Chapter 12: A Visit to His World
531 Words
Back in the dorm, Bella Young leaned over with a teasing grin.
“Sneaking off for calls? Who’s the lucky guy?”
Mia Harper chimed in from her bed, smirking. “Yeah, spill it!”
Lydia Harper shook her head, laughing softly. “No! My dad invited me home for dinner. I just stepped out because it was too noisy in here.”
Chloe Hart pointed at the half-eaten food on her tray. “Hurry up. Bella’s about to finish your sweet-and-sour ribs.”
“Go ahead,” Lydia said lightly, ruffling Bella’s hair. “Eat more, Piggy Bella.”
Bella choked mid-bite. “You’re the pig!”
Laughter filled the room, bright and easy.
“Seriously,” Mia said, eyes wide, “you eat like that and don’t gain a pound? That’s illegal.”
“Totally unfair,” Chloe agreed, shaking her head.
The next morning, Lydia arrived on campus before 7 a.m. Saturday. The grounds were quiet, bathed in soft sunlight. She didn’t want Alexander Blackwood to wait. Loving someone was exhausting. Loving in secret was even harder.
A sleek black car pulled up beside her. The window rolled down smoothly.
“Get in,” a low voice commanded.
She reached for the front door, but Alexander’s tone cut her off. “Back seat.”
Lydia froze, then silently obeyed. The car’s air felt tense, suffocating. She stared out the window, wanting to ask about the photo… about Nora Whitman—but she had no right.
Alexander gripped the steering wheel tighter than necessary. He hated how his eyes kept drifting to her. Since when had he become this distracted?
The car stopped in front of a towering glass skyscraper, its steel frame gleaming in the morning sun.
“Where are we?” Lydia asked.
“My company,” Alexander replied, calm and precise. “You’re getting a makeover this afternoon. You’re not going to dinner looking like that.”
Lydia’s eyes widened. “… Oh.”
Inside, the lobby stretched wide and high, polished to perfection. Four bold letters gleamed above the entrance: Evercrest Group.
Employees straightened at the sight of him. “Good morning, President Blackwood,” they said in unison.
At the front desk, Claire Young, Alexander’s long-time assistant, barely hid a smile. He had finally brought someone with him. And she was a college student? Their CEO—who had never allowed a female presence in the office before—was acting completely normal.
Lydia felt small beneath the towering architecture, the perfect symmetry of marble, steel, and glass, and the scrutinizing gazes of employees. Yet she held herself upright, taking in the power and precision of Alexander’s world quietly.
Alexander didn’t need to look at her; his mere presence was enough to command attention. Every step he took, every subtle gesture, exuded authority. Lydia sat still, absorbing the experience, the intoxicating mix of awe and intimidation.
And yet… there was a thrill in being here, even briefly. A part of his world, even for a single afternoon. She straightened her shoulders, bracing herself for whatever came next.
Because one thing was certain: being close to Alexander Blackwood was thrilling, exhausting, and completely unavoidable.
- Writer
