Loyalty and Doubt

Alice stared at me for a moment, her expression unreadable. Then, a slow smirk curled on her lips.

"So let me get this straight," she said, leaning forward. "Alexander—the ridiculously rich, ridiculously handsome man kissed you. Twice!"

I sighed, shifting uncomfortably on the couch. "Yes, he did, I didn't know when it happened it just….."

She let out a small laugh cutting me off, shaking her head. "Wow. And here I thought you were just going over there to talk."

"I was," I muttered, hugging a pillow. "It just… happened."

Alice staring at me, tapping her fingers against her knee. "And you let it happen?"

I hesitated, then nodded. "I mean… yeah."

She raised an eyebrow. "Did you like it?"

I frowned. "Why does it matter?"

"Because, Rose," she said, standing up with a dramatic sigh while coming to sit close to me, "this isn't just any guy. This is Alexander—billionaire, art collector, probably has a yacht somewhere just because he can." She turned to face me, her smirk still there, but her tone had a slight edge. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

I frowned. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Alice shrugged and stood up, heading toward the kitchen. "Guys like him don't just date people like us. They get what they want, then move on."

I stiffened. "You don't even know him."

She peeked over her shoulder, giving me a look. "Neither do you."

That hit a little too close. I wanted to argue, to defend Alexander, but the truth was—I didn't know him, not really.

Alice took a sip of water, watching me closely. "Just be careful, okay? I'd hate to see you get your hopes up for nothing."

I wanted to believe she was just being protective. But something about the way she said it, like she expected me to fail—left a strange feeling in my chest.

Was she really looking out for me? Or was there something more to it?

I decided to ignore it and just sleep it off.

Evening came, and as I was drifting into a deeper sleep, my phone rang, jolting me awake. I hadn't saved the number yet, so I picked it up without knowing who it was.

"Good evening, Rose," a voice rumbled over the phone. It was thick and deep, and the instant I heard it, the sleep seemed to lift, and my senses snapped into focus.

"Good evening," I replied, my voice a little more subtle and low than I intended, like I wasn't fully awake or willing to engage.

"You sound like you're just waking up. Hope I didn't disrupt anything?" His tone was smooth, and the sincerity in his voice made me feel like I'd just been hit with a wave of warmth.

"No, you didn't," I responded, trying to sound indifferent, but Alice was sitting right beside me, and I didn't want to give away too much.

I stood up, my body protesting the sudden movement. "Hold on a minute," I muttered, walking into my room to get some privacy.

Once the door was shut behind me, I could hear his voice again, mocking but still amused. "I thought you weren't going to pick up my calls with the attitude you left with."

"Don't flatter yourself," I snapped, trying to mask my nerves. "We have a business relationship, and it'd be wrong for me not to pick up, not like you don't know that."

I took a deep breath, standing with my back against the door. "It's late. So, I'd like to know what you're calling me for at this time."

He paused for a moment, and then his voice softened, though it still held that steady, confident tone. "I promised you I'd call tonight, and I don't break promises. So here I am."

I let out a sigh, my irritation bubbling up. "Well, it's too late for a call now. I need to get some rest so I can work on the contract you gave me. So from here on out, let your calls be about that, please."

There was a beat of silence, and I almost thought he wasn't going to respond.

"You sure?" His voice was quiet, almost too casual, but there was something in it that made my pulse race.

"Yes, I'm sure," I replied firmly, knowing I needed to stick to my boundaries.

"I'll respect that," he said, sounding almost reluctant. "But I'll still check in tomorrow. Don't work too hard."

I gritted my teeth. "I won't. Goodnight, Alexander."

"Goodnight, Rose."

As I hung up, I couldn't help but feel a strange pull inside me and why did this feel more complicated than it should? Was I being too harsh, or was I simply protecting myself from something I wasn't ready for?

I shook my head, trying to clear the swirl of emotions creeping in. Tomorrow will be another day, I told myself. No distractions. Just work.

But as I turned to head back into my room, movement in the hallway made me freeze.

Alice.

She was standing just outside my door, her arms crossed, her expression unreadable. Had she been standing there the whole time?

My stomach twisted. Had she been listening?

She met my gaze, her lips curving into something that was neither a smile nor a frown

You seemed tense again, did anything happen? She asked with a face sincerely concerned.

Naarh, just work i said trying to mask how i really felt

You know you can always open up to me, I would never judge you, she said while grabbing my hands.

I looked her in the eye and felt a sincere warmth in her gaze. For a moment, I considered telling her everything—the kiss, the way Alexander's voice lingered in my mind, the confusion twisting inside me.

But something held me back.

Maybe it was the way she had questioned me earlier, or the strange look she gave me after my call. Or maybe… maybe I just wasn't ready to share.

I forced a small smile and squeezed her hand lightly. "I know, Alice. And I appreciate that."

She tilted her head slightly, studying me like she was searching for something beneath my words. Then, just as quickly, she let out a soft chuckle. "Good. Because you've been acting all weird since you came back from that perverts home and I do not want anyone stressing about my little sister." with a smile that seemed affectionate

I laughed, though it came out more nervous than I intended. "It's just the stress. This first contract is a big deal for me."

Alice nodded, but I could tell she wasn't completely convinced. "Well, don't let it consume you. And definitely don't let him consume you."

My heart skipped a beat. "Him?"

She smirked. "Alexander, of course."

I swallowed, keeping my face neutral. "It's just business, Alice."

She gave me a knowing look, her fingers still loosely wrapped around mine. "Mhm. Sure."

Before I could respond, she let go of my hand and stretched dramatically. "Anyway, I'm starving. Let's order something before I collapse."

I exhaled in relief at the change of subject. "Yeah, food sounds good."

As Alice walked ahead, I followed, but a lingering thought stayed with me.

She said she wouldn't judge me. She said I could open up. But why did it feel like she was waiting for me to slip?

And why did I feel like I couldn't trust her with this at all?