Chapter Two: The Morning After

The morning after the gala came with an overwhelming sense of confusion and clarity in equal measure.

I woke up to the soft chime of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. My head throbbed gently as the remnants of the night before settled in — flashes of the gala, the unexpected chemistry between Alexander and me, and, of course, the kiss that had changed everything. I couldn’t help but replay it in my mind, over and over again, each time with a different feeling.

Was it really a mistake?

I had to remind myself that this was all part of the plan. Alexander had asked me to be his date for business reasons — to make the investors see the man behind the business. That was all it was. It had to be. No matter how tempting it was to entertain thoughts of something more, I knew the boundaries. He was my boss, the man who signed my paycheck. This was just a fleeting moment of weakness, nothing more.

I grabbed my phone and saw the notifications flooding in. A series of messages from my colleagues and a couple from friends, but one text stood out. It was from Alexander.

Good morning, Ms. Parker. I hope you’re feeling well. We’ll need to meet at 1 p.m. today for a debrief. The night went well, thank you for your support.

I read the message a few times before putting my phone down. He was being so professional, as if the kiss hadn’t even happened. As if it were nothing but a passing moment.

But I couldn’t erase the way his lips had felt against mine, the warmth of his touch, the way his body had pulled me into him like it was instinct. My heart fluttered involuntarily, and I pushed the thoughts away, shaking my head to clear the haze.

I spent the morning preparing for the meeting, but my mind kept drifting back to the previous night. What was happening between us? What did it mean?

By the time 1 p.m. rolled around, I had already changed into a crisp white blouse and a pencil skirt, my hair pulled back into a neat bun. I arrived at the office, greeted by the usual staff, but the sense of unease settled deeper as I walked toward Alexander’s office.

I paused in front of the glass doors, hesitating. I could hear his voice inside, calm and commanding, as usual. I took a deep breath and opened the door, walking in with a sense of determination I didn’t quite feel.

“Good afternoon, Mr. Collins,” I greeted, my voice steady, despite the storm of emotions swirling inside me.

Alexander looked up from the papers in front of him, his face momentarily breaking into a soft smile when he saw me. His sharp blue eyes seemed to soften, just slightly, before he quickly masked it with his usual confident expression.

“Good afternoon, Ms. Parker,” he replied smoothly. “Please, have a seat.”

I sat down across from him, trying to ignore the subtle tension that lingered in the air between us. It was almost as if we were both pretending nothing had happened — that last night’s kiss was a fleeting moment, nothing more than a distraction.

“Everything went well last night,” he began, his tone businesslike. “The investors were impressed, and we’ve got a lot of opportunities ahead of us. I want you to continue handling the new partnership proposals while I focus on finalizing the deals.”

I nodded, trying to focus on his words. I had to. This was work, after all. There was no room for personal distractions.

“Of course. I’ll get started on the reports immediately,” I said, my voice almost robotic in its attempt to stay professional.

For a moment, Alexander didn’t speak. His eyes were on me, studying me with that unnerving intensity that had always made me feel like I was being dissected. It was as though he could see right through the walls I had so carefully built around myself.

“I’m glad you came with me last night,” he said, his voice quieter now, a hint of something else lacing his words. “You did well.”

“Thank you,” I replied, looking down at the stack of papers on the desk in front of me. I could feel the heat creeping up my neck, a flush I couldn’t hide. “I’m glad everything went smoothly.”

There was a brief silence, and then, in an unexpected move, Alexander leaned forward slightly, his gaze softening. “I need to apologize for how I acted last night. I shouldn’t have crossed the line like that.”

I blinked, surprised. This was not the Alexander I knew. He was always confident, sure of himself, and certainly never apologetic.

“You don’t need to apologize,” I said quickly, looking up at him, my heart pounding in my chest. “It was... unexpected, but I understand why you did it.”

His gaze intensified as he studied me, and I could feel my breath catch in my throat. "I don’t want you to think that I’m just... playing around, Ms. Parker. I respect you too much for that."

I couldn’t find the right words. Was this his way of distancing himself, or was he being sincere? The uncertainty made me feel vulnerable, something I wasn’t used to when it came to him.

“I know, Mr. Collins,” I said, trying to sound calm. “I know this is just business. And we’ll move forward as we always have.”

Alexander leaned back in his chair, the intensity of his stare still holding me captive. “Good. Let’s keep it professional.”

But as the meeting continued, I couldn’t shake the feeling that the distance he was trying to create wasn’t as firm as he thought. There was something else simmering beneath the surface, and it was becoming harder to ignore.

As I left his office, my mind was a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. I had always known that the line between professional and personal would be thin when working with someone like Alexander, but I hadn’t realized how easily it could blur.

I was beginning to wonder if last night’s kiss had been more than just a mistake. Maybe it had meant something to him, just as it had meant something to me.

But as I stood outside his office, the weight of the unspoken words between us felt heavier than ever.

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