Alexandra's heels clicked softly against the marble floor, each step echoing in the quiet afternoon hum of the building. The air smelled faintly of roasted coffee and paper—the scent of a thousand late nights and a hundred high-stakes deals. Sunlight spilled through the tall glass windows, glinting off polished surfaces and wrapping the corridor in warm gold.
She pushed open her office door, expecting silence. Instead, Stacy was already there—perched on the edge of Alexandra's desk, a cat-that-got-the-cream grin playing on her lips.
"There you are," Stacy said, straightening as Alexandra stepped in. "I've been waiting to tell you this—you're about to have the best afternoon of your life."
Alexandra raised a brow, her pulse quickening just a little. "Oh? Should I be sitting down for this?"
Stacy's grin widened. "Probably. Because the Kingsley Technologies investment? It's done."
Alexandra blinked. "Done?"
"Closed, signed, sealed, delivered," Stacy said triumphantly, tapping a folder against her palm. "All signatures in. All conditions met. You, my dear friend, are officially free."
For a heartbeat, Alexandra just stood there, the words sinking in. Then a slow, stunned laugh escaped her—the kind that comes after weeks of holding your breath. "You're serious?"
"Completely," Stacy said. "Which means..." She tilted her head, eyes gleaming. "You can finally toss Rule Number Ten straight into the shredder."
Alexandra's smile grew—bright, reckless, unguarded. "Rule Ten be damned," she said, half-laughing, half-exhaling the weight she'd been carrying. "I can finally tell Sam the truth. About everything."
Stacy's expression softened. "Everything about you. The investment. All of it?"
Alexandra nodded, a spark lighting behind her eyes. "She deserves to know. And now that the deal's clean, she can't accuse me of buying my way into her life." A brief, wistful chuckle. "God knows she'd reject every dollar if she thought it had anything to do with me."
"Yeah, she probably would," Stacy said with a smirk. "But now she can't. Because you did it the right way—quietly, cleanly, no strings attached."
Alexandra crossed her arms, fighting back a grin. "You really did it, huh? Fast-tracked the whole thing."
Stacy gave a modest shrug, though the smugness in her eyes was impossible to hide. "Well, I might've moved a few mountains... or rather, made Stephen move them for me."
Alexandra laughed. "Of course you did. You've turned your brother into your personal bulldozer."
"Oh, please," Stacy said, rolling her eyes but smiling. "He needed the push. I told him if he wanted to prove he was ready to handle Holloway & Brand when we shift to H&B Holdings full-time, this was his chance. And you know what? He killed it. Three calls at once, two negotiation tables—and the Kingsley team practically tripped over themselves trying to impress him. By the time they finished their pitch, they were the ones begging to close early."
Alexandra laughed, eyes bright with amusement. "Now that sounds more like it. H&B doesn't chase deals—deals chase us."
Stacy smirked. "Exactly. Stephen made sure they knew who was holding the checkbook. Calm, sharp, professional—honestly, it was kind of terrifying. I almost felt bad for the Kingsleys."
"Impressive," Alexandra said, her voice laced with admiration. "He's starting to sound more like you every day—terrifying and brilliant."
Stacy chuckled. "Don't say that too loud. His ego's already orbiting somewhere near Mars."
Then a softer look crossed her face. "But honestly? I couldn't have done it without him. H&B's still young, but he's made it feel like we've been doing this for decades. I think Dad would be proud when he sees what we've built."
Alexandra's grin softened, her eyes glinting with warmth. "He will be. Of both of you."
Stacy waved her hand dismissively, regaining her playful tone. "Anyway, Stephen deserves a vacation after this. I practically worked him into the ground. I should probably buy him a car or something."
"Or a mountain," Alexandra teased. "Since you made him move a few of those."
Stacy laughed. "Maybe a smaller one. A hill, at least."
Alexandra laughed too, warmth filling her chest for the first time in days. "You're amazing, Stace. I could kiss you right now."
Stacy's eyes went wide, her mouth dropping open in exaggerated horror. "Zoe! Babe! Alexandra's trying to kiss me—stop her before she kills me!" she shrieked, flailing her hands like a cartoon character caught in a disaster, as if her wife could somehow hear every word.
Alexandra leaned in just enough to make Stacy yelp and stumble back, and then both of them burst into uncontrollable laughter, the tension between them melting into ridiculous, gleeful chaos.
The room felt lighter. The air, freer. For the first time since this whole thing began, Alexandra could see the end of her secret—and the beginning of something real.
