Chapter 193 She Chased Alex
Outside the private room, Alexander looked at Frank sternly. "What's going on here?"
Frank deliberately played dumb. "Alex, what do you mean?"
Alexander cut straight to it. "Why did you bring Tiffany? Don't tell me you're mixed up with her again?"
A flash of discomfort crossed Frank's eyes. He smiled bitterly. "Alex, your words are too harsh. You know I've always had feelings for her. In the past, because of my cousin, we couldn't be together. Now that my cousin's dead, I—"
Alexander cut him off, barely containing his anger. "Was it really because of your cousin that you weren't together? Or was it because Tiffany dumped you to chase after him since he could inherit the family business? Now your cousin's dead and she has no one to lean on, so she's come crawling back. Frank, don't tell me you can't see that!"
Frank fell silent for a long moment.
Alexander knew Frank had deep feelings for Tiffany, and that the breakup had devastated him. But as his friend, he couldn't just stand by and watch Frank walk into a trap.
"Tiffany's motives are vicious. You know exactly what she's after. Frank, don't be stupid. She wants to use you as a stepping stone. You can't just let her have her way."
Frank looked up, his handsome face full of bitterness. "Then let me ask you something, Alex."
"If Arabella was using you as a stepping stone, what would you do?"
Alexander's immediate response was denial. "That's impossible. Arabella isn't like Tiffany. She's kind."
Frank looked at him steadily. "But what if? What if she weren't that kind? What if she was full of schemes, trying to use you as her stepping stone? Alex, tell me, what would you do?"
Alexander went quiet.
Without question, he'd make the same choice as Frank. Maybe even give more, even more willingly.
From Alexander's reaction, Frank already knew his answer. He couldn't help but laugh. "See, Alex? When it comes to love, once you're in deep, you're in deep. Rationality and all that, it's meaningless. You're not in control anymore."
Alexander looked at him with disapproval. "But Tiffany's not a good person. What if she asks you to compete for the family inheritance? When you two were together in the past you refused that request and insisted on studying medicine. She dumped you on the spot. Now she's back, so let me ask you—if you face that same choice again, what will you pick?"
Pain crossed Frank's face. After a long pause he said, "Tiffany says she loves me. She was young and foolish before and hurt me. But now she's recognized her mistakes and wants to start over. I trust she won't put me in that position."
Alexander said nothing, just scoffed.
Frank didn't even believe those words himself. How could he expect anyone else to?
"Believe what you want, but don't say I wasn't a good friend—if you're with Tiffany, my support for the Murphy family stops. Temporarily."
Alexander saw it clearly now. Frank was being stubborn, just like when he got dumped years ago. Maybe time wasn't the best medicine after all. Feelings that had faded could come roaring back even stronger.
He couldn't control his friend's choices, but he wouldn't just sit back and watch either. If Tiffany discovered Frank was still the same guy devoted to medicine who couldn't shoulder family responsibilities, maybe she'd leave again.
So all he could do was suspend his support for the Murphy family and hope that day came sooner rather than later.
Frank nodded silently. He wasn't ungrateful—he understood Alex's intentions. But when it came to matters of the heart, he really had no control...
He leaned against the corridor wall and lit a cigarette, offering one to Alexander. Alexander refused. "Quit a while ago. Arabella doesn't like me smoking."
Frank shrugged. "We're not so different, you and I. Neither of us should be laughing at the other."
Alexander's mouth twitched. "At least Arabella's worth it."
Tiffany wasn't.
Frank caught his meaning but only smiled bitterly without arguing.
The truth was, being in the thick of it, no one understood better than he did whether it was love or not.
But it boiled down to the same thing—what could he do?
In his whole life, he'd only loved once. Loved hopelessly, hysterically. He'd felt despair and hope, all the ups and downs courtesy of Tiffany.
He couldn't escape her.
Frank took a few drags of his cigarette, pushing down the bitterness in his chest, and asked Alexander, "How are things with you and Arabella?"
"Not bad." Just mentioning Arabella made Alexander's lips curve upward. "She agreed to have the baby."
"She's not trying to break up with you anymore, right?" Frank asked.
Alexander's expression froze. He said nothing.
Frank looked at him in surprise. "Wait, don't tell me she's pregnant and still insisting on breaking up? That doesn't make sense."
Alexander's face showed a trace of dejection. "Maybe it's because I hid things from her. Or maybe she can't accept my background. Even though she has feelings for me, she still won't accept me right now."
Frank's eyes darkened as he studied Alexander, seeming to want to say something but holding back. Finally he swallowed his words.
He had a suspicion, but no evidence. Better to confirm it first before mentioning it to Alex.
When the two men returned to the private room, Arabella and Flora were chatting and laughing like old friends.
Blake was sweating nervously beside them. When he saw Alexander enter, it felt like seeing his savior.
Alexander sat down, shot Flora a warning look then asked Arabella, "What are you two talking about? You seem happy."
Arabella smiled. "Flora was telling me stories about you guys back in the day. She said once you were so focused on a project that you went three days without eating or drinking. She noticed something was wrong and took you to the hospital. On the way there, you threatened her to mind her own business, but the moment you got to the hospital, you passed out from low blood sugar."
She looked at Alexander with some surprise. "I never knew you were such a workaholic."
During their time together, he'd been coming home at normal hours every day to have dinner with her. Arabella had assumed he was a privileged rich kid coasting on family money. She hadn't realized he could be so driven at work.
