Chapter 105: Where It Comes From

Mandy took another slow, deliberate drink from the silver flask, her fingers tapping against the metal casing. The sharp, bitter scent of the liquor instantly began to fight with the heavy, sweet perfume she had sprayed on before leaving her apartment. She turned her head, resting her cheek against the leather headrest as she stared openly at Alex’s profile.

The dashboard lights cast a faint, cool glow over his sharp jawline and the broad line of his shoulders, making him look completely detached from the cramped space of the car.

"You know, nobody at school really knew what to make of you," Mandy said, her voice cutting through the steady hum of the engine. She let out a short, dry laugh, shaking her head.

"You and Mark just moved through the campus like you owned the place, but you never actually spoke to anyone. We all knew there was money somewhere—"

Alex kept his hands steady on the steering wheel, his eyes locked entirely on the red taillights of the traffic ahead.

"I was there to finish my classes and get out, Mandy. I wasn't looking for a social circle."

"Clearly," she murmured, leaning her shoulder deeper into the passenger seat so she was facing him completely.

The movement caused her short skirt to slide up her thigh, but she didn't bother pulling it down. Instead, she rested her arm along the center console, her manicured fingers hovering just an inch away from his sleeve.

"But look at you now. The minute we graduate, you're suddenly all over the local news. You're standing at podiums, talking about the North End foundation, putting up clinics, and going toe-to-toe with Richard Harrington. It’s like a completely different guy stepped out of that lecture hall."

"The work at the site speaks for itself," Alex said, his tone flat and entirely devoid of any warmth.

"And the plaza is less than ten minutes away. If you want to talk, talk about something else."

Mandy rolled her eyes, taking another sip from her flask before screwing the cap back on with a loud, metallic click.

"Don't be so stiff, Alex. I'm just saying what everyone else is thinking. People are talking. They're looking at the screens in the cafes, trying to piece together how the quiet guy from the back row is suddenly the biggest name in the district. And then, of course, there’s the architect."

Alex’s grip on the steering wheel tightened slightly, his knuckles turning pale under the dim dashboard light, but his face remained completely expressionless. He didn't offer a single word in response.

"Sarah Hayes," Mandy continued, her tone dropping into a sharper, more mocking register. She watched his face closely, trying to catch any sign of a reaction.

"That’s the name on the corporate charter, right? A woman who has a son our exact age. When the news broadcasted the press conference, half the girls from our year were texting each other trying to figure out if it was a joke. A guy with your family's kind of backing settling down with a divorcee who has a mortgage and a grown kid? It doesn't make any sense."

"It doesn't need to make sense to you," Alex told her. His voice was dangerously low, a calm but dominant sound that completely filled the interior of the sedan.

"The plaza is right around the corner. Put the flask away."

"Come on, Alex, don't be a bore," Mandy said, shifting her weight again. She reached across the space between them, her fingers coming down to rest firmly on his forearm, pressing against the fabric of his jacket.

"The traffic near the downtown entrance is completely gridlocked anyway. My apartment is just three blocks past the main plaza. Why don't you just drop me off there instead? I have a much better brand of bourbon than what’s in this cheap flask, and we can actually catch up properly. Without all the cameras, and without anyone watching your every move."

She leaned closer, her voice dropping into a soft, suggestive whisper.

"You always looked so intense on campus, like you were carrying some massive secret. Now you're out here playing the hero for a woman who could have been our senior lecturer. Don't you want a clean break from all that pressure? Just for an hour. Someone your own age, no strings attached, no corporate drama. Nobody has to know."

Alex didn't blink. He felt her fingers on his arm, but the touch didn't register as anything more than an annoyance. In his mind, all he could see was Sarah—the way she looked when she was focused on her blueprints, the fierce confidence she carried in her business, and the quiet, breathtaking vulnerability she only showed to him behind closed doors. Comparing the woman he loved to the girl sitting next to him wasn't even a possibility.

Without taking his eyes off the road, Alex smoothly pulled his right arm back, breaking Mandy's grip completely as he moved his hand down to the gear stick.

He guided the black sedan out of the main lane and steered it sharply toward the curb, pulling up right in front of the brightly lit, crowded entrance of the plaza sidewalk.

He slammed the gear shift into park with a heavy, final click. The engine continued to hum with a low, powerful growl as Alex finally turned his head to face her. His dark eyes were cold, unreadable, and completely unyielding.

"Get out of my car," Alex said. The words were delivered with an absolute, striking authority that left no room for negotiation or playful banter.

Mandy blinked, her suggestive smile instantly freezing on her face. Her hand dropped back to her own lap, her fingers curling into a fist.

"Are you serious? I'm just asking you for a drink, Alex. We went to the same school. We survived four years of the same professors. The least you can do is show some basic courtesy."

"We sat in the same rooms because our schedules matched, Mandy. We weren't friends then, and we aren't friends now," Alex said, his gaze piercing straight through her. He reached over and tapped the unlock button on the door panel.

"Open the door and step out."

Mandy’s face flushed a deep, furious red under her makeup. She snatched her leather bag off the floorboard, her jaw tightening as she realized her attempt to get through his guard had completely failed.

She couldn't find a single crack in his composure, and the sheer indifference in his eyes stung worse than any shouting match.

"You're a real piece of work, Harrington," she snapped, her voice rising in pitch as she grabbed the door handle and flung it open. The cold evening air rushed into the warm car, carrying the sound of the bustling city sidewalk.

"Let's see how long this tough-guy routine lasts when the press really starts digging into her past and your father decides he's done playing nice. You're going to wish you stayed in your own lane."

"Goodbye, Mandy," Alex said smoothly, his tone completely flat.

She stepped out onto the pavement, her heels clicking sharply against the concrete, and slammed the heavy car door shut behind her with a loud, resounding thud.

Alex didn't wait to watch her blend into the crowd. He shifted the sedan back into drive immediately, checked his side mirror, and pulled back into the flow of traffic.

He pressed his foot down on the accelerator, navigating the remaining city gridlock with a sharp, focused efficiency until the bright lights of the plaza began to fade behind him.

Within minutes, he reached the open lanes of the highway, the dark, dusty purple of the evening sky stretching out ahead of him as he drove straight toward the quiet roads that led to the cottage.