Chapter 4

I don’t know what I’m expecting when I agree to Alexander’s plan, but I certainly don’t expect how quickly things move. One moment, we’re in front of the prison discussing what needs to be done, and the next, I’m being escorted to his mansion.

The drive is quiet, as Alexander sits beside me, staring straight ahead with a cold unreadable expression. His silence makes the air feel thick, and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to him than he lets on. Sitting so close to him does something to me. It puts me on edge. It makes my body stand at attention.

As soon as we arrive, Alexander doesn’t waste any time. He gives instructions to his staff and disappears into his office, leaving me alone in the living room. The mansion is enormous and so is his estate, with high ceilings, marble floors, and chandeliers that sparkle like they’re made of diamonds. It feels cold and empty—just like Alexander. There’s no warmth here, no life.

I shiver slightly, wrapping my arms around myself, feeling small in the massive space.

One of the maids approaches me with a polite smile. “Miss Mia, would you like us to prepare a bath for you?”

I nod. The maids lead me to a large luxurious bathroom. They run the bath for me, filling it with fragrant oils and flower petals. The water is warm and soothing. My mind races with thoughts—about Alexander, Eric, Julia… and the baby.

I sink into the tub, closing my eyes as the maids work quietly around me, washing my hair and helping me relax. I can’t stop thinking about everything that’s happened. I’m pregnant. Eric has betrayed me. Julia, my best friend, has stabbed me in the back. And now I’m here, in the home of a man I barely know, agreeing to a plan that could change everything.

When the bath is over, the maids help me dress in a lovely blue dinner gown, and I’m led to the dining room for dinner. I hadn’t realized how hungry I was until the smell of food hits me. The long table is set for three, which surprises me. I thought it would just be Alexander and me.

As I sit down, the doors to the dining room open, and Alexander enters, followed by a woman I recognize immediately. Sarah, Eric's secretary.

My mouth almost drops open. Why is she here? She has always seemed pleasant enough when I’ve seen her at events, but why is she here now?

Alexander takes his seat at the head of the table, his expression still distant and cold, as if nothing in the world could touch him. Sarah sits beside him, offering me a warm smile.

“Mia, I know this must be a lot to take in,” Sarah begins. “But I’m not just Eric's secretary. I’ve been working as Mr. Alexander’s spy for years, gathering information on Eric.”

I blink, stunned. “You’ve been spying on Eric? Why?”

Sarah exchanges a look with Alexander before turning back to me. “Eric has been involved in some... illegal activities for a long time. Alexander has his reasons for wanting to take him down, but we’ll get to that in a moment. Right now, I just want you to know that you’re safe here. We’re going to make sure that Eric and Julia won’t hurt you again.”

I stare at her, trying to process everything. It feels like the ground has shifted beneath me, and I’m not sure if I can trust anything anymore.

“What about Alexander’s intentions?” I ask, my voice shaking slightly. “Why is he doing this?”

Alexander’s cold eyes meet mine across the table. For a moment, I think I see something flicker there—something deeper, something personal—but it’s gone as quickly as it appears.

“I have scores to settle with both Eric and Julia,” Alexander says, his voice devoid of emotion. “Eric’s betrayal runs deeper than you know. And Julia... she’s just a pawn in this game.”

His words make my stomach turn. Julia had been my best friend. She’d been there for me during some of the hardest times in my life, and now to hear she had been playing a role in my downfall feels like a knife twisting in my heart. I clench my hands in my lap.

“But I won’t force you into anything,” Alexander continues. “It’s up to you if you want revenge. If you don’t, I won’t hold it against you.”

Revenge. The word echoes in my mind, tempting me.

Could I really go through with it? Could I really destroy the people who hurt me? My heart is heavy with hurt, betrayal, and anger, and for the first time in weeks, I feel like I'm in control.

“I... I want revenge,” I whisper. “They took everything from me.”

Alexander nods, as if he had expected nothing less. “Then you’ll have it.”

Dinner passes in silence after that, with Alexander occasionally giving Sarah instructions and discussing business matters that go over my head. I’m too lost in my own thoughts to pay attention. My life has turned upside down, but maybe—just maybe—I can find a way to regain control.

Over the next few weeks, Alexander ensures I’m well taken care of. His staff treats me like a queen, and every need I have is met. He prepares everything for the baby, from designing a nursery to hiring the best doctors to monitor my pregnancy. And yet, despite his care, Alexander remains distant. He rarely speaks to me outside of business matters, and whenever we’re in the same room, there’s a wall between us. There's a coldness to him that I can’t break through.

But there are moments. Small moments when I see the man behind the mask—the man who cares, even if he won’t admit it. I see it in the way he glances at me when he thinks I’m not looking. I see it in the way he makes sure everything is perfect for the baby. And I see it in the way he stays up late, working tirelessly, as if he’s trying to protect me from something I can’t understand.

The more time I spend with Alexander, the more I find myself drawn to him. His coldness is a barrier, but I know there’s something deeper beneath it. I can feel it in my bones, in the way my heart flutters whenever he’s near. But I keep my feelings buried. I can’t afford to get hurt again. Not after what Eric has done to me.

Months pass, and soon, it’s time. The birth is filled with different emotions—fear, pain, relief, and joy all mixed together. Alexander has arranged everything perfectly. The doctors are there, the staff ready to assist, and when I finally hold my child in my arms, I feel a kind of love that I’ve never known before.

But amidst the joy, there’s a new kind of pain. Shortly after the birth, Sarah hands me a set of divorce papers. Eric has sent them through her. My heart clenches as I stare at the papers.

It’s over.

"I didn't want to give it to you before now because I know you need time to heal," Sarah says. "But Eric keeps insisting and I can't hold him off much longer. He and Julia want to get married. I'm so sorry."

I sign them. What else can I do? Me and Eric's chapter is closed. We're officially over. He wants to start over with Julia, and that's fine.

After signing the papers, I hand them back to Sarah. She gives me a sad smile but says nothing more. There’s nothing left to say.

Now, as I sit in the nursery holding my child, my heart aches with everything I can’t say.

I think about Alexander. I want him to feel for me what I’ve begun to feel for him. But I’m too scared, too broken from Eric’s betrayal, to reach out. And Alexander, as cold and distant as ever, seems determined to keep his distance.

Still, there’s a part of me that hopes. Hopes that one day, Alexander will break through the walls he’s built and show me that he cares. But for now, I have my child, and that’s enough.

Or at least, it will have to be.