Alexandra was halfway through her morning routine, her office still wrapped in the soft quiet of early hours. The faint hum of the air conditioner mixed with the rustle of paper as she flipped through reports. She was about to sign a document when her phone buzzed against the desk, the vibration startling in the still room.
Sam had messaged her.
Sam: Hey... why didn't you wake me? I reached for you and you weren't beside me.
A warm smile tugged at Alexandra's lips. She could almost picture Sam's sleepy face, hair messy, voice still heavy with morning fog.
Alexandra: I didn't want to wake you so early. You deserve a longer rest... especially after last night.
She bit back a grin at the memory.
A moment later:
Sam: Silly. I should get ready for work now. Talk to you later.
Alexandra: Enjoy your day. I'll come over later.
She set the phone aside just as a gentle knock broke her focus.
Gwen stepped inside holding a steaming cup, the scent of freshly brewed coffee trailing behind her. "Here's your coffee, Ms. Alex."
"Thank you, Gwen," Alexandra said, wrapping her fingers around the warm mug. The heat seeped into her palms, grounding her.
She barely lifted it to her lips when the door burst open.
"Hey! Hey! Hey! Look who's back from a quick little escape to Paris!" Stacy announced, her heels clicking confidently across the floor.
Gwen straightened. "Good morning, Ms. Holloway."
"Good morning, Gwen." Stacy flashed her a smile.
"Would you like some coffee as well?" Gwen asked.
"Yes, please. Thank you!" Stacy answered, dramatically placing a hand over her chest as if receiving a gift.
Gwen nodded and left.
Alexandra leaned back in her chair. "So? How was Paris with Zoe?"
Stacy exhaled a dreamy sigh. "Lovely. I just wanted Zoe to enjoy a few carefree days before the first trimester starts weighing her down. We walked, we ate, we napped. She loved every second."
"Finally," Alexandra teased. "A baby Holloway is on the way."
Stacy smirked. "And when will baby Brand be joining the world? Speaking of—have you told Sam everything? You two are actually together now, right?"
Alexandra lifted a brow. "Yes and no."
Before Stacy could launch into interrogation mode, Gwen returned with a coffee cup and a stack of documents.
"Ms. Holloway, here's your coffee." She set it down neatly before turning to Alexandra. "And these are the documents you requested, Ms. Alex."
"Thank you, Gwen. And make sure you update me on the companies I mentioned yesterday."
"Yes, Ms. Alex."
Once the door closed, Stacy scooted forward, eyes gleaming. "Okay. Spill it, Ms. Brand. I'm ready for all the juicy details."
Alexandra snorted. "Love, marriage, and pregnancy changed you. You used to be the coldest person alive. Now look at you—addicted to gossip."
Stacy smacked her arm lightly. "Shut up! You owe me this."
"Fine." Alexandra lifted her mug, inhaling the steam. "Yes, we're together. For real. And no... I haven't told her everything yet."
Stacy paused mid-sip. "What? Alex, that was supposed to be step one. I thought your confession included the truth."
"It was supposed to." Alexandra stared at the swirls of steam. "But it didn't go as planned. When I told her I love her, everything hit me at once. The moment was too intense. I got overwhelmed and... I didn't get to say it."
"Uh-hmm," Stacy said, watching her closely.
"I wanted to tell her after, but now I'm delaying it."
"And why exactly?" Stacy folded her arms. "What's stopping you?"
Alexandra hesitated, feeling the heaviness of yesterday return. "I met with Mr. Stevens. While we were catching up, he told me something about Kingsley Technologies. He warned me about how they treat partners and suppliers. Said things looked unstable. Our holding company invested recently, so he told me to be careful."
Stacy's expression shifted. "And you think something's actually wrong?"
"I know something is," Alexandra whispered. "Because I know Sam. She's not careless. She works hard. She loves that company. Something's happening behind her back."
"You trust her that much?"
Alexandra nodded. "I love her, Stace. Of course I trust her. And you saw the reports—we both vetted Kingsley. Everything looked solid."
Stacy leaned back slowly. "So what's your plan?"
"I need to investigate," Alexandra said, her voice steady, each word deliberate. "I need evidence. If I show up at Kingsley every day as an investor, it'll draw attention. But if I'm there as... Sam's girlfriend, no one will question it. Sam can't know—it would look like we're covering things up together, and that could compromise everything I uncover."
Stacy let out a low whistle. "I didn't know you were doing part-time detective work."
"This is serious," Alexandra said softly. "Someone might be trying to sabotage the company. And if they succeed, the blame will land on Sam. I can't let that happen."
"Why would anyone try to destroy the company or the CEO?" Stacy asked.
"Envy," Alexandra said quietly. "And hatred."
A name flickered across her mind—someone she couldn't shake off her suspicion list.
"Well," Stacy said after a beat. "Good luck. I hope you find what you're looking for before anyone finds out who you really are."
Alexandra took a slow sip of her coffee, the warmth spreading through her chest. Her eyes drifted to the window. The city pulsed beyond the glass, bright and unaware.
But Alexandra could feel it.
A shift.
A tension.
The start of something dangerous.
