The next morning, Alexander returned to the suite, expecting silence and solitude. Instead, he found Mia already there, fluffing pillows and humming a tune he couldn't place but wanted to remember.
"Good morning, sir," she said, eyes bright, as if the world outside the suite didn't exist. "Coffee?"
He nodded, surprised at how easily he accepted her offer. She moved with a grace he hadn't noticed before, every motion natural and effortless. When she poured the coffee, their fingers brushed, and he felt an unexpected warmth surge through him.
"You're…early," he said, attempting casual conversation, though his voice betrayed curiosity.
"I like starting fresh," Mia replied with a small smile. "The suite is more peaceful in the morning. It's easier to see things clearly."
Alexander watched her, noticing the simple sincerity in her gestures—the way she straightened the throw blanket with care, how her eyes lingered on the view as if she owned nothing yet appreciated everything. It was alien to him, someone used to power and control. Yet, he couldn't look away.
"I don't think I've ever met anyone like you," he admitted softly, surprising himself.
Mia paused, glancing at him. "And why is that?" she asked, curious rather than intimidated.
"Because you…don't care about my money, my status, my name," he said, almost whispering. "You see me, not the world around me."
Her smile widened, and she shrugged lightly. "I just see people. That's all. Titles and headlines…they don't matter to me."
For a long moment, they simply looked at each other, the air between them charged but calm, filled with a quiet understanding that neither fully recognized yet. Alexander felt his usual walls cracking, brick by brick, under her gentle presence.
"Would you…join me for breakfast?" he asked, a small, uncharacteristic hope in his tone.
Mia tilted her head, considering, then nodded. "I'd like that."
As they walked toward the hotel's sunlit restaurant, side by side, Alexander realized something profound: it wasn't the luxury, the fame, or the deals that made life meaningful—it was this. Small moments, shared smiles, and someone who saw him for who he truly was.
And in that instant, he knew he was willing to risk it all for Mia.