Chapter Nine : Restless Nights

The sharp click of poker chips being shuffled should have grounded Brian. The laughter, the smoke, the clinking of glasses, he should have felt at ease here, surrounded by familiar faces.

But tonight, nothing settled.

"Your turn, Carter," one of his friends nudged, pointing at the cards in his hand.

Brian glanced down at them, realizing he hadn't even looked. He threw a chip into the pile, not caring whether he won or lost. His friends didn't notice. They were too wrapped up in their own competition, voices rising as the game heated.

He leaned back in his chair, loosening his tie, his glass untouched on the table. The whiskey in it looked golden, glowing under the light, tempting him to drink until his head was blank. But even that wouldn't help.

Not when every time he closed his eyes, he saw her.

Alice.

He didn't know how or when she had slipped into his thoughts, but now she was everywhere. The stubborn spark in her eyes, the way her voice trembled yet held steady against him. The way she looked when she thought no one was watching, like she was carrying the weight of the world and refused to let it crush her.

Brian rubbed his temple, exhaling slowly. He should have been focused on his fiancée. Clarissa had been in his life for years, tied to him not by choice but by the binding pressure of family expectations. Her parents, his parents, every move between them calculated like a business transaction.

She was beautiful, polished, exactly what everyone thought he should want. And yet...

His chest tightened.

The truth was simple. Clarissa didn't move him. Not the way Alice did. Not with the same raw, unsettling force.

"Fold," he muttered, tossing his cards onto the table without a glance.

"Fold again?" His friend Marcus raised a brow. "What's going on with you? You've been out of it all night."

Brian forced a smile. "Long day at the office."

It was an easy excuse, believable enough. He had been working himself thin lately contracts, investors, meetings that stretched past midnight. But work wasn't what kept him awake when the city finally went quiet.

It was her.

He reached for his drink, swirling it slowly before setting it down untouched again.

Marcus wasn't fooled. He leaned in slightly. "This about Clarissa? Did you two fight?"

"No," Brian said quickly, sharper than intended.

A beat of silence followed. Then laughter erupted from the other side of the table, breaking the tension. The game moved on, but Marcus still watched him with curiosity.

Brian didn't bother explaining. What could he even say? That every time Clarissa smiled at him, he caught himself comparing it to the way Alice's lips curved? That Clarissa's voice, smooth and practiced, could never echo in his mind the way Alice's raw, unguarded words did?

He reached into his pocket, pulling out his phone. He unlocked it, scrolling through messages without seeing them. For a moment, he hovered over Clarissa's name. A picture of her smiling at a gala stared back at him, perfect and cold.

He slid the screen away.

Then, against his better judgment, his mind conjured up the image of Alice again. The way her eyes had met his across campus, wide and startled, as if she hadn't expected him there. The way she had held his gaze, even when Clarissa slipped her hand into his arm.

Something had shifted in that glance. Something he couldn't name.

"Your turn, Carter," another friend barked.

Brian looked at his cards again, not seeing them. He tossed them down anyway, standing. "I'm done for the night."

There were groans, protests, laughter, but he ignored them. He needed air. Space. Something to break this restless storm clawing inside him.

Out in the cool night, the city stretched around him loud, alive, but empty all the same. He tugged his coat tighter, walking slowly toward his car.

This was dangerous.

He knew it. He wasn't blind to the mess waiting at the edge of this road. Clarissa was already suspicious,he'd seen the way her eyes hardened when Alice was near. And if his family caught wind of his distraction, there would be hell to pay.

Alice didn't belong in his world. She deserved freedom, not the crushing weight of expectations and deals. He should stay away.

But when he closed his eyes again, all he saw was her.

The girl who wasn't his. The girl he couldn't stop craving.

Chapter Ten

Alice could feel the weight of exhaustion on her shoulders as she walked across the courtyard. The sun was out, warm against her skin, but inside she felt heavy. Her bag pressed into her side, filled with books she barely had the energy to read. All she wanted was to get through the day without drawing attention to herself.

But attention, it seemed, had already found her.

She heard the giggles first, sharp and pointed. When she looked up, Clarissa stood at the center of a group of girls, her blonde hair shining like it had its own spotlight. Her eyes locked onto Alice like a predator finding prey. Alice slowed down, a sick feeling curling in her stomach.

"Well, if it isn't the little waitress," Clarissa said, her voice dripping with mock sweetness. Her friends laughed on cue. "Did you wipe down tables this morning before rushing here, Alice? Or maybe you brought a tray with you. Do you need to take our orders?"

Alice froze. The students nearby turned their heads. Whispers spread fast, like fire on dry grass. She gripped her books tighter to her chest. Her face felt hot, but her feet wouldn't move.

