Chapter 68
Under Philip's stunned and shocked gaze, Alexander left with his arm around Charlotte.
It wasn't until they got in the car that Charlotte turned to look at the man in the driver's seat.
"What are you doing here?"
"I promised to pick you up after work, so of course I came." Alexander glanced at the man behind her. "Why was he bothering you?"
Charlotte held up the Pink Moon Love bracelet. "Because of this bracelet."
Alexander pressed the gas pedal and snorted coldly. "As if he's worthy. Next time something like this happens, tell me and I'll deal with him."
Charlotte looked at him. "Are you really acting like you're my boyfriend?"
Alexander's lips curved into a playful smile. "Just now in front of Philip, you didn't deny it either, did you?"
At that, Charlotte was unusually at a loss for words.
She really hadn't denied it.
Philip had been pestering her endlessly. Using Alexander's identity was indeed the fastest way to get rid of that annoying man.
She didn't want to reveal her identity yet. She could see the Langley Group's situation most clearly when she wasn't recognized as part of the Langley family.
Take this cousin, for example—if she hadn't hidden her identity beforehand and approached him this way, she wouldn't have known Philip was so arrogant and domineering at the company.
"I was just giving you face. Don't read too much into it." Charlotte leaned back in her seat, her expression remaining indifferent.
Alexander wasn't discouraged at all. Instead, he chuckled softly, his tone low and suggestive.
"Either way, from today on, they'll all know you're my girlfriend."
Charlotte frowned. "You're overthinking it. I was just fooling Philip."
Alexander just smiled and shifted his arm uncomfortably.
Noticing his movement, Charlotte suddenly remembered that Alexander had been injured saving her at the amusement park last time, and the doctor had told him to rest.
Not only had Alexander not listened, he'd been picking her up and dropping her off from work, and just now he'd even gotten physical.
Without thinking much, Charlotte reached for Alexander's arm. "Is your injury okay?"
Alexander paused, a hint of amusement appearing in his eyes.
"You're worried about me."
Charlotte was somewhat speechless. "You got injured because of me. Isn't it normal for me to care about you?"
"If you care about me, you should show it through action, right? Don't forget what you promised me—that you'd let me stay at your place these next few days." Alexander's gaze was intense, with a hint of anticipation.
Charlotte pressed her lips together and only spoke after a few seconds.
"Fine, come back to my place. I am responsible for your injury, but other than that, I don't have any feelings for you. Don't get any ideas."
The smile on Alexander's face deepened as he nodded.
He appeared very cooperative on the surface, but judging by his expression, he clearly was getting ideas.
Charlotte didn't bother with him and took out her phone to send a message to the villa's butler, saying Alexander would be staying at the house today.
By the time they returned to Gold Valley Mansion, it was almost dark.
Alexander stopped the car with one hand and came around to open the door for Charlotte.
Charlotte noticed he was still forcing himself to endure the discomfort in his arm while opening the door for her, and she paused slightly.
They went inside, and she had just changed her shoes when the doorbell rang outside.
The butler went to answer it and brought Edward in.
Edward hurried over with his cane, his face full of smiles.
"You're back? You and Alexander are dating—why didn't you tell me?"
Charlotte immediately turned her head and questioned Alexander with her eyes.
Alexander raised both hands and shook his head. "I didn't say anything. It wasn't me."
Edward exclaimed, "The Langley family already knows."
He was about to say that Charlotte's mother had told him, but remembering that Charlotte was hiding her identity, he stopped himself in time.
Edward cleared his throat. "The Langley family told me. Charlotte, are you and Alexander really together?"
"No, that was just..."
"Yes." Alexander cut off Charlotte's words. "We're together."
Charlotte smiled, but her eyes carried a threatening glint.
"Say that again?"
Alexander stood his ground. "That's what it is..."
Before he could finish, footsteps suddenly sounded from outside.
"Did Grandpa just come here?"
It was Benjamin's voice.
Why would he be here?
Charlotte frowned slightly and saw that Benjamin had actually brought Chloe along.
Their eyes met, and seeing Charlotte in such a luxurious living room, Chloe understood everything in an instant.
She had felt something was off all along.
After Charlotte was kicked out of the house, she hadn't cried and begged to return to the Johnson family as Chloe had imagined. Instead, she was doing better than before.
Although Charlotte was a designer and a famous gaming expert, how could she afford a mansion in such a short time on her own?
A place like Gold Valley Mansion would cost hundreds of millions to buy.
Even with the Johnson family's wealth, they couldn't afford to live in such a place.
Chloe had never understood where Charlotte got so much money.
Now Chloe got it.
So she'd latched onto Alexander.
She lowered her eyes, hiding the jealousy that was about to burst out, and when she looked up again, she had put on a sweet smile.
"Charlotte, you and Alexander have such a good relationship. I thought you were just friends, but it turns out it's like this."
Charlotte couldn't be bothered with her and casually asked back, "Does it concern you?"
Chloe's expression stiffened, but then she smiled unconcernedly, her tone carrying a hint of boasting.
"I have good news to tell you. Mandy and I both got direct qualification to the finals in the world competition. Some judges said our work was exceptionally outstanding, so we can advance directly without participating in the semifinals."
She paused, then asked curiously, "Didn't you and the designers from your studio say you were going to enter? How come I don't see any designers from your studio in the top ten? Are they not skilled enough?"
Edward frowned, his face darkening with displeasure.
"As long as Charlotte enters the competition, she'll definitely get good results. The designers under her are also very capable. What are you trying to say? Are you looking down on Charlotte?"
Chloe quickly shook her head.
"No, I'm just concerned about her."
"Of course you're concerned. For a long time, you relied on plagiarizing her work to gain popularity and fame."
As soon as Alexander said those words, the atmosphere in the entire living room froze.
Charlotte had originally planned to snap back herself, but she hadn't expected Alexander to speak up, and what he said was so harsh that it made Chloe's face flush red.
Alexander picked up his water glass and took a sip, glancing at Chloe indifferently.
"I wonder how you suddenly advanced to the finals this time? Which famous designer did you copy your work from?"