CHAPTER 47: THE MAN I WAS

The Blackwood Mansion’s kitchen glowed with dawn’s light, the velvet curtains parting just enough to spill golden streaks across the marble island.

Victoria stood by the counter, her silk robe clinging to her curves, the emerald fabric shimmering as she sipped her coffee, its bitter warmth grounding her.

Across from her, Alex lounged shirtless, his sweat-dampened hair catching the light, his lean muscles taut from last night’s fervor in James’s bedroom. Their connection hung in the air, palpable, a thread of heat woven through the morning’s quiet.

Her fingers brushed his as she set her mug down, a deliberate touch that sparked a memory of their tangled sheets, her gasps echoing through the mansion’s walls.

Alex leaned back, his smirk softening though his eyes still held a calculated edge. "I’m focusing on college for a few weeks," he said, his voice steady, deliberate. "I’ll swing by the office when I get time."

Victoria’s smile faltered, a flicker of sadness crossing her face, her fingers tightening around her mug. Not in front of me every day? The thought stung, her heart clenching at the distance, however temporary.

Sensing her shift, Alex slid closer, his hands finding her waist, pulling her onto his lap with an ease that made her breath catch.

"Hey," he murmured, his voice a soothing rumble, his fingers tracing her spine through the silk. "I don’t need a degree or any of that shit, but there are things I’ve gotta do... moves to make. I’ll always come back to you, love. This mansion, your bed, it’s open to me anytime, right?"

Her breath trembled, her chest loosening under his words. She leaned close, her lips grazing his ear, her voice velvet and steady, charged with the loyalty that had once driven her to cast Sophia out.

"Always," she whispered.

He smiled softly, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You can come to our mansion whenever you want... it’s yours as much as mine. And I promise, no one will ever step into the master bedroom without your say. It’s yours, only yours."

Her eyes shimmered, the weight in her chest easing as warmth spread through her. She leaned into his touch, a tender smile curving her lips. "That’s all I ever wanted to hear," she whispered, her voice steady but full of quiet relief.

Then, after a pause, her tone sharpened, cool and commanding... the CEO mask sliding back into place. "I’ll inform the office you’re focusing on college. Exam time makes the perfect cover... no one will question your absence."

"The office will miss you, though. A lot of people already do." She paused, a playful glint surfacing. "Especially David, Margret, and Claudia. Those two bitches are always ready to spread their legs for you, you charmer." Her tone was teasing, but her eyes searched his, testing.

Alex chuckled, his smirk returning, his hand resting possessively on her thigh. "You’d be happy letting them try, huh?" he teased, his voice a playful taunt, testing her back.

Victoria’s smile faded, her gaze turning serious, her fingers brushing his jaw. "I don’t care how many bitches you fuck, Alex," she said, her voice low, raw with honesty.

"I didn’t leave James because he cheated. I left him because he didn’t care about me at all. I know I can’t keep you to myself... I couldn’t handle you alone." Her lips quirked, acknowledging his fire, but her eyes were earnest. "Just promise me I’m your top priority. Your queen."

Alex’s chest lightened, a weight lifting he hadn’t realized he carried. He’d wondered how to navigate her expectations, how to balance his system-driven conquests with her loyalty.

Her words were a gift, freeing him to play his game while keeping her close. "You’ll always be my queen," he vowed, his voice firm, his hand cupping her face. "That’ll never change."

Victoria’s smile returned, soft and radiant, and she leaned in, her lips brushing his cheek, then trailing to his neck, a slow, intimate kiss that sent a shiver through him.

"Good," she whispered, her breath hot against his skin, sealing their pact.

As Victoria grabbed her briefcase, promising to see him later, Alex sat alone, the weight of his rising influence settling over him. His thoughts were sharp: Sophia’s watching. Let her.

Upstairs, Sophia lingered in the shadows, her silk nightgown clinging to her, overhearing their exchange.

Her heart twisted, envy and rage flaring like the peeking scene’s storm. "He’s yours now, but I’ll snatch him back".

"Enjoy your throne, Mom. I’m coming for it. If I could take it once, I can damn well do it again." Her smirk was cold as she slipped away, resolve steeled, recalling the way Alex once lingered around her like a loyal dog. That memory reminded her she knew exactly how to make people orbit her.

_____

Blackwood Cafeteria

The cafeteria doors swung open, sunlight glinting off the linoleum as Alex strode in, his presence a quiet ripple through the crowded room.

Whispers followed... rumors of money, power, women... but he walked past them like they didn’t exist.

