Romances de _esstiee

Alexander was a little confused.Victoria’s body language and her words hardly matched.She smiled warmly whenever she looked at him, yet she spoke about business with complete seriousness.It was difficult to understand what exactly she wanted.Still, he wasn’t about to step out of line and test his bounds.Whether she had another motive or not wasn’t his concern.Right now, he needed someone willing to listen.Someone willing to believe in him.So he took a deep breath and began.He told her everything.His business.His vision.His goals.His reason for visiting Laurent Financial the previous day.He explained the loan he had applied for.The rejection.The countless companies that had turned him away before then.He spoke about what he lacked.Funding.Connections.Experience.He admitted that he wasn’t looking for charity.Only an opportunity.A chance to prove himself.Throughout the entire conversation, Victoria never interrupted him.She listened.Really listened.Every now an

Alexander stared at the messages on his phone for another few seconds before finally typing out a reply.“Sure, why not.”He paused, then added another message.“Text me the location and I’ll meet you there.”After hitting send, he tossed the phone onto his bed and sighed.He honestly didn’t have much hope for this.If anything, he was more curious than optimistic.Victoria Laurent.The daughter of one of the wealthiest businessmen in the city.Why she wanted to meet him, he couldn’t understand.Still, a small part of him couldn’t help feeling slightly hopeful.Perhaps she really intended to help.Or perhaps she simply wanted to hear about his business idea before politely turning him away like everyone else.Either way, he really had nothing to lose.With that thought, Alexander grabbed a towel and headed into the shower.The warm water washed away some of the exhaustion that had been clinging to him since yesterday’s rejection.He closed his eyes beneath the stream, allowing himself

Alexander stood there for a few seconds after Victoria left.The office had fallen silent.Too silent.The sound of the door slamming behind her still echoed faintly in his ears.With a sigh, he pushed himself away from the couch and walked toward the large floor-to-ceiling glass windows that overlooked the city.The view was impressive.It always had been.Years ago, standing in an office like this had been nothing more than a dream.Now it belonged to him.Yet for some reason, it brought him little comfort today.His hands slipped into his pockets as he stared down at the traffic below.Cars moved through the streets.People hurried along sidewalks.The city carried on as if nothing had happened.Meanwhile, his thoughts felt completely tangled.Eventually, he released a slow breath.Then turned away from the window.Walking back across the office, he lowered himself into his chair.The leather was slightly warm.Alexander frowned.Of course it was.Victoria had just been sitting the

Alexander was already in a bad mood. Right from the moment he switched on the television and watched Daniel Carter’s interview, he had been unable to think about anything else. The interview had been everywhere. Every business channel. Every news website. Every social media platform. It was all anyone was talking about. Daniel Carter. The mysterious heir of Carter Global Holdings. The man who had silently taken over one of the most powerful companies in the world. The same Daniel Carter that had shown up to the gala with Amelia Hart. Alexander sat alone in his office, staring at the now dark television screen. His thoughts refused to settle. Instead, they kept circling back to the same thing. Daniel. For all he knew, Daniel would come for him next. After all, powerful men didn’t take humiliation and disrespect well. And from Alexander’s point of view, he had very much offended Daniel. He had challenged him. Dismissed him. Looked down on him. And now he knew exactly

He hadn’t even crossed the street when she caught up with him.“Hi.”The word left Victoria’s mouth before she could reconsider.The young man stopped walking immediately.Turning toward her, he looked genuinely confused.“Hi?”His eyebrows furrowed slightly.Victoria almost laughed.Clearly he wasn’t expecting to be stopped.Especially not by her.For a moment, neither spoke.Then he broke the silence.“I’m sorry, but do I know you?”“No, you don’t.”Victoria gestured toward the building they had both just come from.“But this is my father’s company.”Realization flashed across his face.Almost immediately followed by embarrassment.“I saw you getting dragged out,” she continued. “And I just wondered what happened.”“Oh.”He rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.“That.”Victoria nodded.He laughed quietly.Not because anything was funny.More because he seemed uncomfortable.“I guess I’m not the type of client your father wants.”There was disappointment in his voice.The kind that

Alexander scoffed.“I didn’t drag her.”He leaned back against the couch, crossing one leg over the other.“She came willingly.”Victoria leaned back against the CEO chair as well, studying him carefully.“Mmm.”She tilted her head.“Well, what did you want to talk to her about?”Alexander’s jaw tightened immediately.“Why do you care?”The answer only made her irritation grow.Victoria stood up from the chair.The movement was slow and deliberate.“Because I am your wife!”Her voice echoed through the large office.Alexander’s expression darkened.But Victoria wasn’t finished.“I’ve tolerated enough, Alexander.”Years of frustration seeped into her words.“How long will you keep obsessing about her?”Silence.His face remained unreadable.Victoria took a step forward.“It’s very clear she has moved on.”Another step.“And with someone clearly out of your league.”That hit a nerve.She saw it immediately.Still, she continued.“Why won’t you just—”“Enough!”Alexander’s voice thundere