*not edited*

1000+ words

Nataliya- Now

I stepped out of my bedroom, rubbing my eyes with the back of my hand.

"Ah, so you're finally up."

I jolted. My head snapped up and I was met with the golden irises of Alex's eyes. He hadn't left. He was still here. I felt an odd tingling warmth in my heart it was a weird sensation. One that I hadn't had in a very long time. 

I pouted. He only grinned, walking forward with a mug in his hands, steam slowly drifting up from the top.

"Here." He handed the mug to me, careful not to burn my fingers. 

My brows furrowed. "I don't drink coffee."

He nodded. "I noticed, there was a lack of caffeine in your kitchen shelves." Then he raised a brow, "but you seemed to have an abundance of chocolate." He grinned, "so there you are, a steaming mug of hot chocolate."

I stared up at him,  a small smile making its way to my lips. I loved hot chocolate, dark chocolate specifically. He had not only stayed but gone out of his way to make one of my favorite morning drinks. It was just like old times, and I couldn't seem to get tired of it.

I muttered a thanks.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch that." He put a hand to his ear, signalling hearing loss. "Could you repeat that?"

He had this goofy grin on his face that I hadn't seen in ages. It only made him a thousand times more handsome than he already was. And I didn't know if I could handle that.

"Thanks." 

"What was that, love?"

"Thanks."

"Still didn't catch that."

"Thank you!"

"Ah." He smirked. "Much better."

"Oh, shut up."

Alex chuckled, "Your friend saw me this morning. Threatened me with a spatula until I introduced myself. I think you have quite a bit of explaining to do."

I almost snorted the chocolate out of my nose. "What!" If she had seen Alex she was probably going to blow up my phone the second she knew I was awake.

He nodded before shrugging on his suit jacket. 

"Well," He said, brushing off the imaginary dust from his chest. "Some of us have to get to work soon, can't be a billionaire if one slacks off constantly."

I tuned in at that. "You're a billionaire?"

"Rich man, succesfull man, billionaire, millionaire, call it what you like. Clubs are popular, so I made a living out of them." He shrugged, as if it was no big deal, when some of us were still trying to get a real job.

"But- but- How?" I protested. I had never seen him on the news or the tabloids for that matter. Not that I read them.

As if he read my mind, he replied, "Well, some of us know how to stay out of the tabloids."

I gaped at him, "I don't understand."

He tensed. "You don't need to. I have to go now, I'll see you at work at some point. Last night was.... Well, it shouldn't have happened."

I felt as if I had been punched in the gut. What? Just now we were laughing and joking together and now? I felt as if all the air from my lungs had been sucked out.

"Wh- What? But I- I thought-"

"You are my colleague, there are boundaries." HIs tone came out harsh and clipped.

Then, he sighed, "It's not that you are a bad person, it's just how it is, Nat. Nothing more. Goodbye."

And at that he was out the door. I just stayed there like an idiot. The hot chocolate now cold chocolate in my hands.

What just happened. Everything was perfect, I was so close to getting Alex. And then I had to go and mess it up by kissing him when he was in love with another woman. God. I felt the tears drip down my face. I was such an idiot and a failure. I should have known. Alex didn't even know who I was. Yet here I was feeling the same damn feelings over and over again. I din't know what had caused him to tense up like that. But I had a good guess. But it didn't matter Alex didn't care. 

No.

If I couldn't be with Alex, at least I could be his best friend. Someone who he could turn to if he ever needed help. I loved him. I loved him with all my heart and with almost everything he did I could feel myself falling harder. But maybe it wasn't meant to be. Just something in the past. 

I would still be there for him. No matter how long it takes.

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Something in the past.... hmmm.

I was thinking of either making it alternate, one chapter past, one chapter present 

or making it so that I would have one chapter in the present introducing everything and then it would be a huge flashback of the past until it meets with the present again 

and then continue on the present till the end.

Tell me which one you prefer.

Thank You, and as always

- Treeop_s