Chapter 8 A New Company #2
“Mr. Graves, we’ve completed all the investigations,” Allen said quickly, the urgency clear in his voice.
“It’s confirmed that Mrs. Graves cleared out her old apartment and moved her belongings elsewhere.
But she hasn’t left the city. There’s no travel record—no flights, no exits.
She’s still here. She’s just relocated.”
Alexander’s jaw clenched.
“Find out where she is,” he ordered.
The shaking in his hands eased only slightly, his fingers tightening into fists. But the restlessness never left. It lingered in his rigid posture, in the sharp gleam of impatience burning in his eyes.
He ended the call without another word.
Magnus had been watching him the entire time. He stepped closer and placed a hand on Alexander’s shoulder, giving it a firm pat.
“Now that you know she’s still here, you need to calm the fuck down,” Magnus said. “Look at you—losing your mind just because she disappeared for a few hours.”
Alexander didn’t look at him.
“Why did she quit her job?” he muttered, his voice low and harsh, as if the question scraped his throat on the way out.
Magnus leaned back against the desk, crossing his arms over his chest. He spoke carefully, thoughtfully. “Maybe she didn’t like working there,” he said. “Or maybe she’s preparing for the upcoming divorce.”
The instant the words left his mouth, Magnus realized his mistake.
“Fuck,” he hissed under his breath, eyes clenching tight for a brief moment.
He barely had time to regret it before Alexander’s head snapped toward him.
The look in his eyes was terrifying—cold, lethal, stripped of anything human. His entire body went rigid, muscles locking as if he were holding himself back from something violent.
Magnus felt a chill crawl down his spine. His own body tensed instinctively.
“You know what,” he said quickly, already stepping backward, hands lifting in surrender. “I just remembered—I have something important to do. Really important.”
He grabbed his phone off the desk and turned, heading straight for the door.
“Talk to you later,” Magnus threw over his shoulder.
He didn’t wait for a response.
The door shut behind him, leaving Alexander alone in the office—standing perfectly still, fists clenched, eyes dark with a storm that had yet to break.
***
Liana carefully placed Mia’s dinner on the table before settling into the chair beside her. She glanced at Mia, her expression gentle but searching.
“So… now that you’ve moved out,” she asked softly, “are you going to divorce? Or are you going to stay?”
“I’m not sure yet, Aunt Liana,” Mia muttered. She picked up her spoon and began eating, her movements slow and distracted. “I haven’t decided. We’ve had… differences. I don’t know yet.”
Liana nodded and continued eating. “That’s all right. Just don’t take too long to think it over. When relationships are strained this much, they can break and sometimes never recover. Some situations need to be handled carefully.”
Mia nodded absentmindedly. She kept eating, but her eyes drifted toward the suitcase propped against the wall.
Just then, the doorbell rang.
Liana pushed her chair back slightly, starting to rise, but Mia was already on her feet. She reached out and placed a hand on Liana’s shoulder.
“I’ll get it, Aunt Liana. Please sit,” she said quickly.
Before Liana could respond, Mia was already moving down the hallway, her steps fast and uneven. Outside, the sky had deepened into shades of gold and red, the last light of evening bleeding across the horizon.
She opened the door—
And froze.
Framed by the burning glow of the sunset, Alexander stood on the doorstep.
Her breath caught. Instinctively, she stepped back, but he moved faster.
His arm shot out, sliding around her waist and yanking her forward. Her body slammed into his, trapped flush against him. Before she could react, before she could even inhale properly, his face buried itself in her neck.
His hand fisted in her hair, jerking her head aside and then his teeth sank into her skin.
“Ah—!” Mia bit back the sound, pain and shock jolting through her as his bite marked her sharply. A second later, his tongue swept over the spot, as if soothing what he’d just inflicted.
Then he did it again.
His teeth grazed her neckline, biting down once more, harder this time. She stiffened, swallowing every sound that threatened to escape her. He kept going—biting, licking, marking—his grip tightening as if he needed to brand her there, right then.
She didn’t dare make a noise. Liana was still inside, just a few steps away.
Mia pushed weakly at his shoulders, trying to create space, but he refused to release her. If anything, his arm locked tighter around her waist, his body pressing her more firmly against the doorframe as he continued, relentless.
