1 lay stiffly at the edge of the bed, trying to maintain as much distance as possible from Alexander, This suppedly spacious king–sized bed suddenly felt too small.
“Feeling uncomfortable because I’m not touching you? Alexander broke the silence, his tone teasing
I scoffed internally. Before I could retort, I noticed his gaze dropping to my chest, Instinctively, I followed his line of sia, and then–bang–our foreheads collided painfully,
I looked up in surprise, only for my lips to accidentally brush against his. I froze, my heart pounding and my mind black, Before I could gather my thoughts, Alexander deliberately pressed his lips against mine, transforming the accidental touch into a real kiss.
The warmth on my lips and the heat of his breath against my cheek made my heart race, I pushed him away, jumped off the bed, and fled to the couch, childishly pulling the blanket over my head like a fortress,
Under my hastily constructed “fort,” I tried to calm my racing heart. This wasn’t the first time he’d kissed me, I reminded myself. But a rebellious inner voice reminded me: last time he was drunk, and only I remembered–this time we were face to face, eyes wide open!
I felt the couch sink as Alexander approached, and suddenly, I was lifted, blanket and all. He carried me back to the bed.
“You’ll be more comfortable sleeping here,” he explained, his voice surprisingly gentle.
“No!” I tried to escape back to the couch.
“Take one more step toward that couch,” he warned, “and I’ll buy your family’s company,”
“You wouldn’t,” I challenged, making a face at him.
His expression softened, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. He patted the space beside him. “If you don’t behave, you won’t be leaving here tomorrow.”
I muttered “What a petty man” under my breath.
He patted the bed again. “Whether you can leave tomorrow depends on your behavior tonight.”
After three minutes of silent protest, I reluctantly climbed into bed, but not without declaring: “Let me be clear, I don’t care at all that you’re not touching me.”
This was my first time sharing a bed with my husband, and my nerves were on edge. When Alexander suddenly turned over, I nearly jumped off the bed in panic, but he caugh3/3
Ct my arm. He switched off the bedside lamp, plunging the room into darkness, though I could still make out his face in the dim light.
“You could have just asked me to turn off the light,” I complained, “instead of using it as an excuse to invade my space.”
Alexander simply chuckled in response.
I pushed him away, insisting, “We must move out tomorrow.”
1/3
Chapter 28
Despite my anxiety, exhaustion soon conquered me.
I woke feeling more refreshed than I had in weeks, Stretching, I murmured, I haven’t slept this well in ages/
Rolling to my right, I found myself tumbling directly into Alexander’s arms. I blinked at him in surprise,
“Don’t recognize your husband?” he asked, amusement dancing in his eyes.
“Close your eyes,” I instructed, my heart racing,
When he complied, I seized the opportunity to slip out of bed and dash into the bathroom, slamming the door. Through the door, I heard his deep laughter. He realized I had just wanted to escape,
At the bathroom door, he called out, “Hurry up. We’re moving early today.”
I stared at my flushed reflection in the mirror, my cheeks as red as dawn, “Charlotte, how could you be so affected by his handsome face?” I scolded myself, “What’s so special about good looks? Although… he is unfairly attractive,”
Ten minutes later, I was still hiding in the bathroom, afraid to face Alexander. He knocked again, and I splashed cold water on my face one last time before opening the door.
Alexander noticed the water droplets still on my face and grabbed a towel, approaching to gently dry my face, I was stunned by this unexpected tender gesture. This can’t be the real Alexander–he must have been abducted by aliens!
As we approached the living room door, Richard’s furious voice made us pause: “Jason! Get over here!” A dark shadow rushed past us–Jason fleeing. I stood confused while Alexander’s expression darkened.
In the living room, Richard was chasing Jason with his cane, despite his mobility issues. Fearing I might get caught in the crossfire, I moved closer to Alexander for protection, softly calling him “baby.” He subtly pulled me behind him, shielding me with his body.
Richard, breathing heavily, pointed at Jason and announced: “Move aside, I’m going to kill this ungrateful grandson.”
Alexander led me out of the way, leaving his nephew to Richard’s judgment. When Jason begged for help and accused me of disloyalty, I merely shrugged.
The truth soon emerged: Jason had approached Richard that morning demanding a huge sum of money, using his grandfather’s precious celadon vase as leverage. When Richard reluctantly agreed to give him one billion, Jason demanded two billion. Richard eventually relented but asked for the vase back. However, Jason insisted on waiting until the money was transferred, and then accidentally shattered the priceless antique.
Just then, Victoria’s scream echoed from upstairs: “Jason!” She rushed down holding a bracelet with empty settings where diamonds should have been. Jason admitted to selling the diamonds. Then James appeared with a broken commemorative cup, another victim of Jason’s schemes.
Under Victoria’s leadership, the Kingsley family insisted we stay to help discipline Jason. I panicked, not wanting to give up our moving plans: “No, Victoria. Alexander has already bought a house. We’re leaving now.” I tugged at his hand, but he didn’t budge.
Victoria suggested speaking to me privately, but I refused: “Just say it here.”
To my shock, Victoria apologized: “Please stay and help us discipline Jason. I was wrong before, and I’m sorry. From now on, we’ll get along better.”
2/3
Chapter 28
Even more surprisingly, Alexander prompted: “Victoria, what about Charlotte’s parents?” She promised to personally apologize to them.
Victoria was willing to humble herself for her son’s sake, concerned that Jason’s sudden need for money indicated gambling debts and fearing he might make even bigger mistakes. Alexander suggested we stay, listing the benefits: companionship, servants, a driver, and avoiding worrying my parents. Richard even offered us a loft in the backyard.
Alexander continued, “We can stay here for now, and if anyone bothers you again or you become unhappy, we can move
out anytime.”
I hesitated, my resolve wavering. “Will you keep your word this time?” I asked.
“I promise,” Alexander answered. “Next time, no one will stop you. If you want to leave, I’ll take you immediately.”
After three failed moving attempts, I surrendered to what seemed like fate.
Back in our room, Jason approached me: “Charlotte, you should thank me. I risked my life to keep you here.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, confused.
Jason admitted to deliberately breaking the vase and stealing the diamonds: “Do you think I need my grandfather’s billions or would I steal my mother’s million–dollar diamonds? I did it all for you. If you stay, I can protect you when my uncle mistreats you. Last night-”
Before he could finish, I couldn’t help but punch him in the mouth. “Damn it, I don’t need your favors!” I shouted.
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