ALEX

    "Pour me a drink," I demand the moment I walk into the room and throw myself onn''s office couch.

    "Hello to you too," he mutters, rolling his eyes halfway.

    He''s a petty bastard that''s for sure.

    When Ethan threatened to expose my illness over his damn cousin, I was furious atnn. Thought he''d sold me out. But then I realized... he hadn''t taken sides.

    He stayed neutral because, as he put it, "I take my career very seriously."

    He didn''t betray me. Which left one question:

    Who the hell did?

    It couldn''t have been Leah. If anything, that secret is the only thing keeping me tethered to her. Why burn her leverage?

    "You''re a shitty host." I mutter.

    "I''m not hosting anything. Besides, this is a hospital office and not a pub. Also, you''re supposed to stay away from alcohol!"

    "It''s not for me," I say. "It''s for my tired body. Help it out."

    "You''re unbelievable, you know that?"

    "Frequently told," I mutter, kicking off my shoes and letting my head fall back against the couch. The room spins slightly. Or maybe that''s just my brain short- circuiting again.

    A few secondster, I hear the soft clink of ss. I lift my head just enough to see him setting down a bottle of whiskey and a tumbler in front of me.

    He doesn''t say anything at first. Just watches me.

    Waiting.

    I ignore the look, pop the cap off the bottle, and pour myself a generous amount. The liquid catches the light, smooth and golden.

    I down it in one go.

    It burns.

    Good.

    "Want to tell me what''s got you spiraling this time?" he asks casually, leaning against his desk like he''s got all the time in the world.

    I just shake my head, pouring another ss.

    He raises a brow. "Is it the engagement? Or the kid? Or maybe... that woman."

    The ss pauses mid-air.

    And that''s answer enough.

    "Thought so,"nn mutters, almost to himself. "Should''ve known."

    "I don''t know what you''re talking about." I say defensively.

    "Why are you drinking" he mocks me with air quotes, "For the body then?"

    I don''t respond.

    I just drown the second ss, too.

    Then the third.

    The silence stretches between us like an old scar.

    The thing is, there are words. A thousand of them. All crammed in my chest, wing to be let out.

    But I swallow them down with another ss instead.

    I finally drag myself up from the couch, wiping a hand across my face.

    "No," I say, grabbing my coat. "Ryan''s outside."

    His expression softens just slightly. "You brought him with you?”

    "No, He came after I had arrived."

    He walks me to the elevator in silence, hands shoved into his coat pockets,

    shoulders tense like he wants to say something but knows better.

    I press the button, and we wait. The hallway is too quiet. Hospitals always feel like they''re holding their breath.

    When the doors slide open, I step inside and turn to face him.

    "Thanks man!" I say to him.

    "Anytime. When you''re ready to talk, I''ll be here."

    "Sure.", I tell half a lie. "I just need a second. Or a hundred." Iugh.

    I stumble forward before turning to face the bastard but the doors start to close.

    I just move one floor when there is a soft chime.

    Then the doors slide open again.

    And she steps in.

    Athena.

    Wearing a soft cream blouse tucked into ck jeans, her long ck hair loose around her shoulders.

    Her eyes widen slightly when she sees me, then narrow like she wishes she could

    press the button and disappear again.

    Trust me, darling, I feel the same way.

    I mutter a curse under my breath and look away, clenching my jaw.

    Of course, the universe would pull this shit today.

    She steps in without saying a word, the air in the elevator shifting with her presence.

    The doors shut with a quiet "ding".

    The silence between us?

    Violent.

    I lean against the wall, arms crossed, watching the numbers tick down slowly above the doors.

    "Knowing you''d faint when the lights go out," I say, breaking the silence didn''t

    you''d ever step foot in an elevator again."

    with a bite in my tone, ink

    She res at me, her jaw tightening. "And knowing you can''t hold

    liquor, I didn''t expect you to your

    in

    a public ce and spew nonsense."

    I smirk, turning slightly to face her. "This isn''t public. It''snn''s office. And I spew brilliance, not nonsense."

    She scoffs. "Is that what you call it now? Brilliance? It sounded more like whining

    to me."

    "Funny," I say coolly, "from someone who cried because the lights flickered."

    "I had a panic attack, you insufferable ass," she snaps, then instantly looks away,

    as if annoyed, she even gave me that much.

    It was a stupid thing to say, but I

    know Athena, she''s probably ashamed and about to sink below the steel. She hates pity, so I''ve

    given her the opposite sovet

    have to dwell much on feeling ashamed about what happened. Cóntent

    "You still dating that soft-spoken, weak-chinned guy who wears boat shoes to

    dinner?"

    Her gaze snaps to me, fire in those eyes.

    "Are you still pretending to be father of the year while drinking yourself into

    oblivion?"

    She crosses her arms, breathing uneven.

    Silence settles again. Not violent this time.

    Just... heavy.

    A weight neither of us is ready to carry.

    The elevator dings again.

    Ground floor.

    She steps out first, not sparing me a nce.

    And I follow, wondering who is waiting to take her home and why it bothers me so

    damn much.