Christiana’s POV.
The sight of Alex, dressed in a pizza delivery uniform, standing so close to my children was infuriating. When the nanny’s call came through, trembling as she described a man who looked too much like their father, I dropped everything at the renovation site and ordered my driver to take me back to the hotel suite. Now, seeing him in the flesh, attempting to slip into my kids‘ lives under the guise of a delivery man, was unbearable.
The kids looked up at me with wide eyes, their curiosity evident. Ethan’s gaze shifted between Alex and me, while Emma, clutching her stuffed bunny, seemed both cautious and intrigued. It was clear they were comfortable with him, which only stoked my anger further.
“Ethan, Emma,” I said firmly, my voice laced with irritation. “Go play in the other room. I need to speak with Mr. Delivery Man privately.”
Ethan’s brow furrowed. “Are you and Mr. Pizza going to have a fight?”
Emma’s eyes were glued to me, her expression was of worry and curiosity.
“No, nothing like that,” I said, forcing a calm tone. “Just a brief conversation. I’ll explain everything to you later.”
Alex gave me a smirk, that all–too–familiar confident smirk that had always grated on my nerves. He followed me out of the room with an air of entitlement, his posture rigid and defiant despite the ridiculous uniform.
Once we were in the hallway, I didn’t waste any time. “What do you think you’re doing?” I demanded, my voice cold and rude. “You show up dressed as a pizza guy, trying to worm your way into their lives like you have a right to be here. You weren’t even there for them, and now you think you can just pop in and make everything okay?”
Alex, despite the uniform, carried himself with a powerful presence. “I had to see them,” he said, his voice steady but laced with an edge. “And don’t act like you have control over how I interact with my own children.”
I glared at him, my patience wearing thin. “Your mother invited me over earlier, to see her. She tried to bribe me with money, to buy her way into my children’s lives as if they were some commodity. I told her exactly what I thought of her offer and your part in it. You’re not here to fix anything, you’re here to make yourself feel better.”
Alex’s eyes widened in surprise, his smirk fading. “I had no idea my mother tried to do that,” he admitted, his voice tinged with genuine shock. “She never mentioned anything about visiting you or trying to bribe you.”
“Well, she did,” I snapped, my voice dripping with contempt. “And now you’re here, making a mockery of the situation by showing up as a pizza delivery guy. If you think you can just waltz back into their lives without facing the reality of what you did, you’re sorely mistaken.”
Alex’s expression hardened, and he straightened, his powerful aura momentarily slipping through the façade of the delivery uniform. “I’m not here to cause trouble. I just wanted to see my kids.”
I cut him off, not willing to entertain his excuses. “Save it. I’m not interested in hearing your half–hearted apologies or explanations. You don’t get to undo the past with a pizza uniform and a few smiles. You left us. You lost your right to be a part of their lives. And don’t think a pathetic stunt like this will change anything”
And I could see the hurt in his eyes. I was done with his games and manipulations. I had to protect my children from the disruptions he brought, and I wouldn’t let him back into their lives so easily.
As I turned to walk away, determined to end this humiliating encounter, Alex’s hand shot out, gripping my wrist. His touch was unexpected, and I jerked back, glaring at him. His eyes were desperate, but I had no intention of listening to his feeble explanations.
“Christiana, please-” he started, but I cut him off with a sharp, incredulous laugh.
“Please what?” I snapped, my voice echoing in the quiet hallway. “Please explain why you thought you could just stroll back into our lives? Why do you think you can waltz back into my children’s lives dressed as a pizza delivery man?”
His face fell slightly, and he opened his mouth to respond. But I wasn’t interested in hearing it. “You think you can just make up for everything with a pathetic stunt like this? You left me to suffer, thinking I was barren. And now you come here, not even bothering to make a real effort. It’s laughable.”
Chapter 15
Alex’s grip on my wrist tightened slightly, but I yanked it away, glaring at him with a fury that burned hotter than any flame. His expression shifted, and I saw a flicker of hurt in his eyes, but I didn’t care. He needed to understand the full measure of his betrayal
“Tell me, Alex,” I continued, my voice a cold knife. “How many babies did you make with Bianca? Did you think you could just take my children to her to create a family? Is that what you came here for–because you realized you had a real family with me, not with her?”
His eyes widened in shock, and I saw a flicker of pain dart across his face. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught in his throat. His usual confidence was faltering, replaced by a raw vulnerability that I could see even through his carefully maintained facade.
“You know,” I said, stepping closer to him, my voice low and venomous, “I don’t care about your excuses. I don’t care if you’re suddenly feeling guilty. You think you can just show up and fix everything with a few nice words? You can’t. Not after everything you’ve done.”
I turned away, my heart pounding with anger and satisfaction. I could see the hurt in his eyes as he stood there, the once powerful billionaire reduced to a man dealing with the consequences of his actions. It was a bitter but fitting reminder of the pain he had caused.
As I walked away, I felt a strange combination of relief and hurt. I had stood my ground, made him feel the weight of his betrayal, and now, all that
was left was to keep moving forward–without him.