His gaze wasn’t on the students staring but on the counter, where Maria manned the register with her no-nonsense grin and Juan worked the grill like a man conducting an orchestra.

Maria spotted him first, eyebrows lifting. "Alex? Haven’t seen you in weeks. How’s life treating you, son? They say you’re running the whole campus now."

Alex leaned on the counter, his smirk easy, almost boyish. "I’m breathing, Maria. That’s good enough for me. What about you? That knee giving you trouble still?"

Her laugh rang out, softer than her words. "Getting better every day. You still remember that?"

"Hard to forget when you limped circles around me during rush hour," Alex shot back, his eyes warm. He turned toward the grill. "And Juan... still making the best grilled cheese in the city, or have you retired already?"

Juan flipped a patty high, catching it with a flourish. "Please. You think I’d let these kids suffer cafeteria food without me? But tell me, kid... rumor is you’ve gone fancy. Suits, cars, all that."

Alex shrugged, palms up. "Rumors don’t flip burgers or clean trays. You two taught me that." He nodded at the sizzling grill. "Smells like you’re still carrying the place."

Maria rang up his order, the screen blinking red with totals, but when he slid a bill across the counter, she pushed it back with a mock glare. "Not from you. Not ever."

Alex grinned, slipping the money into the tip jar instead. "Then call it a donation. For better coffee filters."

Juan barked a laugh. " Stubborn. As always."

Alex carried the tray to the booth, the vinyl creaking as he slid in, his friends’ faces lighting up. Sarah, sharp-witted with her sleek bob and piercing eyes, leaned forward, her loyalty a steady anchor.

Danny, the group’s heart with his rumpled shirt and warm grin, kicked back, while Mike, the joker with messy hair, was already stealing fries.

Alex set the tray down, his cedarwood scent mingling with pizza steam. "Feast up, you vultures," he teased, sliding plates their way.

"Sarah, extra cheese. Danny, no onions. Mike, enough fries to choke you." His grin was infectious, his eagerness to be here, with them, shining through... no trace of the Alex who’d once ghosted them for weeks, drowning in Sophia’s cruelty.

Sarah’s eyes softened, her voice warm but pointed. "Look, Alex, how good is this? All four of us, back-to-back like yesterday. You’re actually here, not off in your own head."

Her words carried weight, a nod to his old distance, but her smile was proud, protective, catching the sharper edge to his confidence.

Danny, ever sincere, leaned in, his grin wide. "She’s right, man. You’re on fire... same Alex, but like, more. No more dodging us."

Mike, munching a fry, added his playful jab. "Yeah, dude, you’re stealing the whole campus vibe. Can’t leave us behind, though."

Their laughter was easy, layered with history... late-night study sessions, pranks, and pulling Alex through his darkest days.

Alex’s smile was genuine, his eagerness to soak in their energy a stark contrast to his past neglect. "Missed this too much to ditch you again," he said, his voice low, real. "Yesterday was just the start."

They reminisced, the booth a bubble of joy amid the cafeteria’s chaos. Sarah recounted yesterday’s diner, where Mike had botched a ketchup-bottle prank, splattering Danny. "You screamed like a kid!" she teased, her loyalty evident in her ease.

Danny laughed, nudging Alex. "You were cracking up hardest, man. Good to see you like that."

Mike, ever the clown, mimicked Alex’s smirk. "Mr. Big Shot, paying for everything now. Gonna buy us a theater next?"

The banter was competitive but warm, Alex the unspoken leader, his charisma drawing them in, amplified by his system-driven glow but grounded in their bond. He leaned back, popping a fry, his thoughts flickering to Tisha’s alley heat and Sophia’s lurking schemes. She’s watching, stirring shit. Let her try.

Sarah sparked the plan, her eyes glinting. "Let’s keep this going... romcom tonight, something sappy to rip apart."

Danny’s grin widened. "Hell yeah, keep the vibe alive. You in, Alex?"

Mike pumped a fist. "I’m down, but you’re buying tickets, Moneybags."

Alex chuckled, his eagerness matching theirs, the idea a perfect escape from the games swirling around him. "Deal. Something light... need a break from the intensity."

Just as they were enjoying their time, a voice cut through the cafeteria’s hum, cocky and mocking, dripping with venom from the entrance. "Aren’t you having too much fun, charity case?"

The words landed like a blade, silencing their laughter. Heads turned, and Alex’s smile froze, his eyes narrowing as he recognized the voice... Marcus.

______

Author’s Note:

Hey everyone! If you’re enjoying Alex’s journey, don’t forget to support the story with power stones, comments, and gifts. Your encouragement really helps me keep writing and motivates me to push this story further.