Alexander POV
I nodded, running a hand through my hair, trying to shake off the embarrassment. But it stuck to me like glue. I couldn’t look James in the eye. The man had seen me in boardrooms, in negotiations where I was the most powerful man in the room, and now… he’d seen me like this–pathetic, desperate, and broken.
He held the door open for me, and I stepped out, still wincing at the morning light. The walk to the car was silent, awkward, and filled with more unspoken words than I could handle. The few people around–the cops, the drunks, the lowlifes–all stared as I passed. They had no idea who I was, and in a way, that made it worse. I wasn’t even worth recognizing anymore.
As we reached the car, James finally broke the silence. “Sir, if I may.. I think it would be best if we kept a low profile for the next few days. Perhaps some time away could-
“Enough, James,” I snapped, cutting him off. I couldn’t deal with a lecture right now. I could barely deal with my own thoughts. “Just get me out of here.”
He didn’t push it, just nodded and opened the car door for me. I slid inside, sinking into the leather seat. For a moment, I closed my eyes, letting the comfort of the familiar surroundings ease some of the tension in my chest. But no matter how luxurious the car was, it couldn’t make me forget the disaster I’d caused
James climbed in beside me, tapping away at his tablet, probably rearranging my schedule, covering up for my mess. I should’ve been grateful, but all I felt was disgust–with myself
As the car rolled out of the parking lot, James glanced at me in the rearview mirror. “Sir. are you alright?”
I chuckled bitterly, shaking my head. “Do I look alright to you, James?” My voice was laced with sarcasm, but beneath it was a bitterness I couldn’t shake, “I lost control. Made a complete fool of myself in front of her. And now I’m sitting here like some washed–up idiot while she’s probably with him, laughing at how pathetic I am.”
James‘ face remained neutral, but I could see the pity in his eyes. “You’ll fix it, sir,” he said quietly, but there was a hesitation in his voice like he didn’t even believe it himself.
“Fix it?” I scoffed. “There’s nothing left to fix, James. She hates me. Hell, I hate myself right now”
The rest of the drive was silent. My mind kept replaying the scene at the diner–Christiana’s wide eyes when she saw me, the way she rushed to Daniel’s side, the coldness in her voice when she told me to leave her alone. It was like a knife twisting deeper into the wound every time I thought about it.
By the time we reached my estate, I felt like I’d aged ten years in a single night. The grand gates opened, but all I could see was. emptiness. None of this mattered if I couldn’t fix things with Christiana and the kids.
James stopped the car and turned to face me. “Sir, if there’s anything else you need.”
I shook my head, cutting him off. “Just.. don’t mention this again. Ever.”
His lips pressed into a thin line, and he gave a curt nod. “Understood, sir.”
I stepped out of the car, the weight of everything pressing down on me like a ton of bricks. The estate that once felt like a kingdom now felt like a prison–a reminder of everything I’d lost
As I walked inside, I knew one thing for certain: I was running out of chances, and if I didn’t get it together soon, I’d lose Christiana forever.
And that was a loss wasn’t sure I could survive.
“Of course, sir,” he replied smoothly, but there was a tension in his tone that hadn’t been there before. “No one will know. This stays between us.”
I barely had time to settle in before I heard the sound of heels clicking against the marble floors, each step like a nail driven. into my already–pounding headache. I didn’t need to look up to know who it was–Bianca. She had this habit of making her presence known even before she entered a room, like she owned the place.
“Alex, darling,” she cooed as she swept into the living room, her voice sugary sweet but carrying that edge that always grated on my nerves, Bianca was dressed to perfection, as usual, in a designer dress that probably cost more than most people’s rent,
11:52 AM c
Clupter 38
her flawless makeup hiding whatever traces of humanity she might still have.
She sauntered over, eyes flicking around the room like she was assessing it for a photoshoot. “You look terrible. Late night? She didn’t even wait for a response as she draped herself onto the couch, crossing her legs elegantly, like we hadn’t been through hell just a few days ago.
I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to keep the frustration at bay. “What are you doing here, Bianca?”
She tilted her head, giving me that practiced pout that used to work on me years ago, back when I was blinded by her charm and the image she painted of being the perfect partner. “I’m here because I’m worried about you, babe. I heard you got yourself into a bit of trouble last night. I thought you might need someone to talk to.” Her voice dripped with fake concern, but her eyes were calculating, waiting for me to crack.
I scoffed, letting out a humorless laugh. “You’re worried? Since when?”
“Come on, Alex,” she purred, leaning closer as if her proximity could somehow erase everything she’d put me through. “We’ve had our ups and downs, but you know I’ve always cared about you. We’re good together–you just need to stop pushing me away.”
I snapped my gaze to hers, cold and unyielding. “Stop pretending, Bianca. We’re not together. We haven’t been together for a long time.” My
tone was sharp, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
