CHAPTER THREE

(NATALIE POV)

The taxi pulled up to the towering wrought-iron gates of Alexander’s mansion.

 I dipped my hand in my handbag for cash, taking out the fare and passing it to the driver. 

He gave me a curious glance but said nothing as I climbed out.

I turned to face the mansion, holding my breath and widening my eyes.

 God, the house was enormous, a sprawling estate with tall, glassy windows, literally the largest piece of residential architecture I have ever seen.

It loomed before me like a palace, making me feel utterly small, I started to feel common and out of place again.

What was I doing here? I reasoned afresh.

Would they even let me in? And if they did, how would I navigate such a labyrinth?

I hung around the gate awkwardly, debating whether to call Mark and tell him I couldn’t go through with this. 

Just as I was about to reach for my phone, a voice called out, sharp and direct.

“Hey Miss! Over here.”

Startled, I looked up to see a man dressed in a security uniform standing inside the yard, his expression was suspicious.

He gestured for me to come closer.

 My heart thumped vibrantly as I forced my feet to move toward him.

“Good evening,”

 I greeted, my voice quieter than intended as I stopped a few steps away from him.

“I’m Natalie Harper your boss’s secretary. Mark sent me to…”

The moment I said my name, the older man's demeanor shifted. 

His brows lifted slightly, and he straightened himself, bowing his head just enough to be noticeable.

 “Ah, Miss Harper…. I’m Liam, the chief guard.” 

He gestured toward the main house.

 “Mr. Alexander is inside. You’ll find him in the west wing, just follow the path through the garden.”

I blinked at him, startled by the sudden deference. It was as though the very mention of my name carried weight, and I couldn’t decide whether to feel honored or unnerved. 

What did Alexander tell them? Was he expecting me too?

 “Thank you,” 

I finally murmured, nodding as I stepped past him toward the path he indicated.

The garden was immaculate, every hedge trimmed to perfection, the air inside  fragrant with the scent of blooming flowers.

 My steps were tentative, each one measured as I absorbed the overwhelming grandeur of the estate. 

When I reached the front door, I found it slightly opened. I paused, frowning. 

That couldn’t be right. Alexander forgot to close up.

I pressed the doorbell and waited, it echoed within 

But there was no answer. 

However it was like I could hear someone moving inside.

I rang the bell again, craning my neck to peer through the crack in the door.

Still nothing, there was no acknowledgement.

“Hello?” I called softly.

When I still did not get a reply, I inhaled and pushed the door open wider and stepped inside.

My heels clicked against the smooth floor as I ventured farther and farther.

It didn’t take long before the next sight I came across, made me stiffen in alarm.

I saw a familiar figure sitting on the bare floor in one of the grand living spaces, his back against a  sofa. 

The heady scent of alcohol hit me immediately, and my eyes landed on the half-empty bottle beside him. 

“It was Alexander”

And he was looking so unlike himself, 

His typical composure was nowhere to be found he looked utterly dejected, his tie loose and shirt rumpled.

“Sir?” 

I said hesitantly, stepping closer.

“Alex?” I called again, a little more tenderly now.

He didn’t respond, his eyes unfocused as he muttered something under his breath. 

I began to lean  in slightly, and that was the first time I  heard one out of the many things he was saying.

 It was a woman's name.

“Eleanor”

And he seemed to be repeating it like some sort of mantra.

I felt more concerned than awkward now.

Slowly I dropped to the floor beside him, gently nudging the bottle away

 “Alexander, what’s going on?”

For a moment, he didn’t seem to notice me.

 Then after an interval of a few seconds his gaze started to shift and he blinked, as though seeing me for the first time.

.“Natalie,” he murmured tiredly, the name slurring slightly.

I felt this weird pang in my chest as I whispered.

“I’m here,” 

Placing a tentative hand on his arm. 

“Talk to me.”

He said nothing else, instead his head slumped onto my shoulder, catching me off guard.

I froze, unsure of what to do as his weight pressed against me. 

His breathing was heavy, his voice hoarse as he began to murmur the previous word again.

 “Eleanor…”

I rumpled my forehead.

Who was Eleanor? The question buzzed in my mind, but I pushed it aside, focusing instead on the man beside me.

 “It’s okay,” I said gently.

 “You don’t have to say anything. Just… let it out.”

For a moment, he seemed to calm, his body easing very gently.

But then he shifted once more, lifting his head to look at me. 

Our faces were now  inches apart, his features suddenly sharper in the dim light. 

His well carved jaws, the perfect curve of his lips, his ocean blue eyes   dulled by alcohol, they were striking. Sometimes I forgot what a handsome man he was.

Before I could process what was happening, Alexander suddenly leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine.

Shock stiffened me in place. 

His kiss was desperate, almost pleading, and though my mind was screaming at me to pull away, my body betrayed me. 

For a suprising moment, I found myself kissing him back, the warmth of his mouth igniting something I couldn’t name.

But then it didn't take long before reality crashed in, and I regained my senses as fast as I had lost them.

 Quickly, I  shoved him away, my breath unsteady as I scrambled to my feet. 

“I can’t…this isn’t…”

 I stammered, wiping my lips with the back of my hand.

Alexander stared up at me, his expression unreadable. I didn’t wait for him to speak. 

I turned and made a run for it, 

Fleeing the room, with my heart  in my mouth as I made my way back toward the front door.

But just as I thought I had  escaped, reaching a spot outside the building to catch my breath, 

a figure emerged from the shadows near the driveway.

“Well, well. Isn’t this an interesting sight?”

I turned to see a woman, poised and elegant, her features strikingly similar to Alexander’s.

 She smirked, accessing me from head to toe in disdain.

“I didn’t know Alexander hired maids to look so… disheveled.”

Her words stung, and humiliation burned in my cheeks as i remembered what I was running from.

Without another word, I turned and continued with my run, heading for the gate as fast as I can.