Chapter 127 Alexander's Warning
"Let's discuss it in person," Alexander said, giving me an address. "Have Walter drive you directly. Don't worry about Ethan getting jealous—I've already cleared it with him."
"Okay, sure," I replied with a smile in my voice.
Alexander Fuller was the quintessential trust fund playboy who had leveraged his family connections to build an empire of entertainment venues across Los Angeles. Bars, clubs, lounges—all strategically located in high-traffic areas with sky-high cover charges.
"Horizon" was his most luxurious members-only club, not open to the general public. It served primarily as a gathering place for his friends and a way to cultivate valuable connections. Only the elite sons of wealthy families or heirs to various fortunes could gain entry.
I arrived at the address Alexander had specified—a bar in Westwood with European-inspired décor.
He stood behind the polished wooden bar and smiled. "Can I get you something to drink?" Before I could answer, he caught himself. "Oh right, Ethan doesn't allow you to drink."
I laughed softly. "It's not that he doesn't allow it. He just doesn't want me drinking around other men. When I'm with him, it's fine."
Many times, Ethan had poured two glasses of red wine before bed, deliberately feeding me sips from his own mouth to set the mood. My alcohol tolerance was low, and a single glass was enough to make my face flush and my eyes grow hazy.
In those moments, Ethan's enthusiasm always intensified—his actions fierce yet his gaze tender.
During those times, I too would lose myself in his paradoxical blend of gentleness and intensity, forgetting everything as we soared together. In those moments, I forgot our status differences, our age gap, and all the complicated history between us. There was only the bliss of our bodies and minds intertwined.
"Hmm." Alexander's laugh pulled me back to reality. "That's just how he is—when he likes someone, he likes them obsessively. When he hates someone, that hatred is just as intense."
I kept my voice steady. "I don't think anyone actually likes his personality, do they?"
Surely people were attracted to his wealth and family background, not his controlling, borderline pathological personality.
Alexander shook his head with a knowing smile. "One man's poison is another man's meat. Just because you don't appreciate it doesn't mean others feel the same."
I smiled faintly. "Fair point."
The truth was, I didn't dislike Ethan. I just hadn't allowed myself to fall completely, recklessly in love with him. My feelings for him remained controlled, suppressed.
Alexander slid the contract across the bar toward me. "This is the transfer agreement. All you need to do is sign, and I'll handle the paperwork."
I glanced at it indifferently and declined again. "It's really not necessary. This is too much."
Alexander handed me a pen. "Just sign it. If Ethan finds out you refused the bar but spent fifteen minutes chatting with me here, neither of us will have a good time."
His joke made me laugh, and I took the pen. "Fine, I'll sign."
After signing, I closed the pen and asked, "Is the situation with his company serious?"
Alexander handed me a glass of orange juice, shaking his head. "I don't know the specifics. I just know he's facing some significant problems that will keep him busy for a while."
"You know about his expansion in Southeast Asia, I assume," he added.
"I did travel there with him, but regarding his business affairs, I know nothing. He's never discussed them with me."
Alexander smiled faintly. "His ambition has always been too great, his arrogance unchecked. He believes he can get whatever he wants, but not everything works out the way we hope."
I heard the double meaning in Alexander's words but pretended not to understand, offering no response.
Alexander took the hint and changed the subject slightly, continuing to talk about Ethan.
"He extended his operations into the southern territories, but that region is controlled by Victor Hammond and Vincent Crawford. Neither of them are pushovers, especially Victor—a classic wolf in sheep's clothing, dangerously cunning."
My mind flashed to an image of a refined, scholarly face that seemed entirely incongruous with the word "cunning."
But that made sense—truly dangerous people don't advertise their nature. Like corrupt officials who present themselves as humble servants of the people, the most treacherous individuals often appear the most unassuming.
Alexander continued, "Victor operates in shadows while Ethan stands in the light—already a disadvantage. But rather than being cautious, Ethan grew even more brazen, even interfering with military government matters. The situation could go either way. For businessmen, if authorities don't investigate, it's just business. If they do start digging, it becomes something much more complicated."
"Anyway, he's definitely in some trouble this time. Watch if he makes it home on schedule tonight. If he does, the situation isn't critical. But if he doesn't return all night..."
He stopped there, his gaze heavy as it settled on me.
"What happens if he doesn't come back?"
Alexander's voice grew serious. "If Ethan can't protect himself, Olivia, what will you do? Have you thought about that?"
I pressed my lips together in silence.
Alexander spoke again. "I can guarantee Tiffany won't harm you anymore, but what about the Bennett family? What about Mia?"
I remained silent.
"When Ethan can no longer protect you, that day will bring you suffering. I'm not trying to scare you."
Alexander's lips curved into a smile. "Back in the '80s, our family had a young housekeeper—beautiful girl with a fiery temper. Both my uncles fell for her at the same time. The brothers fought over her like they were competing for the throne."
"One uncle accused the other of gun-running, while that uncle accused him of drug trafficking. This created the perfect opportunity for our rivals to target them both. My two uncles were taken down, and on the very day they were arrested, that housekeeper jumped from a building and killed herself."
When I left the bar, my entire body felt ice-cold, as if I'd fallen into a frozen lake.
I carefully considered Alexander's words. Though I didn't know him well, I didn't think he was trying to frighten me. It felt more like a warning.
Sitting in the car, I turned to Walter. "Walter, do you think Ethan will fail?"
Walter replied with a question of his own. "In what respect, Miss Reed?"
"In any respect," I said, then quickly clarified, "In business, I suppose."
Walter smiled slightly. "That's hard to say. In business, there are always gains and losses. As for everything else—well, nobody wins forever."
My heart sank to the pit of my stomach, tears unconsciously rolling down my cheeks.
Through my tears, I could almost see the housekeeper from Alexander's story plummeting from a high building. The imagined sound of impact and splash of blood made me shudder.
Suddenly, a loud BANG from outside made me scream in terror.
Walter jumped too, sharply turning the wheel to avoid an obstacle in the road.
My phone rang, startling me again. My hand trembled so badly that I dropped it by my feet.