I don’t know why the thought of Aimy and Alexander being in the same building unsettled me so much.
The company was huge.
There were dozens of offices, departments, and meeting rooms.
The chances of them running into each other again were small.
Yet I still couldn’t slow down.
I kept walking quickly through the hallway.
Behind me, President Evan let out a quiet chuckle.
"Slow down. She’s alright."
But I ignored him.
My heart continued pounding against my chest as I hurried toward the elevator area near Anna’s office.
Then I heard voices.
A small commotion.
Instinctively, I slowed down.
" Aimy, apologize to Uncle. This is the second time you’ve bumped into him."
It was Anna’s voice.
I turned the corner and froze.
Alexander stood there in his dark suit, tall and imposing as always.
And in front of him stood Aimy.
She looked so tiny compared to him.
"I’m sorry, Uncle," her little voice sounded out.
My eyes immediately lifted to Alexander’s face.
For a brief moment, I forgot how to breathe.
His expression had softened.
Not slightly.
Completely.
A wave of emotions passed through his eyes so quickly I almost missed it.
For the first time since I had known him, the walls around him seemed to lower.
Then he did something that surprised me even more.
He crouched down until he was at Aimy’s eye level.
"It’s alright, little one."
His voice was unbelievably gentle.
"Next time, look where you’re going properly so you don’t fall and get hurt."
Aimy nodded obediently.
Then she turned her head.
The moment she saw me, her entire face lit up.
"Mummy!"
She immediately ran toward me.
I quickly crouched down and opened my arms.
"There you are."
She wrapped her small arms around my neck.
"Grandma Margaret brought me here to see Uncle Evan," she announced proudly.
I smiled and stroked her hair.
Then, almost unconsciously, I looked toward Alexander.
He was already standing again.
Our eyes met briefly.
And for the first time since we met again, I clearly saw it.
The hurt in his eyes.
The realization struck me harder than I expected.
He had just watched his daughter run past him and say she was here to see another person.
Before I could think further, another voice interrupted.
"Uncle!"
Aimy suddenly broke away from me and ran toward Evan, who had just arrived.
Evan crouched down and effortlessly lifted her into his arms.
"Hey there."
He smiled.
"Did you come to see me?"
Aimy nodded seriously.
His smile widened.
"That’s a shame. I didn’t get you any chocolates."
Aimy immediately frowned.
"I don’t really like chocolate."
"Really?"
Evan looked genuinely confused.
"But why?"
"It’s too sweet."
For a moment, Evan simply stared at her.
Then he laughed.
"Too sweet?"
Aimy nodded.
"Then what do you like?"
As their conversation continued, my gaze instinctively drifted toward Alexander.
His eyes had widened slightly.
And suddenly, I remembered.
Alexander didn’t like overly sweet things either.
Not chocolates.
Not desserts.
Not even sugar in his coffee.
A strange feeling settled inside my chest.
So that’s where Aimy got it from.
"Sir, our ride is ready."
The assistant’s voice cut through the moment.
I looked toward her.
She had been standing quietly nearby the entire time.
Her gaze briefly swept over me before returning to Alexander.
For some reason, she looked irritated.
I wasn’t sure why.
Alexander turned toward her.
The two of them began walking toward the elevator.
As the doors opened, she moved closer to him.
Very close.
Too close.
For some reason, the sight bothered me.
Then another thought surfaced.
Jane.
Why wasn’t Jane here?
Jane had always been the one beside Alexander.
This assistant looked much younger than Jane.
Younger than me too.
She couldn’t be much older than her early twenties.
Yet something about her felt strange.
Ever since Blackwood Dominion arrived, I had noticed little things.
The way she dressed.
The expensive clothes.
The fitted skirts.
The blouses that revealed a little too much for someone attending corporate meetings.
And they certainly weren’t clothes an ordinary assistant could easily afford.
I frowned slightly.
Then immediately pushed the thought away.
Why was I even thinking about this?
Alexander’s assistant had absolutely nothing to do with me.
Whatever happened between them was none of my concern.
I turned away.
Evan and Aimy were still talking.
Anna suddenly appeared beside me and leaned closer.
"Isn’t he so hot?" she whispered.
I blinked.
"Who?"
"Chairman Blackwood."
I froze for half a second before quickly recovering.
Then I narrowed my eyes at her.
Anna grinned.
"No, seriously. That sharp jawline."
She sighed dramatically.
"And don’t even get me started on that body hiding under those suits."
"Don’t you have work to do?" I snapped.
This time Anna narrowed her eyes back at me.
And judging by the look on her face, she wasn’t planning on letting the topic go anytime soon.
"Why are you all standing here?"
It was Aunt Margaret’s voice.
I turned toward her.
Her brows were slightly furrowed.
But before I could answer her question, Anna beat me to it.
"Mum, why did you have to leave aimy in my office?" she complained dramatically. "She literally terrorized the entire place."
Aunt Margaret and I burst out laughing.
"Where else was I supposed to leave her?" she asked innocently. "The poor girl wanted to go to you."
Then she added with a teasing smile,
"You should be happy she wants to help you with work."
Anna groaned.
"Trust me, that’s not help."
Without waiting for her response, Aunt Margaret turned toward President Evan.
"Sorry to interrupt, but we have to get going now."
Aimy’s face immediately fell.
Her lips formed a dramatic pout.
President Evan let out a small laugh.
"Don’t look so sad."
He gently poked her cheek.
"Go with your grandma for now. We’ll see each other again."
"Really?" she asked hopefully.
"Of course."
His smile widened.
"You still haven’t finished telling me all the things you like."
That seemed to cheer her up instantly.
After a few more promises and goodbyes, Aunt Margaret finally managed to lead her away.
Aimy kept turning back every few steps to wave.
Soon they got into the elevator and the door closed.
President Evan glanced at his watch.
"I should get back to work."
Then he nodded toward us and headed in the direction of his office.
Anna and I also started walking back toward ours.
For a while neither of us spoke.
The hallway was quiet except for the sound of our footsteps.
Then suddenly Anna spoke.
"You know..."
I glanced at her.
"What?"
She frowned thoughtfully.
"Doesn’t Chairman Blackwood look a little familiar?"
My steps faltered for the briefest second.
Anna didn’t seem to notice.
She continued talking.
"Every time I look at his eyes, it feels like I’ve seen them somewhere before."
She tilted her head.
"But I can’t remember where."
My heart skipped a beat.
I forced myself to remain calm.
"What do you mean?"
Anna shrugged.
"I don’t know."
She rubbed her chin dramatically.
"It’s just a feeling."
Then she laughed.
"Maybe he just has one of those faces."
I forced a small smile, but my chest tightened.
Aimy looked so much like Alexander.
Maybe not enough for strangers to notice immediately.
Her features were still soft and childish.
Still growing.
But the resemblance was there.
Especially when she smiled.
Especially when those blue eyes looked up at someone.
Maybe that was why Anna felt something was familiar.
Even if she couldn’t quite figure it out.
And honestly...
I hoped she wouldn’t.
Not yet.
I wasn’t ready.
I already felt guilty enough for keeping such an important truth from the only family I had left.
Every day I delayed telling them made that guilt heavier.
But every time I imagined the conversation, fear followed.
Fear of the questions.
Fear of the explanations.
Fear of what would happen afterward.
So for now, I could only hope they wouldn’t connect the pieces before I found the courage to tell them myself.