Alice’s POV
The door clicked open, and Jane stepped inside, with Zillion just behind her.
Her eyes landed on me first. “There she is—our most outstanding artist!”
I smiled and stood up, walking toward her, but she stopped mid-step when she noticed Sam sitting on the couch. “Oh! You have a guest.”
Zillion entered fully, gaze scanning the room. His eyes met mine, then shifted to Sam, silently assessing. The tension in the air thickened.
I walked over and gave Jane a quick hug. “Thank you.”
Turning to Zillion, I offered a polite smile. “Hello, Zillion. How are you?”
“I’m fine,” he replied, his tone cool and clipped. He didn’t take his eyes off Sam.
“Jane, Zillion…” I began, motioning toward Sam, “meet—”
“Her boyfriend,” Sam interjected smoothly, his grin wide and confident.
My heart
