Chapter 9 Jealous
“Mr. Graves?” she said, stunned. “What are you doing here? Did you come for a meeting?”
Alexander didn’t answer.
He leaned down slightly and pressed a kiss to her cheek.
Then he pulled back, a faint smile playing on his lips.
“What do you think?” he said.
Mia sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes widening. She took two quick steps backward, her heel scraping softly against the floor.
“Mr. Graves!” she hissed, horror flashing across her face. “This is an office! How can you—”
She cut herself off and spun her head around, eyes darting down the hallway. Her shoulders stiffened when she realized no one was nearby.
Her jaw tightened.
“I am here to work,” she snapped, turning her face away from him sharply. Without giving him another look, she straightened her back and walked briskly toward the office at the far end of the corridor, her steps quick and firm.
She reached the door and lifted her hand, knocking twice.
“Come in,” a voice sounded from inside.
Mia pushed the door open and stepped in.
The room was quiet and orderly. An older man sat behind a desk positioned in the center, several chairs neatly arranged around it. He looked up at her, rose to his feet, and gestured toward the empty chair across from him.
“Please take a seat, Miss Bennett. I am Sam Peralta.”
Mia offered a polite smile and walked over, pulling the chair back before sitting down carefully.
“Your documents?” the man asked.
She reached into her bag and handed over the file. It felt thin in her hands. She clasped her fingers together on her lap as he opened it, her thumbs rubbing against each other unconsciously. She watched his face closely, tension tightening her shoulders.
Sam flipped through the pages once, then set the file aside and picked up another sheet.
He looked up and gave her a small, reassuring smile. “Please wait here. I’ll be back.”
He stood, walked around the desk, and left the room, the door closing softly behind him.
Mia sat alone. Her hands remained clasped, her back stiff against the chair as the silence stretched. Her breathing grew shallow with every passing second.
Sam walked straight down the hallway and stopped in front of the CEO’s office. He raised his hand and knocked once.
“Come inside,” came a voice from within.
Sam opened the door and stepped in.
“Mr. Graves, Mrs. Graves is in my office right now,” he said with a slight smile. “She seems fine. Just a little nervous.”
Alexander gave a brief nod, his expression unreadable. “Get it done.”
“Yes, Mr. Graves,” Sam replied immediately.
He turned, exited the office, and headed back down the hallway.
Sam pushed his office door open and walked in.
Mia straightened at once, her hands releasing from each other as she rose slightly from the chair, anticipation tightening her chest.
Sam smiled.
“Miss Bennett, you’re hired,” he said. “If you want to start right now, you may. Otherwise, you can join from tomorrow.”
For a moment, Mia just stared at him.
Then her face lit up, a bright smile spreading across her lips. She hadn’t expected it to be this easy.
“Thank you,” she said, standing up fully.
She turned, walked to the door, and stepped out, letting it close softly behind her.
The moment she entered the hallway, her gaze lifted—and froze.
Alexander was still there.
He was leaning casually against a doorway farther down the corridor, one shoulder pressed to the frame, arms loose at his sides, eyes already on her—as if he’d been waiting.
Her steps slowed as she walked toward him.
Only when she drew closer did her eyes flick sideways, catching the sign mounted beside the door.
CEO
Her breath hitched.
She looked back at Alexander, and in that instant, something clicked in her mind.
Mia stopped walking. Her body stiffened.
“Mr. Graves… you arranged this job?” she asked, her eyes narrowing as her brows drew together tightly.
“Of course,” Alexander answered instantly without the slightest hint of shame.
Mia froze.
For a full second, she could only stare at him, shock flashing across her face. Then her lips pressed into a thin line.
“You’re such a stalker!” she snapped, her voice rising sharply. Her eyes burned with anger as she glared at him. Without waiting for his response, she spun around on her heel and stormed away, her heels striking the floor hard with each step.
Behind her, a wide grin spread across Alexander’s face, sharp and unapologetic, as if her fury only amused him more.
***
“Mia, wait!”
One of her coworkers, Freddie, came jogging out of the building just as she reached the entrance. Slightly out of breath, he waved to get her attention. Mia stopped reluctantly and turned around.
It had been three days since she had joined Kayla Corporation. Freddie was a little older, somewhere in his thirties, dressed neatly with a warm, friendly smile that didn’t feel threatening. He scratched the back of his head awkwardly before speaking.
“You joined recently, right?” he said easily. “I noticed you haven’t really made any friends yet. How about we go for dinner? Do you have any plans tonight?”
