Chapter 69: CHAPTER 69: Borrowed Time

　　The murmur of conversation and clinking utensils filled the air as I entered the restaurant, my gaze immediately scanning for Alexander. He sat at a corner table, bathed in the warm glow filtering through the window. He was on the phone, his brow furrowed in concentration as he listened intently. Even from a distance, a warmth bloomed in my chest.

　　For a moment, I simply stood there, captivated. His sharp profile, the way his jaw clenched slightly when he spoke, the way his fingers danced across the phone screen–it was all so…endearing.

　　Then, as if sensing my presence, he looked up. His eyes, a stormy blue, met mine, and a smile, genuine and unguarded, spread across his face. It was a smile that transformed his entire features, softening the hard edges of his jaw and crinkling the corners of his eyes in a way that sent a jolt through me.