The sun filtered through the tall glass windows of Alexander's office, casting a soft golden glow on the polished wood floors. Serena sat at her new desk, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of her, her fingers frozen on the keyboard. The faint hum of activity from outside the office walls was muted, almost distant, like she was caught in a bubble of silence.
She had taken the job. She was here, working alongside Alexander in his empire, a position she never could have imagined for herself before.
But her heart… her heart was far from settled.
No matter how much she tried to push the memories away, they clung to her like a shadow, creeping into her thoughts when she least expected it. She had thought that this fresh start would help her bury the past, but being here—so close to Alexander, so close to the reminders of Damian—made everything resurface. Every whisper of betrayal, every cut of cruelty.
"Damian doesn't control you anymore," she whispered under her breath, repeating Alexander's words from the café. But even as she said it, doubt gnawed at the edges of her resolve. Could she really move on from everything? Could she ever truly be free?
Her phone buzzed, dragging her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen—another work email. She sighed and quickly responded, trying to throw herself into her tasks, trying to forget the ache in her chest. But the harder she worked, the more her mind drifted.
"Serena."
The sound of Alexander's voice startled her, pulling her attention away from the screen. She looked up to see him standing at the doorway of his office, his presence commanding as always. But today, there was something else—something softer in the way he looked at her.
"Can I have a word with you?" he asked, his voice gentle.
Serena nodded, her heart picking up speed as she stood and followed him into his office. The door clicked shut behind her, sealing them in an intimate silence.
Alexander motioned for her to sit, and she took a seat on the plush chair across from his desk. He moved behind his own desk, but instead of sitting down, he leaned against the edge, folding his arms as he studied her.
"How are you settling in?" he asked, his tone casual, but his eyes—those deep, piercing eyes—were anything but.
Serena forced a small smile. "I'm adjusting," she replied, though her voice lacked conviction.
Alexander's gaze didn't waver. "Are you sure? You seem… distracted."
For a moment, Serena hesitated. She wanted to brush it off, to tell him she was fine, to keep her guard up like she always had. But something about the way he looked at her, something about the concern in his eyes, made her defenses falter.
"It's just… hard," she admitted, her voice softening as she glanced down at her hands. "Being here. With everything that's happened."
Alexander's expression tightened, but he didn't interrupt. He waited, giving her space to continue if she wanted to.
Serena took a deep breath, her emotions bubbling up, raw and painful. "Every time I try to move forward, it's like the past just pulls me back. I keep thinking about Damian… about Elara… and everything they did to me. I thought I could leave it behind, but…"
Her voice broke, and she quickly turned her head, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. She hated this—hated being vulnerable, hated how much power those memories still had over her.
"It's like they're still here," she whispered, her throat tight with emotion. "Haunting me."
The silence between them stretched, thick with tension and unspoken feelings. Serena braced herself, expecting Alexander to offer some empty words of comfort, something to fill the space.
But instead, he surprised her.
"You're stronger than them," he said quietly, his voice steady but full of conviction. "Stronger than Damian. Stronger than Elara. Don't let them win."
Serena's heart twisted at his words. She wanted to believe him, wanted to believe that she had the strength to overcome the past. But how could she, when the wounds were still so fresh, still so deep?
Alexander took a step forward, closing the distance between them. His hand reached out, gently brushing her arm, and the warmth of his touch sent a shiver through her. He knelt down, bringing himself to her eye level, his gaze locked with hers.
"I've watched you, Serena," he said, his voice low but intense. "I've seen what you've been through. I know how much they hurt you. But you survived. And that makes you stronger than you realize."
Her chest tightened at his words, the sincerity in his eyes nearly breaking her resolve. Why did he always have this effect on her? Why did he always seem to know exactly what to say to make her feel… seen?
Serena swallowed hard, trying to steady her breathing. "It doesn't feel that way sometimes," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.
Alexander's hand moved to cup her chin, gently lifting her face so that their eyes met. "It's okay to feel that way," he said softly. "But don't let it consume you. Don't let them define your future."
His touch was so tender, so different from the cold, calculating way Damian had treated her. Damian had always made her feel small, insignificant. But Alexander… Alexander made her feel like she mattered. Like her pain mattered.
But that was dangerous, wasn't it?
Because if she let herself lean on Alexander, if she let herself trust him, she would be opening herself up to a whole new world of hurt. And she wasn't sure she could survive that.
With a shaky breath, Serena pulled back slightly, breaking the contact between them. "I don't know if I can do this," she confessed, her voice trembling. "I don't know if I'm ready."
For a moment, Alexander's face fell, a flicker of something like disappointment crossing his features. But then, just as quickly, he composed himself, his expression softening.
"You don't have to be ready," he said gently. "You just have to take it one day at a time. And I'll be here. If you need me."
His words hung in the air, heavy with meaning. There was something unspoken between them, something that neither of them dared to voice aloud. But it was there, simmering beneath the surface.
Serena felt her heart squeeze in her chest as she looked at him, the man who had been there when she died, the man who had cried over her lifeless body. The man who, in another lifetime, had kissed her forehead with a love she had never known.
Could she really keep her distance? Could she really hold him at arm's length, when every part of her wanted to collapse into him, to let him be the anchor she so desperately needed?
Before she could respond, Alexander's phone buzzed again, breaking the spell between them. He glanced at it, his jaw tightening.
"I have to take this," he said, his voice laced with frustration. "But think about what I said."
Serena nodded, her heart still pounding in her chest as he stood and answered the call. She watched him as he paced across the room, his voice low and serious, but she couldn't focus on his words. All she could think about was the storm of emotions raging inside her.
When he hung up the phone and turned back to her, his expression was softer. "I'll be out for a few hours. We can talk more when I get back."
Serena nodded again, though she wasn't sure what more there was to say. As Alexander left the office, leaving her in the quiet solitude of the room, Serena leaned back in her chair, closing her eyes.
"I'm stronger than them," she whispered to herself, trying to believe it.
But as the memories of her past continued to swirl in her mind, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever truly be free.
And then, as the silence settled in, another thought crept into her mind—one she had been trying to ignore for far too long:
Was she really afraid of Damian?
Or was she more afraid of falling for the man who stood by her now, the man who had always been in the shadows, waiting?
As she sat there, lost in her thoughts, a single question echoed in her mind:
What if Alexander was the one wound she could never heal from?