She wanted to say something, anything, but the words lodged in her throat.

Sophie stepped forward before Alice could breathe. "At least she's not busy sleeping her way through designer handbags," Sophie said casually, brushing an invisible speck off her blazer. Her tone was light, almost amused, but her eyes were sharp as glass.

Gasps filled the air. A few students covered their mouths, others exchanged shocked looks. Clarissa's smile faltered for the first time.

"You don't get to talk about me, Sophie," she snapped, her voice rising. "Your family name doesn't give you the right to."

"Oh, it gives me exactly that right," Sophie interrupted smoothly. She tilted her head, her long curls catching the sunlight. "See, unlike you, I don't need to use other people to feel important. You should try it sometime. Might do wonders for your personality."

The courtyard buzzed with energy. Everyone was watching now. Clarissa's face flushed an angry red.

Alice wanted to melt into the ground. She hated being in the middle of this. She hated the way Clarissa's eyes bore into her like she was a stain that needed scrubbing.

And then, just when Alice thought she would collapse under the pressure, another voice cut through the air.

"Enough."

The crowd shifted, a path forming without anyone saying a word. Brian was there, tall, composed, his presence commanding silence. His eyes swept across the scene and landed on Alice.

Alice's heart leapt into her throat.

"Clarissa," Brian said calmly, his voice carrying enough authority to make even the boldest students quiet. "I think you've made your point. That'll be enough for today."

Clarissa blinked, caught off guard. "Brian, I was just..."

"Humiliating someone who did nothing to you," he finished, his gaze steady, unflinching. "You're better than this. Or at least, you should be."

The murmurs around them grew louder. Clarissa's face went pale before flushing again. She opened her mouth to argue, but Brian had already shifted his focus. His eyes lingered on Alice for just a second too long. A look that spoke louder than words.

Alice's chest tightened. The noise of the courtyard faded, replaced by the sound of her own heartbeat pounding in her ears.

Brian turned, placing a hand lightly on Clarissa's arm. "Let's go," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Clarissa stiffened but followed, her expression dark with embarrassment and anger. Her friends trailed behind her, whispering furiously.

And just like that, the crowd began to disperse, though not without lingering stares and hushed voices.

Alice stood frozen, her books clutched against her chest like armor. Her cheeks burned. She wasn't sure if she wanted to thank Brian, scream at him, or collapse into the grass.

Sophie nudged her shoulder gently. "Well," she said with a smirk, "that was dramatic."

Alice let out a shaky laugh, though it came out closer to a sob. She turned her face away quickly, blinking back the sting in her eyes.

She hated how vulnerable she felt, but even more, she hated the warmth that had sparked in her chest when Brian had looked at her.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

Sophie's POV

The mansion was quiet when Sophie got home, too quiet for a house so big. The marble floors gleamed under the chandelier lights, but the shine meant nothing to her. She had grown up in this world of wealth, but it had always felt more like a museum than a home.

Her parents were gone again, probably in another country, shaking hands with people just as rich and cold as they were. They had always cared more about deals and alliances than about being present. Sophie had stopped expecting anything else a long time ago.

She walked into her room, slipping off her shoes and tossing her bag onto the bed. The walls were lined with books and paintings, gifts from her mother that were meant to "cultivate" her. Sophie never cared much for the expensive things. She cared about people. Real people.

That was why she had chosen Alice.

Alice wasn't like anyone else at school. She didn't put on masks. She didn't care about last names or family fortunes. She was stubborn, honest, and so frustratingly humble it made Sophie want to shake her sometimes.

And maybe that was why Sophie felt so protective. Because if Alice broke under the weight of people like Clarissa, then what did that say about the rest of them? Sophie had the power to fight back. Alice didn't. So she would always step in, sharp tongue and all.

Sophie flopped down on her bed, staring up at the ceiling. She replayed the courtyard scene in her mind. The way Clarissa had sneered, the way Alice had shrunk back, and the way Brian Carter of all people had shut Clarissa down.

Her lips curved into a slow grin.

"Oh, this is going to be interesting," she murmured to herself.

Because Sophie had seen the look in his eyes too. The way his attention had lingered on Alice, just long enough to make the truth obvious.

And if Clarissa hadn't noticed yet, she would soon.

Sophie closed her eyes, already bracing herself for the storm that was coming. But she wasn't worried. Together, they would survive whatever Clarissa planned .

