The moment her skin touched his, Alexander felt a jolt.
It was sharp and unexpected, shooting straight to his chest.
His expression darkened instantly.
He pulled his hand back from Evelyn's grasp without a second thought.
The sudden movement caught her off guard.
A soft gasp escaped her lips.
She stared at him, her eyes wide with surprise.
Her silent disbelief made his heart ache strangely.
Alexander clenched his fist.
He could still feel the phantom softness of her palm against his skin.
Evelyn's mouth opened slightly.
She seemed to want to say something but stopped.
She was clearly flustered, unsure how to proceed.
His reaction made it obvious. Her touch had offended him.
Alexander pressed his lips together tightly.
He looked away, his voice stiff. "I'm not really used to physical contact. Sorry."
Understanding dawned on Evelyn's face.
His defenses were high. His sense of security was fragile.
He instinctively recoiled from her touch.
He turned his gaze away, pretending to be calm. "You may go," he murmured.
Evelyn hesitated.
Words failed her.
She knew Alexander wouldn't warm up to her easily.
Their acquaintance was too recent.
Even she felt the lingering awkwardness of their arrangement.
For someone as guarded as him, it must be worse.
She accepted the situation quickly.
She chose not to push him.
With a subtle nod, she left the study.
She closed the door softly behind her, giving him the solitude he needed.
Only after Evelyn was gone did Alexander let out a long sigh.
He massaged the bridge of his nose.
A rare headache was forming.
He was perplexed.
Why did her smallest actions unsettle him so deeply?
This was a new and disconcerting feeling.
He prided himself on being detached and logical.
Now he felt an unusual disturbance inside.
If this continued, he dreaded the consequences.
He hated this sensation of losing control.
After a moment of thought, he made a decision.
A brief escape was necessary.
Fortunately, a critical situation demanded his attention at Aethelgard Industries.
It was the perfect excuse to get away from Evelyn's unsettling influence.
His mind made up, he slipped out of Serenity Oaks.
A line of staff followed quietly behind him.
In the days that followed, Evelyn noticed Alexander's absence.
Concern gnawed at her.
She asked the butler, Samuel, about his whereabouts.
Samuel offered a reassuring smile. "Mr. Blackwood is buried under a mountain of work, Mrs. Blackwood. You shouldn't worry."
Evelyn pondered this.
Alexander was probably working tirelessly to clear that massive debt.
He was exhausting himself.
She decided not to add to his burden.
Instead, she focused on her own pressing need: finding a job.
With renewed determination, she carefully crafted her resume.
She scoured job listings online, eager for a change.
Then, an unexpected invitation arrived.
Aethelgard Industries wanted to interview her.
Aethelgard Industries was no ordinary company.
It was a globally celebrated tech giant.
It had gone public in record time under its mysterious founder.
In just a few years, its worth had exploded past a hundred billion dollars.
Its founder was now the richest person in the world.
Yet, the founder remained a complete shadow.
No one had ever seen him.
Evelyn was ecstatic.
She could hardly believe her luck.
She poured all her energy into preparing for the interview.
She was determined to secure this job and its steady paycheck.
She saw it as a stepping stone.
A way to a brighter, more stable future for herself and Alexander.
But as she drove to the Aethelgard Industries headquarters, a thunderous crash shattered the air.
A luxury car appeared out of nowhere.
It slammed into Evelyn's car with earth-shattering force.