Somebody That I Used To Know - Gotye, Kimbra; Horror Story - Arden Jones
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Chapter Twenty-Seven
Diane Dalton adjusted the cuff of her blazer as she stepped into the sunlit lobby of the Grand Mariner Hotel. The city hummed around her, but inside, her mind was singularly focused on Alexander Pierce, the charming, polished, and dangerously confident CEO she was about to meet.
Chelsea had warned her, of course. "Be careful, Diane. He's smooth. And I think he might be testing you." Diane had laughed at the time, but now, walking toward the private meeting room, she felt a flutter of nerves she wasn't used to.
Alexander rose as she entered, offering a broad, winning smile. "Diane ," he said, his voice smooth like velvet. "It's a pleasure to meet you again ."
"The pleasure's mine," Diane replied, extending her hand with measured grace. She caught the quick glance of approval from his assistants, but ignored it. Diane Dalton wasn't intimidated easily, not by charm, not by money, not by smooth operators like Alexander Pierce.
"Shall we?" he gestured toward the seating area.
As they settled in, Diane found herself studying him. Alexander had the kind of confidence that bordered on arrogance, yet it was softened by intelligence and genuine interest. Conversation flowed easily, and soon they were laughing over shared stories of business blunders and triumphs. Diane's mind, however, kept wandering, not to Alexander, but to Jeffrey Black.
The memory was involuntary: Jeffrey's sharp gaze, the way he dominated a room, the subtle claim in his smirk when he realized she was his intellectual match. Diane scolded herself for the distraction. Alexander was here. Jeffrey wasn't. Logic said focus on the deal.
Yet Alexander had a way of pulling her into his orbit, and Diane found herself relaxing, her laughter lighter, her smiles less guarded. The discussion turned to strategy, potential collaboration, and Diane realized she was seriously considering the idea of partnering with him. The thought nagged her: Could Alexander be… an option?
She brushed the thought away with irritation. Stop thinking about him, she muttered to herself. But as Alexander handed her a tablet to review a proposal, their fingers brushed. The spark was subtle but undeniable. Diane caught her breath, quickly looking away.
Meanwhile, halfway across the city, Jeffrey Black was in the middle of a board meeting, but his focus was fractured. Jason had casually mentioned that Diane Dalton had been seen with Alexander Pierce at lunch earlier, and the detail had lodged itself in Jeffrey's mind like a splinter.
He excused himself and stepped onto the terrace, the city skyline a blur behind his stormy gaze. "So she's considering him," he muttered under his breath. "Interesting."
Damon, noticing his brother's tension, leaned against the doorway. "You're going to explode if you don't calm down. Trust me, she's doing what she always does, evaluating options."
Jeffrey ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. "Options," he repeated bitterly. "Does she even know what she wants? Or am I just… overestimating myself?"
Damon smirked. "You? Overestimating? Never. But you're in uncharted territory, brother. And that's why you're twitchy."
Back at the Grand Mariner, Diane was oblivious to Jeffrey's inner turmoil. Alexander had leaned in slightly, his eyes locking with hers as he proposed a bold strategy that could expand her empire internationally. Diane felt the rush of excitement, the thrill of power, and, surprisingly, the dangerous tug of temptation.
She sipped her water, steadying herself, but the heat rising in her chest wasn't entirely professional. Focus, she reminded herself, though the magnetic pull of Alexander's charm was intoxicating.
"And," Alexander added, leaning back with a confident grin, "if this works, you'll have a presence in five new cities before the next quarter. Impressive, right?"
Diane's lips curved into a smile, a thrill of possibility coursing through her. "Impressive," she agreed, her voice calm but firm. "But I need guarantees. I need precision."
Alexander's grin widened, undeterred by her assertiveness. "I like a woman who knows what she wants," he said, eyes glinting. "And I don't mind pushing limits to get it."
Diane tilted her head, amused. "Limits are fine. Crossing lines is not."
Their conversation continued, and Diane found herself laughing more than she had in days, swept up in the ease of Alexander's charm. And yet, beneath it all, her thoughts drifted, unbidden, to Jeffrey Black, his intense gaze, the subtle challenge in his smirk, and the way he had always pushed her limits in a way no one else could.
By the time the meeting concluded, Diane felt both exhilarated and conflicted. Alexander had proven himself competent, charismatic, and undeniably tempting, but the pull toward Jeffrey remained, unspoken and persistent.
As she left the hotel, her phone buzzed insistently. A message from Chelsea: I know you're torn. Don't let him win just yet.
Diane's fingers hovered over the screen, but she didn't reply. She had work to do, decisions to make, and a heart that was quietly betraying her. She clenched her jaw and focused on the tasks ahead, refusing to admit the truth even to herself: that she was aware of the deepening tug of attraction, and that she was dangerously intrigued by the man she insisted she wouldn't fall for.
Meanwhile, Jeffrey, back in his penthouse, poured himself a drink, his thoughts circling Diane Dalton like a predator assessing its prey. Jason had teased him relentlessly about Diane's lunch with Alexander, leaving him silently fuming yet strangely exhilarated.
He knew Diane was smart. Calculated. Independent. And that was exactly what made the jealousy spike. He wouldn't show it, wouldn't let anyone see how tangled he was in thoughts of her, but the realization hit hard: she mattered. More than he expected. More than he could admit.
The night stretched on, and both Diane and Jeffrey were left to wrestle with their private storms, hers wrapped in temptation and professional allure, his in the grip of jealousy and unspoken desire. And neither of them could ignore the electric tension that had begun to consume everything in its path.
Diane Dalton had made a choice to consider Alexander Pierce as an option. Jeffrey Black, for the first time, realized that he might not be able to resist her, not professionally, not personally, and certainly not emotionally.
And as the city lights flickered below, both understood one undeniable truth: the game had only just escalated.
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