Chapter 11 – Lines Crossed

Alice's POV

The clatter of plates and the steady hum of voices usually drowned out my thoughts, but not tonight. I could still hear my own pulse thundering in my ears, loud and heavy, as if the whole diner could hear it too. My hands shook when I picked up another order slip, and I had to squeeze the pen tighter to steady my writing.

Brian's face kept flashing in my mind,the way he'd stepped between me and humiliation earlier, calm but unmovable, his voice sharp enough to cut through the laughter that had been aimed at me. I should have been angry at him for interfering. I should have hated that he saw me at my lowest, treated like I was nothing but a joke.

But instead, all I could think about was how his eyes looked when they locked on mine. Protective. Dangerous. As if I mattered to him in a way I had no business mattering.

I wiped my palms on my apron and forced myself to focus. Orders. Tables. Smiling even when I wanted to curl into myself and hide. It was routine, and routine was safe.

Except routine cracked the moment the bell over the door chimed again.

I didn't have to look up. I knew. My body knew before my brain caught up.

Brian.

He wasn't supposed to be here. Not after everything. Not after standing in front of me earlier like some kind of savior. His world didn't belong in mine, and yet here he was-towering in the doorway, shoulders squared in that expensive suit, eyes scanning the diner until they landed on me.

And stayed.

My breath hitched. I forced myself to keep walking, to deliver the plate of fries in my hand as if nothing was different. But everything was. The air thickened. My legs felt too heavy, my chest too tight.

"Hey, Alice."

His voice was smooth, low, meant just for me even though the diner was crowded. I turned slowly, clutching the empty tray against my chest.

"You shouldn't be here," I whispered, trying to sound steady but failing miserably.

He smiled faintly, not his usual practiced smile-the one I'd seen him use on others. This one was softer, almost hesitant. "Maybe not. But I wanted to check on you."

Check on me. The words burrowed deep, making my throat ache. Nobody checked on me. Not like this.

"You don't have to," I said quickly, trying to build walls with words even as I felt them crumbling. "I'm fine. I always am."

His gaze lingered on me for a long moment before he finally nodded, but there was something unspoken in his eyes. Something that said he didn't believe me. Something that said he wasn't walking away just yet.

And I hated how much a part of me didn't want him to.

Clarissa's POV

If there was one thing I couldn't stand, it was being overlooked. And lately, that was exactly what had been happening.

Brian was mine. Everyone knew it. Our families had planned it, woven it into dinner conversations and future deals for years. We were supposed to be perfect,a picture of wealth, beauty, and power tied together in one flawless package.

So why did it feel like his attention kept slipping away?

I'd seen the way his eyes trailed after that girl on campus. Alice. A nobody. A diner waitress pretending she belonged among us. It was laughable. Infuriating. Unacceptable.

I sat in my room, the soft glow of the chandelier reflecting off the glass of wine in my hand, and replayed every detail. Her awkwardness. Her cheap clothes. The way Brian had looked at her as if she was worth his time.

No. She wasn't.

I'd worked too hard, perfected myself too thoroughly to let some nobody ruin everything.

"Clarissa, darling," my mother's voice called from the hall before she appeared in the doorway, elegant as always. "The Carters will expect you at dinner tomorrow night. Wear something bold. We need to remind them why this arrangement is beneficial."

"I know," I replied, plastering on a smile.

But underneath that smile, a storm brewed.

If Alice thought she could even glance Brian's way without consequences, she was sorely mistaken.

Brian's POV

The office was quiet long after everyone else had gone home. Papers were stacked neatly on my desk, contracts waiting for signatures, but none of it held my attention. My tie was loose, my sleeves rolled up, but the weight of responsibility still pressed on my shoulders.

Numbers. Meetings. Deals. They all blurred together into a gray haze.

And behind it all, Alice's face kept pushing through.

I leaned back in my chair, dragging a hand down my face. What was wrong with me? She wasn't supposed to matter. She wasn't supposed to occupy my thoughts like this.

But she did.

Every glance, every word, every flash of defiance in her eyes-burned into me.

The knock on my office door startled me. My father stepped in, sharp as ever in his tailored suit. "You'll be at the dinner tomorrow night," he said, not asking but stating. "The Richardsons are expecting you and Clarissa. We'll finalize the sponsorship agreement afterward."

I nodded automatically, though my chest tightened. "Of course."

He studied me for a moment, his gaze narrowing. "Don't lose focus, Brian. Our family's reputation depends on this. On you."

When he left, the silence returned, but it wasn't empty anymore. It was suffocating.

I stared at the city lights outside my window, wondering how I was supposed to keep living in two worlds-one that demanded perfection and one that made me feel alive.

Alice didn't belong in my world. I knew that.

But for the first time, I wasn't sure I wanted my world without her in it.