Rebirth Of The Heiress And The Tycoon's Lover (Alina) novel Chapter 302

**Chapter 302**

**AUTHOR’S POV**

Alina found herself still enveloped in the arms of a stranger.

For a fleeting moment, the world around her seemed to shift, but not in the disorienting way that panic often brings. No, this was different—a gentle, breathtaking sensation, akin to the unexpected thrill of having the breath stolen from her lungs by something… or someone… she never saw coming.

His grip was strong yet comforting, radiating warmth that steadied her as if it were the most ordinary thing in the universe to catch a girl tumbling out of a jewelry store.

And Alina…

Alina Evergreen, who had just sworn to herself that her sole focus would be on tracking down the man who had shattered her life. The very man who, after Lucian’s betrayal—allowing her family to take her without so much as a whisper of resistance—had convinced her that she was finished with men. Yet here she stood, gazing up at him, utterly transfixed.

Her fingers clutched at the fabric of his shirt, as if anchoring herself to this moment.

His breath brushed against the crown of her head, sending a shiver down her spine.

In that fleeting, suspended heartbeat, time seemed to stand still for both of them.

Until—

A deliberate cough from Talia shattered the silence.

The sound cracked through the air like a twig snapping in an otherwise serene forest.

Alina jolted back to reality, her cheeks aflame as she stumbled away, her hands slipping from the stranger’s chest as if it had burned her.

“I’m so sorry… I didn’t mean to… I’m really sorry about that,” she stammered, her voice a flurry of embarrassment, unable to meet his gaze directly.

The stranger’s lips curled into a smile that was both inviting and unsettling, a blend of warmth that made her heart race.

“It’s perfectly fine,” he replied, his voice deep yet surprisingly soothing, like a gentle balm on a wound. “I wasn’t paying attention either. How about I make it up to you?”

Make it up to her?

Oh God.

“No, really, that’s not necessary,” Alina blurted out, shaking her head fervently. “It’s all good. I’m not hurt, and it’s no trouble at all.”

He caught the guarded tone in her voice, sensing the layers of her hesitation. Rather than pressing further, he simply nodded, extending his hand toward her.

“My name is Cassian Voss.”

Alina hesitated, glancing at his outstretched hand, then back up at him.

In his eyes, she detected a flicker of curiosity—not the invasive, prying interest that often accompanied her status as the Evergreen heiress, but something quieter, more intimate, as if he genuinely wanted to know her.

Before she could gather her swirling thoughts, Talia nudged her sharply with her elbow.

“Oh—” Alina blinked, snapping back to the present. “I’m Alina. Alina Evergreen.”

The reaction was instantaneous.

“Evergreen?” Cassian echoed, his eyebrows shooting up in surprise. “The long-lost heiress of the Evergreens?”

She managed a small, resigned smile. “Yeah, that’s me. I guess you’ve heard about me.”

He let out a soft laugh, a sound that felt surprisingly genuine. “Absolutely. I think the whole country is aware of your existence by now.”

Feeling a bit awkward, she shifted her weight from one foot to the other. Fame, the kind she never sought, felt like an oversized coat—heavy and ill-fitting.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” he said, his tone warm and sincere.

“Yeah, same here,” she replied, and to her surprise, she meant it, despite her initial reluctance.

Just as they were about to part ways, Talia piped up unexpectedly.

“You know what?” she exclaimed. “We were thinking of grabbing a bite to eat. You should join us if you want.”

Alina whipped her head toward her friend, disbelief etched across her features.

Was she out of her mind?

The glare she shot Talia could have peeled paint off the walls.

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