Finally, she gathered what little strength she had left and shoved him harder.
Alexander pulled back at last but his hand remained firm at her waist. His eyes burned as they stayed locked on her face.
He dragged her closer again, closing the small distance between them, his grip possessive. His gaze bore into hers, dark with fury that hadn’t cooled in the slightest.
“Why the fuck did you move?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Why the fuck did you try to disappear?”
The rage twisting his expression looked like it could burn everything in its path.
“I would’ve done something really fucking bad if I didn’t find you today,” he continued, breathing hard, his jaw clenched so tightly it trembled.
His eyes searched her face, the anger fracturing into something sharper, more unsettled.
“Did you quit because of me?” he demanded. “If it’s because I showed up at your work, I’ll stop. I won’t go there anymore.”
His hand slid up from her waist to her face, cupping her cheek. His thumb brushed her skin as his voice lowered, rough but restrained. “I don’t want you to sacrifice your life because of me.”
“Mr. Graves,” Mia whispered, her fingers tightening around his wrist as she tried to peel his arm away from her waist, “let go of me first.”
He didn’t.
Instead, Alexander’s arm cinched tighter around her, dragging her fully against his chest until there was no space left between them. His hand slid up from her waist to her face, gripping her jaw and tilting her head upward, forcing her to meet his gaze.
“You stopped coming to my office because you didn’t want to see me,” he said sharply, every word edged with restrained fury. Hurt. “And now you won’t even go to the job you found for yourself just because I appeared there?”
His thumb dug into her cheek, pressing just hard enough to hurt as his gaze tore over her face, dark and restless. “Do you hate me this damn much?” he demanded, the words ripping out of him.
Mia swallowed, her throat tight. “I didn’t leave the job because of you…”
Before Alexander could respond—
“Mia, who is it?” Liana’s voice called from inside the house.
Mia stiffened. Panic flashed through her eyes.
“Just a friend, Aunt Liana!” she called back quickly, forcing her voice steady. “I’ll be back in a minute!”
Mia grabbed Alexander’s arm that was still locked around her waist and yanked at him, dragging him away from the door before Liana could come closer. Her steps were fast and uneven as she pulled him across the wide garden, heels scraping against the stone path, heart pounding hard in her chest.
Alexander didn’t resist.
He let her pull him, his grip loosening just enough to allow it, his eyes never leaving her face.
They crossed the garden in silence, the distance stretching until the house disappeared behind them. Only when they reached the main road—completely out of sight—did Mia finally stop.
She turned and shoved at his chest, pushing him back a step toward the black car parked nearby.
“Mr. Graves, please leave,” she said urgently. “I didn’t do anything because of you. You don’t have to feel guilty. Please, just go.”
For a split second, he stood still.
Then Alexander moved.
His hand shot out, gripping her waist again and yanking her back toward him. In the same motion, he stepped forward, driving her backward until her spine hit the tall outer wall of the mansion.
She gasped—
And his mouth crashed down on hers.
The kiss was rough, consuming. He didn’t give her time to breathe as his mouth claimed hers again and again, relentless, demanding. Her body was trapped between the cold wall and his solid frame, every inch of her pinned as his hands held her firmly in place.
By the time he pulled back, her lungs were burning, her head spinning, her eyes barely able to open.
“Why are you avoiding me?” he demanded hoarsely, his forehead nearly touching hers. “What is wrong with you? You don’t even answer my fucking phone calls.”
His chest rose and fell heavily. His eyes were wild, furious, unhinged with worry and anger he hadn’t bothered to hide.
“If I say it’s because I don’t want to talk to you,” Mia said quietly, lifting her chin despite the tremor in her voice, “will you leave me alone?”
Alexander’s gaze darkened further. “What do you think?” he replied coldly.
He bent down again and crushed his mouth against hers, biting down on her lip hard enough to make her gasp—punishing, possessive—before pulling back just as abruptly.
“If you don’t pick up my calls from now on,” he said, his voice low and fierce, “I will appear wherever you are and kiss you in front of everybody.”
Mia’s shock snapped into anger.
She scowled, shoving at his chest. “Mr. Graves! Do you really think you’re my real husband for me to pick up your calls immediately?”
Alexander inhaled sharply.
