
“She came back for you,” she said quietly. “That doesn’t sound very ‘untouchable’ to me.”
Alex looked away.
Because that was the part he couldn’t handle.
“Then why are you here?” he asked.
Vanessa’s expression shifted—subtle, but real.
“Because someone has to be honest with you.”
“And that someone is you?”
“Yes.”
There was no hesitation in her answer.
“You think walking away makes you noble?” she continued. “That you’re protecting her?”
“I am.”
“No,” Vanessa said, stepping closer. “You’re protecting yourself.”
That hit.
Hard.
Before Alex could respond—
A loud voice cut through the moment.
“Hey! You!”
Two men stood at the edge of the shop, their expressions rough, their presence unwelcome.
Alex frowned. “Can I help you?”
One of them stepped forward.
“You’re Alex, right?”
Something about the way he said it made Alex uneasy.
“Who’s asking?”
The man smirked slightly.
“Let’s just say… you’ve been noticed.”
Vanessa’s eyes narrowed.
This wasn’t random.
“Look,” Alex said, stepping forward slightly. “If you need something, say it and go.”
“Oh, we will,” the man replied. “But not here.”
Tension rose instantly.
Vanessa moved closer to Alex, her voice low.
“This doesn’t feel right.”
He nodded slightly.
“I know.”
The second man spoke this time.
“You’ve been getting a little too close to things that don’t concern you.”
Alex’s mind flashed instantly to Alicia.
“Stay away from her,” the first man added, his tone no longer casual.
There it was.
The warning.
Vanessa crossed her arms, stepping forward.
“And if he doesn’t?”
The man looked at her, clearly recognizing her now.
That changed things.
His expression shifted—more cautious.
“This doesn’t involve you.”
“Clearly, it does,” she replied coolly.
Silence.
Then the man stepped back.
“For your own good,” he said to Alex, “you’ll listen.”
And just like that—
They left.
The tension didn’t.
Alex exhaled slowly, running a hand through his hair.
“Great.”
Vanessa turned to him, her expression serious now.
“That wasn’t random.”
“I know.”
“They were sent.”
He looked at her.
“By who?”
Vanessa held his gaze.
“You already know the answer.”
And he did.
Mr. Laurent.
For the first time…
This wasn’t just about love anymore.
It was becoming dangerous.
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