Alex stepped outside the building, his phone pressed to his ear as he relayed the latest updates to Andrew. "The deal’s done," Alex said confidently. "Henry signed over the shares without further trouble."

"Good," Andrew replied, satisfaction clear in his tone. "And Rosalie?"

"She’s been handled," Alex smirked. "Though I’m sure she’ll hold a grudge."

Andrew chuckled. "Let her. Just stay sharp."

"Always," Alex said, ending the call and slipping his phone into his pocket. He glanced back at the building and allowed himself a moment to smile. Inside, Ariana waited for him—an enigma wrapped in fire and strength.

Meanwhile, Ariana sat alone in the room, her legs crossed and her mind wandering. The soft sound of approaching heels broke her thoughts, followed by the door swinging open with a loud bang. Rosalie stormed in, her face a mask of fury.

"You bitch!" Rosalie screamed, her voice echoing in the room.

Ariana raised an unimpressed brow, remaining seated. "What’s your problem?"

"You!" Rosalie shrieked, stalking closer. "Who the hell do you think you are to lay a hand on me? You’re just a low-class whore!"

Ariana chuckled, standing gracefully and closing the gap between them. "Shouldn’t that be you? With the way you collect boyfriends, it seems like you’d fit the description better."

Seeing red, Rosalie lunged at Ariana, but her outstretched hand never reached its target. In a swift motion, Ariana twisted Rosalie’s arm behind her back and pinned her against the wall.

"Ahh! Let me go!" Rosalie cried out, tears pooling in her eyes as pain shot through her shoulder. "It hurts!"

"This is just a small lesson," Ariana said coldly, her lips close to Rosalie’s ear. "If you show up in front of Alex or me again, I won’t be so kind next time."

"Stop it! It fucking hurts!" Rosalie cried, struggling futilely.

Ariana released her with a final shove, causing Rosalie to stumble forward. Tears streamed down Rosalie’s cheeks as she turned to glare at Ariana, who rolled her eyes dismissively. "Get lost."

Rosalie stormed out, her anger and humiliation palpable. Ariana sat back down, unfazed, just as Alex returned.

"Everything okay?" Alex asked, noticing the faint tension lingering in the room.

"All good," Ariana replied with a calm smile. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah. That’s it for today," Alex said, walking toward her. He paused, his eyes softening. "Oh, by the way, thanks for standing up for me earlier,” Ariana said with appreciation in her voice.

"No need to thank me," Alex said, brushing off her gratitude.

Alex smiled, his voice dropping to a tender tone. "You’re precious to me."

"Precious?" Ariana asked, her brows furrowing in confusion.

Alex ran a hand through his hair, gathering his courage. "I suppose it’s time to be honest," he said, his expression earnest. "It was love at first sight for me when I saw you. I want to cherish you for a lifetime."

Ariana blinked, her mind racing to process his words. She stood frozen, her usual sharp wit dulled by shock.

"Umm… You don’t seem mad," Alex said nervously, stepping closer.

"Sorry," Ariana said quickly. "I’m just… surprised."

"So, what do you think?" Alex asked, hope flickering in his voice. "Can we have a future together?"

Ariana hesitated, her heart racing. "You’re the first person to show me kindness and respect. You’ve accepted me for who I am. So…"

Alex leaned closer, hanging on her words. "So?"

"So, I guess we can try. But," Ariana added, her logical mind taking over, "we’ve known each other for less than a week. Are you sure?"

A mischievous glint sparkled in Alex’s eyes. "You might not have seen me, but I’ve been your shadow for a long time now."

Ariana took a step back, her brow raised. "You’ve been stalking me?"

"Not stalking," Alex said quickly, his tone defensive but light. "Let’s just say you’ve been on my radar. I’ve watched out for you."

"Ah, I see," Ariana said, nodding slowly. "Well, I’m a logical person, so I say we can date first and see where it goes."

Alex grinned, a boyish excitement lighting up his features. "That’s good enough for me, my little devil."

"My little devil?" Ariana asked, her lips twitching into a smile.

"You don’t like it?" Alex teased.

Ariana laughed, the sound warm and genuine. "It’s fine, I suppose."

Alex took her into his arms, holding her tightly. For a moment, Ariana tensed, but then she melted into the embrace, wrapping her arms around him in return.

"It’s official now," Alex murmured into her hair. "So you can’t go back on your word."

"I won’t," Ariana promised, her voice soft but firm.

Alex’s grin widened as he held her close. "My little devil, it seems you’ll have me wrapped around your finger in no time."

"Is that so?" Ariana smirked, feeling a warmth in her chest she hadn’t felt in years.

Alex nodded, laughing. "Absolutely."