Chapter 3: Terms and Tensions

Mia's P.O.V

As I sat across from Alexander in Café Serendipity, my heart pounded with a mix of determination and skepticism. This was my chance to lay down the law, to ensure he understood that I wouldn't be pushed around. I took a deep breath, ready to make my terms crystal clear.

"I didn't call you here because I was helpless," I began, my voice firm, "I called you here because I wanted to make the terms clear. I will be your 'show girlfriend,' nothing more and nothing less. There will be no form of intimacy, understood?" My gaze bore into his, daring him to challenge me.

I wasn't about to let myself be seen as cheap or some kind of playtoy. No way. I had my pride, and I was determined to put him in his place.

I watched as Alexander's face remained impassive, his eyes locked onto mine. He nodded slowly, a hint of acknowledgment in his expression. "Deal," he finally replied, his voice steady. "Besides, I can't have anything to do with a lowly girl like you. Even my maids can do better."

I clenched my jaw, his condescension stinging like a slap to the face. It was clear that his arrogance wasn't about to evaporate anytime soon. "Fair enough," I responded, my tone laced with a mix of frustration and agreement.

Alex's POV

Oh, she was playing hardball, huh? I leaned back in my chair, my gaze locked onto Mia as she laid out her terms. She had this fire in her eyes, a determination that was both infuriating and intriguing.

"I didn't call you here because I was helpless," Mia began, her voice steady and unwavering, "I called you here because I wanted to make the terms clear. I will be your 'show girlfriend,' nothing more and nothing less. There will be no form of intimacy, understood?"

I smirked inwardly, not about to show any sign of weakness. She was a spitfire, and I had to give her credit for not backing down. With a slow nod, I replied, "Deal, besides I can't have anything to do with a lowly girl like you. Even my maids can do better."

Her eyes flashed with a mixture of annoyance and something else—defiance, maybe? She didn't back down though, her response sharp and to the point. "Fair enough."

As the conversation ended, I felt a strange blend of amusement and challenge. She wasn't falling for any of my charm, and I had to admit, that was new territory for me.

Mia's P.O.V

The conversation felt like a tense standoff, each word a calculated move in our unspoken battle. As Alexander's words hung in the air, I fought to keep my irritation in check. He was testing my limits, pushing buttons I didn't even know I had.

I wasn't about to let him think he could manipulate me. I had my own boundaries, my own self-respect to uphold.

Alex's POV

I observed her closely, her defiance like a barrier she held up between us. But I wasn't about to back down either. I had my reasons for proposing this deal, and I wasn't about to let her dictate the terms entirely.

Her voice grated on my nerves, her determination a challenge that riled me up in ways I couldn't explain