Chapter 148

Sarah’s POV He kissed me. Not out of hesitation, not out of pity—but with a kind of desperate certainty that stole the breath from my lungs. And in that moment, something became painfully clear to me: If Alexander really despised me, he wouldn’t have done this. He had a thousand ways to push me away—but not this. Not a kiss like that. So why? "Alexander..." I whispered his name, gathering every ounce of courage I had left. "Do you... have feelings for me?" The question hung in the air between us, making the hospital room feel suddenly too small, too intimate. My heart hammered against my ribs as I watched his face, searching for any crack in that perfect mask of indifference. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly before he answered, his voice cold and flat. "No." Just that. One syllable that shouldn't have hurt as much as it did. "Then why did you kiss me just now?" I pressed, refusing to back down despite the sting of rejection. "Why save me from that car?" Alexander's eyes narrowed