Alex looked at her with an amused glint in his eyes. "If you think I have five or six girlfriends, Chloe, then why did you say yes to the date?"
She let out a soft laugh and tilted her head. "I guess… curiosity? And because I think you're handsome. And… for some reason, I haven't been able to get you out of my mind since the shootout. You know, that ridiculous moment where you kissed me before you went all action-hero with a wine bottle."
His smile deepened. "So it was the kiss?"
She smirked faintly. "It was… part of it. But also the way you handled everything that night. I kept telling myself you were arrogant and dangerous, but somehow my brain didn't listen. I thought about you more than I should have."
Alex studied her for a moment, his expression unreadable, then he leaned his shoulder against the wall beside her door. "You want to know the truth about me?"
Chloe's brow furrowed slightly. "I'm listening."
"I do have a lot of girlfriends," Alex said, his tone completely straightforward. "Seven."
She blinked, a brief silence hanging between them before a little laugh escaped her lips. She walked back and forth a few times before saying, "Wow. Seven? That's… impressive, I guess. Or exhausting."
"Before you say anything, let me make this clear," he replied calmly. "I'm not meeting them behind each other's backs. They all know about one another."
Her smile faded into a thoughtful look. "Wait… they know? All of them?"
"Yes. All of them. And they are there because they want to be. I don't trick anyone. There's no game." His voice was steady, almost reassuring, as if he had explained this many times before. "I told them the truth from the start."
'Seven girls! Just wow! They must all be models and actresses. So, why does he want me? Like there are way better-looking girls than me around him.' Chloe crossed her arms, still leaning against the doorframe. "That's… unusual. So you just… what? Rotate between them like a schedule?"
Alex gave a low laugh. "It's not a rotation like a business calendar. We spend time when it feels right. Sometimes it's just dinner, sometimes a weekend away, sometimes a week goes by without seeing one of them at all. It's flexible."
Her head tilted slightly as she studied him. "And they're all okay with that? With sharing you?"
"They are," he said simply. "Because they know they're not competing. I'm with them for who they are, not because I'm trying to rank them or compare them. It's… hard to explain, but it works for us."
Chloe let out a quiet, almost incredulous laugh. "You know, I expected a lot of things from you tonight, Alex, but not this. Seven girlfriends. My God. You know, you could have just lied. I mean, dang! Anyone in your place would have lied to... You know..."
She took a deep breath.
"So, why?"
He smiled faintly. "I never lie except for when I'm stealing some food from the fridge, despite a strict diet routine. Or when I'm stealing someone's bear gummies. And I want you to know that you're not just a distraction for me. I wanted to see you again, to talk to you. To find out more about you. And if that means telling you something that might make you walk away, then so be it. But I'm not going to hide who I am."
She looked down briefly, processing his words, then met his eyes again. "So you'd want to date me?"
Alex shook his head slightly. "I'm not asking you for anything right now. I'm just telling you the truth. We barely know each other. Tonight was about that. The rest… we can figure out if we want to."
The sincerity in his tone made her pause. He wasn't defensive, wasn't pushing. He was just stating facts, letting her decide.
Chloe breathed out slowly. "It's a lot to take in. I mean, part of me wants to run because it sounds… complicated. And part of me wants to laugh because of course you'd have a harem. It fits."
He chuckled at that.
They stood there for a moment, the night air hanging between them, the quiet hum of the street a faint backdrop. Chloe's gaze wandered briefly past him, as if searching the shadows for clarity, before returning to his face.
"Are you one hundred percent sure about this, Alex?" she asked slowly. "Because I'm not like the others. You have young women around you, and here I am, a single mom with responsibilities that go way beyond dinner dates and weekend trips."
Alex did not look away. His voice was steady, almost gentle. "Yes, I am sure. If you say yes to this, then I will do everything in my power to protect you and your daughter. I will love you both for the rest of my life. That is not something I say lightly."
Chloe's eyes narrowed just slightly, though there was a flicker of warmth in them. "If you dump me and make Trixie sad, I will shoot you."
Alex's lips curved into a small grin. "That's fair."
She let out a soft breath, her shoulders loosening just a little. "You're serious about this?"
"Completely," he said without hesitation.
Chloe looked down for a moment, her fingers brushing the doorframe. She took a deep breath, almost as though steadying herself. "Then give me some time to think. This is not just about me. It is a big decision, and I need to think about the well-being of my daughter before I give you an answer."
Alex nodded once, not pressing her. "Take all the time you need."
She walked over to him and looked him in the eyes. She said, "Thanks for the truth and not playing with me. And I'll get back to you in a couple of days... Good night, Alex. And thanks for taking me out. I really enjoyed the date."
"Good night, Chloe," Alex said with a warm smile. "I too enjoyed the date. And I'll be waiting for the call. Oh, I almost forgot." He ran over to his car and opened the trunk. He took out a gift-wrapped box and brought it to her. "For Trixy. New comics. Tell her that I'd be waiting for the review."
Chloe took the box from his hand. "Will do."
"Well. See ya," Alex turned around and walked toward his car.
