I Hid the Mafia Boss’ Heir

CHAPTER ONE

Alexandra’s POV

At the age of twenty-two, I had learned to ignore the eyes following me, not because I failed to notice them, but because I had long since understood what they meant. Every time I walked into a restaurant for a business meeting, stepped into the elevator of my own building, or simply visited a coffee shop near my office, there was always a man who would turn his head, someone who would try to smile, or someone who would suddenly adjust his clothes as if he needed to look presentable just because I had walked past him.

It was normal in my life, but that didn’t mean I was interested.

I stepped out of the elevator, holding the tablet containing the company’s financial report, and the employees I passed greeted me almost simultaneously.

“Good morning, Miss Alexandra.”

“Good morning,” I replied without taking my eyes off the screen.

My office was on the eighteenth floor, and the entire floor served as the headquarters of Alexi & Co., the company I had established four years ago using my own savings and a small investment that didn’t come from my family. It started as an online luxury lifestyle brand selling locally designed accessories, fragrances, and curated fashion pieces. During the first month, we barely made any sales. By the third month, people started recognizing us. After a year, we already had two physical stores in Makati and a distribution partnership in Cebu.

Now, we had more than a hundred employees, and I had accomplished all of that without using my father’s surname.

For other people, that might not seem like a big deal, but to me, it was the most important decision I had ever made in my life.

Everyone knew who my father was. Even though he never publicly bragged about what he did, hearing his name was enough for people to understand that I didn’t come from an ordinary family. He was a man with enormous influence, countless connections, and a world I had chosen not to enter.

I didn’t hate my father. I wasn’t afraid of him either.

I simply didn’t want everything I had to be associated with him anymore.

I wanted people to hear the name Alexandra and think of the woman who built her own company, not the daughter of a powerful and feared man. That was why, from the very beginning, I had made my conditions clear to everyone.

No family money. No family connections. No favors.

If I went bankrupt, it would be my fault. If I succeeded, it would belong to me, too.

“Ms. Alexandra, your nine o’clock meeting has been moved to nine-thirty.”

I looked at my executive assistant, Mira, who was waiting beside the conference room.

“Why?”

“The investors asked for another thirty minutes. They’re still on their way.”

I checked the time on my tablet. “Then we’ll give them thirty minutes.”

“Are you okay with that?”

I smiled slightly. “I’m okay with people being late once. The second time, they don’t get a meeting.”

Mira chuckled softly. “Noted, Miss.”

I entered my office and placed the tablet on my desk. The room was spacious, but the design was simple. There were no family pictures here. No awards I was particularly proud of.

I sat down and opened the financial report. The numbers were good, even better than I had expected, but I wasn’t accustomed to being satisfied with good results because I wanted things to be better.

I wanted us to expand internationally before I turned twenty-five. I wanted to establish my own manufacturing facility. I wanted the designers who started with me to make a name for themselves in the industry, and most importantly, I wanted to prove to myself that I could build something without anyone’s help, especially my family’s.

Even though I was the daughter of a man who could give me everything, I had never asked for it.

“You’re twenty-two and already running a company this big.”

I looked toward the doorway.

Adrian was standing there, one of the potential investors I was supposed to meet that morning. He was wearing a navy suit, his hair neatly styled, and a smile that men who knew they had charm were accustomed to using.

“Is that what your assistant told you?” I asked the man.

He chuckled. “No. I did my research.”

“Then you should also know that I don’t appreciate people researching my personal life before a business meeting.”

“I researched the company,” he replied with an ego.

“Good,” I answered, raising an eyebrow.

He sat on the other side of my desk. “You built this from scratch?”

“Yes.”

“That’s quite impressive.”

“Thank you.”

“I also heard you’re single.”

I looked at him. “I don’t remember that being part of the company profile.”

He laughed, obviously amused by my response. “You’re direct.”

“I don’t have time to do anything else.”

He shook his head with a smile. “A lot of men would like to take you out.”

