How dare he?

"At least hear me out."

Alexander tapped on his desk, waiting. Selena tucked her hair behind her ear and spoke.

"I need to speak with Liam Jones," she said. "If you meet with him directly…"

"So that's it?" Alexander rose from his seat. "Sorry, you've wasted your time. I can't help you."

"But you didn't even let me finish," Selena said, rising as well. "I just need thirty minutes…"

"I don't care," Alexander faced her. "You should learn that people are more than just tools for you."

Selena's eyes darkened. "Stop talking as if you know who I am."

"There's not much to know, that's what I do know," he walked out of the office with those final words, and Selena's body boiled with indignant rage.

How dare he act all high and mighty all the time and do as if she was nothing but a corporate Barbie doll? She hated how he dismissed her and treated her like a pest. Who the hell did Alexander Sterling think he was?

Selena grabbed her bag and followed after him. Down the long corridor, she saw him disappear into a room. With a sense of deja vu, she followed the path to the door. She swung it open without a second thought and stepped into the room. All eyes turned their focus on her.

"Hello," she greeted with a cheery smile. "It's nice to see you all. I'm Selena Tequila."

Eyes widened, and everyone looked over at Alexander sitting at the end of the table. His face was blank, but the anger snaked its way over to Selena. She didn't care that she was repeating the same actions she did with the Japanese clients, tailing after him until she had gotten what she wanted. But now, she wanted an apology and not just Liam Jones's contact.

"We didn't know she'd be joining us for today's meeting," a bespectacled man seated next to Alexander said.

"She isn't," Alexander replied coolly. "Miss Selena, I'll see you in my office after the meeting."

"Oh no worries," she took her seat on the other end of the table. "I'll just wait right here."

A muscle in Alexander's jaw twitched. Selena raised a brow in challenge. The staff looked between the two CEOs, some uncomfortably shifting in their seats.

Alexander rose from his seat and made his way to her end. She kept her eyes on him until he reached her, and gave him a smug smile.

"Let's go," he said.

"Why?"

Alexander looked over at his staff. They understood that eye contact communicated "mind your business." Alexander put a fist on the table and leaned closer to Selena's ear.

"Follow me now or I'll be forced to call security," he warned. "Don't try anything funny."

Selena rose from the chair. Satisfied, she waved at the room and walked out. When she was about to reach his office, Alexander held the door handle as Selena was about to enter.

She was looking up at eyes that could be mistaken for a storm brewing. "I'm not allowed in your office too?"

"Listen to me, Selena," Alexander spoke through gritted teeth. His hand was still on the door hand, so Selena's back was against the door and close enough to him.

"The world doesn't stop just because you want something your way."

"It stopped just now, didn't it?"

Alexander rubbed at one tired eye. "What do you want to see Liam for?"

"It's between Liam and I." Alexander waited for her to go on. "Well, business purposes."

"Then I can't help you, okay? I'm not going to be the third party for whatever business discussions you want to have with…"

He stopped and held his head with his hand. Alarmed, Selena reached out to stabilize him when he staggered backward, her eyes wide with fear.

"Alex, what's wrong?" She asked.

Alexander's head rang, and the voices around him became more distorted. He felt light-headed, on the brink of fainting, and was vaguely aware of Selena calling for help.

"I'm fine," he said, staggering past her to the meeting room.

Selena caught ahold of his arm. "No, you're not, and you need help." Alexander watched as his assistant ran in his direction, and Selena's instructions to her were blurred. Selena's grip on him was vice-like.

More people came, and before Alexander knew it, he was escorted out of the building. When he got into the backseat of a car, he closed his eyes and lost himself to sleep immediately.

●

Alexander woke up to a white ceiling. Next to him, he heard something beeping, and the smell of disinfectant was faint. It took him a few seconds to realize he was in a hospital but had no idea how or when he had gotten there.

He sat up and paused in his actions when he saw the figure seated on the single settee close to the potted plant. Selena was sleeping, her shoes and purse on the round table next to her, hands hugging her legs on the chair. Her hair was splayed all over her face, and she looked like a vulnerable monster from a horror movie, the kind you wouldn't want to attack.

Alexander adjusted himself up, propping the pillows behind him with his right hand. He looked at the drip connected to his left hand and watched the liquid disappear under his skin. Had Selena called any of his family members? What was she doing waiting for him in the hospital room?

Selena groaned, then followed with a jerk before she lifted her head. She rubbed at her face before she cleared the hair away, sleepy eyes squinting in Alexander's direction.

"You're awake," she said, pushing herself up. She wore the flip flops at her feet and approached his bed. "How long have you been awake?"

"A few minutes before you," he said.

"We should call the doctor," she pressed a button next to his bed. "I wanted to use your phone to call a family over, but your assistant advised against it. Shouldn't one of them know?"

Alexander shook his head. "No. It's fine this way."

Selena stared at him. "I wanted to call Tamika over, but I wasn't sure if I wanted to alarm her." She followed Alexander's gaze trail to the bottled water, and she quickly grabbed it and uncapped it. "Do you want me to call her?"