HIS SILENT OBSESSION

THE FORCED SETUP

The atmosphere in the upscale rooftop lounge was stiflingly formal, despite the soft jazz playing in the background. Maya sat across from Rose, her fingers twisting the stem of her wine glass until her knuckles turned white.

"I still don't get why you insisted we come here, Maya," Rose said, looking around the terrace. "I told you, I’m not really in the mood for 'meeting new people.'"

"It’s not just 'new people,' Rose," Mira insisted, her voice tight.

"It’s... it’s a professional contact. Someone who could really help your tailoring business grow. besides, you need a sponsor, and He’s a big deal. Please, just give him ten minutes."

"Mira, you’re acting weird,"(Rose noted, her brow furrowed).

Before Mira could answer, the entire room seemed to quiet. Heads turned. Alexander Smith walked toward their table with that signature, rhythmic grace—polished, unreachable, and utterly commanding.

​Mira stood up, her smile strained.

"Rose, I’d like you to meet my uncle, AlexanderSmith. uncle Alexander, this is my best friend, Rose.

Alexander didn't look at Mira; he didn't even acknowledge the "niece" aspect of the setup. His eyes locked onto Rose with a focus that made the air feel thin. He pulled out the chair across from her.

"We’ve met," Alexander said smoothly, his eyes never leaving Rose’s.

​Rose felt a jolt of surprise.

"We have? Oh, right! The cafe."

"The cafe," Mira echoed, shocked to realize that her uncle was the one that showed up at the blind date, not Marcus.

Mira shot a desperate look at Rose, silently begging her to play along. Rose, sensing her friend’s anxiety, offered a polite, cautious smile.

"I see. Well, it's nice to see you again, Mr. Smith. "

​"Alex," he corrected immediately. He leaned in, his posture perfectly relaxed, the ultimate predator in a bespoke suit.

"And please, Rose, call me Alex. Mira has told me a great deal about your talent. I find myself quite interested in your... work."

Rose felt a strange shiver—not of fear, but of intrigue. He was so intense, so deliberate in everything he did.

"I’m just a tailor, Alex. I don't know what kind of professional interest you could have in my work."

"You would be surprised," (Alexander said, his gaze dropping to her hands, then back to her eyes. It was a look that felt like he was memorizing her.

"I have a knack for spotting quality before anyone else does. And I don't like to let quality slip through my fingers."

Mira took a long, shaky sip of her drink, watching them. She saw the way Julian watched Rose—not with the warmth of a man in love, but with the fixated attention of a man who had finally acquired a missing piece of his collection. She realized with a sinking heart that she had delivered her best friend directly into the hands of a man who didn't know how to do anything halfway.

"Mira mentioned you were looking for a sponsor," Alexander continued, ignoring the wine list.

"I have a few ideas on how we might be able to collaborate."

"Collaborate?" Rose asked, her guard lowering.

​ "Something permanent,"Alexander said, his voice smooth as silk.

"If you’re willing."