And she would face it before it ever reached Sam.
--
Later that afternoon, once work hours had wound down, Alexandra made her way to Kingsley Technologies. The building stood tall against the fading sunlight, glass panels glowing with the reflections of a soft orange sky. Inside, the lobby buzzed quietly with employees heading home, their footsteps echoing faintly across the polished marble floor.
Alexandra chose a seat on one of the sleek gray sofas. Her dress was simple—soft, elegant fabric hugging her silhouette—but somehow she made it look luxurious just by being in it. Her hair framed her face perfectly, and even in the neutral office lighting, she looked effortlessly captivating.
She crossed her legs, sinking back into the cushion, scrolling through her social media to pass time. The light from her phone screen reflected in her eyes, pulling her attention in until a gentle voice broke the moment.
"Excuse me," the woman said. "A secretary position just opened in my office. If you worked for me, I'd actually come to work every day. Even on weekends."
Alexandra looked up. A woman with warm brown eyes and a disarming smile stood in front of her, clearly taken by what she saw.
"Oh? That would be sad," Alexandra replied smoothly. "Because if you work on weekends... that means I'd have to work weekends too."
Ashley laughed, the sound soft and charming. "Right. And I'd probably be arrested for making you work on your days off."
"Probably," Alexandra said, smiling politely.
"I'm Ashley, by the way." She extended a hand toward her.
Before Alexandra could take it, another woman stepped out from the shadows, intercepting the gesture as she clasped Ashley's hand herself—measured, possessive, unmistakably deliberate.
"And I'm her girlfriend."
Sam's voice carried warmth, but there was a spark of claim in it.
Ashley whipped around. "Sam? Omg—girlfriend?" Her eyes widened, realization clicking. "So you are Alexandra?"
"Yes." Alexandra rose gracefully. "Alexandra Brand."
Ashley looked between them, stunned into a grin. "You weren't exaggerating, Sam. She's even more gorgeous than you described."
Sam lifted a brow. "And this one is taken. Hit on anyone else, Ashley."
Ashley placed a hand dramatically over her chest. "Can you blame me? Look at her. She's stunning."
She turned to Alexandra with a hopeful tilt of her head. "You're sure about Sam? I'm also available, you know."
Alexandra laughed softly. "Too late. She already made sure I'm completely head over heels. Whatever potion she used worked on me from head to toe."
Sam smirked, her posture relaxing as she slipped an arm around Alexandra's waist. "Hear that? Sorry, Ash. There's no one like her."
Ashley sighed dramatically. "Now I want to start visiting coffee shops hoping to bump into a woman like you."
Sam squeezed Alexandra gently. "No use trying. She's one of a kind. And she's mine."
"Fine, fine." Ashley raised her hands in surrender. "I'll find my own heartbreaker next time. But it was lovely meeting the woman who managed to thaw the hard-stone CEO. Have a wonderful night, lovers."
She gave them a playful salute before stepping toward the elevators.
"It was my pleasure," Alexandra said warmly.
"Goodnight, Ash," Sam added.
Ashley disappeared down the hallway, and the lobby grew quiet again. Sam turned to Alexandra, unable to hide the grin pulling at her lips. Alexandra held her gaze, feeling a flutter of warmth in her chest.
As they walked toward the exit, Alexandra felt Sam's gaze linger on her, warm and intent. She caught the subtle flicker in Sam's eyes, the way her attention traced the curve of her waist, the way the dress seemed to fit her perfectly.
"I really love that dress," Sam murmured. "You look stunning in it. But if it's going to attract other women... then you can only wear something like this when I'm around."
Alexandra's lips curved into a teasing smile. "Oh? So you are the possessive, slightly jealous type. I had a feeling." She leaned closer, letting the faintest spark of mischief flicker in her gaze.
Sam's fingers brushed the back of Alexandra's arm, light but deliberate. "What's mine is mine, Ms. Brand. And you... are mine."
Alexandra's breath caught. A slow warmth spread through her at the sound of Sam's words. She leaned in, letting her lips hover near Sam's ear, her breath teasing against her skin, and the playful tension between them thickened like honey, sticky and sweet
"I like it when you're possessive of me," she whispered. "It makes me wet down there."
Sam inhaled softly, the sound barely audible but impossible to miss. That single note of reaction sent a delicious thrill down Alexandra's spine.
"Oh, really?" Sam murmured, recovering with a playful edge. "Then maybe we should cancel our reservation. I'm starting to think my dinner is better served... in my bed."
Alexandra pulled back enough to meet Sam's eyes—dark, warm, and full of sparks. She winked, slow and sultry. "I'm reserved for dessert, baby."
She slipped her fingers through Sam's, giving the slightest tug toward the doors. "Come on. I'm starving."
Sam let out a breath that was almost a laugh, almost a groan, and fell into step beside Alexandra. The faint trace of her own perfume — soft, intoxicating — mingled with the air between them. Alexandra felt the subtle quickening of Sam's pace and the way her presence pressed just a little closer, and it sent a slow pulse of warmth through her.
Without needing to say more, they stepped out of the building together, the promise of the night stretching between them.