#115 “Tomorrow We Start.”
When Alexander was finally able to send Megan away, he breathed a sigh of relief. He decided it was high time to do some work and stop playing the role of the concerned husband.
Determined to shift gears, he briskly made his way to his office. Ascending the staircase with purpose, Alexander closed the door behind him, shutting out the outside world. The faint click resonated in the room, signifying a transition from pretense to practicality.
In the seclusion of his office, Alexander allowed himself a moment of respite. The restricting tie was casually loosened and carelessly discarded onto the polished surface of his desk. A tangible exhale escaped him as he liberated his neck from the sartorial constraint.
With a swift motion, he reached for a crystal decanter, the amber liquid within whispering promises of solace. The rich aroma of aged whiskey filled the room as he poured a generous measure into a heavy-bottomed glass.
Seated in a plush leather chair, Alexander cradled the glass in his hand, the amber liquid catching the ambient light. The gentle swirls within mirrored the whirlwind of thoughts that occupied his mind.
He had set everything in motion back in London. Alexander made a promise to Sophia, and he took his promises seriously. He would do anything to provide Sophia with the information she needed to take down Megan.
He knew that gaining Megan’s trust wouldn’t be easy; he had known her for years and understood that she would do anything to stay in a position of power. However, he felt that this was also her biggest weakness.
Alexander was no fool. When Megan offered him a collaboration, he was sure something was amiss with her company, making it the perfect time to take advantage of the situation.
He offered her his assistance, knowing that once she let him inside Enlighten Press, it would be child’s play if she trusted him. The information he needed to help Sophia would be there, and he would be able to assist her.
Alexander opens his laptop and places the glass of whiskey on the desk. Opening his mailbox, it’s flooded with congratulating emails about his engagement.
Alexander smiles bitterly. The engagement wasn’t something he planned, but he still managed to use it to his advantage.
The moment Megan poisoned his drink and orchestrated the scandal, his plan took another form. As soon as he woke up in the morning, his foremost concern was Sophia’s feelings.
He couldn’t bear the thought of Sophia being hurt for anything in the world. In haste, he went to her apartment to provide an explanation. Alexander was prepared to abandon his plan the moment Sophia indicated that she didn’t want him around Megan.
He was ready to change his plans completely, even invent new ones and bury the collaboration with Megan, but Sophia remained cold and uninterested. Despite their time in London, where he thought they were starting to form some sort of relationship, Sophia seemed reluctant to involve herself with him.
So his agreeing to Megan’s proposal of engagement would at least secure Megan’s trust, and it served him another purpose as well. Alexander was provoking Sophia to show if she cared at all for him. He had to know.
The image of Sophia, her eyes reflecting a mix of anger and disappointment, lingered in Alexander’s mind like a vivid painting. He couldn’t shake off the intensity of that gaze, the emotions etched in the depths of her eyes haunting his thoughts.
As he took a sip of his whiskey, the amber liquid providing a momentary distraction, Alexander couldn’t escape the gnawing curiosity about Sophia’s true feelings. She pushed him away all the time, and even though it hurt him, he loved her.
Undeterred by Sophia’s reluctance, Alexander was unwilling to give up on being her support. He was determined to see his plan through, regardless of whether Sophia reciprocated his feelings.
As Alexander navigated through his emails, he spotted a message from Kyle and a smile crept across his face. Over time, the two had forged a strong friendship, and Alexander had come to rely on Kyle’s skills and trustworthiness.
They had gone out for drinks a few times and it turned out that the two of them got along well and had common visions and goals. Alexander highly valued Kyle’s work, he was the one who had helped him figure out who his ex- wife was.
Kyle, known for his exceptional ability to unearth information and act as a sharp detective, had proven to be an invaluable ally. Alexander was confident that by bringing Kyle into Enlighten Press, they could expose all of Megan’s well-guarded secrets.
The email from Kyle was brief yet reassuring.
“Everything sounds good; you will surely get what you want. Just say when we start.”
Responding promptly, Alexander hastily typed detailed instructions and a list of specific areas for Kyle to investigate. He concluded the email with a decisive statement:
“Tomorrow we start.”
When he had finished his meticulous work on the laptop, Alexander leaned back in his chair. He ran his hands over his face and sighed.
Tomorrow would bring new challenges, and he needed to be thoroughly prepared. Glancing at the time on his computer, he noted that it was already two o’clock.
The quiet of the room enveloped him as he contemplated the tasks that lay ahead.
The respite in Alexander’s study was short-lived. A gentle knock echoed through the room, the sound heralding the intrusion of the outside world. Alexander, engrossed in his contemplations, looked up as the door swung open, revealing the maternal figure of Caroline.
“Alexander, dear, may I come in?” Caroline’s voice filled the room.
Alexander, recognizing the tone, set aside his glass and leaned back in his chair. “Of course, Mother. Come on in.” He gestured toward the inviting leather chair opposite his desk.
Caroline stepped into the study, her eyes scanning the room briefly before settling on her son. The lines on her face spoke of both a mother’s love and the wisdom of experience. She took a seat, her gaze unwavering.