Flora added meaningfully, "Oh yeah, Alex is very capable and loyal. Back when we were young, our whole crew was tight. After that low blood sugar incident, everyone put me in charge of watching him. I stuck to him like glue for three whole months before I felt okay letting him out of my sight."
Arabella's expression shifted slightly.
This was a past she'd never been part of, had never heard about. His past was full of moments she couldn't be part of.
But Alexander just smiled and grabbed her hand, intertwining their fingers. "Didn't I tell you? For a while, I worked really hard to establish myself quickly. All so I could come find you sooner."
Arabella's heart trembled. He said it so casually, like it was nothing special, yet somehow wrapped her completely into his past. The loneliness that had just begun rising in her chest vanished because of his words. Instead she felt embraced by something warm and secure.
Flora paused for a moment, then she smiled as if nothing had happened. "That's right. We've all heard about Alex's deep feelings for you."
Arabella felt too shy to respond, but Alexander wasn't polite. "Be nicer to Arabella from now on, got it?"
Flora smiled, drawing out her words. "Got it, Alex."
On the other side, not long after Frank sat down, Tiffany suddenly stood up, looking at him accusingly. "What's that supposed to mean? Frank, you think being with me makes you suffer, don't you? You're disgusted by me, aren't you? If that's the case, just say so! It's not like I'd cling to you!"
Her voice was shrill and anguished. Everyone fell silent, all eyes turning toward her and Frank.
"Frank, what's going on?" Alexander asked.
He'd been focused on Arabella's side and hadn't noticed what happened with Frank. It seemed like Frank had only said a few words to Tiffany before she suddenly exploded.
Frank quickly stood, forcibly pulling Tiffany back into her seat. "Alex, I'm sorry. I said something that upset Tiffany. Don't mind us."
Since he'd said that, Alexander didn't press the issue. But unexpectedly, Tiffany stood up again, her gaze accusatory as she looked at Alexander. "Alex, you're Frank's brother. I hope you'll stop whispering those false accusations in his ear. I know you all look down on me, but I don't care. I know Frank loves me and I love him—that's enough. What's between us doesn't need your interference!"
Alexander's face darkened. He looked at Frank. "Is that what you think too?"
Frank quickly explained, "Alex, no! You know I respect you more than anyone. Tiffany just asked what we talked about outside. I mentioned it in passing. I didn't think she'd get angry. Alex, don't take it to heart. I'll talk to her when we get home."
Alexander said nothing. With one arm still around Arabella's waist, his other hand rested on the sofa armrest, fingers tapping lightly.
In their circle, he was the undisputed leader. Everyone looked to him as their guiding force. So when he fell silent, both Frank and Blake started to panic.
Blake shot Frank an urgent look. "What are you waiting for? Have your girlfriend apologize to Alex!"
The truth was, even though they were all friends, their families still depended on Alex's support.
Small conflicts were fine, but they couldn't actually anger Alex.
Tiffany's words just now had definitely crossed the line.
Frank naturally understood this too. He nudged Tiffany, coaxing, "Tiffany, apologize to Alex. He won't hold it against you."
Tiffany refused. She clutched Frank's arm unhappily. "Why should I apologize? He's the one stirring up trouble and causing problems, not me! What did I do wrong? So I broke up with you and got back together—does that mean I have to face his judgment? I don't think I did anything wrong."
Frank instinctively glanced at Alexander. Seeing no expression on his face, he breathed slightly easier. "Tiffany, stop being difficult!"
This seemed to light Tiffany's fuse. Whether in the past or present, Frank had never spoken a harsh word to her. But now, because of Alexander, he was warning her and making her apologize. She couldn't take this humiliation.
"Hmph. You guys are so close anyway. What am I to you? Just a piece of clothing? Since you trust him instead of me, I won't bother you anymore. Frank, I hope you're happy."
She stormed out with a dark expression.
Frank naturally couldn't just let her leave. Looking somewhat ashamed, he said to Alexander and Blake, "Alex, I'm sorry. I apologize on Tiffany's behalf. She just has a strong personality, but she doesn't mean any harm. Blake... sorry for ruining your birthday party. I'll make it up to you another day."
Then he chased after her.
Blake sat there stunned. "Wait, she wasn't this dramatic before, was she?"
She was clearly taking advantage of Frank's feelings to do whatever she wanted.
Flora scoffed, delicately picking up her teacup to drink slowly. "Think about her background—unknown father, a mother who sold herself. What good could come from someone like that? She's got plenty of tricks for manipulating men. She locked Frank down ages ago. This isn't new."
Blake opened his mouth. "I mean, you're right, but she's really too—"
He didn't finish, instead looking at Alexander uncertainly. "Alex..."
Alexander had always been at his most benevolent in front of Arabella. He smiled casually. "It's fine."
Frank was his brother, after all. This time, he'd let it go.
Arabella only knew they were friends on equal footing. She had no idea what Alexander was capable of behind the scenes. Hearing his words now, she immediately felt sorry for him.
The image of him enduring humiliation for the sake of friendship was deeply etched in her mind.
She even felt indignant on Alexander's behalf, though she ultimately held back from speaking up.
A server wheeled in the birthday cake just then. Everyone intentionally livened the atmosphere, and soon the energy picked back up.
Flora quietly pulled Arabella aside. "Arabella, you don't know this, but that Tiffany? She used to chase after Alex too. He almost didn't resist."