Chapter 4 RESTRAINT

ALIANA

A year had passed.

An entire, incredible, heart-wrenching year has passed since I left Dominic's business, his vacant estate, and the persistent pain of feeling unseen next to a man who was indifferent to my existence.

I worked with Michael Hamilton - the allegedly "asexual" mysterious attorney who had startled the nation when he assumed control of Hamilton & Co. and managed it with chilling brilliance and exact precision.

And I? I served as his lead accountant.

Actually... in a sense.

Emotionally, I was the woman who sometimes still forgot to breathe whenever he spoke my name as if it were a sacred thing he shouldn't touch.

This evening was the annual gala of our company. The single occasion where everyone feigned enjoyment while covertly vying for whose outfit was pricier and whose companion appeared the most lavish.

Jenna, my sister-in-law - and now, my self-designated fairy godmother of vengeance and personal renewal - had pulled me to the Hamilton Hall's ballroom in a backless navy-blue dress she insisted would "make Michael Hamilton remember his masculinity."

She was correct. The man hardly blinked when he spotted me earlier that evening and then courteously inquired if I had eaten dinner. Yet the glimmer in his eyes revealed an alternative narrative.

"Can you remind me why I'm in a dress that hardly conceals my back?" I murmured while Jenna and I stood close to the glass barrier that overlooked the city skyline, enjoying champagne.

"Because," she remarked with a sly grin, "you're a divine being who forgot she had thunder in her soul." "Tonight, your foolish ex will be overwhelmed by regret, and hopefully, you chose someone, get laid, and just get a divorce."

I sighed. "You said we wouldn't discuss him."

She lifted her glass. " Not really - you said that. "I always disagreed."

I chuckled against my will. Jenna had that influence on others - the unique talent to turn wounds into inside jokes.

I took another gulp, attempting to calm my anxiety. Michael positioned himself across the room, encircled by board members and politicians. His tuxedo hugged him tightly, sharp enough to slice through the chatter. He remained calm and collected - but periodically, his gaze wandered in my direction. Elusive, momentary gazes that ignited like revelations.

And then, just as Jenna had foreseen - because the universe loves dramas - Dominic showed up.

Arm in arm with a model who seemed to be compensated for her smile.

This time, I didn't freeze. Didn't waver. I simply glanced at him, then turned my gaze elsewhere.

"Alright," Jenna murmured. "That's the way Queens Act."

"I'm no queen," I whispered.

"You are his estranged wife. Being out with another woman is nothing short of disrespect, so just divorce him already, and you are very much a queen boo, never forget that. I can't believe I'm even related to that twat."

I chuckled quietly upon hearing the recognizable voice behind me.

"Aliana."

The manner in which he pronounced my name still irritated me - not due to affection, but because of his boldness. Dominic always talked as if he possessed everything the sunlight reached, including me.

I turned, a calm smile in position. "Dominic."

"You seem... different," he remarked, his gaze sweeping across me in a manner that used to thrill me but now just made me crave sanitiser. "Working with Hamilton is a good fit for you."

I bent my head. "You're suggesting I work for someone who truly appreciates my talents?"

His jaw twitched. "Please don't start, Aliana." You left okay. "However, you are still my wife."

Jenna sputtered on her beverage next to me. "Wow, what the hell?"

I didn't even look at her. "You forfeited that privilege the instant you presented your secretary as your guest at our anniversary dinner."

"That was business."

"Right."My therapy expense was also business, yet you nagged about it for years."

He moved in closer, softening his tone. "Do you honestly believe Hamilton will be interested in a woman with issues like you?"

I grinned gently. "You're referring to a woman who didn't pass away hoping you would love her?" "Sure, I believe I'll take the chance."

He blinked, caught off guard.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, was when I understood I was truly free at last.

Rain started falling midway through the event - thunder sounding like cheers for my newly discovered strength. The glass ceiling of the hall gave the impression that stars were descending.

Once the speeches concluded, individuals began to exit. Jenna intertwined her arm with mine, humming softly. "I swear, Michael was moments away from hitting your husband tonight."

"He's no longer your brother," I remarked, wrapping my shawl around my shoulders.

"He is." Nevertheless, still a fool. "And talking about fools," she whispered, her eyes sparkling, "you do realize Hamilton views you as if you're some kind of tantalizing treat, don't you?"

I closed my eyes momentarily. "He does not."

She grinned slyly. "He certainly does." I heard from someone two offices away from the man. She said she noticed his behaviour when you're on your lunch break. "He's similar to a wandering machine that has forgotten what air feels like. Her words, not mine."

