One Night Stand With Alexander Blackwood-Chapter 69 — Sixty-nine

Serena lay still long after her breathing had evened out

.

The room was quiet, save for the faint hum of the city outside and the steady rise and fall of Alexander’s chest beneath her cheek.

His arm was wrapped securely around her waist, possessive yet gentle, as though even in sleep he was afraid she might slip away.

She stared into the darkness, her thoughts anything but calm.

This time had been different. It was not rushed, neither was it clouded.

It was not a coincidence or circumstance. This time, had fully and consciously chosen him.

Her fingers curled slowly against his chest, feeling the warmth of his skin, the undeniable proof that he was real. That this was real. And suddenly, the weight of it pressed down on her far heavier than grief ever had.

Alexander shifted beside her, tightening his hold instinctively.

"You’re awake," he murmured, his voice rough with sleep.

"Yes," she whispered in a reply.

Silence stretched between them. It wasn’t an awkward silence, but rather it was filled with the aftermath of the afternoon session.

"Are you okay?" he asked quietly.

Serena hesitated, before replying.

She swallowed hard, then answered. "I don’t know," she admitted honestly. "I just know that everything feels... different now. It feels like we have crossed a line which we had been waiting to cross."

Alexander propped himself up slightly, looking down at her. Even in the dim light, she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

"It is," he said. "And if you’re worried I’ll pretend this didn’t.matter—"

"I’m not," she cut in quickly. "I’m worried it mattered too much."

His expression softened.

Alexander leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. It was not demanding, not heated. Just there.

"Then let it matter," he said firmly. "I’m not afraid of that. Besides, we are a couple. Why wouldn’t it matter to me?

"

Serena closed her eyes, resting her forehead against his chest.

For the first time since Mama died, she allowed herself to believe that maybe — just maybe — she didn’t have to face everything alone.

"Why are you so good to me?" She murmured against his chest.

Alexander rubbed her hair smilingly. "Silly girl. You attract what you are."

Serena rubbed her cheeks against his chest, finding a suitable posture, drawing circles on his chest. Once again, silence reigned between both of them.

"When do you wish to resume work in your mom’s bakery?" Alexander asked, breaking the silence. "You can let me know, and I’ll prepare people so that you won’t tire yourself."

"You have done a lot for me. Why can’t I do this much for myself?" Serena paused for a while, then added. "And also, I need to check the situation at the bakery before I decide what decision to take."

Alexander smiled seeing how she mapped her plans. As expected of someone who worked in the marketing department. She was smart, and resourceful, and most importantly, she belonged to him.

His lips curled upwards at the thought, and he smiled satisfactorily.

"Are you listening to me?" Serena’s voice snapped him out of his reverie, and he nodded.

"Yes I am. What were you saying?" He asked.

Serena glared at him but she still explained herself. "I was saying that after I perform an inspection in the bakery, I’ll plan out my next course of action." She then looked up to him with her eyes sparkling. "What do you think about it?"

"It seems you have thought much about what you want to do. I’m proud of—"

The sudden ringing of his phone interrupted him. He stretched his hand and picked up the phone from the nightstand. Seeing the caller, his expression changed, darkening as well..

"Princess, I have to pick this call. It’s urgent." Alexander smiled softly at her. Serena noticed the look of urgency in his expression, so she pushed herself off him, giving him space to leave the bed.

"I’ll be back soon." He placed a kiss on her forehead before walking out of the room.

"You better have a good reason for calling me this late at night." Alexander’s tone was cold. He leaned on the wall, and had one hand in his pocket.

"Boss, this is really important." Sterling’s panicky voice resounded from the end of the call.

"And what could that be?" Alexander pushed himself away from the wall, his eyes dimmed slightly..

----------------------

The next morning, Serena decided to prepare breakfast before Alexander left for work.

Alexander walked into the kitchen just in time to see Serena preparing breakfast.

He placed his coat on the stool, while he watched her. "What are you doing?" He asked with his hands folded while he rested on the wall.

Serena snapped her head, and her expression brightened. "You are just in time. The dish is about to be ready."

"You decided to make breakfast." He beamed at her, and she nodded.

"Of course." She wriggled her eyebrows.

Serena turned back to the stove, humming softly as she stirred the pan. The sound surprised even her. It had been a while since she had done something so domestic without feeling the weight of grief or sadness pressing on her chest.

Alexander watched her quietly, a small smile tugging at his lips. The morning light filtered through the window, casting a soft glow around her figure. She looked... peaceful. And that alone eased something tight in his chest.

"You look like you belong here," he said suddenly.

Serena glanced over her shoulder. "In your kitchen?"

"With me," he corrected smoothly.

Her cheeks warmed up, but she didn’t deny it. Instead, she turned off the stove and reached for a plate. "Sit down. Unless you want to keep supervising like a strict boss."

He chuckled and obeyed, pulling out a chair. "I didn’t know you cooked although you’ve mentioned you loved baking."

"There are many things you don’t know about me. You can discover more in due time," she replied lightly, placing the plate in front of him. "Eat before it gets cold."

Alexander stared at the food for a second, then picked up his cutlery. After the first bite, his brows lifted in amazement. "This is good."

"Just good?" she teased, crossing her arms while giving him a pointed stare.

He reached out, tugging her gently until she sat on the edge of the table beside him. "Very good," he amended his words, pressing a quick kiss to her knuckles.

She smiled, watching him eat. Something about this felt intimate in a way that had nothing to do with what they had shared the night before. It felt real and... normal.