Lisa stood in front of her mirror, holding a soft beige blouse in one hand and a lilac dress in the other. Her brows furrowed.
"A blind date?" she mumbled to herself, sighing.
Her adoptive parents had insisted.
"He's the son of the XMB Group's chairman—good background, polite, from a respectable family," her mother had said.
Lisa had nodded quietly. She didn't want to argue. After all, it wasn't like anyone knew the chaos in her heart.
Not even her best friend.
Not even... Alex.
⸻
Downstairs, Alex stood near the front door, talking on the phone with someone from the board. His voice was low and clipped, but when Lisa passed behind him in a flowy lilac dress—his words halted.
He turned.
And stared.
She looked... breathtaking. But the moment their eyes met, Lisa quickly turned away, avoiding his gaze.
He didn't say a word. But his fingers clenched at his side.
⸻
Mia, seated on the couch, watched the entire exchange. She didn't miss the sudden flicker in Alex's eyes, nor the way Lisa seemed to hold her breath when he was near.
Mia narrowed her eyes slightly, something heavy forming in her chest.
Since when did they become like this?
Later, while brushing her hair in her room, Mia thought back to the Maldives.
Alex had acted strange since they returned.
Lisa seemed... fragile. Lost in thought.
Mia's chest tightened.
And though she tried to tell herself she was imagining things—her instincts whispered otherwise.
⸻
Lisa sat nervously at the elegant rooftop restaurant, across from Theo, the XMB heir.
He was polite, charming, and well-mannered.
But Lisa could barely focus.
Every time he smiled at her, she saw Alex's unreadable face in her mind. Every time he reached for his drink, she remembered the warmth of someone else's hand...
Her thoughts were spiraling.
Then her phone buzzed.
Alex:
"Come back. Now."
She stared at the screen.
Her heart pounded.
Why?
Before she could reply, her phone rang again.
She answered. "Hello?"
Alex's voice was low. Controlled. But behind it, a quiet storm.
"Where are you?"
Lisa blinked. "I told you. I'm at the dinner. You knew—"
"I'm picking you up."
And he hung up.
⸻
Ten minutes later, Alex appeared at the restaurant entrance, tall and furious in his black coat. Theo stood, startled.
Lisa's eyes widened. "Alex—what are you doing?!"
Alex didn't answer. He walked straight toward her, grabbed her wrist, and without a glance at Theo, said, "We're leaving."
Lisa struggled. "You're being unreasonable!"
"I don't care."
She looked back at Theo, who gave a hesitant smile. "It's alright. Maybe... we can try again next time."
But Lisa knew—there wouldn't be a next time.
Alex didn't say a word on the drive home.
But his knuckles were white on the steering wheel.
And Lisa... felt her heart trembling again.
He was distant.
But more protective than ever.
And inside her...
The pieces were slowly falling into place.