The First Night (Part 2)

The room was shrouded in darkness, the only light coming from the faint glow of the city outside the floor-to-ceiling windows. Evie lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, her mind still replaying the events of the night. The haunting melody of Alexander's piano playing echoed in her thoughts.

She glanced at the clock—2:13 a.m. Sleep still eluded her, her mind too restless to settle. The silence of the penthouse felt oppressive, and she found herself longing for the comforting hum of the city outside. Sighing, she threw off the covers and slipped out of bed, her bare feet padding softly against the cool marble floor.

Evie again wandered through the now somewhat familiar penthouse, her fingers trailing along the walls as she tried to calm her racing thoughts. The space felt both vast and suffocating, a paradox that mirrored her own emotions. As she wandered. A thought crossed her mind. She wondered whether Alexander had slept after playing the piano.

As she turned a corner, she noticed a faint light spilling out from under the door of Alexander's study. She hesitated, her hand hovering over the doorknob. Martin had warned her not to enter without permission. Having already been inside once, she now no longer hesitated and pushed the door open slowly, peeking inside.

The room was dimly lit, the soft glow of a desk lamp casting long shadows across the walls. Alexander sat at his desk, his head bent over a stack of papers, his brow furrowed in concentration. He was dressed in a simple white shirt, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and his tie loosened around his neck. His hair was slightly disheveled, as if he had been running his hands through it, and there was a faint shadow of stubble on his jaw.

Evie's breath caught in her throat. She had never seen him like this. The cold, calculating CEO was gone, replaced by a man who looked… exhausted.

She was about to retreat when Alexander looked up, his piercing blue eyes locking onto hers. For a moment, neither of them spoke, the silence stretching between them like a chasm.

"Couldn't sleep?" Alexander asked, his voice low and steady, breaking the silence.

Evie shook her head. She stepped into the room, her arms wrapping around herself as if to ward off the chill in the air. "I couldn't fall asleep. Am I disturbing you now?" she said quietly.

Alexander leaned back in his chair, his gaze never leaving hers. "You're not disturbing me," he said, his tone calm but firm. "I was just finishing up some work."

Evie nodded, her eyes drifting to the stack of papers on his desk. "Do you always work this late?" she asked, not noticing the concern in her voice.

Alexander shrugged, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips. "When you're running a company, sleep is a luxury," he said, his tone wry.

Evie managed a small smile, though it didn't reach her eyes. "I guess I'll have to get used to that," she said quietly.

Alexander studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable. "You don't have to stay," he said, his voice low. "If this arrangement is too much for you, you can walk away. No one will blame you."

Evie's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected him to say that. For a moment, she considered it—the thought of walking away, of returning to her old life, was tempting. But then she thought of her mother, of Lily, of the mountain of debt that had driven her to this decision. She couldn't walk away. Not now.

"I'm not going anywhere," she said, her voice firm despite the tremor in her hands.

Alexander nodded, seemingly satisfied. "Good," he said, his tone calm but firm. "Then we'll make this work."

"Do you need help" asked Evie. Alex looked at her for a moment and then told her to just bring him a glass of warm water.

After a few minutes she came back and handed the glass of warm water to him. "Thank you," he said. Their fingers brushed briefly when she passed the glass to him. Her heart skipped a beat the moment their fingers touched. It was a brief touch, but it sent an electric jolt through her, like a spark igniting sending a shiver down her spine and she blushed at their contact. His hand, so warm and firm, contrasted sharply with the icy mask he wore. Alexander stood beside her, his gaze fixed on her smooth blushed face, a smile hanging at his lips. The silence seemed a bit awkward for her.

"Ahem… You should go back to sleep", he said while returning to arranging the paperwork.

Evie then briskly left the study and went back to her room, her heart beating fast. She couldn't shake the feeling that she had just seen a glimpse of the real Alexander Grant—a man who was far more human like than the cold, calculating CEO he presented to the world. The lingering warmth on her fingers was still there but strangely it brought her comfort. As these thoughts swirled, she finally fell asleep.