As she walked through the airport her high heels clicked against freshly polished marble. Announcements in Korean played loudly overhead. Whispers of travelers consumed the area around her. She focused on getting to the exit.

Even the distant engines of departing flights began to fade into the background as she weaved through the sea of people. She traveled the world but this was her first time at Incheon International Airport, or in Korea for that matter. As she pushed past the multitude, she noticed glances followed her. Were they admirers or looks of confusion?

 Of course she clearly stuck out among the endless crowds. Her dark curls bounced behind her with each hurried step. She scanned the terminal, searching for the exit.

Ahh there it is. 

Man, was she extremely late.

As she turned she crashed into a firm chest. 

Who? Was her first thought. 

She barely managed to keep herself from falling. She scrambled to pick up her leather portfolio that tumbled from her hands, scattering a few of her documents at her feet. 

"Seriously?" she muttered, crouching quickly to gather her belongings. She was annoyed that she had lost focus for a second. “Sorry…” she started.

"Watch where you're going," a deep voice cut her off in perfect English. "Stupid American," he continue but this time in Korean. 

Frozen, Stupid American played in her mind. 

Slowly, she lifted her gaze. Her stern eyes locked onto the handsome gentleman accidentally making eye contact with him. She noticed his chiseled jaw and figure. 

Oh wow. Wait, just because he was good looking didn’t mean that he had the right to be so rude. 

His perfectly tailored black suit practically screamed money, but the arrogance in his stance overshadowed the refinement. She hated arrogance and unnecessary rudeness for that matter. 

Casual disdain etched in his eye brows as the insult rolled off his tongue. He clearly thought she couldn’t understand a word he said.

Clearly he was wrong.

A slow smirk of disgust curled at the corners of her mouth as she straightened, flipping her thick curls over her shoulder. In flawless Korean, she responded, “No need to be a pretentious jerk.”

The man’s brows shot up, surprise flickered in his expression. Before he could even think to recover, she smashed the middle of his foot with the tip of her heel. Just hard enough to make her point and leave a scratch on the expensive leather but not enough to break one of his precious toes.

He winced in pain, grabbing his foot but she was already walking past him.

“Bill me for the shoes,” she said as she tossed a business card toward the man still on the ground that read “Alexandra Astor” on it.  

“Have a great day,” she added sweetly before disappearing into the chaotic crowd.

Brilliant, now she was late and pissed. 

As she stepped out of the sliding glass doors she was greeted by the crisp Seoul air. 

Ah how refreshing.

She tilted her head back as she soaked in the sun.

Unintentionally, interpreting her peace, Matteo, her personal bodyguard approached her. She snapped out of her trance as he opened the door of the black Maybach for her. He tapped his watch as she ducked her head getting into the backseat of the car.

“We are pushing it on time, Miss Astor.” 

“I can’t control the weather now can I, Mr. De Luca,” she sighed. 

She didn’t exude wealth at first glance, but a closer look revealed the subtle luxury woven into every detail of her outfit. Even in her graceful poise, there was a quiet elegance hidden behind her undeniable innocence and warmth.

“No Miss Astor, I guess you can’t,” he grumbled.

She was not just fashionably late, this might potentially be deal-breakingly late. Her father, none other than Charles Astor, the man taking over the tech industry, had entrusted her with this meeting. It might be one of the most significant pitches of her career. She’d been working with a team on a few revolutionary products that were years in the making. 

Now it rested on her ability to convince a room full of South Korea’s top executives that Astor Tech Industries was their ideal partner. She had a multimillion-dollar pitch to deliver in less than an hour.

Alexandra signed as she pressed her fingers against her temples. She didn’t have time for further delays, or rude men for that matter.