Chapter 53
Chris was Lila's secret crush from her younger days.
At school, Chris was the most popular student, while she, Lila, had nothing special about her. She was always the most invisible person in any crowd.
During breaks, Lila would secretly follow behind Chris, and when he turned around, she'd pretend to look somewhere else.
She created many carefully planned moments of eye contact and "chance" encounters, but to Chris, none of it meant anything.
He never even really looked at her.
Even so, in their senior year, Lila decided to confess her feelings to Chris, only to discover on the day she planned to do it that he had a girlfriend.
She couldn't sleep that night. For a week, she couldn't eat. When they weighed themselves in gym class, she realized she'd somehow lost three pounds.
Later, everyone graduated and moved on with their lives. She never saw Chris again.
How could he suddenly show up now?
And ask Elara for her contact information?
Lila never expected that instead of waiting for Alexander's first love to come back, she'd unexpectedly hear news about Chris.
She texted Elara back: [Don't give him my contact info, and don't tell him I said not to.]
After sending the message, she stared blankly at her chat with Elara.
She was probably too lost in thought to notice when Alexander came upstairs and stood at the door of the driver's lounge.
Watching her looking so distracted, he frowned slightly. "Thinking about which man?"
Lila instinctively looked up, and when her eyes met Alexander's, she felt an unexpected panic, like someone caught cheating.
It made her stutter. "It's... it's nothing."
Alexander asked again, "Why did you come upstairs without eating?"
Lila glanced at him.
Don't you have any idea why?
Lila forced a smile and played dumb too. "I did eat."
Alexander's gaze was intense. "Did you?"
She avoided his eyes and answered quietly, "Yes, I just ate half and lost my appetite."
"Why?"
"Couldn't eat anymore."
Alexander narrowed his eyes. "What did you say?"
Lila gave him an innocent smile. "I said the bacon was too salty, didn't really like it. By the way, boss, why did you come upstairs too? Did you eat the food Charlie got for you?"
"How is that any of your business?"
"You're right, it's not my business. Do as you please."
With that, Lila picked up a book beside her and opened to the first page.
When she reached for the book, her left sleeve pulled back, revealing a bracelet on her wrist. As she read, her eyes unconsciously drifted to the beautiful red gemstone, her expression suggesting many memories.
Noticing Alexander still standing there, she tugged at her sleeve to hide the bracelet.
Alexander caught her movement, walked over in a few steps, grabbed her left hand, and stared at the silver bracelet with the red gemstone on her wrist. His eyes looked dangerous as he asked, "What is this?"
"A bracelet." Lila tried to pull her arm back but couldn't break free.
Alexander yanked her closer, looking down at her. "Who gave it to you?"
Lila thought he was being ridiculous. She looked up to meet Alexander's gaze and, for the first time, openly questioned him, "Don't you think you're being too controlling?"
"What did you say?"
"I said you're being too controlling."
This was the first time Lila didn't change her words after Alexander questioned her.
After repeating herself, she forcefully pulled her wrist free and reminded him coldly, "Our contract marriage means we don't interfere with each other. Those were your words. Please stick to our agreement."