Chapter 27 Case Closed

• The clock ticked steadily on the wall, the veins, the blinding fear when the men cornered her. And Alexander—his face dark with rage as he stormed in, a protective force shielding her from harm.
• But now, hours later, that protective moment felt like a distant memory. The man who had shielded her from those predators seemed like a figment of her imagination, overshadowed by the Alexander she knew all too well: cold, distant, and utterly indifferent.
• The sound of the door creaking open jolted her from her thoughts. She stood abruptly, smoothing the wrinkles from her dress as Alexander entered. He looked as composed as ever, his tie slightly loosened, his sharp features unreadable.