5 Chapter 5
It was a screenshot from Instagram.
The content was something I had posted ten minutes ago: two intertwined hands, wearing flawless Harry Winston diamond rings.
And because of that, his gang of buddies in his WhatsApp group chat suddenly blew up:
[Alex, we’ve been bros for years, and you’re getting married without inviting us? What the hell?]
[Damn, I was planning to get blackout drunk at your reception! And here I was hoping to dance with your hot bride.]
[Wait, that can’t be right. I thought Alex postponed the wedding and was in Paris with his little sweetheart, Maddie? The groom isn’t even in the States, so what kind of wedding is Blair having?]
After a moment of silently watching the group chat explode, Alexander, who had always treated his bros like family, sent a voice message for the first time. His tone was icy, dripping with fury:
“The screenshot is fake.
I checked Blair’s Instagram. She hasn’t posted anything in the last month.
If I find out which one of you idiots Photoshopped this to spread rumors, I swear you’ll regret it when I get back to the States.”
But the second he closed the chat, Alexander scrolled to the bottom of his contacts, pulled up my number, and, his face a thundercloud, hit call.
The call was clearly going through.
But for some reason, no one was picking up.
He called relentlessly as dusk bled into the night.
On Alexander’s seventeenth call, there was finally a response from the other end.
“Hello? Did you need something?”
Hearing my flat, emotionless voice, the knot of anxiety in Alexander’s gut loosened ever so slightly.
He asked me, his tone tinged with complaint:
“Why did it take you so long to answer the phone?”
“I was busy today.”
“Busy with what? Don’t tell me you actually off getting married to some other guy?”
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5 Chapter 5
One second, two seconds, three seconds…
He didn’t understand my silence. It was just a joke, meant to lighten the mood.
His heart tightened until he could barely breathe, and Alexander subconsciously changed the subject.
“Blair, are you still mad at me?”
“No.”
“Then why haven’t you sent me a single call or text this whole time?”
“Isn’t this exactly what you wanted?”
Hearing my faintly amused question, the veins on Alexander’s forehead throbbed.
“Blair, can you stop being so unreasonable?”
“I told you, it was a last–minute business trip. That’s why I had to postpone the wedding…”
“I know this has been unfair to you. But no matter how hurt you are, you didn’t have to post a fake wedding picture just to force my hand.”
The moment Alexander finished speaking, I let out a soft laugh.
“Who told you the wedding photo was fake?”
“What do you mean by that?”
“I mean that from now on, when you go abroad with Madison, you won’t need to come up with any more lame excuses about business trips. Alexander, I’m willing your true love.”
The night air in Paris was exceptionally muggy.
to let go and let you be with
But at that moment, Alexander, leaning against the window, felt his palms grow cold.
It must be the bad connection, he thought, that made his usually steady, deep voice tremble.
“Blair, Madison is my personal assistant. Of course I have to bring her along when travel for
work.”
“Blair, you know there’s nothing I hate more than jealousy, so don’t…”
After fifteen years of being childhood sweethearts, for the first time, I impatiently cut Alexander
off:
“You’ve misunderstood, Mr. Knight. I’m not jealous of anyone.”
Have you forgotten? We broke up a long time ago.”
“So no matter who you’re with, it has nothing to do with me.”
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5 Chapter 5
The line went dead.
Alexander tried to call back, only to find he’d been blocked. A harsh, furious laugh escaped him. as he swept everything off the nearest table, sending it all crashing to the floor.
Alexander immediately booked the next flight home, then stalked out, his face a mask of rage.
At the bustling hotel entrance, Madison grabbed Alexander’s arm just as he was getting into the car. “Alex, please,” she begged, her voice thick with desperation. “Don’t leave me alone.”
