Chapter 2
The only reason I ever went after Alex was because of Claire.
We'd been at each other's throats for twenty years when she laid down the gauntlet.
"Layla, if you can actually land Alex Reed," she'd sneered.
"I'll keep my mouth shut for the rest of college."
Alex was a legend at Heartfield University, a once-in-a-decade mystery.
He had a face made for Hollywood, but he never touched the club scene or bars.
He used a burner phone that belonged in a museum and shut down every girl with the same line.
"Cool. But I'm busy."
He was always "busy"—mixing chemicals, growing bacteria, and cranking out papers for top journals.
The guy was basically a lab god.
By the time I targeted him, he'd already turned down half the girls on campus.
The school forums were a graveyard of rejected hearts.
I knew Claire wanted me to be her crash-test dummy.
But I was an arrogant brat back then. If I wanted it, I took it.
I obsessed over everything—his face, those flawless pale knuckles, his long legs that looked good in anything.
He had these long legs that made every pair of pants look like high fashion.
The first time I cornered him in my heels and sheer hose, he didn't even blink.
He just blew past me with his arms full of journals. "Sorry."
The second time, I brought a rare international journal I'd spent a fortune on.
Something the library couldn't even dream of getting.
Alex actually stopped in his tracks. That paper bought me exactly three seconds of his time.
That was my shot to introduce myself.
"I'm Layla Foster. Memorize it," I said with a confident smirk.
The third time, I got right in his space. He just adjusted his glasses.
"Watch where you're going," he said flatly.
I teased him, grazing the bridge of his nose with my knuckle.
"Alex, I'd rather watch you instead."
Chasing him was a total ego-bruiser.
Armed with cash and zero shame, I spent five months reeling him in with rare books.
Finally, when he stopped denying I was his girlfriend, I knew I'd won.
But back then, he truly, truly hated Claire.
For a guy who forgot to eat, he'd actually warn me, "Layla, is she really your friend?
"I saw her ruin three of your pens and two of your bags."
Sparring with Claire was just a game to me back then.
"Don't worry about her. That's just how she is," I'd said, grinning.
Alex would nod, but he'd still step between us to block her every time.
"Stay away from her," he'd tell me in front of everyone.
I'd really fooled myself into thinking he actually gave a damn about me.
If he could be with anyone, why not Claire?
They looked like a perfect match, standing there.
Honestly, I should've moved on a long time ago.
For seven years, my doctors have been on my case.
"Layla, if you want to stay on this side of the dirt, stop dwelling on the past."
I was usually good at it.
I was loud, I was fast, and I hustled harder than any driver at the station.
But the moment I left that club, the darkness in my head started throbbing.
Footsteps echoed behind me.
I clenched my jaw and scrambled into the shadows by the wall.
I knew what I looked like when an episode hit—it was hideous.
It was honestly frightening.
If Claire saw me like this, she'd have enough ammo to mock me for a lifetime.
So I never expected the person finding me to be Alex.
It wasn't Claire; it was Alex.
Without his lab coat, he looked dangerous—and way too sharp.
He grabbed my collar and yanked my hand away just as I was about to bite my own wrist.
"You dropped this."
"Whatever," I replied, my voice flat.
Honestly, nothing was worth more than my own life right now.
Alex was holding that iridescent black blob—the failed experiment.
I froze for a second, then lied through my teeth.
"That's not mine."
Alex's gaze was cold, his breath visible in the night air.
"Layla, do you want me to run a test on it?"
My breath hitched in my throat.
That necklace was a shimmering black piece of his old research.
I'd brazenly stolen it from him back then since it wasn't dangerous.
Alex had just looked at me with those lazy eyes.
He'd smirked, letting me get away with it. "Whatever."
I looked away, knowing I couldn't tell him the truth.
"Just a necklace.
"You don't seriously think I'm still pining for you, do you?"
Alex clenched his jaw. He wanted an answer, and he wasn't letting go.
"Why do you still have it?"
He was so proud—he probably still couldn't stomach the rejection after seven years.
The fact that I'd chased him just for a stupid bet.
But seeing the way he'd looked at me in the club, I had to admit—I wasn't nearly as over it as I pretended.
Seeing him walk over to Claire like I never mattered? That's not happening in this lifetime.
Tears stung my eyes, but I kept the wall up.
"I was faking it. I knew you'd follow me, so I put it on for show.
"I just wanted you to feel sorry for me so he'd throw some cash my way, Dr. Reed."
I watched the last bit of warmth drain from his eyes.
It was like that summer blizzard all over again.
Why the hell was he still looking for an answer after all this time?
I scoffed and shoved him aside.
"See? The second I tell you the truth, you can't even handle it. So just move."
My shoulders shook under my heavy black coat.
Finally, he let go of me.
Yeah, this was how it was supposed to be.
He never really loved me anyway.
*****
The college reunion ended up being nothing more than a blip on my radar.
The sun still rose the next morning, as expected.
And I still had a mountain of reports to slog through and a list of high-maintenance clients to wrangle.
"Layla, you're way behind on your monthly quota," my boss snapped, his tone sharp.
"This new client just walked in. You're going to handle them, no excuses."
The elevator doors slid open.
Claire stood there in a crisp white power suit, giving me a dismissive nod.
"What? Did you forget who I am after just one night?" she smirked.
I had no choice but to politely usher her into my office.
Her family's empire didn't overlap with our business at all.