جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 30

Alexander’s POVEven after Althea had been gone for quite some time, the faint smile on my lips refused to fade.“That’s not like you, Mayor.”The smile disappeared instantly the moment I heard a familiar voice coming from the side window.“Didn’t I tell you to use the door?” I said seriously before turning to him.He stood by the window, leaning casually against it with his arms crossed, as if he owned the place.“What are you doing here, Lindon?” I asked, my tone sharp.“Nothing. Just passing by,” he replied with a shrug. Then his grin widened. “Although I did see you sitting there earlier, smiling to yourself like an idiot.”I shot him a glare. “Leave. You’re not needed here.”“Ouch,” he said dramatically, clutching his chest as if wounded. “You’re so harsh. I’m the only one who still considers you a friend, and this is how you treat me?”“You’re not my friend.”That made him pause.Only for a moment.Then he cleared his throat, his expression gradually shifting as he realized I wa

Third Person POVBy mid-morning, the municipality had already settled into its usual rhythm—papers moving from desk to desk, voices kept at professional levels, footsteps measured along polished floors. On the surface, everything remained orderly.Inside Alexander’s office, it was no different.He sat behind his desk, composed as always, reviewing documents with the same steady focus he gave everything. The watch on his wrist caught the light briefly as he turned a page—subtle, precise, unfamiliar in weight but not in presence.A soft knock came.“Come in.”The door opened without hesitation.The man who entered did not look around the office out of curiosity, nor did he carry the careful politeness most visitors had when stepping into the mayor’s space. Instead, he walked in with quiet certainty, the kind that did not need to announce itself to be felt.Alexander didn’t immediately speak.He didn’t need to.He already knew who it was.Adamson Bailey.Althea’s brother.Their eyes met

Althea’s POVAfter the call ended, I remained seated on the edge of my bed with my phone still in my hand, staring at the dark screen as if Alexander’s face would appear there again if I waited long enough. I didn’t know why my chest felt strangely warm after hearing him say that everything was already arranged, or why his calm voice had managed to soften the nervousness that had been sitting heavily in my stomach since morning, but I knew one thing for sure: tomorrow would not be like the wedding I almost had with Daniel.This time, I wasn’t walking toward a man who was hiding another woman behind a half-closed door.This time, I was walking toward a man who looked at me like my safety was not a burden, like my fear was not something to dismiss, like my name was not the most important thing about me.I released a quiet breath and finally stood up, smoothing my hands over my dress even though there was nothing wrong with it. I had been trying to keep myself busy the entire day, preten

Althea’s POVThe applause around us sounded distant at first, like it was coming from somewhere far beyond the garden, beyond the white arch, beyond the people standing in front of us with careful smiles and curious eyes. For a few seconds, all I could hear was the quiet rush of my own heartbeat and all I could see was Alexander standing in front of me, his hand still near my cheek, his gaze steady on mine as if he was waiting for me to decide whether I wanted to step closer or step away.I did neither.I simply stood there, breathing softly, trying to understand the strange calm that had settled inside my chest after the kiss.It wasn’t the kind of kiss that made the crowd cheer louder or made people tease us with laughter. It wasn’t dramatic, possessive, or performed for the sake of appearances. It was gentle. Careful. Almost restrained. And somehow, that made it more dangerous, because it didn’t feel like Alexander was trying to prove anything to the guests watching us.It felt lik

Althea’s POVWhen I opened my eyes, the first thing I felt was warmth.Not the kind that came from sunlight, although there was already a soft glow slipping through the curtains, touching the edges of the room in pale gold. This warmth was heavier, closer, breathing slowly against me. For a few seconds, I didn’t understand where I was, why the sheets smelled unfamiliar, or why there was an arm resting securely around my waist as if it had been placed there with every intention of keeping me from drifting away.Then I remembered.Alexander.The wedding.The kiss.Last night.My heart gave one hard beat, and my body went completely still.I was lying on my side, and behind me, Alexander’s chest was pressed lightly against my back, his arm around me, his hand resting over mine. He wasn’t holding me tightly, not in a way that trapped me, but there was something so natural about the way he slept beside me that it made my throat tighten. As if this was normal. As if I had always belonged he