After I Torched Alive, My Alpha Went crazy novel Chapter 81

I hesitated for a moment, but the challenge in his tone made me grin. "Sure, why not?"

We positioned ourselves at the edge of the pool, and as soon as Carlos gave the word, we took off. I wasn’t a bad swimmer myself, but it quickly became clear that Carlos had the advantage. His movements were swift and effortless, while I struggled to keep up. By the time we reached the other side, I was panting, and Carlos barely seemed winded.

"You win," I said, laughing as I caught my breath. "I’ll admit it, you’re a better swimmer."

Carlos chuckled, pulling himself out of the water. "Don’t feel bad. I’ve had a lot of practice."

We swam a few more laps, the playful competition easing the stress of the day. Eventually, though, we both grew tired and decided to call it a night.

"Let’s grab a drink at the bar," Carlos suggested as we dried off.

I hesitated. "I’m not the best drinker, to be honest."

Carlos raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "I know. That’s why I’m warning you not to overdo it."

I felt a mix of embarrassment and defiance rise up. "I’m not that bad," I muttered, though I knew it wasn’t entirely true.

He gave me a knowing look but said nothing more. We headed to the hotel bar, where I nursed a single drink, determined to keep my head clear for the exhibition tomorrow.

The next day, I woke up feeling more energized than I had in a while. The exhibition was buzzing with excitement as investors swarmed the event, and to my surprise, I seemed to be at the center of it all. As I presented my company’s products, the crowd’s interest grew. One by one, investors approached me, offering letters of cooperation, their enthusiasm catching me off guard.

It felt surreal. After the stress of the past few days, the flood of attention and potential deals was overwhelming. I barely had time to process it all as I collected business cards and made notes of potential follow-ups. It seemed like all the hard work was paying off.

As soon as I had a moment to myself, I called Blair. "You won’t believe what just happened," I said, trying to keep my excitement in check.

"Tell me everything," Blair replied eagerly.

"I’ve been getting letters of cooperation all day," I said. "Investors are coming out of nowhere, and I can hardly keep up."

Blair laughed, and I could practically hear his grin through the phone. "That’s fantastic! I’ll head over and help you sort through it all. We need to make sure we don’t miss any opportunities."

Carlos paused, his tone shifting slightly. "Not going as smoothly on my end."

His words surprised me. I had always assumed Carlos could handle anything with ease, but this felt different—like he was letting me in on a vulnerability I hadn’t seen before.

"Do you need help?" I asked, curious about what could have him sounding so serious.

He gave me a small smile, and for the first time, I realized that he was asking for my help. "If you’re offering, I won’t say no."

I nodded, understanding the weight of the moment. "Of course. I’ll help you."

The next morning, I woke up to find a beautiful dress and jewelry delivered to my room, along with a note from Carlos. He was inviting me to a salon party.

These clothes fit my body perfectly. I looked at them suspiciously and began to wonder if Carlos had been planning to make me his date from the start.