### No Permission Needed
Charlotte cleared her throat. The air between them had grown thick—too warm, too close. His word still lingered like phantom heat.
She needed to breathe.
"Do you think…" she began, glancing over her shoulder, "do you think she'll really do something to him?"
Alexander followed her gaze.
"What?" he asked, voice laced with dry amusement. "Worried about Marco now?"
Charlotte scoffed. "Worried? Please. That man's a walking trash fire wrapped in designer aprons. A manipulative, emotionally bankrupt coward who doesn't deserve a second of Valerie's love."
She paused.
"I'm just... curious. That's all. I mean—come on—Valerie's a literal Mafia heiress? That's not just drama, that's Netflix-level plot twist. I've never seen anything like it. Honestly, if I were her, I'd take my time with Marco. Really *savor* it. Slow-cook his karma until it falls off the bone."
Alexander raised an eyebrow, clearly entertained.
Charlotte wasn't finished.
