The morning light filtered through the curtains, soft but persistent. I sat up in bed, still replaying the events of the previous night in my head. The party, Brielle Colton's smug face, and Alexander's cold demeanor—it all sat uneasily with me. It wasn't jealousy, not exactly, but there was something unsettling about seeing Alexander interact with someone like Brielle, someone who seemed to know a version of him that I had no access to.
I shook off the thought as best as I could and focused on getting ready. Today, I needed clarity—on Brielle, on the mission, and, perhaps, on where I stood in all of this. After a quiet breakfast, I decided to find Alexander, still thinking about Brielle's words from the night before.
"Morning," I said when I found him in the study. He was hunched over some papers, but when he looked up at me, his eyes were unreadable.
"Morning," he replied, his voice cool as always.
I stepped further into the room, not wanting to hover in the doorway like I didn't belong here. That made sense, right? "About last night… Brielle mentioned that you two go way back."
"She did, did she?" His tone was flat, offering no invitation for further conversation, but I couldn't let it go.
"I didn't mean to pry. It just seemed… I don't know. She acted like you were old friends. Or more."
Alexander set his papers down and leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving me. "Brielle and I grew up in the same circles. Our families were… close. That's all there is to it."
"That's all?" I pressed, feeling my heart race for reasons I couldn't quite name. Did I have heart problems?
He frowned slightly, clearly not liking the line of questioning. "What are you asking, Ivy?"
"I guess I'm just trying to understand where I fit in all of this." I gestured vaguely, feeling both small and exposed. "The mission, Brielle, your past… You keep everything so close to the chest." Like a man holding onto his already dead wife.
Alexander's eyes softened, but only for a moment. "It's for your protection. There's a lot at stake here, more than you know."
I nodded, feeling like I was hitting a wall. Why didn't I know? "You can trust me, you know. I'm here to help."
For a moment, it looked like he might say something, that he might actually let me in. But then his expression closed off again. "Trust isn't the issue."
I bit my lip, deciding not to push further. He looked like he was ready to unsliced me if I asked any more questions. Instead, I pivoted to something more concrete. "So what's the plan now?"
Alexander's eyes flickered to the documents on his desk before he looked back at me. "There's another event coming up. This time, it's more private. I'll need you to keep an eye on Brielle. She might be our way in to the Coltons."
I blinked, surprised that he was willing to let me take a more active role. "What do you mean? You want me to talk to her?"
"Yes, but carefully. If she lets anything slip about her father's business or connections, we need to know."
The responsibility of it settled heavily on me. "Alright, I'll do it. But what exactly are we hoping to find?"
Alexander paused for a moment, then stood up, walking around the desk to stand closer to me. "The Coltons have been linked to several disappearances, including my mother's. I don't know how deep their involvement is, but they have connections we need to understand. If we're lucky, Brielle might lead us to something—or someone—who knows more."
His mother. My chest tightened at the vulnerability in his words, the one person he seemed to care about, the one person who made him feel human.
"I didn't realize it was that personal," I said softly.
"It's always been personal," he replied, his voice hardening again as if to shut down any further conversation.
I nodded, taking a step back. "I'll do what I can."
There was a pause, a moment where our eyes met again, and I could feel the weight of everything unsaid between us. I had questions, ones I knew he wouldn't answer right now. Why me? Why was he starting to let me into this dark, complicated part of his life? And why did I care so much?
Before I could ask anything, he broke the silence. "We'll leave for the event tomorrow. Be ready."
I watched him walk back to his desk, the conversation clearly over. But this time, I didn't feel brushed aside. I had a role to play now, a chance to prove I could be more than just an accessory in this game. As I turned to leave the room, I glanced back at Alexander, who was already back to his work, his face a mask of calm.
I wasn't sure if I'd ever really understand him, but I was determined to try. I hope my determination would be enough.
I left Alexander's study, the weight of the conversation hanging heavily on my shoulders. The more I learned about his past, the more I realized how much he had been holding back. It wasn't just his mother's disappearance; it was the whole world he had built to protect himself. There was something fragile beneath his cold exterior, something he kept hidden behind layers of detachment. But I could see glimpses of it, and that only made my curiosity grow. I wanted to know.
As I walked down the hallway, the echoes of my footsteps were the only sound in the vast, quiet resort. My mind wandered back to Brielle Colton, her arrogant smirk, and the way she'd tried to diminish me at the party. Now, knowing she could be linked to Alexander's mother's disappearance made everything even more unsettling. What was she hiding? And what role did her father play in this tangled web of secrets? Maybe she was involved herself.
I shook my head, trying to shake off the unease that gripped me. I needed to focus. Tomorrow's event would be crucial. If Brielle let anything slip, I had to be ready to catch it. I'd have to put aside the personal tension between us and play the role Alexander needed me to. At least for now.
But as determined as I was to help him, part of me couldn't ignore the growing tension between us. Every glance, every shared moment felt charged with something neither of us dared to name. And that unsettled me more than anything. Was it because I was getting closer to the truth, or was it something else entirely? What was wrong with me?
I sighed as I reached my room, pushing the door open and stepping inside. The room felt cold, the stillness amplifying the thoughts swirling in my head. I sat on the edge of the bed, my mind replaying Alexander's words. **"It's always been personal."**
His mother. The woman who had been taken from him. Sixteen years of not knowing, of wondering what had happened to her. How did someone even begin to cope with that kind of loss? No wonder he kept people at arm's length. No wonder he guarded himself so fiercely. As dumb as it sounds, I wanted to guard him too.
I lay back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. I didn't want to think about it anymore, not tonight. Tomorrow was going to be a long day, and I needed to be prepared. But sleep didn't come easily. My mind wouldn't stop racing—about Brielle, about Alexander, about everything I still didn't understand.