He stepped back, then reached up and shrugged out of his jacket. Without a word, he draped it over her shoulders, wrapping it around her firmly. His hands gripped the collar, pulling her closer as he tightened it around her neck—not choking, but inescapable.
His voice dropped, soft and dark.
“Yes,” he growled. “I am your husband.”
His eyes locked onto hers, burning. “I will be your husband until the day you die—and in the next seven fucking lives.”
Mia immediately pushed at his hands and the jacket. “I don’t want it. Take it back,” she said, twisting her shoulders as she tried to shrug it off.
Alexander didn’t budge.
Instead, he stepped closer and pulled the jacket tighter around her, wrapping it more securely over her shoulders. His voice snapped out sharp. “It’s cold out here. Wear it and go inside.”
Mia immediately pushed at his hands and the jacket. “I don’t want it. Take it back,” she said, twisting her shoulders, trying to shake the fabric off.
Alexander didn’t let go. His hands tightened around the jacket instead, pulling it closer around her arms, his fingers firm at her shoulders.
“It’s cold out here,” he snapped, though his voice softened halfway through the sentence. “Wear it and then go inside the house.”
Mia’s jaw clenched. Her teeth pressed together so hard it hurt. If she said one more word, he wouldn’t leave. He would keep standing there, keep arguing, keep watching her.
So she stopped fighting.
She grabbed the front of the jacket herself, tightening her hold on it, then twisted her body sideways and stepped out of his arms.
Alexander leaned forward instantly. Before she could move away, his lips brushed against her cheek—brief, warm, deliberate. One last touch.
Then he straightened and finally stepped back.
Mia didn’t hesitate. She turned and walked quickly toward the house, her steps firm against the ground. She pulled the jacket tighter around herself as she reached the door and went inside.
As she closed it, she paused for just a second and glanced through the narrowing gap.
Alexander was still there.
He stood in the same spot, shoulders squared, his hands tucked into his pockets, eyes fixed on her.
Their gazes locked.
A slow smile curved on his lips.
Mia’s frown deepened.
She shut the door completely.
The next morning, Mia stood by the road and lifted her head to look up at the massive building in front of her. Sunlight reflected off the glass exterior. The bold letters read Kayla Corporation.
She lowered her gaze to her phone, checked the address again, then took a slow breath before stepping forward.
“I’m here already,” she said into the phone.
“Have you seen how big this building is?” Hazel said. “I can’t believe you found a job so fast—and they called you the very next day.”
“I’m surprised too,” Mia replied as she walked toward the entrance, her heels clicking softly against the ground. “I don’t really have qualifications—just small office or assistant work. Maybe they’re hiring a lot of people.”
She reached the doors and pushed them open. “I’ll call you later, after I settle in.”
“All right. Tell me how it goes.”
Mia ended the call and stepped inside.
Her eyes moved instinctively around the lobby. The space was wide and polished, the floors gleaming. The receptionist sat behind the desk in a crisp, tailored outfit—far more professional than what Mia was now used to.
Her old workplace had been small, almost empty.
This place was crowded, filled with people moving in different directions, yet everything felt organized and professional.
Mia walked up to the desk.
Before she could speak, the receptionist stood up. “Are you Mia?”
Mia paused, surprised, then nodded. “Yes.”
“Please follow me.”
The receptionist stepped out from behind the desk and walked ahead. Mia followed as they crossed the lobby and stopped near the elevators.
“You can go in now,” the receptionist said, turning back. “Tenth floor. Go straight—you’ll find the manager’s office at the end.”
“Thank you,” Mia replied, stepping into the lift and pressing the button.
As the doors closed, she frowned slightly. It was strange—the receptionist hadn’t just pointed her out. She had personally walked her here.
The elevator rose smoothly.
When it stopped, Mia stepped out and looked around.
The floor was bright and spotless, white walls and glass offices lining the space. People moved past her with files and tablets in hand. Despite the number of employees, the area felt open.
She adjusted her bag on her shoulder and started walking straight ahead.
Then she stopped abruptly.
A man stepped out of a nearby office and came to a halt directly in front of her.
Mia startled and took a step back.
Alexander stood there, tall and relaxed, his hands tucked into his pockets, his gaze fixed on her.