“You just couldn’t keep your distance for once, could you?” Zade growled, slamming the car door shut the moment Alex was inside—almost like he wouldn't even mind ripping his own car part by part right now, that's just how angered he was.
“You dragged me here,” she snapped, crossing her arms as the engine purred to life.
Zade’s knuckles were white against the steering wheel. “You could’ve walked away. But you stayed. With him.”
Alex clenched her jaw. “I was having coffee, not an affair.”
He scoffed. “Sure looked like one. Did you two reminisce over the good old days? Let me guess—he cried about missing you, and you played the innocent damsel?”
“You’re unbelievable,” she spat.
“No, I’m realistic,” Zade shot back. “You’re the one pretending nothing you do has consequences. And it pays off on me, not on you.”
Silence thickened between them, sharp and unforgiving. Streetlights flickered past the windshield like blinking eyes, watching, judging.
“Were you jealous?” she asked suddenly.
He barked a humorless laugh. “I’d get jealous of my shoes before I’d get jealous of you.”
Alex’s lips curled bitterly. “Right. Because you care about nothing, and no one.”
Zade didn’t answer. He slowed at a corner near her neighborhood and stopped. “Get out.”
She unbuckled, fingers trembling, and stepped out into the night air. She hesitated, leaning into the open window. “I’ll prove what kind of person you really are. You won’t get away with this.”
Zade didn’t reply. His eyes were unreadable, his mouth set in stone. But she saw the way his fingers flexed around the steering wheel before he pulled off.
Back home, the lights were still on. It was quiet, which probably meant Nova was asleep right now: lately, she began sleeping through the day often, too tired to stay awake, or maybe just not wanting to be seen in that state. Luca was waiting in the hallway when Alex entered. His face was unreadable, and for a moment, she tensed, already knowing that her father definely saw the news. He never missed anything. Ever.
“I saw the photos,” he said, arms crossed.
Alex tensed. “It’s not what it looked like. Michael and I aren’t—”
Luca cut her off. “I know it’s nonsense. You wouldn’t associate with someone like that.”
Her stomach twisted. “Right.”
Not like she dated the guy just a few months ago... totally right.
She forced a smile. “Actually, I was thinking… Maybe we should schedule a press meeting. Address the rumors before they get worse.”
Luca considered her suggestion for a moment, then nodded. “That’s a good idea. Handle it.”
Within hours, Alex arranged a private session with selected journalists at the company's first floor meeting room. She wore a pale blue suit—neutral, calming—and sat with her back straight as the questions began to fly, the room too crowded to feel easy to breathe in. Tension was almost painful.
“Is it true you’ve rekindled a relationship with a former university peer?” one reporter asked.
Alex kept her face neutral. “Michael is a friend. Nothing more.”
Whispers filled the room. People kept taking pictures. Alex was used to this, though—by now, she was used to most of everything that belonged to the company's routine.
“Can you comment on Mrs. Steel’s health after the incident at the gala?”
Alex stiffened. “My mother is recovering. That’s all I’ll say.”
Then came the hit.
A voice from the back: “There are leaked documents circulating regarding Steel Corporation’s private contract with Hale Enterprise about your arranged marriage with the Hales' heir, Zade Hale. Can you confirm or deny?”
It felt like someone dumped ice water on her.
The room exploded with noise—flashes, voices shouting, mics shoved forward. Her breath caught. She hadn’t prepared for this. No one was supposed to know.
How the hell did this get out?
“I—this press meeting is over,” she said sharply, and stood, pushing through the wave of reporters.
The hallway outside was just as chaotic. People followed her, cameras flashing. Alex felt almost like she was running for her life at this point—partially it was true.
Then a sleek black car pulled up to the curb. The door opened.
“Get in,” Zade ordered.
Too stunned to argue, she climbed in, and it was probably the first time ever when she was glad Zade somehow appeared in front of her once again. All of the journalists, the flashing lights, the screaming questions—it all remained outside of the car.
Once the door shut, the sound cut off like a switch.
“I should’ve known it was you,” she said bitterly. “You’re the only one who’d benefit from this.”
Zade rolled his eyes. “Are you really that dense?”
Her head snapped toward him. “Excuse me?”
“I’m engaged to you. Leaking that contract ruins my own credibility. Do you think the board at Hale Enterprise is thrilled by this circus?”
She went silent. She hated it, but he was right. There was nothing for him to gain.
“Then who—?” she began.
Zade’s voice dropped. “You’ve got a traitor in Steel Corp.”
Her skin prickled. A cold weight settled in her chest.
Someone inside her father’s company had leaked confidential documents… intentionally.
And they weren’t finished yet.