The morning sun filtered through the curtains of Isabella's room, casting golden streaks on the floor. But even the soft light of dawn couldn't erase the whirlwind of emotions storming inside her. She lay still, staring at the ceiling, the memory of Alexander's kiss from the night before playing on a loop in her mind.
It wasn't just the kiss—it was everything that came with it. The way his hands had gripped her like she was something fragile he couldn't afford to break. The heat in his gaze. The tenderness hidden beneath all his edges. And the silent promise laced in that one moment: this wasn't going to end simply.
Her phone buzzed beside her. A message from Charlotte.
Charlotte:Lunch today? You've been ghosting me.
Isabella sighed, rolling onto her side. She had been distant from everyone lately, especially Charlotte. Her best friend had no idea what was unraveling in her world.
Isabella:Yeah. Noon at the café?
Charlotte:I'll be there. And you're telling me everything.
The café was quiet, with only a few customers scattered across the tables. Charlotte was already seated when Isabella arrived, her hair tucked under a cap, oversized sunglasses covering half her face.
"You look like you're hiding from the paparazzi," Isabella teased as she sat across from her.
Charlotte pulled off her glasses and grinned. "I am hiding. But not from them—from boring routines. Now, spill. You've been glowing and vanishing. Something's up."
Isabella stirred her drink slowly, uncertain of where to start.
"I kissed him," she finally said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Charlotte blinked. "You kissed Alexander Knight? Wait. Was it just a kiss?"
Isabella's silence was loud enough.
Charlotte leaned forward, her voice dropping. "Isabella... tell me everything."
And she did—every moment, every mixed-up thought and feeling. When she was done, Charlotte leaned back, looking half-stunned and half-impressed.
"Wow. Okay, so... that explains why you've been so distracted," Charlotte said. "But what does this mean? Are you guys... like... together?"
"I don't know," Isabella admitted. "It's complicated. We work together. There's this... tension, but also something deeper. I don't think either of us knows what we want."
Charlotte sipped her drink. "Just don't lose yourself in this. That man is dangerous. Gorgeous, yes. But still dangerous."
Isabella nodded. "I know. But when I'm with him, it feels like I'm seeing sides of him no one else gets to. And I can't walk away. Not yet."
Later that evening, Alexander stood alone in his penthouse, staring out at the skyline. He hadn't heard from Isabella all day. Not that he expected her to reach out—but part of him had hoped she would.
He wasn't used to uncertainty. He was a man who controlled every part of his life, who didn't allow emotions to cloud his judgment. But Isabella Harper had shattered that control the moment she stepped into his life.
His phone vibrated on the table.
Isabella:I've been thinking about last night.
He stared at the message for a few seconds before replying.
Alexander:And?
Isabella:And I'm not sorry. But I need to know what this is.
There was a long pause before his response came through.
Alexander:Something I can't walk away from.
Isabella stared at the message on her screen, her heart thudding wildly. The words were simple. But they carried weight. It was the first time Alexander had admitted—without games—that she meant something to him.
But just as her lips curled into a soft smile, another message arrived. This time, from an unknown number.
Unknown:You should be careful, Isabella. Not everything is what it seems with Alexander Knight.
Her blood ran cold.
She read the message again. And again.
Just when things had started to make sense… the shadows returned.