Chapter 85
Elizabeth's POV
Alexander's gaze found mine. He paused for a fraction of a second, then a casual, almost dismissive smile touched his lips as he steadied the woman in his arms.
The woman, in turn, visibly started upon seeing me. She then moved closer, her expression a careful performance of someone caught doing something wrong. "Ms. Spencer, please don't misunderstand, I just lost my footing, and Alexander was only helping me. It's really not what it looks like."
Before I could form a response, the murmurs of the surrounding crowd began to swell, a low tide of gossip lapping at the edges of our small drama. "What's this? Is she here to stake her claim?"
"Nothing even happened. Isn't it a bit early to be declaring ownership?"
"Exactly. And if you ask me, she looks a little insecure. I mean, she's standing in front of Ms. FitzRoy."
"The FitzRoy family has always been keen on an alliance with the Windsors. Even if we're talking about who came first, shouldn't it be Ms. FitzRoy?"
These people were all from their circle, and their allegiance was clearly with Tiana FitzRoy. The glances they cast in my direction were becoming more and more contemptuous.
Their words held no real power to wound me, yet I carefully arranged my features into a mask of hurt, a flicker of vulnerability in my eyes.
"Even so, I'm the one with him now, aren't I? Ms. FitzRoy and Alexander have no relationship at all, right?"
I clenched my hands at my sides, a deliberate gesture to make myself appear cornered, bullied—a portrait of helplessness and pathetic grace.
They wanted to cast me as the villain, the interloper. I would deny them that satisfaction. If a role had to be played, I would choose that of the ultimate victim.
My only objective, after all, was to stand by Alexander's side, to solidify the public perception that we were a couple.
As for the opinions of others, Alexander had made it clear they were irrelevant, and I had no intention of investing my energy where it wasn't required.
"You—" Tiana was momentarily speechless, as if my response had completely blindsided her. She took a deep, steadying breath, forcing a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.
"Ms. Spencer, Alexander, and I were childhood friends. We should get to know each other."
She extended a hand toward me, a picture of grace and friendliness.
I stared at that perfectly manicured hand, my mind racing. Every instinct screamed at me, and I made a decision. I would not take it. Instead, I turned my attention to the man beside me.
"Alexander, can we go over there, please? I'm not feeling well."
As the words left my lips, the surrounding gazes shifted from contempt to outright disdain.
In their eyes, my behavior was nothing more than a childish ploy, deliberately using my status to demand his attention while pointedly ignoring Tiana's clear gesture of goodwill.
Tiana's hand, left hanging in the air between us, became a monument to social awkwardness. I caught the flash of raw humiliation in her eyes before she wrestled her expression back into a strained smile.
Seeing her clench her jaw, I felt a flicker of something, but I had no intention of exposing her charade.
"Alexander, did I do something wrong? It feels like Ms. Spencer doesn't want to acknowledge me," Tiana said suddenly, her voice laced with a calculated innocence that deflected all fault onto me, just as I was positioning myself at his side.
Alexander looked at me. I blinked back, a silent, wide-eyed plea for him to understand.
I was playing my part, portraying the loving girlfriend just as he had asked. Surely he would grasp the necessity of this moment.
If he didn't stand by me now, I genuinely might get angry.
To my relief, it seemed he wasn't entirely heartless. His hand found mine, his fingers lacing through my own.
"That's not what she means," Alexander said, his eyes locked on mine, but his words were for the audience gathered around us.
Tiana's posture visibly deflated. The crowd, however, was not so easily placated. "But she can't just act like that, can she?" Someone protested.
"Ms. FitzRoy did nothing wrong, and to be ignored so blatantly… it's just rude."
"Exactly! Mr. Windsor, you mustn't spoil a woman like that!"
Even now, they would rally to Tiana's side. The sheer predictability of it was almost surprising.
Just as I was about to speak, Alexander pulled me more securely against his side, his arm circling my waist. "You're misunderstanding," he stated, his voice calm but firm. "Elizabeth is just shy. She meant no offense."
I was enveloped in his embrace, my nose filled with the familiar, clean scent of him. My eyes widened.
It had been so long since I had felt this sensation.
I knew this was all an act, a performance he was directing for his own purposes, but the feeling of being held by him was an undeniable truth my body couldn't lie about.
At Alexander's words, the surrounding chatter ceased abruptly. No one dared to continue their commentary.
I glanced at Tiana and saw that her eyes had filled with tears, her expression a mixture of disbelief and devastation. She seemed utterly stunned by this outcome.
"Oh, is that it?" Tiana's voice trembled, on the verge of breaking. "Alexander, I thought you weren't interested in women. I didn't realize you were actually dating someone."
As she spoke, a tear finally escaped and traced a path down her cheek, making her look pitiably fragile. The people around her immediately rushed to offer comfort.
I stole a look at Alexander, only to find his expression completely devoid of concern. It was as if Tiana wasn't weeping for him at all.
There was a distinct, chilling detachment in his demeanor—a coldness that could almost be described as ruthless.
And yet, for some reason, seeing him so unmoved by another woman's tears sparked a tiny, imperceptible flicker of gladness within me.
The feeling was faint, almost nonexistent, but impossible to ignore completely.
"Alexander, shall we go rest for a bit?" I didn't remain passive. I spoke up, my tone carrying a petulant softness that I hadn't intended, a sound I barely recognized as my own.
To anyone listening, it must have sounded like I was truly whining for his affection. And he, far from being annoyed, seemed perfectly content to indulge me.
He smiled down at me. "Alright."
"Alexander!" This time, Tiana lunged forward, grabbing his arm.
A few people in the crowd gasped, clearly unprepared for such a desperate, unseemly display.
"Alexander! I need to know. Are you and Ms. Spencer really together? You're not just lying to me, are you?"
The expression on Tiana's face was one I knew all too well—a chaotic blend of disbelief and confusion.
She seemed genuinely unable to comprehend why Alexander would be with me. Or perhaps, in her mind, Alexander was a man who simply didn't feel romantic interest in any woman.
Looking at her, I found that I could, surprisingly, understand.
From my perspective, Alexander's special treatment of me was only because of the child in my belly, and there is absolutely no personal emotion involved.
If I hadn't promised him I would play the part of his girlfriend, I might have told Tiana the truth myself.
After all, she seemed to truly be in love with him.