Chapter 20
"Charlotte! You've gone too far!"
After Alexander snapped back to his senses, he shoved Charlotte away forcefully.
Fortunately, Jenna was there to steady her, or Charlotte would have fallen to the ground.
Alexander saw the handprint on Sabrina's pale face. "Charlotte, you've really disappointed me."
With that, he gripped Charlotte's wrist tightly. "Apologize to Sabrina."
But Charlotte remained unusually calm.
Sure enough, those who were once closest to her knew exactly how to hurt her the deepest.
Alexander knew full well how she felt about Lynn, yet he deliberately belittled her work to appease Sabrina...
Jenna was so angry she wanted to curse. Just as she was about to step forward to help, a dark figure suddenly appeared before her... It was Landon, who had returned.
Landon pulled Charlotte back with one hand. "Alexander, I believe your wife should be Miss Spencer, right?"
Coming face-to-face Landon's scrutiny, Alexander visibly became somewhat wary. "It's not what you think..."
"Oh? So you can read minds now? Why don't you share it with everyone here?" Landon casually cast a look at the fragile-looking Sabrina beside them, mockery lacing his every word.
Sabrina felt an inexplicable chill and rushed to explain, "Mr. Forbes, I'm Sabrina. Don't you remember me?"
Landon's expression stayed neutral. "No, I don't."
Sabrina's face turned pale.
Seeing the way Sabrina had been placed on the spot, Alexander could no longer hold back. "You don't need to make things difficult for Sabrina. Besides, we're family..."
Landon raised an eyebrow. "You and Charlotte are also family."
With that, he slowly turned to Charlotte. "If there's nothing else, then we can take our leave, Miss Spencer."
After he'd taken a few steps with Charlotte and Jenna, Landon suddenly stopped. "Oh, and remember to transfer the six million one hundred thousand to Miss Spencer. Not a penny less."
"Right now. Immediately."
"Landon!" Alexander seemed a bit hesitant. "Charlotte hit Sabrina."
Landon stared at Alexander for a while before saying slowly, "She deserved it."
Alexander had always been a bit afraid of Landon, who was only three years older... not just because Landon was better than him in every way, but also because he could never figure out what kind of person Landon really was.
So he had no choice but to swallow his anger and transfer the six million one hundred thousand to Charlotte on the spot.
Only after confirming Charlotte had received the payment did Landon leave with Charlotte and Philip without looking back.
Watching this humiliating scene unfold, Sabrina was so angry she ground her teeth, yet there was nothing she could do.
"Sabrina."
Sabrina was seething with hatred when the sudden call of her name startled her into quickly concealing the resentment in her eyes. "Alexander, Charlotte misunderstood me. I really didn't mean it."
"I know. I'm sorry you had to go through that." Alexander looked guilty.
But Sabrina pretended to be strong. "Alexander, it's okay, I'm not upset at all... I just suddenly really want to eat at that restaurant you used to take me to."
Alexander checked the time and made up his mind. "Alright, let's go."
Outside the auction house.
Charlotte said, "Mr. Forbes, I should return the money to you."
Landon raised an eyebrow. "What? Don't you like Philip? Don't you want to help me take care of him?"
Philip's little face immediately fell. "Charlotte!"
Having become a mother herself, Charlotte couldn't bear to see children upset, so she immediately softened. "No, I really like Philip, and I'm very willing to take care of him."
Landon's eyes narrowed. "Then it's settled."
Charlotte reluctantly agreed. "Alright then. But I didn't expect that after all these years, your son would be this big already."
Landon gave her a half-smile. "Back then, you chose to marry Alexander in that arranged marriage and had children with him. Did you expect me to stay single for you forever?"
Charlotte's face flushed. "That's not what I meant."
A moment later, as Jenna drove, she said indignantly, "Charlotte, what were you thinking back then?"
"Landon is obviously way better than Alexander. How could you have chosen him?"
Charlotte smiled bitterly. "Yeah, I can't figure it out either."
Years ago, when Alexander's father died unexpectedly, the Forbes Group was in turmoil and urgently needed to choose a new leader from Landon and Alexander.
At the same time, to strengthen the new leader's credibility, a marriage alliance between the Forbes Family and the Spencer Family was put on the agenda.
Although the alliance was originally an agreement between Nicole and Lynn, she believed Charles and Jasmine would never pass up this chance to climb up to the Forbes Family, so the marriage partner would likely be switched to Sabrina.
But strangely, at the critical moment, Sabrina suddenly went abroad, and as the Spencer Family's only daughter in the country, Charlotte was quickly brought back to the Spencer Family.
At that time, her career had just reached its peak, and she was ready to really make her mark. So when Nicole asked her about it, she was actually very resistant inside.
But that very night, Alexander's mother, Cynthia Powell, secretly came to her, analyzed the pros and cons of the marriage alliance, and told her that Nicole had always favored her younger son, Landon, so without her help this time, Alexander would be overshadowed by Landon for the rest of his life.
After learning of Alexander's difficult situation, Charlotte made her choice almost without hesitation...
How decisive she had been back then was how much she regretted it now.
But at least she still had the courage and opportunity to start over.
An hour later, Alexander sat in the restaurant with Sabrina.
Looking at the blood-red juices seeping from the medium-rare ribeye steak on his plate, Alexander frowned imperceptibly.
Seven years ago, when he took over the company during its turbulent period, he often worked through meals, dealing with company affairs, which caused problems with his stomach.
Although it had improved a lot under Charlotte's care and he hadn't had stomach problems for over two years, looking at the thick layer of amber-colored beef fat, he still instinctively felt resistant.
Sabrina quickly noticed his expression. "Alexander, what's wrong? Don't you want to eat this?"
"It's all my fault. I was so focused on reliving old times with you that I forgot to ask if you still like it."
Seeing the self-deprecating look on Sabrina's face, Alexander's heart immediately softened. How could he still care about whether his stomach could handle it?
"Silly girl, how could I not like it?"
"Really?" Sabrina smiled through her tears and personally cut a piece of beef and put it on Alexander's plate. "Then try this, your favorite."
Looking at the beef mixed with oil and blood, Alexander swallowed it without hesitation. "It's just as good as before."
After dinner, Alexander sent Sabrina home before dragging his exhausted body back.
But as soon as he got closer to the living room, he heard Owen's shrill voice: "I don't want this! I want the steak Mommy makes!"