Watch Me Win Alpha (Olivia and Ethan) novel Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Then I felt it.

That sharp jolt of awareness. A presence behind me–warm, dominant, laced with familiarity and power. My body tensed before I even opened my eyes.

And when I did…

Alexander.

His shirt clung to his chest, damp from a run. His hair was

pushed back, and every muscle looked cut and defined beneath

the fabric. For a moment, I just blinked at him. The man

could’ve walked out of a fitness magazine, except there was

something else to him–stillness, command.

“Good morning,” I said quickly, trying not to look like I’d been

staring. “The sun’s a bit harsh this morning. Made me dizzy for a

second.“‘

He raised a brow. “You might go blind if you keep staring

directly into it.”

I looked away, heat creeping up my neck. “Right.”

To recover, I asked, “Morning run?”

Chapter 34

“Obviously,” he replied, wiping his temple with a towel draped around his neck. Then, without warning, he pivoted, his tone sharpening. “I saw you last night.”

My heart skipped. “Saw me?”

“On the third floor of the yacht,” he said. “You were watching!””

I swallowed hard, trying to keep my voice neutral. “It was just

coincidence. I was going up for air and… I didn’t expect to see

you two in the middle of… that. I left right away”

His eyes narrowed. “In the middle of what?”

I hesitated. “An… intimate moment.”

He tilted his head slightly. “Define intimate.””

My cheeks flushed. I hated that he could corner me like this

with just a few words. “Kissing,” I said, barely above a whisper.

“You were kissing. It looked… intense.”

There was a long pause. Then he scoffed lightly. “You

misunderstood.“”

“Misunderstood?”

a

“I don’t like kissing,” he said flatly. “Especially not with women.”

My eyes widened. That threw me. Not because of what he said-

Chapter 24

but how he said it. Like it was both a confession and a dismissal. My mind scrambled. Did he mean he was gay? Or that he just didn’t enjoy that kind of intimacy? Was everything with Jess… fake?

Alexander. Welcome.”

He gave a polite nod.

No handshake. No warmth. Just a formal exchange before we

all followed him into the conference room where the scheduled

activities for the day began.

It was a whirlwind. The hours slipped past in a blur of presentations, audits, project debriefings, financial reviews, and a deep dive into regional operations. Jess facilitated most of it efficiently, guiding every segment without missing a beat. Alexander, as usual, was quiet but commanding, listening more

than he spoke–until he did, and then everyone listened.

For lunch, Jess had arranged a business meal at one of Washington’s most prestigious local restaurants. I was too focused on my notes to taste anything. Gai looked as tired as I felt. I noticed him stifling a yawn, his fingers tightening around

his tablet.

Chapter 34

When the dinner meeting finally rolled around, Jess was still fresh–faced. She hosted it in a private booth at an upscale hotel with several potential investment partners. Gai and I stepped outside mid–meal to catch our breath and review some numbers in peace.

I leaned against the railing outside the booth, flipping through the reports on my tablet. Something wasn’t adding up.

“Gai,” I said, my voice low, “look at this.”

He stepped over and peered at my screen.

“The factory’s system logs 2,035 clock–ins daily… but the

attached employee roster shows only 2,026 active names,” I

explained. “It’s been consistent across multiple weeks. That’s not

a fluke.”

His brows furrowed. “That’s a nine–person gap.”