"Wait right here, Maya," Alexander said, his eyes fixed on the glittering storefront across the street.
"Dad, what are you going to do?" Maya asked, wiping her eyes. "Don't cause a scene, please."
"I am not going to cause a scene," Alexander replied, his voice a low rumble. "I am going to make a return."
Chapter 3: The Undercover King
Alexander pushed through the heavy brass revolving doors of Aurelia & Co. The security guards stationed at the door immediately stiffened, their hands drifting toward their belts as they eyed his faded canvas jacket, worn jeans, and the gray stubble on his jaw.
He ignored them completely, walking with the slow, deliberate pacing of an apex predator surveying its territory. His eyes swept over the gleaming display cases, the plush carpeting, and finally settled on the center pedestal. The Star of Elysium. It was as beautiful as his wife had envisioned.
"Excuse me."
Alexander turned slowly. A different woman stood before him this time. She was blonde, statuesque, with a sharp, angular face and a gaze that could freeze water. Her nametag read Victoria - Store Manager.
"Can I help you find something... else?" Victoria asked, the tone heavily implying she wished him to be anywhere but breathing the filtered air of her store.
"I'm looking for the woman in charge. Auburn hair," Alexander said, keeping his voice perfectly level, revealing nothing.
Victoria's perfectly sculpted eyebrows narrowed, scanning his outfit with undisguised contempt. "That would be Ms. Eleanor, our senior director. She is currently busy with highly important clients in the private VIP viewing room. And quite frankly, sir, you look incredibly lost. If you're looking for the subway station, it's two blocks down."
"Did your director throw a young girl out of here about an hour ago?" Alexander asked, taking a step closer.
Victoria let out a loud, exasperated sigh, crossing her arms over her chest. "Oh, I see what this is. You're the father of that little street urchin. Yes, she was forcibly removed. She was loitering, smudging the displays, and bothering the staff. We run an exclusive, world-class boutique, sir. Not a public charity."
"She was merely looking at a necklace," Alexander said, his voice dropping an octave, a dangerous edge creeping in. "And you had your thugs lay hands on her."
"I had my security team do their jobs," Victoria countered, stepping closer, emboldened by his perceived lack of wealth and status. "Look at you. You reek of cheap coffee and desperation. Your daughter couldn't afford a cleaning cloth in this store, let alone a piece of jewelry. People like you do not belong here. You are an eyesore."
"People like me?" Alexander mused, tilting his head slightly.
"Trash," Victoria stated flatly, spitting the word out. "Security."
The same two large men from Maya's description stepped out from the shadows, flanking Alexander.