Chapter 197 – Marcus Vex's POV
"The Unexpected Visit"
The music had dulled into a soft hum in Marcus's ears, but his mind wasn't focused on the party. It hadn't been since she left.
Alina.
That woman.
Green eyes, wicked curves, and the confidence of someone who had nothing to lose.
Marcus Vex stood near the edge of the ballroom, watching the crowd move with glittering glasses and forced laughter. Yet, the only image burning in his mind was the smirk on her lips as she walked away.
He had always been the one who pulled the strings. The one who left them wanting more. But Alina? She'd walked out like she hadn't just shaken something loose inside him. And that unsettled him more than he cared to admit.
"Another drink, sir?" the waiter asked, holding out a fresh glass of bourbon.
Marcus took it without speaking, swirling the amber liquid around as his thoughts tangled.
Who the hell was she?
She didn't act like a stranger. And yet, she had offered no information about herself. Just her name. Alina. No last name. No slip-ups. No obvious motives.
It was that calm, controlled attitude that bothered him. He was never off-balance — not with women, not with enemies.
Until now.
"You've got that storm-cloud expression again," a smooth voice drawled from behind him.
Marcus didn't have to turn. He knew that voice anywhere.
"Caleb."
His best friend stepped up beside him with his usual cocky charm, pulling the attention of a few women as he passed. Caleb Ryker — dressed in a sharp charcoal suit with a lazy smirk that screamed confidence.
"You look like someone just kicked your ego," Caleb said, taking a sip of champagne and raising a brow. "Something go wrong?"
Marcus stared into his bourbon. "A woman."
Caleb coughed out a laugh. "Did you just say that with a straight face?"
Marcus shot him a warning look, but the corners of his lips twitched slightly.
"Must've been one hell of a woman," Caleb added, nudging his shoulder.
"She's interesting," Marcus said slowly. "Beautiful. Smart. Confident. And she didn't fall for the usual."
"Ah," Caleb nodded with exaggerated seriousness. "So, she's immune to the infamous Marcus Vex charm. That is rare."
"I don't know what she wants," Marcus said, voice low.
"Maybe she doesn't want anything," Caleb suggested. "Maybe she's just... normal."
Marcus scoffed. "No one that well-guarded is normal."
"Well-guarded?" Caleb echoed. "You interrogated her already?"
"She gave me nothing." Marcus's jaw tightened. "No slips. No fidgeting. She was composed. Too composed."
"You think she's dangerous?"
Marcus didn't answer immediately. Instead, he took a slow sip of his drink, eyes scanning the crowd as if hoping she might return.
"I think she's hiding something," he finally said.
Caleb shrugged. "Then do what you do best. Find out who she is. You've got the resources."
"I already sent a team," Marcus muttered. "I want everything. Her name, her schedule, who she talks to — everything."
Caleb chuckled. "You sure this isn't just obsession?"
"Don't start."
"I'm just saying," Caleb teased, grinning. "It's been a long time since I've seen you this rattled."
Marcus didn't deny it. Alina had gotten under his skin in record time, and that pissed him off. He was used to control. Predictability. But her? She was like smoke — impossible to grasp.
"I'll find out what she's up to," Marcus said firmly.
Caleb raised his glass. "And if she's not up to anything?"
"Then she stays interesting," Marcus said, smirking faintly.
They clinked glasses.
The conversation drifted into business updates and underground rumors — contracts, failed deals, small-time rivals trying to make noise — but Marcus's mind kept returning to those green eyes, the sway of her hips, and the way she looked back over her shoulder like she already knew she'd see him again.
When the night began to wind down, Caleb stretched. "Alright. I'm heading back to my place. You staying longer?"
"No," Marcus said, finishing the last of his bourbon. "There's work to do."
Caleb gave him a knowing grin. "Work or a woman-shaped mystery?"
Marcus ignored him.
As Caleb turned to leave, he paused and looked over his shoulder. "Hey, if she turns out to be a spy or a contract killer... can I get an introduction?"
Marcus gave a rare smile, cold and amused. "Only if she doesn't kill you first."
Caleb laughed, disappearing into the sea of glittering guests.
Marcus turned back toward the quiet shadows near the windows. The city skyline blinked in the distance, unaware of the game that had just begun.
Alina Lantel — or whatever her real name was — had stepped into his world uninvited.
And now?
He intended to own hers.