There was a pause.
“You do realize,” Alexander said slowly, “that you’re not just
confronting Amelia now. You’re challenging the Windsors. And
the Hawthornes. You’re standing alone against two of New
York’s oldest families.”
“Doesn’t matter,” I said stubbornly. “Small war or big war–it’s
still war. I’ve already been dragged through the mud. I’ve got
nothing else to lose.”
There was another beat of silence before Alexander’s voice
dropped.
“Don’t be reckless,” he warned. “Thest thing I need is for you
to get yourself killed.”
I blinked.
“I–I won’t,” I stammered. “Sorry. That came out harsher than I
meant.”
He didn’t respond right away. Then, unexpectedly, his voice
softened. “You’re representing me now. You understand that, right? When people see you, they see Green Group. They see me. That means you don’t get to go rogue.”
Chapter <b>72 </b>
My breath caught. Representing him.
<b>“</b>Yes,” I murmured. “I understand.”
“You want five days?” he said. “Fine. Take three. Be at the office
on the fourth. Eight a.m.”
“I… Thank you,” I said, unsure whether to argue for the full five or just ept the win. “<b>I’ll </b>get it all sorted!”
“You better,” he said, but there was no real malice behind it.
There was a pause.
“Olivia?”
“Yes?”
“If it gets worse, tell me. I’ll find <i>a </i>way to fix it.”
I blinked at his words. “I.. I don’t know…”
“I don’t like repeating myself.”
“Right, Sorry.” My voice cracked a little, and I quickly added, “I’ll
handle it. Thank you again.”
And then, I hung up abruptly.
I stared at the screen for a few seconds, the silence on the other
end suddenly louder than his voice.
My heart was beating too fast. Why was my heart beating too
fast?
I tossed the phone onto the couch and pressed my palms to my
cheeks. They were burning.
“Representing him,” I muttered to myself.
I instantly regretted repeating that phrase.
Ava’s teasing voice fromst night echoed in my mind:“He’s
interested in you!!!”
No, no. I couldn’t afford to think like that. He was just… being
kind. Or strategic. Or both.
Still, the way he said it. The way his tone dropped ever so
slightly when he said he’d fix it. I wasn’t used to anyone offering
to fix things for me–definitely not someone like Alexander.
I sat on the edge of the couch, fingers curling over my knees,
trying to catch my breath.
Why was he so kind to me?
<b>I </b>wasn’t special. I wasn’t powerful.
Even if I proved myself during that inspection, even if I kept
showing up, even if I carried the burden of that position–I still
didn’t believe I belonged beside someone like him.
Chapter <b>72 </b>
My eyes dropped to the phone again.
Did he even see me that way?
No. Of course not. He said it himself–I don’t like women.
I exhaled sharply and leaned back, arms spread out over the
cushions like a broken doll.
I was spiraling.
He was just being professional. Generous, maybe. But he didn’t
like women. It was right there in his own words.
No matter how many butterflies I had, or how much I wanted
to read between the lines, the truth remained: Alexander wasn’t
interested in women.
And especially not in a walking tabloid headline like me.
Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by the sound of the
door being flung open behind me.
“Ava,” I blinked in surprise. “You’re back already?”
Her heels clicked sharply across the floor as she threw her bag
on the couch and marched straight toward the kitchen. Her face
was flushed, hair frizzy around her temples, and her expression.
Chapter
“Amelia haslosther damn mind!” she exploded, pulling out her phone and mming it on the counter. “Have you seen what
that woman said? No? Here–read this!”
I hesitated, grabbing her phone. A tabloid headline popped up with Amelia’s smug face under it. The article started with her public statement–calm, polished, and brimming with venom.
iming I seduced Ethan, sought money, tried to destroy the Windsor family’s honor… all dressed up as concern for her
“future daughter–inw’s safety.”
I felt the heat crawl up my neck. “She’s actually insane.”
“She’sunhinged,” Ava snapped. “Do you know what the worst part is? She gave that statementwhile I was in court!I stepped out to grab coffee with a client and by the time I checked my
phone–boom. Full PR circus.”
She was pacing now. “I swear I will file a harassment case. Or
defamation. Or both. She wants a war? I’ll bring fire.”
I stayed silent for a second, pressing my lips together. “We
should respond.”
“Damn right, we should!” Ava huffed. “I have an entire
statement ready. Want to know the title? ‘Lady Windsor or
Lady Viper?“”
Despite everything, I snorted. “That’s awful.”
<b>Chapter </b><b>73 </b>