Chapter Nine: Unraveling Tension 

Her heart raced with excitement as she watched them, and without a second thought, she rushed over to Alexander, her hands reaching out to touch his arm. “Alexander!” she exclaimed, a bright smile lighting up her face. “When did you get cured? How are you suddenly able to—

”The moment her hand made contact with him, it was as though something snapped. Alexander recoiled, his body stiffening as his breathing quickened. The familiar, overwhelming sensation of panic surged through him, and his hands shot up to his temples, his eyes tightly shut as he struggled to breathe.

Jessica’s smile faded instantly, replaced by a look of horror. “Oh no... you’re not cured...” she whispered, stepping back in disbelief as Alexander’s chest heaved with the effort to regain control. The sight of him brought back the harsh reality—he wasn’t cured. He hadn’t gotten over his fear.

Panicked, Jessica turned and bolted from the yard, her voice shaking as she called out, “I’ll get help! Don’t worry, Alexander!” She ran into the house, desperate to find his assistant, Lucas.

Meanwhile, Aria stood frozen, unsure of what to do. She watched as Alexander gripped his head, his breathing ragged. Her first instinct was to rush inside and grab his medication, but before she could move, his hand shot out, grabbing hers.

“Don’t... leave,” he managed to say between deep, labored breaths.“B-but your medication—”

“No,” Alexander cut her off, pulling her closer. “You’re... the best medicine.”

Aria blinked in confusion. She didn’t understand what he meant, but before she could question him, he reached out and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace. His face buried in the crook of her neck, inhaling deeply.

“Your scent...” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper as he tightened his grip around her waist. “It calms me... grounds me.” 

Aria’s heart raced as she stood there, completely frozen in his embrace. Her mind was spinning. What was he talking about? Her scent? But she didn’t wear perfume. The confusion in her eyes deepened as she slowly raised her hands, awkwardly placing them on his back, unsure of how to respond. 

“Alexander...” she began hesitantly, her voice soft. “I don’t wear any perfume.”

But Alexander didn’t seem to hear her. His breathing gradually steadied as he remained buried in the comfort of her presence, the tension slowly draining from his body. His grip on her relaxed slightly, but he didn’t let go. It was as though he needed her right there, at that very moment, more than anything.

Aria, still confused, didn’t know what to make of it. She had been prepared for an angry confrontation after hearing Jessica claim to be his fiancée. But this? This was something she hadn’t expected at all. What did she really mean to him? She couldn’t ignore the growing warmth she felt from his embrace, and though she didn’t understand why, a part of her didn’t want to pull away.

Just as Aria was trying to process everything, the door behind them swung open with a thud, interrupting the moment. Lucas and Jessica stood frozen at the entrance, their eyes wide with shock. 

Lucas’s gaze fell to the scene before him—Alexander, the man who could barely stand to be touched by any woman, now holding Aria as though he was clinging to life itself. His jaw dropped, and in his surprise, the small vial of medication slipped from his fingers, crashing to the ground and rolling away.

Jessica’s reaction was far more visceral. Her eyes narrowed with a mix of fury and disbelief, her hands curling into tight fists at her sides. "How?" she screamed inwardly, her nails digging into her palms. "How can she touch him when I can’t?"

“Alexander,” she seethed through clenched teeth, her voice shaking with barely contained rage. “How... how is this possible? How can she touch you and I can’t? What’s so special about her?” She spat the words, her face turning red with jealousy. 

Aria, suddenly realizing they were being watched, tried to pull away, but Alexander held her firmly. He turned slightly to face Jessica, his expression cold and detached, completely ignoring her outburst. 

“Jessica, leave,” he said in a low, commanding voice, his eyes flicking toward her but showing no emotion.

Jessica’s mouth fell open, her face contorting in disbelief. “You can’t be serious! You’re just going to stand there and hold her, but push me away?” Her voice rose in pitch, frustration oozing from every word.

Jessica’s face flushed with anger and humiliation. How could this happen? How could she—the daughter of the David family—be replaced by some nobody? She wanted to scream, to lash out, but she held herself back, realizing that she couldn’t afford to make a scene here.

“You’re making a mistake, Alexander,” Jessica said through gritted teeth.

But Alexander’s icy demeanor didn’t change. “Go,” he repeated, this time with a sharper edge to his tone, making it clear he wasn’t in the mood for arguments.

Jessica looked like she might explode, but before she could say another word, Lucas stepped in, placing a hand on her shoulder. “Jessica, let’s go,” he said, his tone gentle but firm. He’d never seen Alexander this way before, and it was clear pushing him any further would only make things worse.

With one last glare at Aria, Jessica stormed off, her heels clicking furiously against the floor as she left, her mind racing with thoughts of revenge. "This isn’t over," she told herself. "I won’t let some nobody take him from me."

As soon as she was gone, Lucas hesitated for a moment, his gaze shifting back to Alexander and Aria still in each other’s arms. He cleared his throat awkwardly. “Uh... Mr. Sinclair, should I... should I get the medication anyway?”

Alexander shook his head, still holding Aria close. “No, Lucas. I don’t need it.”

Lucas blinked in surprise but nodded quickly. “Very well, sir,” he said, stepping back and leaving the two of them alone once more.

Finally, Alexander loosened his grip around Aria, allowing her to step back slightly. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes darted to the ground, still processing everything that had just happened.

“Alexander,” she whispered, finally finding her voice, “What’s really going on? Why... why don’t you react to me like you do with others?”

For a brief moment, his expression softened, but then his usual cold mask slipped back into place. “You’re different, Aria,” he said simply, as though that answered everything. “I can’t explain it, but being near you calms me. You’re not like the others.”

She swallowed hard, feeling a strange flutter in her chest. What was he saying? Why did his words make her feel... something? But before she could press him any further, Alexander straightened, taking a deep breath as he regained his composure.

“We should head inside,” he said, his voice back to its usual businesslike tone. “Your fingers needs some medication.”

Aria nodded silently, still lost in her thoughts as she followed him. But one thing was certain—things between them had shifted, and she had no idea what that meant for the future.