Mia hesitated, her fingers tightening around the strap of her bag. Her instinct was to refuse. She glanced down the road, then shook her head lightly.
“It’s really not necessary,” she said softly. “Maybe later.”
“Why later?” Freddie teased with a chuckle. He quickly pulled out his phone and swiped to a picture, holding it up in front of her. “This place just opened. Looks good, right? Do you like Italian food? I’ve been wanting to try it for ages. Come on—my treat. We can talk, get to know each other.”
Mia hesitated again.
She hadn’t made any friends since joining the company, and rejecting a kind colleague again felt awkward. After a moment, she let out a small breath and finally forced a polite smile.
“All right…” she said. “Then let’s go.”
Freddie’s face lit up instantly. “Great!”
The two walked side by side toward the main road. But the moment Mia lifted her eyes—
She froze.
Across the road, leaning beside a sleek black car, Alexander stood waiting. His posture was relaxed, one hand resting casually by his side, but his gaze was locked onto her with frightening precision—as if he had been watching the entire time.
Mia’s heart skipped violently.
She immediately turned, trying to walk in the opposite direction. But it was too late.
Freddie had already noticed Alexander.
His eyes widened, and without thinking, he jogged toward Alexander, excitement clear in his voice.
“Mr. Graves!” Freddie called out. “Did you want to talk to our boss?” He laughed lightly, completely unaware of the tension. “I didn’t realize you had a meeting today. Maybe I should stay back.”
Alexander’s eyes slid slowly from Freddie to Mia.
Mia tightened her grip on her bag, her fingers trembling. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, before forcing her feet to move. She had no choice but to walk over and stop beside Freddie, her body stiff and helpless.
Alexander reached up, removed his glasses, and tossed them carelessly into the passenger seat of his car. The small action felt deliberate—dangerously so. Then he turned fully toward them, slipping his hands into his pockets as his gaze flickered between their faces, sharp and assessing.
“Where are you going?” he asked.
His voice was calm—but heavy.
“Just dinner,” Freddie replied cheerfully, completely oblivious. “There’s a new restaurant nearby. Mia joined recently, so we thought we’d try it out together.”
Alexander’s eyes hardened instantly.
They lingered on Mia for a brief moment—dark, warning—before shifting back to Freddie. His face was void of any smile, his presence suddenly overwhelming.
Freddie’s voice faltered slightly under the pressure.
Alexander tilted his head, eyes narrowing as he asked flatly, “Are you married?”
Freddie froze, stunned by the sudden question. His eyes darted between Alexander and Mia before he answered honestly.
“No, Mr. Graves. I’m still single.”
The change in Alexander’s expression was immediate.
His jaw clenched. The air around him turned cold.
He looked back at Mia, the warning in his eyes deepening, sharp and unmistakable.
Mia stared back at him, confused and unsettled. She didn’t understand what he wanted—only that the way he was looking at her made her chest tighten.
Alexander turned back to Freddie.
“It’s not good to have dinner alone,” he said evenly. His tone was calm, but the darkness behind it was unmistakable. “Why don’t you invite everyone from your department? I’ll treat everyone tonight.”
“Mr. Graves, that’s wonderful!” Freddie nearly shouted in excitement. “You’re so busy, yet you want to have dinner with us? Our boss will go crazy when he hears this—I’ll call everyone right now!”
“There’s no need,” Alexander replied coolly. “Why don’t you go inside and tell them personally?” He flicked his chin toward the building.
Freddie blinked, confused, but nodded quickly. “Sure, Mr. Graves.” Then he turned to Mia. “Let’s go. You can inform the—”
“Mia is going with me.”
Alexander cut him off sharply.
“I’m taking her to the restaurant first,” he continued, his eyes never leaving Mia. “You can come later with the rest.”
Before Freddie could process what he had just heard, Alexander moved.
His hand shot out and closed around Mia’s arm.
She stumbled a step as he pulled her toward the passenger side of his car.
He opened the door, retrieved the glasses he had tossed earlier, and without giving her time to protest, pressed a light hand against her shoulder, guiding her down into the seat.
Mia had no choice but to sit.
The door shut with a solid thud.
Freddie stood frozen on the sidewalk, staring at the scene with a baffled expression, his mouth slightly open. He looked like he wanted to say something—anything—but the oppressive aura around Alexander silenced him completely.
Alexander didn’t spare him another glance.