Chloe stood there and waved his hand as Alex drove away before going inside the house.
...
[1 week later]
It had been a week since the night Alex took Chloe out. The shooting schedule for Mr and Mrs Smith was running like clockwork, with four consecutive days of work completed without delays. The crew was in high spirits, the director was pleased with the footage, and the chemistry between Alex and Angelina in front of the camera was stronger with each take.
But despite how smoothly things were going professionally, Alex had not heard from Chloe. She had promised to call in a couple of days, but the week had passed without a single text or phone call. Whenever his phone buzzed, a small part of him hoped it was her. Each time it wasn't, he would simply slip it back into his pocket and focus on work, though a flicker of disappointment always lingered.
On Thursday evening, in between takes, Alex stepped away from the set and called Halle. Her excitement was clear the moment she picked up.
"Halle, your audition is set for Tuesday," he told her.
"It's going to be private like you said, right?" She asked.
Alex could tell that she was excited from her voice.
"Yup," Alex replied. "A promise is a promise. I'll meet you at 9 AM?"
"Yeah. I can do that," She replied almost instantly.
They talked and flirted a little before Alex returned to the set, his mind already shifting back to the Smiths' suburban kitchen scene scheduled for that evening.
...
In the middle of the week, his team finalized the purchase of a five-storey building in Los Angeles. The location was ideal, not far from key production hubs, and Alex wasted no time in setting plans into motion. The ground floor was immediately transformed into a welcoming lobby with clean, modern lines and an open reception area. For now, it also served as a makeshift studio, with rooms temporarily assigned for shoots.
The first floor became his office space. The large corner office had floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the street, and the walls were already lined with framed concept art from Titan's most successful projects. Down the hall, a few smaller offices were allocated for assistants, production coordinators, and creative leads.
The remaining floors were still under renovation. Alex's vision for the building went far beyond simple office space. He wanted soundproofed editing suites, high-tech green screen stages, and a training center for motion capture performances. The third floor was being stripped down for construction, while the fourth floor would eventually become an animation and design hub. The top floor, he decided, would hold an exclusive lounge and meeting area, with a panoramic view of Los Angeles for networking events and creative retreats.
By Sunday morning, the first two floors were buzzing with activity. The lobby smelled faintly of fresh paint and new carpet, but the hum of conversation and the clinking of coffee mugs made it feel lived in. Alex had arranged for that perfume ad photoshoot, featuring himself and Max as the faces of a new fragrance line Titan was launching in a couple of weeks.
The main shoot room on the ground floor had been set up since dawn. Large softbox lights cast an even glow across the black-and-gold backdrop. A long table in one corner held trays of small pastries, fresh fruit, and bottled water for the team. The perfume bottles sat on a pedestal in the center of the set, waiting for their close-up shots.
...
[10 AM]
Max arrived at the new studio just after ten in the morning, wearing a leather jacket over a short floral dress and her hair tied in a loose bun. She had brought Angelina along, who seemed equally curious about the place.
The two women lingered in the lobby, looking around at the freshly painted walls, the modern reception desk, and the busy assistants rushing in and out of different rooms.
Max spotted a candy jar on the receptionist's counter. She glanced around like a cat checking for witnesses, then scooped a fistful of gummy bears and shoved them into her pocket.
Angelina caught her in the act. "Really?" she said, raising an eyebrow.
Max popped one into her mouth. "A girl needs her sugar. These are for emergencies."
'How the hell does she maintain her body without a proper diet plan? She eats all the time, yet... Her body is perfect and fit. Wait! Am I jealous of Max?!' Angelina wondered.
They walked down the hallway, peeking into open doors. When they reached the main shoot room, they leaned in to take a look. Bright lights were already set up, and the perfume bottles sparkled under their spotlight like precious artifacts. After a moment, they moved on to the dressing rooms.
Inside, Alex was standing before a full-length mirror, wearing a crisp black-and-white suit that made him look like he had just stepped out of a luxury watch commercial. He was adjusting his cufflinks when Max suddenly closed the door behind her.
Without hesitation, she ran straight toward him and planted a kiss on his lips. Angelina followed immediately, stepping forward with a sly smile and leaning in for her own kiss.
But Angelina did not stop there. She took Alex's hands and slid them down until they rested firmly on her butt while they kissed. And yeah, he squeezed them properly while kissing.
Max's jaw dropped. "Excuse me?!" she said loudly.
Angelina pulled away with a satisfied grin. "What? You run on sugar and I run on butt squeezes."
Alex chuckled and gently pushed them apart. "Alright, enough mischief before the cameras start rolling. Max, go to the next room and get ready. The team is waiting to dress you up and do your makeup. Angelina, try not to start a wrestling match before lunch."
Max gave Angelina a playful glare. "Oh, it's on. You better hope they don't give me heels today, because I will use them as weapons."
Angelina laughed and walked toward the snacks table, clearly enjoying herself. Max rolled her eyes, muttered something about "show-offs," and headed to the prep room while Alex shook his head and went back to adjusting his tie.
---
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