Chapter 6: Shawl and Cufflinks

That soft little call did exactly what it was apparently meant to do.

Dominic’s attention immediately shifted toward Andrew, who wasted no time moving noticeably closer once he had it.

"I’m feeling a little cold..."

Andrew reached for Dominic’s arm, practically hanging off it as he leaned close enough to murmur the complaint near his ear. It was far more intimate than necessary, especially in such a public place.

Dominic didn’t seem to mind.

If anything, he casually entertained the affection before turning his head slightly toward the nearby glass pane. His gaze flicked over his own reflection, and he even smoothed a hand over his hair while Andrew continued clinging to him.

From where Alex stood, the entire display was impossible to miss.

Which, judging by the brief look Andrew sent his way before pressing himself even closer to Dominic, was exactly the point.

The blond was deliberately provoking him.

Dominic noticed Alex afterward.

The smile on his face faded.

"...Alex."

Alex turned towards the reflection his ex had been admiring as if inspecting it.

"What? Still like what you see? Or did those horns finally show up?"

Dominic’s expression immediately darkened.

He’d expected Alex to be disappointed, maybe even angry about what happened, but given his personality, Dominic certainly hadn’t expected him to show up like this.

There were already a few things they needed to talk about once Dominic got home.

In fact, that was precisely why he hadn’t gone back yet.

He’d decided to stay out a little longer and clear his head first, hoping that by the time he finally returned, he’d have enough patience to deal with Alex’s inevitable questions and coax him out of whatever mood he was in.

But now he was here, actually daring to make a scene.

Unbelievable.

Andrew had been telling him about Alex’s increasingly bold behavior whenever Dominic wasn’t around. And while he’d always dismissed those stories as possible misunderstandings because of how long he’d known Alex, seeing him come in this hot was starting to convince Dominic that maybe Andrew had been right all along.

He couldn’t help but spare a glance at his current companion, who had always been delicate but had always put him first when it counted.

Andrew looked understandably frightened by the confrontation, yet even now, the blond still seemed poised to step in and protect him if necessary.

Really...

What was Dominic supposed to make of that?

So fine.

If Alex was choosing to behave like this, then Dominic would deal with it.

But before he could put Alex in his place or coax him into a private room where they could discuss everything like the adults they were, Andrew had already taken a step forward.

"Alex... You don’t have to be like that..."

See?

Like a shaking leaf.

Dominic didn’t want to prolong Andrew’s suffering any further, but before he could even say his piece, Alex reacted as though he’d only just realized someone else was speaking.

"Sorry, and you are...?"

Haaah...

Now he was pretending he didn’t know Andrew when they’d obviously crossed paths at the office before?

"What...?" Andrew visibly faltered. "I’m Andrew, of course. Alex, how could you possibly—"

"Oh? Really. You’re actually Andrew?" Alex sounded genuinely surprised. "I couldn’t tell."

That immediately drew a few quiet murmurs from the people around them.

Even Dominic and Andrew seemed momentarily confused.

Alex, meanwhile, simply looked Andrew up and down.

His gaze lingered briefly around the blond’s shoulders before dropping toward those fragile-looking wrists.

"See, with that unexpectedly familiar shawl and those custom cufflinks you’re wearing..." Alex paused, looking almost thoughtful. "I figured you were the garbage collector who’d gone through my stuff."

Silence.

Then someone nearby made a suspicious choking sound.

"Though I suppose that’s unlikely," Alex continued calmly. "The garbage collectors usually just leave notes asking if it’s alright to sell the things I personally threw out, but none of them had ever broken boundaries to touch what wasn’t yet on the curb."

Another muffled sound came from somewhere behind them.

"So pardon me. For a moment there, I got you confused with those good guys and failed to recognize you."

Andrew’s face had already started changing color, but Alex apparently wasn’t finished.

"Especially since, had you really been Andrew from work, you would’ve called me Mr. Vance like you usually do." His brows drew together slightly. "But you seemed to think we were suddenly on a first-name basis, so I wondered if I’d forgotten someone important."

And the most ridiculous part?

Alex actually looked confused himself.

As if he were genuinely trying to figure out when the two of them had become close enough for Andrew to casually call him by his first name.

The surrounding bystanders could only gawk.

Alexander Vance actually dared to speak like that?

Then the meaning behind everything he’d just said finally sank in.

Not only had the newly jilted groom called Andrew a garbage collector to his face, but he’d also practically accused him of stealing. And by extension...

Didn’t that make Dominic the trash or stolen goods?

Several people suddenly found their drinks extremely interesting.

Andrew, on the other hand, looked like every nerve in his body had started firing at once.

"M-Mr. Vance, I swear I—"

"Save it."

Alex’s tone remained perfectly calm.

"I don’t particularly have any qualms about who or what you decide to pick up. I only ask that you don’t lodge any complaints afterward when I never asked you to do me a favor."

Andrew’s mouth closed.

"Besides, I didn’t come here to talk to you."

Alex glanced toward Dominic before returning his attention to Andrew.

"I simply have some business with Dominic that needs urgent attention, so if you could be generous enough to give us a moment?"

The way he said it...

Dominic’s jaw tightened.

Alex sounded almost like another child politely asking a parent if their son could come outside and play for a few minutes.

As though Dominic needed Andrew’s permission to speak to him.

As though Andrew were the one Alex needed to ask.

It rubbed the heir of Sebastian Group wrong in ways he couldn’t immediately put into words.

He’d expected Alex to be cold.

He’d expected anger.

Hell, after what happened earlier, Dominic had even prepared himself for accusations.

But what the hell was this?