Chapter 85

Chapter 85

Wendy had carefully ordered all of Alexander’s favorite childhood dishes. The whole time, she talked about her interesting experiences abroad, her tone carrying a deliberate hint of self-satisfaction while her eyes stayed fixed on Alexander, making no attempt to hide her feelings.

Alexander remained silent throughout, only nodding occasionally as a response.

His gaze fell on the view outside the window, his mind already wandering far away, drifting who knows where.

Watching him look so distracted, a calculating glint flashed in Wendy's eyes. She changed tactics and started making small talk.

“Alexander, I heard from your grandfather that you’re still single. A man like you must have plenty of women chasing after him. You just haven’t found the right one yet.”

She paused, picked up the glass of red wine on the table, took a light sip, and her words carried a hint of suggestion.

"Actually, I think when two people are together, being well-matched in social status is important, and knowing each other well is even more important. Just like us—we grew up together, and your grandfather and my parents all think highly of us as a couple. If we could be together, we'd definitely have a happy future."

At this point, Wendy's smile grew even brighter.

"Before I came back, I had already picked out a wedding apartment in the city center. The layout is really nice—it faces both north and south, and has a huge balcony. After we get married, we can grow some flowers and plants on the balcony, and have one or two adorable children. Just thinking about it feels wonderful."

Wedding apartment. Children.

Those two words stabbed into Alexander's heart like thorns.

He thought of Stella carrying his child, thought of that unborn baby, and how he and Stella had also imagined their future together in the quiet of the night.

Wendy's words completely exhausted his patience.

Alexander finally lifted his gaze, his eyes cold and unyielding. “Wendy, I already have someone I love.”

At his words, Wendy's smile froze for a moment.

However, she quickly recovered, even putting on a concerned expression.

"Alexander, are you talking about Stella? I heard from your grandfather that you almost died for her, and nearly had an accident at the airport. Alexander, how could you be so foolish? What's so good about Stella? She's just a heartless, bad woman! She knew full well how much you sacrificed for her, yet she still left you without even saying goodbye. She's not worth you treating her this way."

Wendy's tone carried a hint of regret, but her words were loaded with hidden criticism of Stella.

"Enough."

Alexander abruptly cut her off, his eyes like ice.

He had only wanted to hear what Wendy was going to say, but as she became more and more outrageous, Alexander couldn't suppress his anger anymore.

The pressure around him dropped completely, and his tone grew even colder.

"Wendy, I won't allow you to talk about her like that. And she's not a bad woman. She had her reasons, you know nothing about. You have no right to judge her.”

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an intimidating force that made Wendy instantly fall silentas she stared at him blankly, her eyes full of disbelief.

The Alexander she knew had always been cold and reserved, uninterested in women, and never giving any girl the time of day.

In all these years, she had never seen Alexander get this angry over a woman or defend someone like this.

It had only been four years—how had he turned into such a lovesick fool?

Seeing her stunned expression, Alexander felt no attachment. He grabbed his coat from the back of the chair, got up, and left.

When he reached the door, he stopped and, without turning back, said,

“The meal is on me. Do not arrange any more blind dates. I will never agree. And from now on, stay away from me.”

With those words, he walked straight out of the private room, leaving only Wendy sitting there alone, her face pale and shifting expressions.

She couldn't understand how the Alexander who used to treat her gently had become like this.

If Alexander really didn't want to get close to her, what should she do next?

When he left the Western restaurant, the sky had completely darkened, and the city's neon lights had come on. As Alexander drove home, his mind replayed every precious moment he had shared with Stella.

The car reached an intersection, and the red light came on.

Alexander stopped the car, and his gaze inadvertently swept past the roadside, where he saw a young couple walking on the sidewalk.

The girl skipped in front while the boy followed behind her, looking helpless, reached her to pull her inside, shielding her from the crowd around them,

Their way of interacting was a bit like how he and Stella used to be.

Before her family's troubles, Stella had been like that too—she liked to bounce around and play.

Although she was a bit afraid of Alexander, their interactions were generally harmonious.

Alexander's thoughts were pulled back to the past, with warm scenes flooding through his mind.

His vision gradually blurred, and he didn't even notice when the light turned green.

It wasn't until a harsh horn sounded behind him that he suddenly snapped back, instinctively stepping on the gas.

The car shot forward, nearly colliding with the car in front.

Alexander jerked the steering wheel, and the car scraped against the roadside barrier before stopping, the tires screeching.

He leaned back in his seat, breathing heavily, with a layer of cold sweat forming on his forehead, his heart pounding and unable to calm down for a long time.

After a while, Alexander finally slowly calmed down.

He pushed open the car door and walked to the roadside, leaning against the barrier to get some air to clear his head.

That was when his eyes caught a familiar figure in a nearby parking lot—Nicholas.

Nicholas was leaning against his car, talking on his phone, a gentle smile on his lips.

That kind of smile was one Alexander had never seen before—sweet and affectionate, just like a man in love.

On the other side, Nicholas was still on the phone, unaware of Alexander's presence.

He hung up, put away his phone, and the smile still lingered on his face.

He opened the car door, got in, and drove away.

Alexander stood there, stunned.

Didn't Nicholas like Stella? Hadn't he always been silently protecting Stella?

Then, who was that smile just now for?

It couldn't be that in such a short time he had found someone new and already moved on, could it?

If that were really the case, then what about Stella? Would he really let her go?

A dark suspicion took root.

He felt that Nicholas was hiding a secret, and it might have something to do with him and Stella.

But today, he had clearly said he didn't know Stella's whereabouts.

Alexander pondered, his eyes filled with questions that wouldn't dissolve.