She turned toward the window, sunlight cutting across her face, and whispered to herself, "It's time."
--
Alexandra walked briskly down the polished hallway toward Sam's office, her heart still buzzing from her conversation with Stacy. The scent of fresh coffee lingered in the air, grounding her, but her mind was elsewhere—already rehearsing the words she wanted to say. She slowed when she reached the assistant's desk outside the office and smiled at the familiar face behind it.
"Hello, Olivia. Is Sam in her office?" Alexandra asked, trying to keep her voice light.
"Hello, Ms. Alex," Olivia replied warmly. "Unfortunately, she's not here. She's in a meeting with the board."
Alexandra's stomach sank slightly, though she forced a polite smile. "Do you know when it might end?"
"That I'm not sure of, Miss," Olivia said, her eyes bright. "They just started fifteen minutes ago, but with today's discussion... well, a big company just invested in us, so they might take their time strategizing.
"Oh wow. That's amazing news." Alexandra's smile widened.
"Yes! You should've seen Ms. Sam—she was so happy," Olivia said, her smile bright with pride. "This deal really strengthens the board's trust in her, especially her grandmother's. Sir George might keep trying, but he's no match for her anymore."
A small warmth unfurled in Alexandra's chest. "I've always believed in her, Olivia. George could never match her—not in any way that matters."
Olivia's eyes softened. "Ms. Sam is lucky to have you, Ms. Alex. You support her, you believe in her."
Alexandra's lips curved into a small, genuine smile. "And I'm also lucky to have her, Olivia. I can't imagine my life without her anymore."
"I'll wait for her in her office," Alexandra added. "I really need to talk to her."
"Of course, Ms. Alex."
"Thank you, Olivia."
She stepped into Sam's office. The quiet settled around her like a sigh.
One hour passed. Then another. The ticking clock grew louder, crueler. Alexandra's fingers drummed restlessly on the chair's armrest, her pulse quickening with each passing minute. Finally, she stood, intent on checking with Olivia again—when movement down the hallway caught her eye. Sam.
"Sam!" Alexandra called, her voice cracking slightly with urgency.
Sam didn't turn. The elevator doors slid closed before Alexandra could reach her.
"Damn it," she hissed under her breath, spinning toward the next elevator beside it. She pressed the button again and again, willing it to move faster, her heart thundering in her chest.
When the doors opened, she stepped inside, breath uneven, fingers clutching the handrail as if she could force time to bend. Seconds dragged like hours.
The moment the elevator reached the ground floor, she bolted out, scanning the lobby. And there—Sam, already walking toward the exit.
"Sam!" Alexandra called again, louder this time. Her lungs burned, her heels striking the marble as she sprinted forward. She reached out, her hand catching Sam's arm, her skin warm beneath her touch.
Sam froze. When she turned, her face was calm, unreadable. "What are you doing here?" Her voice was even, steady—but Alexandra caught the faintest tremor beneath it.
"I've been waiting for you," Alexandra said, breathless, her voice trembling. "Two hours... I've been in your office, waiting, because I need to talk to you. We have to talk, Sam."
Sam's gaze sharpened, cool and precise. "No one made you wait for me."
"I wanted to," Alexandra insisted, tightening her hold as if afraid Sam might disappear. "Because I need to talk to you. We should talk."
Sam's lips pressed into a thin line. "We don't have anything to talk about, Alex."
Alexandra's heart lurched. "But what happened that night at the bachelorette—"
"I said there's nothing to talk about, Alex!" Sam's voice cracked through the air, sharp and final. She tried to step past, but the space between them felt electric, too charged to cross.
"We will talk—after the wedding on Sunday," Sam said finally, her tone clipped, deliberate. "Until then... please, don't come here anymore."
Alexandra's fingers lingered on Sam's arm, her pulse thrumming. "But... Sam—"
Sam's eyes flicked to her hand, then back to her face—steady, unreadable. "See you at the wedding, Alex."
The words were soft, but they hit like a closing door.
The warmth of Sam's skin still burned against Alexandra's fingertips. Frustration and longing tangled inside her, choking her breath. She wanted to plead, to make her stay, but Sam was already turning away, her composure seamless, untouchable.
Her heels echoed across the marble floor as she walked off, the sound growing fainter with every step. The space she left behind felt enormous, hollow. The air pressed in, heavy and unmoving.
Alexandra stood frozen, the sound of her own heartbeat loud in her ears. Her fingers curled reflexively where they'd touched Sam, clinging to the last trace of warmth she'd left behind.