[Inside the Mansion]
The scent of rosemary chicken and freshly baked bread filled the dining room.
Alexander sat across from Evelyn at the long oak table. His posture was straight and his every movement was calm and precise
Melissa moved about the table, placing dishes with practiced grace but her sharp eyes missing nothing.
She had long noticed Alexander and her daughter stealing glances awkwardly the moment they sat down.
"So, Alexander," she began as she took her seat beside her husband's empty chair. "How have things been at Reid Enterprises? I hear your father has been keeping busy."
Alexander gave a small, polite smile. "He always does," he said evenly. "Work has been steady."
"Steady sounds dull," Melissa replied with a faint teasing note. "Men like your father don't like dull, do they?"
Alexander's lips curved slightly. "No, ma'am. He doesn't."