I sighed dramatically, turning red. "Jenna, stop." Michael doesn't go on dates at all. He's-

"-a Person," she cut in. "And darling, the way he looked at you this evening?" "Absolutely not asexual."

"Jenna!"

She chuckled. "I'm simply indicating, Aliana, don't undervalue your strength." "You've shone so brightly that the universe needed to increase its stakes in the choice of lovers for you. Just live a little more. You're just thirty two and he's thirty four, if he ever comes to you; don't turn him down."

Before I could respond, a loud thunderclap erupted outside, rattling the building.

"Alright, perhaps we should wait for the storm to pass before heading out," she remarked, glancing at the glass doors.

Michael came over at that moment, his tone unwavering amid the turmoil surrounding us. "Aliana."

I moved, attempting to appear composed. "Mr. Hamilton."

His eyebrow raised a bit - he had mentioned it to me multiple times to refer to him as Michael, yet it consistently seemed... personal hence I never did.

"It's raining heavily," he stated plainly. "Allow me to drive you home."

"Ah, it's alright." Jenna could-"

Jenna lifted her hands. "Not at all." My vehicle is blocked by four high-end sedans. Accompany him.

"Jenna."

She smiled broadly. "I'm pleading with you, please." "Grant me this little vicarious excitement before I die alone."

I exhaled sharply, feeling beaten. "Okay."

The rain was relentless outside - cascades of silver on the windshield, lightning intermittently cutting through the sky.

Michael drove silently, one hand on the steering wheel, the other supporting his chin. I aimed to concentrate on the city lights yet caught myself stealing looks at him - at the defined line of his jaw, the subtle stubble, the way his lashes grazed his cheek each time he blinked.

"Okay," I finally stated, attempting to end the awkward silence, "you didn't need to give me a ride." I might have taken a taxi.

He looked at me for a moment. "I wished to."

"Ah."

Again, silence.

He then cleared his throat. "You managed Dominic effectively this evening."

I let out a light laugh. "Thanks." "I've gotten used to disregarding him."

He smiled softly. "Good for you. I thought you were going to let him walk all over you."

I stared at him then cleared my throat "I was a fool when I loved him but that episode is closed now."

He nodded a single time. "You endured heartbreak and embarrassment, yet you continue to present yourself with poise." "That is admirable."

I was at a loss for words. His compliments weren't trivial; they held significance and purpose.

The downpour grew stronger, pounding on the car's roof.

He furrowed his brow a bit. "Flooding on the road." My home is a five-minute drive - yours takes twenty in these conditions. "You will get sick. Can we go to my place instead?"

I closed my eyes briefly. "Your place?"

He offered a slight, nearly youthful grin. "I assure you, I mean no harm."

I couldn't resist bursting into laughter. "That's what all the delightful gentlemen claim before the Netflix documentaries."

He chuckled - genuinely chuckled - and a change of feeling occurred within my chest.

"Okay," I replied at last. "Lead the way then.."

His penthouse was precisely what I anticipated: stylish, simple, and remarkably neat. A location that had the scent of cedar and dominance.

"Get comfortable," he remarked, taking off his coat. "There's wine, or tea, depending on your preference."

"Tea," I said, removing my heels. "Wine leads me to express thoughts I cannot take back."

He grinned. "Then it will be tea."

I rested on the couch, observing him glide - serene, deliberate, completely oblivious to his captivating presence.

"Why do I have the impression that you don't usually bring people here?" I inquired.

He did not turn. "I don't really like people in my personal space."

"That means yes, then."

"Of course," he said, setting two cups on the table.

For a while, we sipped quietly as the rain lightly tapped on the windows. It felt strangely homely - as if it were something that shouldn't be real, yet was.

"So," I remarked after some time, playfully, "Jenna believes you're into me."

He stopped for a brief moment, cup suspended in the air. "Does she?"

"Don't fret, I informed her she was mistaken."

He smiled subtly. "Do you really think so?"

My breath stopped immediately. " Are you?"

His gaze rose to meet mine - serene yet powerful, akin to the stillness preceding a storm. "I think you're the first person in ages who makes me forget I'm meant to be untouchable."

The room became quiet, with only the storm raging outside.

"Mike..."

He turned his gaze, letting out a slow breath. "Do not be concerned." I will not take action on it. "I'm not that guy."

"Yet you might be," I murmured before I could hold back.

His eyes returned to mine - startled, probing.

And for an instant, I believed he would kiss me.

Instead, he simply smiled - slightly, wistfully.

"Drink your tea, Aliana," he said softly. "I'd take you back home immediately when the rain stops."