LOGINALYONAThe next morning came far too quickly. We were all supposed to leave for the airport by noon, and my bags were already packed and checked twice, but my mind wasn’t anywhere near the luggage. I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I kept seeing Paris, the rain, his smile, and the way he looked at me as if he was seeing something he wasn’t supposed to want. A foolish part of me hoped he might knock on my door before we left and say something, anything, but my phone stayed silent, and the spot in the hallway where the team usually waits for him was completely empty.I tried to convince myself that he might have overslept or been tired, but the truth was, I just needed to see him. So I walked to his room and knocked gently at first. There was no answer. I knocked again, louder this time, but still nothing. A heavy, uneasy feeling crawled up my spine. Alexander never ignored calls and never missed anything. I checked my phone again, saw the two unanswered calls to him, and the
ALYONAI stand near the edge of the ballroom, watching as the party reaches its peak—glittering lights, champagne glasses, the soft hum of conversations layered under upbeat music. Paris knows how to celebrate, but tonight feels different. Maybe it’s because Enamore truly outdid itself. Or maybe… It’s because of him. My eyes drift across the room until they find Alexander. He’s surrounded by people—designers, directors, important faces who want his attention. He stands tall, poised in that effortless way of his, listening intently as someone speaks to him. And yet all I can think about is the way he looked at me today.My heart does this fluttering thing, and I have to look away before someone catches me smiling like an idiot. Because God… what was today? What was that?It feels like I lived a dream. Like I stepped into someone else’s life for a few hours—a girl who gets to spend the day with Alexander Hunt, not as an assistant, not as someone tagging behind schedules and responsibili
Something inside me tightens. My chest, my stomach, my mind—it’s all screaming that I’m falling for her. And in that instant, all the careful control I’ve clung to feels fragile, meaningless. She is too alive. Too real. Too… her.The umbrella suddenly opens above me, a sharp reminder of the world outside my thoughts. I glance at my bodyguard, but my eyes immediately return to her. She catches my gaze and tilts her head slightly, raising one hand as if to say, Come join me. But I hesitate. The idea of stepping fully into this moment, into her world, into her joy—feels both irresistible and impossible. I just watched, lost.A few moments pass. The rain pounds harder, plastering her hair to her cheeks, soaking the fabric of her dress, and she laughs softly, a sound that makes my chest ache. Something in me snaps. I grab the umbrella, and I hold it over her, shielding her from the worst of the rain. She looks up at me, shivering slightly, and smiles. “You’re right,” she says, “But I don’t
ALEXANDERShe is different. I knew it from the first moment, but sitting beside her now makes it impossible to ignore. Alyona is alive in a way most people aren’t. She notices things others rush past. She finds joy in small moments—a view, a word, a stray thought—and somehow it makes everything around her feel lighter.And I don’t understand why I listened to her wish. Why I changed my plans. Why I chose to spend this day with her.Maybe… deep down… I wanted to.Maybe I wanted to see how she looks when she’s curious or excited, or smiling at something only she understands.Last night I was restless. I couldn’t work, couldn’t focus, couldn’t stay still. All I kept thinking was: Where did she go? Is she safe? Why did she walk away like that?And when I saw her again, something inside me eased. Like she carried an answer I didn’t know I was waiting for.I shouldn’t feel this way. I know that.But every time she comes close, something shifts. I try to deny it, ignore it, push it down, and
ALYONAThe first thing I felt was a dull throb behind my eyes. I pressed my face deeper into the pillow, hoping the pain would fade, but it only grew heavier. The sheet under my cheek felt softer than the one I was used to.I opened my eyes with a groan, and in the next breath, a cold realization hit me. This wasn’t my room. The walls were different, the air felt different—everything was wrong and familiar at the same time. Then it clicked.This was Alexander’s room. My pulse stumbled. I pushed myself upright slowly, blinking as small pieces of last night flickered in my mind—me leaning against him, my tired words slipping out too easily. Nothing came in order. I couldn’t catch anything clear enough to trust, and that terrified me.Before I could gather my thoughts, the bathroom door opened. I looked over without thinking, then nearly forgot how to breathe. Alexander stepped out, towel in hand, as he shook water from his hair. Another towel sat low on his waist, his chest bare. My eye
Something in me snapped — maybe the wine, maybe the whole night, maybe just him. I narrowed my eyes at him, my head tipping a little to the side. “You can’t be serious.” He didn’t blink. “How is it fair,” I said, stepping closer, “That you can take your girlfriend out for dinner—” I jabbed a finger toward him but missed by an inch and had to re-aim, “But I’m not allowed to go out with another man?”His jaw flexed, but he chose to stay silent.It made me even more annoyed. My nose scrunched, my forehead wrinkling in the most unflattering way, but I didn’t care. “Why do you act like you’re my boyfriend?” I demanded, poking his chest this time and actually hitting the target. “You had a problem with Damien. You had a problem with Mason. Now you have a problem with Matthieu.”He looked down at my finger like it personally offended him. I crossed my arms, swaying a tiny bit but keeping my chin high. “Well?” I said. “Anything? No? Great.”He didn’t answer. He didn’t even try. And that… that
ALEXANDERIn the middle of the night, a private Boeing helicopter descended onto the rooftop of New York’s tallest residential tower. The blades sliced through the silence, stirring the cold air into sharp gusts that swept across the glass skyline.As the door slid open, I stepped out.The wind tug
ALYONAExcited and nervous, the three of us climbed into the taxi. I could feel the rush of thoughts swirling in my head, my stomach fluttering with anticipation. Olivia, Ivy, and I had waited for so long, and now that it was finally here, none of us could sit still. We kept stealing glances at eac
ALYONAWe breathed out together, but the relief was short-lived. Now came the part none of us were ready for. I turned and shot Olivia and Ivy a deadly glare. One lie will lead to a thousand more. My mom’s voice echoed in my head like a warning bell. And here I was—living proof of that wisdom. Shaw
They say people come to New York for two reasons — to follow their hearts or chase their dreams. The first time I ever came to New York, I wasn't even born yet. I was curled up in my mother’s womb, just a tiny peanut.My parents’ love story was short but intense — enough to bring two children into







