I was about to leave the hidden room, questions swirling in my mind, when a knock interrupted the silence. John, Alexander’s ever-loyal bodyguard, stood in the doorway, his expression unreadable.
"Sir, an invitation from Nathaniel York," he announced, his tone steady.
At the mention of Nathaniel’s name, Alexander’s features hardened, his icy exterior returning instantly. Whatever vulnerability I thought I’d seen vanished as he muttered, "I’ll handle it."
John hesitated. "Max Carter might be there too."
Alexander’s jaw tightened. The air between them grew heavier before John retreated, leaving us alone once more.
Once the door clicked shut, Alexander’s focus shifted back to me, his gaze cold and unyielding. The crack I’d briefly witnessed in his armor was gone, replaced by the impene
