Chapter 224
She paused for effect before delivering her threat: But if you refuse to help me. I 18 za straight to that rich kinband of pure and call ide at alle ve past! How would you like that?–
When I remained silent, refusing to engage with her Mackmail, Ava grew more agitata!
Alexander was sitting beside me and had heard everything, at Ava’s voice was for Bind. Seeing my furrated Brow and tense repression, fe habet at me sich concern. He reached toward me, pointing first at the phone I was catching and then at himself, clearly offering: Let me handle this call for you. Fil deal with
her.
Initially, I hadn’t wanted to burden Alexander with my messy family problems. These were my issues to give, not his. But something about his daim, confident demeanor suggested he could handle the situation effectively. There was something reassuring in his certainty.
After a moment’s hesitation, I handed him the phone. I was curious to see how he would deal with someone as persistent as Ava
Taking my phone, Alexander didn’t immediately hold it to his ear. Instead, he activated the speakerphone function so I could heat both sides of the conversation.
You wanted to speak to me about something?” he said coolly. ‘Did you really think I’d care what you have to say?”
There was a brief pause on the other end before Ava responded, surprise evident in her voice.
“Are you Sophia’s husband?” she asked, quickly recovering. “Don’t you care about your wife’s secrets? This was her first love–a passion she never forget! 1
bet that bothers you!”
Alexander’s lips curved into a gentle smile directed at me before he responded to Ava.
“Young lady, don’t waste your time with these childish games,” he said, his voice firm but controlled. “The adult world isn’t so easily manipulated by a few provocative words. I couldn’t care less about Sophia’s past. What matters to me is her present and her future.”
His tone hardened slightly. “If you’re trying to use her history as leverage, you’ll only succeed in getting yourself thrown out of Manhattan. Trust me—I have the means to make that happen.”
Seeing my worried expression, Alexander reached out and gently patted the top of my head, his eyes filled with such tenderness it nearly took my breath
away.
The thought of pretending to be my husband clearly excited him, though he tried to hide it.
Hearing the unmistakable threat in Alexander’s voice, Ava seemed to lose her nerve. Without another word, she hung up.
“I don’t believe this,‘ Ava muttered to herself after disconnecting. ‘Is there really a man who doesn’t care about his woman’s past? Impossible! Sophia, don’t think I’m afraid of you. You’ll pay for this, I promise!”
After the call ended, Alexander returned my phone with an amused smile. Noticing my troubled expression, he spoke reassuringly.
“Don’t worry about her. She can’t cause any real trouble.”
“If you’re concerned, I can have someone warn her off just enough to scare her so she won’t bother you again,” he offered.
I slipped my phone back into my purse and shook my head. “That won’t be necessary. She’s just a spoiled girl. I can handle her.”
“By the way,” I added, deliberately changing the subject, ‘weren’t you planning to visit the museum? Let’s go now.”
Not far from us, Henry sat in his car, observing everything. He had witnessed Alexander’s gentle pat on Sophia’s head and the tender smile that accompanied it. Alexander’s eyes had betrayed undisguised Affection for Sophia.
Henry watched as the two of us climbed into a taxi, then immediately reached for his phone and called Benjamin.
“Meet me,” he said tersely. “We’re going drinking.”
