Chapter 82
Alexander's POV
I looked at Elizabeth beside me, seeing the placid calm in her eyes with perfect clarity.
Elizabeth was, in essence, entirely indifferent to Carter's words.
For some reason, this realization brought me no pleasure. Instead, a peculiar sense of irritation began to stir within me.
"That is my business," I said, not reaching for her hand again. I met Carter's gaze, my composure steady, and took the opportunity to carefully observe Elizabeth's expression.
I wanted to see if she was truly as unaffected as she seemed, and indeed, her features remained a mask of neutrality.
"Is it?" Carter suddenly chuckled. "Well, allow me to offer you a piece of advice, then."
He sat on the sofa opposite us, lifting his coffee cup for a sip. "You know who Barry is. The network of connections he built doing business globally with your father is not something you can easily contend with at your current stage."
I understood what Carter was trying to say. He believed it was utterly unnecessary to antagonize such a powerful figure for the sake of a woman.
The Windsor family prioritized profit above all else; everything was a calculation of gains and losses.
Carter was betting that if I faced a genuine risk of making an enemy, I would never choose Elizabeth.
However, these were not matters for him to decide. My own decision had already been made.
"So, what is the relationship between Barry and Aiden?" Elizabeth suddenly spoke, her tone as casual as if she were asking an inconsequential question, yet laced with a subtle, almost imperceptible thread of sarcasm.
I watched her, a strange tightening sensation gripping my heart.
It was a peculiar feeling. Elizabeth seemed genuinely ignorant of fear. Whether facing Carter or me, she displayed none of the nervousness that an ordinary person would.
This was her reaction. As I studied her nonchalant expression, I found myself suddenly curious about what kind of answer she would give.
"I'm not entirely clear on the specifics of their relationship," Carter admitted, his attitude toward Elizabeth as dismissive as ever, though she paid it no mind. "But what I can confirm is that if Barry has to pick a side, he will absolutely support Aiden."
"Aiden wasn't even on the invitation list this time," Carter added.
Elizabeth nodded with an air of feigned understanding. "Not just anyone is qualified to attend a Windsor family banquet. For Aiden to make you reconsider, it seems this Barry character does indeed hold significant sway."
"Precisely." A smile flickered across Carter's face, a smile that I found intensely disagreeable. He leaned forward slightly. "Ms. Spencer, if you were to reconcile with Aiden, I imagine it would also please Barry. At that point, whatever you desire, he would likely give you."
My brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. I turned my gaze to Elizabeth, trying to read her reaction.
Such a temptation would be difficult for most people to resist. After all, when faced with the tangible promise of wealth, few could withstand the test.
Although I had some understanding of her character, I still wanted to know if her heart had wavered, even for a moment.
But Elizabeth's eyes held nothing of the sort. In fact, after Carter finished speaking, she actually let out a soft laugh.
My hand was suddenly taken, held firmly in hers. Her eyes, now gleaming with amusement, looked directly at me. "Mr. Windsor," she said, her voice clear and direct, "I believe that if I stay by Alexander's side, he will also satisfy my every desire, won't he?"
Carter's expression shifted, and he fell silent, understanding perfectly well the implication of her words.
Elizabeth was not wrong. By staying with me, she could have anything she wanted, and I would provide it. To some extent, whether she was cooperating in this charade or not, I would have fulfilled her wishes regardless.
The moment I became aware of my own thoughts, I was momentarily stunned.
The hand covering the back of mine was soft, its warmth radiating a strange sense of reassurance through me.
It was a simple gesture, a part of Elizabeth's effortless performance as my girlfriend, yet it stirred something deep within me.
Could it be that I was actually developing some other kind of sentiment for her?
I turned my head to look at Elizabeth and met her gaze. Her eyes held the same unaltered tranquility as always, as if she had no interest in me whatsoever.
A wave of irritation washed over me, an annoyance born purely from the absence of the one thing I had hoped to see in her eyes: a sign that she cared about me.
It shouldn't be like this.
While I had little interest in romance, there had been no shortage of women in my life since I was young.
The way they looked at me was not like this. Elizabeth had never looked at me the way those other women did.
Her gaze was calmer, more distant than I could have imagined. Though she sat right beside me, I felt a vast chasm separating us.
As if provoked by some unknown impulse, I tightened my grip, lacing my fingers through hers.
She was visibly taken aback, and for a fleeting second, her eyes flashed with the very confusion I had longed to see.
It felt like a positive signal, a small victory that sent a flicker of pleasure through me.
I looked at her, the delight I felt unable to stay hidden from my own eyes.
But just as quickly as it appeared, I reined in the emotion, worried she might discern my true feelings.
It was a needless precaution. Elizabeth paid no mind to these subtle emotional shifts, assuming it was all part of the act, completely oblivious to my inner state.
I couldn't tell if I should be relieved or disappointed. I watched her for another moment before turning my attention back to the man before us.
Carter was rendered speechless, utterly unable to refute Elizabeth's retort.
He knew what I was capable of, and he knew she had spoken the truth, without a hint of exaggeration.
A faint smile touched my lips as I looked at the woman beside me, trying to convey with my eyes how pleased I was with her answer. She smiled back, receiving my silent message.
Finally, Carter could bear it no longer. "Elizabeth, let me be more direct," he said, his voice sharp. "If you continue to stay with Alexander, Aiden will persist in causing you trouble. And now, with Barry's backing, they will target the company directly."
"If they cause trouble, I am confident I can resolve it. If I am harmed, I will actively pursue all legal measures to protect my rights. I will not be bullied, nor will I allow the company to be affected in any way," Elizabeth declared, her voice and eyes brimming with self-assurance.
She seemed completely unfazed by the prospect of Aiden's harassment.
And it made sense. From my previous investigation, I knew that her time with Aiden had been an endless exercise in cleaning up his messes. For her, such troubles were practically routine.
So I believed her words now. More than that, they sparked a profound interest within me. I wanted to see exactly how she would handle these challenges.
I concealed my curiosity behind a placid smile, deciding it was time to bring this tedious conversation to a close.