Charlotte’s POV:
I was lazily lounging on the luxurious sofa in the Kingsley mansion’s living room, scrolling through Instagram, when I heard Alexander’s assistant arrive. He walked in carrying an entire box of premium ice cream, his eyes widening when he
saw me.
“Mrs. Kingsley, these are for you,” he stated formally, as if presenting a crown jewel.
I eagerly stepped forward and opened a container of vanilla ice cream.
The assistant was shocked that his intimidating boss had married someone like me: a sophomore college student with ice cream on her face, lounging in sweatpants in this museum–like mansion.
Alexander came downstairs, his tall figure commanding attention as always. Without a word, he pulled a tissue from the box on the coffee table and gently wiped the corner of my mouth. His touch was unexpectedly gentle.
“You’re like a child, making a mess everywhere you eat,” his deep voice sounded somewhere between annoyed and… something else.
I glared at him. “Leave me alone, old man.” I was still angry about him throwing away my ice cream.
His assistant awkwardly cleared his throat. “Anything else, sir?”
“No, you may go,” Alexander dismissed him.
I couldn’t be bothered with Alexander anymore. Instead, I grabbed my ice cream container and left the living room. I shared it with everyone in the mansion.
This included Victoria. I headed to her territory and knocked on her bedroom door.
“Victoria, ice cream delivery!” I called from outside.
Victoria looked up at me, her face displaying practiced politeness. “No thanks, Charlotte. You enjoy it yourself.”
“I have plenty,” I insisted, placing the ice cream on her table.
As I turned to leave, Victoria softly called, “Charlotte.”
I looked back at her.
“Thank you,” she said, her tone carrying what seemed like genuine warmth.
That was new. I smiled back and continued my ice cream distribution mission. By the time I finished, everyone in the mansion had received a treat–except Alexander.
When Alexander found me, I was sitting by the window in our bedroom, eating the last bite of ice cream.
“Where’s mine?” he asked from the doorway.
I turned around, trying to look innocent. “I ate yours.” I nearly laughed at his expression.
1/3
Alexander raised an eyebrow. “Then what am I supposed to eat?”
“Nothing,” I answered, but felt my cheeks heat up under his intense gaze.
He moved closer, his long fingers lifting my chin, forcing me to meet his eyes. “It would be a shame not to taste what I bought,” he said, his voice dropping lower.
Before I could comprehend what was happening, he bent down and kissed my lips. I froze, my eyes widening in shock. What was he doing? When I opened my mouth to protest, he deepened the kiss.
Alexander kissed me with confidence and skill that left me dizzy and confused. Just as I began to respond, my phone rang loudly in my pocket. I pushed him away, hurriedly answering the call and moving to the window with my heart racing.
“Hello?” Even to my ears, my voice sounded strange.
“Charlotte!” Lily’s excited voice came through. “Remember when you asked about transferring to the Business School?
You’ve officially transferred! We’ll be classmates next semester!”
“Really? My business school transfer went through?” I could hardly believe it had worked.
“Yes! And guess what? I made sure all three of us are in the same class–you, me, and Jason!”
“What? Jason and I will be in the same class?” I repeated, excitement bubbling up. This was perfect! I could continue bossing Jason around.
As Lily chatted away about our course schedule, I suddenly felt a burning gaze on my back. I turned slightly to see Alexander watching me, his expression growing darker with each word I spoke.
When I hung up the phone, our eyes met across the room. The kiss we had just shared seemed to hang in the air between us, making my cheeks burn. I bit my lip, slowly moving toward the door, then suddenly bolted out.
I pushed open the door to Jason’s bedroom, barely able to contain my excitement. He was lying lazily on his bed and sat up immediately when he saw me.
“How did it go? Did it work?” Jason asked eagerly, his eyes sparkling with anticipation.
“It worked!” I clapped my hands in genuine delight.
Jason made a fist–pumping gesture of celebration. “Great! I can go out and have fun again.”
I paused, a bit embarrassed. “Uh… actually, I was talking about my transfer application being approved.”
“Huh?” His expression froze in confusion.
I grinned and announced, “Business School, sophomore year, class three.”
Jason’s expression stiffened. Silence stretched for several seconds before he forced a smile. “So there’s no escaping you, is there?”
I walked over and patted his shoulder, suppressing a laugh. “Don’t worry, I’ll continue to look after you. After all, I’m your
aunt now.”
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Chapter 32
“Have mercy!” Jason protested loudly. “Charlotte, you’re pushing it! I’ve served you for ten years, and you want me to serve you for three more?”
I couldn’t help but smile smugly. “You’ve survived ten years already, what’s another three?”
Back in the master bedroom, I was still humming a happy tune as Alexander, freshly showered and dressed, prepared to go out. Seeing my cheerful mood, his eyes narrowed.
“Happy?” he asked, his deep voice deliberately controlled.
“Mmm–hmm,” I replied lightly, grabbing my pajamas and heading toward the bathroom, not missing the shadow that crossed his face.
That evening, I lay in bed excitedly texting Lily about the day’s events. My laughter filled the room as I recorded a voice
message.
“You should have seen Jason’s face when he found out we’d be in the same class. He was completely stunned!”
Alexander sat beside me reading an English book, but I noticed his fingers paused while turning a page when I mentioned Jason’s name.
Completely unaware of the tension building, I recorded another message. “Jason thinks he can’t escape me now, hahaha!”
My laughter hadn’t even finished when my phone suddenly disappeared from my hand. I stared at my empty palm, then looked up to see Alexander hiding it behind his back. Anger bubbled inside me.
“Alexander Kingsley, what are you doing?! First my ice cream, now my phone?”
Alexander pulled me into his arms, clearly trying to keep his voice gentle. “Want to move out?”
“No!” I refused immediately. I was still angry, and besides, staying in the mansion meant having company, so why leave?
He swallowed, studying my face for a good while. After taking a deep breath, he asked, “The house in Marin County–would you be willing to live there?”
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