“A lot of men apparently have too much free time.”

He burst into laughter. I didn’t smile, not because I didn’t want to be polite. I simply wasn’t interested in that kind of conversation. At my age, many men assumed I would be easy to impress because I was young, beautiful, and had my own company. Many of them approached me because of my appearance. Others wanted to know how I had become successful so quickly, and perhaps some simply wanted to get me into bed.

Not a single one had managed to do that, no matter how successful they were.

After almost an hour of discussion, the meeting ended smoothly. They liked our expansion plan and promised to send a revised proposal within a week. I didn’t make any promises. I never signed anything just because someone had presented it beautifully.

As I stepped out of the conference room, Mira immediately approached me. “How was it?”

“Possible.”

“That’s your version of good?”

“That’s my version of possible.”

She smiled. “By the way, there are three invitations waiting for you.”

“Three?” I immediately looked surprised.

“One dinner invitation, one charity gala, and one private event.”

“Return them.”

“All?”

“All.”

“Even the charity gala?”

“Send the donation. I don’t need to attend.”

She looked at me as if she wanted to laugh. “You know, most women your age would be excited to receive invitations from men like them.”

“Most women aren’t me.” And that was something I didn’t need to explain. I wasn’t interested in being famous.

I wasn’t looking for a boyfriend. I didn’t need a man to pay for my dinner, open doors for me, or show up in front of other people just to announce that I was his girlfriend.

I could buy my own dinner. I could open my own doors, and I certainly didn’t need anyone’s name to make mine important.

When noon arrived, I left the building for a lunch meeting. I didn’t bother using the company car because the restaurant was only a few blocks away, and I wanted to walk. Two security personnel followed me from a distance, as usual, but I paid them no attention.

When I reached the sidewalk, a man nearly bumped into me because he was staring at his phone.

“Sorry,” he said quickly.

“It’s okay.”

Our eyes met for a moment before he smiled. “Can I make it up to you with coffee?”

I smiled politely. “No.”

“That was quick.”

“I’ve had practice.”

He laughed and shook his head. I continued walking. I didn’t need to be rude to let a man know I wasn’t interested. I had learned that from my mother. Not every rejection needed to come with anger. Sometimes, being clear was enough.

When I arrived at the restaurant, my business partner was already waiting. I sat down, placed my bag beside me, and immediately started discussing the new branch.

This was the life I had chosen. Meetings. Contracts. Deadlines. Employees. Expansion. Problems. Solutions. In between all of that, there were men trying to squeeze themselves into my life, but I wasn’t looking for them.

I wasn’t looking for love either. Honestly, I didn’t know if I still had time for something like that.

After lunch, I returned to the office and continued working until almost seven in the evening. When I stepped out of the elevator, I saw several employees rushing home.

“Good night, Miss Alexandra.”

“Good night. Get some rest.”

“You too.”

I smiled. I didn’t need to shout that I was the boss. They already knew that, and I wanted to be that kind of CEO.

Not the kind of boss people feared, but the kind they respected. When I arrived at the parking area, that’s when I saw a familiar black vehicle.

I stopped. A man wearing a black suit stepped out of the driver’s seat.

“Your father wants to see you, Miss,” he said bluntly.

I sighed. Of course. I remained silent for a few seconds before approaching him.

“Tell him I’m busy.”

“Miss Alexandra, he said it’s important.”

“Everything is important to him.”

“Please.”

I looked at the man. He didn’t seem threatening. I knew he was just my father’s messenger, so instead of arguing, I opened my own car.

“Tell my father I’ll visit him when I have time.”

“Tonight?”

“No.”

“Tomorrow?”

“I said when I have time.” I closed the door, drove away, and didn’t look back.

I knew that wouldn’t be the end of our conversation. I knew the day would come when my father would once again try to remind me where I came from, but for now, I was clear about what I wanted.

I wanted to live as an ordinary Alexandra and not as the daughter of a mafia lord.