Chapter 18

Gie's POV

Gie had lived through some embarrassing moments in her life.

But falling onto Alexander Millers in front of the wealthiest people in the world?

That was next level.

She had practically thrown herself at him, hands pressed to his chest, thigh wedged between his legs, face mere inches from his, looking like some desperate, lovesick fool.

And worse?

He hadn't even reacted.

No smug remark. No amused smirk.

He just sat there.

Like she was some mild inconvenience he was willing to tolerate.

And then—

Then he had laughed.

A soft, low chuckle just as she was escaping, and it had burned through her like wildfire, making her whole body flush with fresh humiliation.

She had run.

Not walked. Run.

Bolted to the nearest safe space, locked herself in a private lounge, and stared at herself in a mirror for a full ten minutes, contemplating her entire existence.

Alina, of course, had found her.

And instead of comforting her, like a good sister should—

She had wheezed with laughter.

"You—you should have seen your face!" Alina had gasped, clutching her stomach. "Oh my God, Gie. I think I saw you actually die for a second."

"I want to die."

Alina had just laughed harder.

Her Name Becomes a Sensation

But her personal mortification wasn't the only aftermath of that night.

Because Laurent and her jewelry had become the most talked-about thing in the luxury world.

The bidding war had sealed it.

Gie had always been exclusive, but now?

She was in another league entirely.

Overnight, her waiting list quadrupled.

Her inbox was flooded—design requests from royalty, celebrities, business tycoons, collectors who wanted one-of-a-kind pieces, galleries that wanted to feature her work as art, not just accessories.

Laurent had practically been bouncing off the walls with joy.

"Ma chérie, you are a star! A goddess! A legend!" he had declared dramatically over the phone. "I will make sure your name is whispered in every ballroom, in every palace, in every corner of the world where luxury thrives!"

And he had been right.

She was booked.

Overbooked.

Her projects were scheduled years in advance, her client list locked down, and suddenly, she barely had time to breathe.

And Then He Called

And yet—

When his name appeared in her inbox, she froze.

She was reviewing a high-profile order, sketching out a custom emerald set for a European duchess, her hands steady, her mind focused—

Until.

Until she saw Alexander Millers's request.

She stared at it.

Then again.

Then again.

Her hands went completely still.

A new commission.

For him.

It wasn't through an assistant.

Wasn't through a representative.

He had contacted her directly.

She didn't breathe for a full minute.

And then—

Every single project she had been working on disappeared from her mind.

Cufflinks for the Devil

She should have been rational.

Should have set boundaries.

Should have told herself, It's just another commission, Gie. You have hundreds. Move on.

But she didn't.

Instead, she paused everything.

Cleared her schedule.

And sat down to design him another piece.

This time—cufflinks.

A matching set.

Small, subtle. But undeniable.

Something that fit his aesthetic, his world.

Platinum, of course—his preferred metal.

The center?

Black onyx, but carved into a specific shape—something bold but intricate, something that whispered power without shouting it.

She worked on it for days, sketching and discarding, unsatisfied with every detail until she finally felt that rush—that hit of perfection she only got when she knew she had created something right.

And, of course, Alina noticed.

Alina: The Ultimate Menace

Gie was at her workbench, completely zoned in, making final adjustments when her sister appeared out of nowhere.

Alina leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with amusement.

"You paused your entire schedule for this," she teased.

Gie ignored her.

Alina grinned. "Oh my God. You're obsessed."

"I am not," Gie said immediately.

"Uh-huh."

"I'm just—he's a high-profile client."

Alina raised a brow. "So are half the people you ignore daily."

Gie huffed. "He's different."

Alina gasped dramatically, clutching her chest. "Oh no. You just admitted it."

Gie glared. "I meant professionally."

"Sure, babe."

Gie threw a pencil at her.

Alina dodged it easily, laughing. "Gie, you like him."

"No, I don't!"

"Then why are your thighs pressed together right now?"

Gie nearly screamed.

She grabbed the nearest thing she could—a velvet pouch—and chucked it at her sister's head.

Alina cackled, dodging it effortlessly. "Oh, babe, you are so screwed."

And Gie?

Gie had no good comeback.

Because deep down, she knew Alina was right.

Gie should have said no.

The moment his assistant told her that Alexander had requested her personally to deliver the cufflinks, she should have laughed it off, politely declined, and sent the package through her usual discreet courier service.

But she didn't.

Instead, she said, "Of course."

Like a complete idiot.

And now, she was in her walk-in closet, standing in nothing but lingerie, staring at her reflection like she was preparing for a goddamn date.

The Assistant's Request

It had started as a simple call.

She had dialed Alexander's assistant, Claire, who had always been efficient, professional, and slightly terrifying in how well she managed his schedule.

The plan had been straightforward: confirm the delivery location, have the cufflinks sent, and be done with it.

But Claire's voice had been uncharacteristically casual when she responded.

"Oh, Mr. Millers specifically requested you deliver them in person."

Gie had blinked.

"He what?"

"He'd like to receive them directly from you," Claire repeated, unbothered. "I was told to schedule a time for you to drop by his office. Does that work?"

It shouldn't have worked.

It should have been a hard no.

Instead, she had agreed immediately and spent the next hour questioning her sanity.

Because now she wasn't just delivering jewelry—

She was preparing herself for him.

Alina, The Ultimate Menace

And of course, Alina was thriving.

"You're stressing over what to wear," Alina mused, watching Gie like a cat watching a trapped mouse. "You. The woman who literally does not give a damn about impressing anyone."

"I am not stressing," Gie lied, flipping through her closet at an increasingly frantic pace.

Alina smirked. "You're polishing yourself for him."

"I am not!"

"Uh-huh. You're just casually exfoliating, moisturizing, shaving, styling your hair, and trying on twenty different outfits for no reason?"

Gie froze.

Damn it.

She had been doing all of that.

Alina chuckled darkly. "Oh, babe. You are so gone for this man."

"I— I just want to look put together."

"For a business meeting?"

Gie clenched her jaw. "Yes."

Alina snorted. "Sure, babe. That's why you just tried on a fourth shade of lip gloss."

Gie grabbed a pillow and threw it at her.

The Outfit Dilemma

After what felt like an eternity, she finally settled on something casual but enticing.

A pair of high-waisted black slacks, tailored to perfection, hugging her hips and legs just enough to hint at curves but still looking polished and professional.

A silk blouse in deep wine red, tucked in neatly, the fabric flowing over her skin like liquid temptation. The neckline was modest, but just revealing enough to make someone's eyes wander.

And then, of course—her jewelry.

She chose simple gold hoops, delicate but strong, and her signature black pearl bracelet, the one that Laurent had once called "the bracelet that could make a man beg to take it off you."

Her hair?

She let it fall naturally, those soft curls framing her face in a way that looked effortless but had actually taken her a solid twenty minutes to perfect.

Alina gave her a slow once-over.

Then smirked.

"You're seducing him."

"I am not!"

Alina stepped closer, grinning like the agent of chaos she was.

"Tell me, Gie," she purred, resting a hand under her chin. "When's the last time you got this dressed up for any of your other clients?"

Gie gritted her teeth.

Alina's smirk widened.

"That's what I thought."

The Truth She Won't Admit

Gie hated that Alina was right.

Because somewhere—deep down, in the part of herself she refused to acknowledge—

She knew this wasn't just business.

She was not just delivering jewelry.

She was walking into his space.

And part of her wanted to see what happened next.