Alexander had spent years perfecting the art of control. In the courtroom, in negotiations, in his personal life—he dictated the terms, always one step ahead. But this woman, this waitress who clearly wasn't just a waitress, had disrupted his carefully built walls.
And he hated it.
Leaning against the railing of the Celestial Star, he watched the endless stretch of ocean, his mind circling back to her. There was something familiar about the way she looked at him, the way she moved.
Who the hell was she?
He turned sharply, walking toward the ship's main lounge. If she wasn't going to give him answers, he'd find them himself.
---
Sophia's hands trembled as she wiped down the bar.
She'd been careful. So damn careful.
Four years. That's how long it had been since she vanished, leaving behind the ashes of her past life. The last thing she expected was to run into him—Alexander Graves, the man she had once loved. The man who had destroyed her.
Her heart pounded as she stole a glance across the room. He was speaking with the bartender now, probably digging for information. That was so like him—relentless, determined, unwilling to let a mystery go unsolved.
She needed to stay away.
But fate had a cruel sense of humor.
"Excuse me, miss," a guest called, pulling her attention back to her job.
She forced a smile, nodding as she approached his table. "How can I help you?"
But before the man could answer, she felt him before she saw him.
A shadow loomed beside her, a presence she knew all too well.
"Her name is Sophia," Alexander's voice cut through the air. "Isn't it?"
Her blood ran cold.
The guest, sensing tension, cleared his throat and quickly excused himself.
Sophia clenched the tray in her hands, her pulse racing. "You're mistaken, sir."
Alexander took a slow step closer, his piercing gaze never leaving hers. "I don't think so."
Damn him.
Damn those sharp, calculating eyes that saw right through her.
"I don't know who you think I am, but—"
"Stop lying to me," he interrupted, voice lower now, quieter—dangerous.
The sound of it sent a shiver down her spine.
"Tell me," he pressed. "Why did you disappear?"
Sophia's breath hitched.
Her past had finally caught up with her.
And she wasn't sure if she was ready to face it.