Alex stood rooted to the spot, his jaw tightening as Stella and the unknown man walked past him. The sight of them together left a bitter taste in his mouth, one that refused to fade no matter how much he tried to dismiss it.
Alex couldn't believe what he was seeing. Stella—his supposed fiancée—had arranged dinner with another man on the very night they were meant to discuss the engagement between their two families.
"It can't be true," he muttered under his breath, his voice laced with disbelief.
His fists clenched at his sides. The way the man had taken her handbag with such effortless familiarity gnawed at him. He hadn't just taken her bag; he had taken the place that Alex believed was his. And Stella, who rarely let her guard down, had smiled—truly smiled—in a way Alex hadn't seen in years. It wasn't the practiced, distant smile she wore at business functions. No, this was something else, something genuine, warm, and utterly infuriating.
As they made their way toward the lobby, Alex's eyes trailed after them. The way they moved together, the unspoken understanding in their gestures, the natural ease of their conversation—it struck a nerve. For a fleeting moment, a thought crossed his mind, one he refused to entertain.
"They look like a match made in heaven," he admitted silently, the words cutting deeper than he expected.
But the bitterness quickly surged again, smothering any trace of self-awareness. No, this wasn't how things were supposed to play out.
Stella was his fiancée, and she was supposed to stay within the lines drawn for her. The humiliation he felt in that moment wasn't something he could let go of easily.
Turning abruptly, Alex pulled out his phone and dialed his assistant. His voice was cold and sharp, carrying the weight of his anger.
"I want every piece of information you can find on Stella Stallion and that man she was with. I need it all, and I need it before midnight."
The assistant hesitated. "Sir, gathering such information might take—"
"Just do it," Alex snapped, cutting him off. "I don't care what it takes. Stella thinks she can humiliate me? She'll regret this. Mark my words."
His fists clenched tightly at his sides. The embarrassment and humiliation he felt at being spurned in such a manner cut deeper than he cared to admit. His mind swirled with thoughts of vengeance. He promised himself he would pay her back in folds for the disgrace she had caused him tonight.
Alex couldn't bring himself to return to the lounge. Facing the others and their barrage of questions about what had just happened wasn't an option. With a sharp turn, he spun on his heel and stormed out of the hotel.
The image of Stella and the man lingered in his mind, fueling a fire that wouldn't easily be extinguished. She had embarrassed him, challenged him, and for that, she would pay. Stella might think she was untouchable, but Alex was determined to prove otherwise.
Jackson led Stella to the sleek black car parked at the hotel entrance. The soft glow of the city lights danced across its polished surface as he gracefully opened the passenger door for her. Stella stepped in, her movements calm, but beneath the surface, her emotions were a chaotic storm.
As she settled into the seat, Jackson leaned over to buckle her seatbelt. His proximity sent a shiver through her spine, and her breath hitched as a faint scent of cedarwood enveloped her. It was subtle yet intoxicating, stirring an inexplicable warmth in her chest. Her palms grew clammy, and her heart raced wildly, betraying the calm facade she so carefully maintained.
Jackson, seemingly oblivious to the effect he had on her, paused for a brief moment. Their eyes met, and time seemed to slow. The world outside the car faded into nothingness as they stared at each other, unspoken emotions flickering in the air like embers waiting to ignite.
Breaking the silence, Jackson leaned in and placed a soft kiss on her forehead—a gesture so tender it left Stella momentarily breathless. His lips lingered for a second longer than necessary, sending a wave of warmth through her, grounding her amidst the whirlwind of her thoughts.
Without saying a word, he straightened up, closed the door gently, and walked around to the driver's side. Sliding into his seat, he started the engine, the low hum breaking the silence. They drove off into the night, the atmosphere between them heavy with unspoken words and emotions Stella wasn't ready to confront.
Meanwhile, Alex stood at the hotel's exit, his gaze burning with fury as he watched the scene unfold. The car, the kiss, the way Jackson handled Stella with such care—it all grated on his already bruised ego. The scene before him wasn't just a display of affection; to Alex, it was a deliberate insult.
His jaw clenched tightly, and his fists curled into balls at his sides. Each second of their interaction replayed in his mind, fueling the fire of his anger.
"This isn't over," Alex muttered to himself, his voice low and seething with bitterness. He turned away abruptly, dialing his assistant again, his tone colder than before. "I want updates on them now. And don't stop until I have everything."
As Alex strode to his car, the image of Jackson's kiss and Stella's uncharacteristic vulnerability gnawed at him. The fury that blazed in his chest was no longer just about the engagement; it was personal. Stella had crossed a line, and Alex was determined to make her—and Jackson—pay for it.
The car hummed softly as Jackson drove through the illuminated streets, the silence between them calm but charged with unspoken words. The city lights painted streaks of gold and silver on the car windows, creating a serene atmosphere.
Jackson glanced at Stella, his lips curving into a playful smile. "So, where are we having dinner?" he asked, breaking the silence.
Stella leaned back in her seat, her gaze drifting to the city skyline. With a slight tilt of her head, she pointed toward a small diner she knew. "That place with the best dishes and fries—right near the park."
Jackson chuckled. "Ah, a woman with taste." He teased lightly, his fingers drumming the steering wheel.
With a thought crossing her mind Stella turned her head to him, arching a brow. "Why aren't you working at the bar tonight?"
He glanced at her briefly before focusing back on the road. "On the eve of my marriage, do I really have to work?"
His words caught her off guard. Stella blinked, her lips parting slightly as realization hit her. "Marriage…" she murmured under her breath, the word rolling off her tongue with an odd weight.
Jackson noticed the shift in her demeanor. "What? Don't tell me you forgot you're a married woman now?" he teased, his voice light, though his gaze was sharp, catching every flicker of her expression.
Stella pressed a hand to her temple, letting out a low groan. "Don't remind me. My head's already starting to ache."
Jackson laughed, a rich, warm sound that filled the quiet car. "Headache? Is it me or the thought of being tied down?"
She shot him a pointed glare, though her lips twitched with the hint of a smile. "Maybe both," she replied dryly, crossing her arms over her chest. It is ridiculous to think she married herself out.
He grinned, unfazed by her response. "I'd say it's a privilege, Mrs. Lloyd. Not everyone gets to have dinner with a man like me on their wedding night."
"Privilege?" Stella scoffed, though her eyes sparkled with amusement. "More like a punishment. You don't even have a reservation, do you?"
"Reservation?" Jackson feigned shock, his hand dramatically clutching his chest. "You wound me, Stella. You were the one that dumped me for an engagement meeting and now you blame me for reservation."
She couldn't hold back her laugh this time, shaking her head. "Do I just smell jealousy? Unbelievable. So, What will you do if the restaurant is packed?"
"Then I'll charm our way in," he said smoothly, casting her a confident smirk.
Stella rolled her eyes but found herself smiling despite the chaotic day she'd had. "You're impossible."
"And yet, here we are," Jackson quipped, pulling into the diner's parking lot with a triumphant look.
The air between them lightened as they exited the car, the earlier tension dissolving into laughter and playful banter. For the first time that night, Stella felt a flicker of ease, even as the weight of her situation lingered in the back of her mind.