Mia sat there for a moment, genuinely speechless. She'd dealt with persistent suitors before—came with the territory of being a wealthy, attractive heiress—but Tony Romano's combination of entitlement and obliviousness was reaching new heights.Finally, she shook her head slowly, her expression one of complete disbelief."Tony, you're being outrageous," Mia said, her voice firm and clear. "And frankly, shameless. The way you're acting right now—demanding explanations, insisting you have 'rights' to information about my personal life—it's completely inappropriate."She turned to face him fully, making sure he could see the certainty in her eyes. "Let me make this absolutely clear: wealth is not a criteria for me. Status is not a criteria. Your family name, your business holdings, your connections—none of that matters. I'm not shopping for a merger, Tony. I'm living my life.""But—" Tony started."I'm not finished," Mia interrupted sharply. "Everything you've said tonight—about benefits

Alex had been quiet throughout Tony's dismissive speech, but suddenly he burst out laughing. The sound echoed across the dark street, genuine and unforced, as if Tony had just told the funniest joke he'd heard in weeks."Walk home?" Alex said through his laughter, shaking his head. "Why on earth would I walk when there are cabs? Ride-sharing apps? Public transportation? Tony, do you think we're living in the 1800s?"He wiped at his eyes, still chuckling. "The way you said that, like you were doing me some great favor by suggesting I use my own two feet. That's hilarious."Tony's smile faltered slightly, not appreciating being laughed at. "I'm just being practical—""No, you're being ridiculous," Alex interrupted, still grinning. "But please, continue. This is entertaining."Tony's expression hardened, his voice taking on a more condescending edge. "Fine. Since you seem to find this amusing, let me be more direct. I don't allow filthy people in my car."The word "filthy" hung in the ai

Tony finally spat. "A complete joke. And the fact that Mia is defending you, that she's throwing away a real opportunity with someone of actual worth just to protect your feelings—it's pathetic. You're both pathetic!"The rain was coming down in sheets now, soaking all three of them thoroughly. Water ran down their faces, plastered their clothes to their bodies, turned the street into a river of reflected streetlight.Tony stood there, breathing hard, his chest heaving with rage and wounded pride. Mia stood her ground, her jaw set, her eyes blazing with anger but also with absolute certainty. And Alex simply watched, his expression unreadable, letting Tony's tirade wash over him like the rain."My car will be here any minute," Tony said, his voice still shaking with fury. "And when it arrives, I'm leaving. Alone. You two can stand here in the rain and contemplate what you've thrown away. You can think about the opportunity you've rejected. And you can wonder—when your businesses start

While Tony was berating the driver, Alex had walked over to Mia. His earlier amusement had faded, replaced by something more serious, more concerned."Mia," Alex said quietly, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry you had to deal with that. With him.""Don't apologize," Mia interrupted, shaking her head. Water droplets flew from her soaked hair. "You did nothing wrong. Nothing at all.""But he said all those things, made those threats, and it's because—""It's because he's a terrible person," Mia cut him off again. "That's the only reason. None of this is your fault, Alex. And everything I said to him—about you being worth ten of him, a hundred of him—I meant every single word."Her voice was fierce, certain, and when Alex looked at her face, he could see the absolute conviction in her eyes.Alex felt something shift in his chest—something warm and complicated and a little bit frightening. The way Mia had defended him, the passion in her voice when she'd told Tony he was worth more, the certainty wit

Tony stood there, his hand still pressed against his burning cheek, his mind reeling from what had just happened. The slap had been completely unexpected, cutting him off guard in the middle of his tirade. For a moment, he couldn't even process it—someone had actually struck him. Again.But as his vision cleared and the initial shock faded, Tony focused on the man who'd hit him. He studied Jace more carefully now, his eyes narrowing as he tried to place the face.I don't recognize him, Tony thought, his mind racing through his mental catalog of important people in the city. Gold-rimmed glasses, expensive suit, but I've never seen him before. He's nobody. Just another hired hand, another driver, another servant.The realization made Tony's rage flare even hotter. Bad enough to be slapped by Mia, who at least was someone of status. But to be struck by some unknown assistant? Some lowly employee who probably made less in a year than Tony spent on shoes?That was intolerable.Tony wasn't