The night bled into dawn before Alexander finally released me . My body was sore , my breath shallow . I nudged him lightly . " Mr. Crestfall ... you should get to work . " His hand only tightened around my waist , roughened voice curling against my ear . " Say my name . The huskiness in his tone still carried the echo of last night's passion . " Alex ... Alexander ... " The word had barely left my lips before his mouth claimed mine again . This kiss was shockingly gentle , almost reverent , as though he were someone else entirely . Only when his phone rang for the third time did he reluctantly pull away . At breakfast , the butler's eyes flicked to my wrist . " Madam , the blue diamond suits you perfectly . The master went to South Africa three times for that stone . " I blinked . " South Africa ? " " You didn't know ? " The butler smiled faintly as he set down the silverware . " After losing out on that jade bracelet at the auction , Mr. Crestfall flew straight to negotiate with a mine owner . He swore he wouldn't rest until he found something rarer , something worth more - something that could outshine what Mr. Lowe gave you . " He paused , catching himself , but under my silence , the words tumbled on . " That night , when Victor had your necklace sent back , Mr. Crestfall drank until dawn . Kept muttering , Why is Victor's gift good enough , but mine never worthy of her ? " My hand trembled , the porcelain cup slipping from my grasp and shattering against the floor . This ... this was Alexander Crestfall ? The butler lowered his voice , as if confessing a secret . " The master has always been cold , never close to anyone . But when he was eight , he was kidnapped in Capital City . It was a little girl who distracted the kidnappers and saved him . " " The family searched the city for her , but never found her . He used every allowance he had , turning it all into coins so he could sit at the docks and wait ... every day . Until years later , at one of Victor Lowe's parties , he saw you . " My vision blurred , memories crashing down like a flood . The dark warehouse . A boy's face streaked with blood . His trembling hand pressing a small ring Chapter 8 10.39 % into mine . " Wait for me here . " I waited three days in the rain . He never came . I thought he'd lied , that he was a coward , that he had abandoned me . I cursed him in my heart , called him faithless , a bad boy who broke his word . And then ... I walked away . I went back to school . Grew up . Moved on . Almost forgot . Until the day I was sold into Shadowland , and everything changed . I never imagined ... he had been looking for me all along . On my wrist , the blue diamond bracelet burned like fire . Chapter 8 Discover our latest featured short drama reel. Watch now and enjoy the story!