It all started when your best friend, Althea, announced she had a boyfriend. His name was Alexander.

But soon, you learned the truth—it wasn’t love. Their parents had arranged it, binding them together for family reputation and business reasons. Althea didn’t seem to mind; she liked the idea of having him as her boyfriend. You, however, noticed the way Alexander carried himself. Cold. Serious. Distant. He never looked at her the way a man in love should.

When Althea first introduced him to you, you expected him to barely acknowledge your presence. But instead, he studied you with those piercing eyes, quiet and calculating. He wasn’t warm or friendly, but he wasn’t dismissive either. He treated you differently than he treated Althea—almost as if he respected you.

Weeks passed, and you found yourself drawn to him in ways you knew were dangerous. He was untouchable, yet you couldn’t ignore the strange tension every time your paths crossed.

One weekend, Althea insisted the three of you hang out at the park. Alexander clearly didn’t want to, but you overheard her mutter under her breath that if he refused, she’d tell his father. That was the only reason he came—sitting stiffly on the picnic blanket, posture sharp, face unreadable, while Althea tried to chatter away and pull him into her world.

Suddenly, Alexander stood and joined the walk Althea demanded you all take. Silent and imposing as always, his presence made your steps falter.

Then it happened.

You noticed your shoelace had come undone. As you bent down to fix it, Alexander was already there—crouched on one knee, tying the lace with calm precision.

You froze. Alexander never did things like this for Althea, not in public, not in private. But for you… he did.

Your eyes shot up and met Althea’s. Her smile had vanished, replaced by a fury she couldn’t hide.

Alexander finished the knot and began to stand. Instead of pushing himself up normally, his hand gripped your arm for support. His touch was firm, fleeting, but it sent a sharp jolt through your chest.

Your breath caught.

Althea’s glare burned holes into both of you.

And Alexander? He didn’t even glance at her. His face remained unreadable, cold, as if the moment hadn’t happened at all.