Alexander Steele rarely paced. He was the type of man who sat, calculated, observed and reacted with precision. But this morning, his office felt suffocating. The walls seemed too close, the ceiling too low, and the air too still, despite the quiet buzz of the building's ventilation system.
He needed to breathe,heneeded something different.
And Ethan Cole, slouched on the sofa across from him with a bag of chips he definitely stole from the staff kitchen, was not helping.
"Okay," Ethan said slowly, crunching loudly. "You are pacing. That alone tells me something incredibly stupid is brewing in that genius billionaire head of yours."
Alex ignored him.
"You only pace when you are stressed about three things," Ethan continued. "One. Your father. Two. The company. Three. A woman."
Alex stopped pacing for half a second.
Ethan pointed a chip at him. "Ah. So it is number three."
"It is not," Alex said, moving behind his desk again.
"Liar," Ethan sang.
Alex grabbed the remote and muted the large monitor displaying financial reports. Numbers meant nothing to him today. For the first time in a very long time, the company did not feel like enough. The mansion did not feel like home. His routine felt like a cage.
He sank into his chair and rubbed his temples.
"Ethan," he said finally. "Have you ever wanted to breathe freely? Just wake up one morning and not feel like the world expects something from you?"
Ethan blinked, taken off guard by the genuine weight of the question.
"Uh… every Monday morning?"
"I am serious."
"So am I," Ethan said, then sat forward. "But go on. You look like a man about to confess a sin."
Alex hesitated, searching for the right words.
"I know who I am in this world. Alexander Steele. Heir to Steele Holdings. The name opens doors but it also builds walls. I cannot walk into a coffee shop without people staring. I cannot talk to someone without wondering what their intentions are. I cannot trust anyone. And recently, it feels unbearable."
Ethan raised one brow. "This is about exploring. That idea you pushed aside last time."
Alex met his gaze.
"Yes."
Ethan groaned dramatically and threw his head back. "Please do not tell me you want to revisit that crazy plan of pretending to be a normal guy again."
Alex leaned back in his chair, folding his arms.
"I do."
Ethan stared at him like he had grown an extra head. "Alex. We talked about this. You said it was risky. I said it was insane. Your father would destroy both of us. And Nicole… Nicole would commit arson."
"I know."
"So why are we revisiting this again?"
Alex looked out the window, his voice lower than before.
"Because I want to feel human, Ethan. Just once. I want to talk to someone who does not see dollar signs. Someone who is not bending their words to please me. Someone who does not know I am… me."
Ethan squinted.
"You are talking about Mia."
Alex tensed for a moment but did not deny it.
"I do not know why she feels familiar. I do not know why I keep thinking about the file, or the way she smiled with the staff last night. But something about her is real. And I want to understand it."
"By pretending to be someone else?" Ethan questioned.
Alex ran a hand through his hair. "It is the only way she would talk to me genuinely."
Ethan crossed his arms and gave him a long, hard look.
"You do realize this is how ninety percent of romantic comedies start."
"This is not a romantic comedy," Alex muttered.
Ethan pointed at him. "It will be if you are not careful."
For a moment, the room fell silent except for the soft hum of the AC.
Then Ethan sighed loudly, like a man accepting his fate.
"Fine. Tell me the full plan."
Alex leaned forward. "I do not have one yet. I just know I want to meet her outside the mansion. Naturally. Casually. No bodyguards. No suits. No Steele reputation."
"So like a normal guy."
"Yes."
"At a normal place."
"Yes."
"Wearing normal clothes."
"Yes."
Ethan shook his head. "You are not even capable of picking out normal clothes."
Alex glared. "I can."
"You cannot. Your casual shirts cost more than my car."
"I can buy cheaper ones."
"Oh, now I know you have lost your mind."
Alex ignored the jab. "I need your help."
Ethan groaned again. "Those four words are always bad news."
"Find out Mia's routine. When she goes out. Where she goes. What her weekends look like. I cannot meet her accidentally if I do not know where she spends her time."
Ethan stared at him.
"You want to stalk her."
"I want information. Not stalking."
"Alex. That is literally stalking."
Alex rolled his eyes. "I just need enough details to create a coincidental meeting. Nothing invasive."
Ethan sighed, dragging a hand down his face. "So you want me to spy for you."
"Yes."
"And if your father finds out?"
"He will not."
"And if Nicole finds out?"
Alex's jaw tightened. "She will not."
Ethan stared at him for several long seconds.
"Fine. I will do it. But only because I want to see how this disaster unfolds. And also because watching you pretend to be normal will be the funniest thing I have ever seen."
Alex scoffed. "I can be normal."
"No, you cannot. You once tried to microwave caviar."
"That was one time."
"One time is enough to disqualify you as normal."
Alex rolled his eyes again and stood, picking up a pen.
"So you will do it?"
"Yes," Ethan said, smirking. "But when this blows up, I want it on record that this was entirely your idea."
Alex almost smiled.
"Deal."
Later That Day .....Mia
The mansion was quiet. Most of the staff had retired early after last night's small celebration. Mia had cleaned her kitchen space twice already simply because she did not want idle thoughts.
She finally sat on her bed and pulled out her phone.
There was one person she had been wanting to call all day.
She pressed the contact labeled Mom.
It rang twice before being picked up.
"Hello sweetheart," her mother's warm voice floated through the speaker. "I was just thinking about you."
Mia smiled softly.
"I was thinking about you too. How are you? How is Liam?"
Her mother chuckled. "Your son is sleeping like a little king. He has eaten, played and exhausted all his energy. I finally have peace."
Mia felt her heart tighten with longing.
She missed him.
She missed him terribly.
"And how are you, Mom?" Mia asked gently.
"We are managing," her mother said. "Money is tight but we are fine. We always manage. And now that you have a job, things will get better."
Mia swallowed. "Yes. I will send something at the end of the month. I promise."
"You do not have to rush," her mother said quickly. "Just settle in first. Is the job going well?"
A smile warmed Mia's face automatically.
"Yes. Everyone is welcoming. The staff are like a small family. And Margaret… she is really kind."
"That is good to hear," her mother said with genuine relief. Then her tone softened further. "I am proud of you, Mia. Truly."
Mia blinked rapidly. "Thank you."
"Just remember why you are doing this," her mother added gently. "For yourself. For Liam. For a better future."
Mia closed her eyes.
"Yes, Mom."
"Alright. I will let you rest. Call when you can."
"I will. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, darling."
The call ended but the warmth lingered.
Mia hugged her pillow.
A quiet strength filled her chest,She believed she was building something new.Something steady,she was hopeful.
And she had no idea that somewhere else in the city, a billionaire was plotting a way to meet her not as a boss, but as a stranger.