Alex woke to the sound of his phone buzzing relentless, violent, like an alarm that wouldn't stop.
He reached for it blindly, eyes still closed, and silenced it.
Three seconds of peace.
Then it started again.
He cracked one eye open, squinting at the screen.
47 missed calls.
126 unread messages.
His stomach dropped.
He sat up, scrolling through the notifications unknown numbers, social media alerts, news apps, his manager, his publicist, people he hadn't spoken to in years.
And then he saw it.
A photo.
Him, standing in his doorway, arms wrapped around someone.
The other person's face was hidden, turned into his shoulder.
But Alex's expression was clear soft, vulnerable, unguarded.
The caption beneath it:
"Alexander Hale caught in intimate embrace with mystery man. Is the nation's beloved actor hiding a secret romance?"
Alex's chest went cold.
The photo had been taken days ago.
When Leo had visited.
When they'd finally reconnected.
