Badass in Disguise Chapter 103

Alexander blinked, coming back to reality under his uncle's cold stare. His fork had been suspended midair for almost a minute, the piece of filet mignon still perfectly balanced on its tines while condensation gathered on his water glass.

"No, I like it," he said quickly, shoving a bite of steak into his mouth. "The food is excellent. Really excellent."

Ethan's gaze lingered on him for a moment before turning back to me.

"Alex, I'm curious. How exactly did you arrange this dinner with Miss Morgan?" Ethan's voice was casual, but there was an undercurrent of something sharper.

"I wanted to thank her properly for saving my life back in Cloud City," Alexander explained, setting down his fork carefully. "I ran into Miss Morgan at the Morrison Pharmaceutical Research Center yesterday and asked if I could buy her dinner."

"Morrison Pharmaceutical?" Ethan's eyebrow arched slightly as he turned to me, his fingers lightly tapping against his wine glass. "What business did you have there, Miss Morgan?"

I took a small sip of wine before answering, savoring the rich burgundy notes. "I was picking up medication for my brother."

"I see." Ethan nodded, but his eyes held a calculating look that suggested he wasn't entirely satisfied with my brief explanation. "And how is your brother adjusting to Princeton High School?"

"Well enough. He's resilient."

Throughout the rest of dinner, Alexander barely spoke another word. He kept his head down, methodically cutting his food into precise, tiny pieces. I noticed him occasionally glancing up, only to find his uncle's gaze already on him, causing Alexander to immediately look back down at his plate like a scolded child. The clinking of silverware against fine china filled the awkward silences.

When we finished eating, Ethan gestured to Connor, who had been standing discreetly by the door. "Connor, take care of the bill."

"I can pay," Alexander said quickly, reaching for his wallet. "I invited Miss Morgan, after all. It's the least I can do considering what she did for me."

"That won't be necessary," Ethan replied, his tone brooking no argument. "You should head back soon. It's getting late, and I know you have an early meeting tomorrow."

Alexander's shoulders slumped slightly in defeat. "Yes, Uncle."

"I'll see Miss Morgan back to campus," Ethan added, standing and offering me his hand.

---

An hour later, I was walking across Princeton's campus, rolling my new luggage behind me.

As I passed the basketball court, floodlights illuminating the players in harsh white light, a ball came flying toward my head. Without breaking stride, I caught it one-handed, pivoted, and sent it sailing in a perfect arc toward the basket thirty feet away. The ball swished through the net without touching the rim, the chain links rattling in the quiet night.

"Holy shit!" Chase Astor lowered his arms from where he'd been about to call out a warning. His friends stood frozen on the court, mouths hanging open. Sweat gleamed on their foreheads as they stared at me in disbelief.

I continued walking as if nothing had happened, my luggage wheels clicking rhythmically behind me.

"J, wait up!" Chase jogged over to me, slightly out of breath, his expensive basketball shoes squeaking on the pavement. "That was... I didn't know you played basketball."

"I don't." The cool night breeze brushed my hair across my face.

He stared at me for a moment, then noticed my luggage. "Going somewhere?"

"Moving." I reached into my pocket and pulled out his phone. "Here. I fixed your game."

Chase took the phone and scrolled through it, his eyes widening as he swiped through screen after screen. "You cleared every level? Even the impossible ones at the end? I've been stuck on level 78 for months!"

I shrugged and continued walking, leaving Chase standing there with his phone clutched in his hand, the blue light illuminating his bewildered expression.

---

When I reached my dorm room, my three roommates were inside, huddled together and whispering. The moment I opened the door, they all jumped to their feet as if they'd been caught doing something illicit.

"I have to go to the library," one mumbled, not meeting my eyes.

"I promised to meet my study group," another added, grabbing her books.

"I need coffee," the third one said, already halfway out the door.

They filed past me without making eye contact, their shoulders tense. I closed the door behind them and began methodically packing my remaining belongings. The silence of the empty room was a welcome change from the constant whispers and glances.

---

The next day, Ethan drove me to a luxury neighborhood about fifteen minutes from Princeton. The house—or rather, mansion—was a modern architectural masterpiece nestled among old-growth trees, with floor-to-ceiling windows and multiple terraces. A perfectly manicured lawn surrounded the property, and a stone pathway led to the imposing front entrance.

"What do you think?" Ethan asked as we stood in the spacious living room, sunlight streaming through the windows and dancing across Italian marble floors.

I walked from room to room, noting exit points, sight lines, and security vulnerabilities. The neighborhood was upscale but busy, with regular traffic and pedestrians walking designer dogs or jogging in expensive athletic wear.

"It's nice," I said finally. "Just not very convenient."

"For what?" Ethan asked, a slight frown crossing his face.

I almost said "for disposing of bodies" but caught myself. "For privacy. Too many people around." *Too many witnesses if I need to handle certain... situations.*

"I have other properties if you'd prefer something more isolated."

I shook my head. "This will do." The location actually offered some strategic advantages—attacks would need to be more subtle in such a public setting.

"I'm glad you like it. Would you join me for dinner tonight? We could discuss—"

"Thank you, but no." I reached into my bag and pulled out a bank card, holding it out to him. "I'd like to buy this place outright."

---

**Alexander's POV**

I sat alone in my apartment, replaying the dinner in my mind. Something wasn't adding up. How did Uncle Ethan know Jade Morgan? Why was he so interested in her? The way he looked at her... it wasn't how he looked at business associates or even friends.

I remembered a conference call a few weeks ago. Uncle had received a phone call from a woman and immediately suspended the entire meeting—something I'd never seen him do before. His expression had changed completely, a rare smile appearing as he'd asked if "Miss Morgan" had arrived at Princeton yet, offering to pick her up himself. The board members had been shocked into silence.

But how had they met? Uncle Ethan had gone to Cloud City once, supposedly to check on Jade, but he'd never left his car. He'd just confirmed she was okay from a distance and left. After that, he'd been in New York, then Venezuela for nearly two month. There was no opportunity for him to have met Jade.

And yet, watching them at dinner... there was clearly something between them. The way he looked at her, served her food, the subtle tension in his voice when he mentioned her meeting me. And his first action after returning to New York had been to refuse the arranged marriage with the Sullivan family.

I reached for my phone and dialed Connor's number. If anyone knew what was going on, it would be him. Connor knew everything about Uncle's business and personal life.

"Mr. Haxton," Connor answered on the second ring, his voice formal as always.

"Connor, it's Alex," I said quickly. "I need to ask you something... about my uncle and Jade Morgan."

A pause, longer than it should have been. "I don't think it's my place to discuss Mr. Haxton's personal matters."

"Please, I just want to understand. How do they know each other? When did they meet?"

Connor sighed, the sound of keyboard typing pausing in the background. "If you must know, they met during the summer. Miss Morgan was vacationing in Venezuela when your uncle was there on business."

"Are they... together?" I asked the question that had been burning in my mind since dinner.

"No," Connor replied, perhaps too quickly. There was an awkward pause and a slight change in his tone. "Mr. Ethan Haxton simply respects Miss Morgan's... unique qualities. That's all I can say."