Alexander POV.
The restaurant was buzzing with soft chatter, romantic music floating through the air as couples shared intimate moments. But none of that registered to me. My eyes were glued to the far end of the room, where Christiana sat with that man–Daniel Brooks
The sight of her smile, the way she giggled and leaned in close to him, was like a knife twisting in my chest. That smile used to be mine. Those eyes, full of warmth and admiration, used to look at me like that. Now, she was giving them to someone else.
Disguised with a cap pulled low over my face and a worn jacket, I watched them, barely able to breathe through the jealousy clawing at my insides. I’d been tailing them since Daniel picked her up from the mansion, watching as he opened the car door for her like some damn gentleman.
Every time she laughed, every time she brushed her hair behind her ear and looked at him with that softness, it felt like heart was being ripped apart. I tried to remind myself this was all my fault. I pushed her away five years ago.
I was the one who drove her into the arms of another man. But knowing that didn’t make it any easier to watch.
my
I couldn’t hold it together anymore. The jealousy, the regret, the burning rage–everything boiled over inside me. Before 1 knew it, I was out of my seat and striding across the restaurant, fists clenched so tightly that my nails dug into my palms. I wasn’t even thinking straight. All I could see was Christiana laughing like she used to with me, and it drove me mad.
When I got closer, Christiana’s laughter died abruptly as she noticed me. Her eyes widened in shock, her smile fading into confusion and something else–was it fear? She didn’t expect to see me here, that much was clear.
“Alex?” Her voice was barely a whisper, but I could hear the disbelief in it. Her gaze flickered between me and Daniel, who was now staring at me with narrowed eyes, clearly trying to assess the situation
I didn’t even look at her. My attention was focused entirely on him. I hated the way he sat there all calm and collected, like he had every right to be with her. I leaned closer to him, my voice laced with venom. “Stay the hell away from her.”
Daniel didn’t flinch. If anything, he squared his shoulders and met my glare head–on. “I don’t think she needs you making that decision for her.”
“Alex, stop it!” Christiana snapped, finally finding her voice. She rose from her seat, her expression hardening. “You have no right to barge in here and make a scene. Leave us alone.”
Her words cut deep, but I was too far gone to care. All I could focus on was the smug look on Daniel’s face, the way he stayed seated as if he owned the place—and worse, as if he owned Christiana’s affection. My fists itched to wipe that look off his face.
“I’m warning you, Brooks. She’s not yours to take,” I hissed, stepping even closer, daring him to stand up and challenge me.
Daniel finally rose from his seat, calm but firm. “She’s not yours either, Alex. You lost that right a long time ago
Those words snapped something in me. Before I knew it, I’d swung my fist, landing a hard punch across his jaw. The sound of the impact echoed through the restaurant, followed by gasps from the other patrons.
“Daniel!” Christiana screamed, rushing to his side as he stumbled back and collapsed to the floor. I stood there, breathing heavily, chest heaving with barely contained rage. But the sight of her kneeling beside him, her hands trembling as she wiped the blood from his mouth with her handkerchief–it broke something inside me.
She looked up at me with pure hatred in her eyes, her voice low and icy. “Get out, Alex. You’re pathetic.”
Before I could respond, a couple of restaurant staff members hurried over, grabbing me by the arms. “You need to leave, sir. Now, one of them said, pushing me toward the door.
“I’m not done here- I started, but they weren’t listening. They bundled me out of the restaurant like I was some drunk causing a disturbance. They didn’t know who I was, didn’t recognize that I was Alex Williams Alistair. To them, I was just some random guy who couldn’t handle seeing his ex with someone else.
As they shoved me out the door, I caught one last glimpse of Christiana, still kneeling beside Daniel, her expression one of disgust and anger. She didn’t even look at me. Her focus was entirely on him, comforting him, whispering words I couldn’t hear.
11:52 AM
Chapter 36
The door slammed shut behind me, leaving me standing in the cold night air, rage and despair twisting together inside me. How did it come to this? I had everything–power, wealth, influence and yet, here I was, thrown out like trash while she moved on with someone else. It was too much to bear.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. She was mine. She should’ve always been mine. And the thought of losing her for good… it was killing me.
The cold air hit my face as I stumbled down the street, each step fueled by anger, regret, and helplessness. I couldn’t believe what had just happened. Thrown out like some common idiot, watching Christiana rush to that bastard’s side while I was left to rot outside. The rage bubbling inside me demanded release, and there was only one way I knew how to numb the pain.
I found a bar not too far away, a bit dark and filled with the kind of people who wouldn’t ask questions. Just what I needed. I slammed down at the counter and ordered the strongest drink they had. One drink turned into two, then three, and before I knew it, I’d lost count.
