CHAPTER 16%
By the time Alexander woke up again, it was already eleven in the evening.
The room was unfamiliar, elegant but cold, with expensive furniture and heavy curtains. He was lying on a guest bed, still fully clothed except for his jacket. His chest throbbed where the fresh tattoo pulled against the bandages.
Noticing a glass of water left by the bedside–courtesy of the house staff, Alexander misunderstood and allowed a flicker of hope to rise. Maybe Lauren had asked them to take care of him.”
“Lauren?” he called out weakly.
No answer.
Forcing himself up despite the discomfort in his body, he staggered toward the door. His head spun from the sudden movement, but he pushed through it.
The house was quiet and dimly lit. Most of the staff had gone home for the night.”
“Lauren,” he called again, louder this time. “Are you there?“}
Still nothing.
He checked the kitchen first, then the living room. Empty. His heart pounded as he climbed the spiral staircase that led to the rooftop terrace, drenched in cold sweat from the effort.
What greeted him was a scene that nearly stopped his heart.
Lauren was wrapped in Marcus’s arms under the starlight, the two of them locked in a passionate, lingering kiss. Her hands were tangled in his hair, her body pressed against his like she belonged there. Like she had never belonged anywhere else.”
A sharp, searing pain shot through Alexander’s chest worse than the tattoo, worse than any physical wound he’d ever felt.
With pale lips and a furious gaze, Alexander stormed forward, grabbed Marcus by the collar, and growled through clenched teeth, “What the hell are you doing to Lauren?!“}
The kiss broke apart, and both of them turned to look at him. Lauren’s face showed no guilt, no shame but just annoyance at being interrupted.
At this point, Alexander could no longer lie to himself. Marcus wasn’t just some random man Lauren had met to make him jealous. This was real. This was serious.
“Who gave you the right to touch my wife?!” Alexander snarled, his grip tightening on Marcus’s shirt.
Marcus let out a low chuckle, completely unfazed by the aggression. He was taller than Alexander, broader through the shoulders, and he didn’t look intimidated in the slightest.
“Your wife?” Marcus said calmly. “Alexander, have you ever truly treated Lauren like your wife–let alone cherished her?“}
“You!” Alexander raised his fist, ready to swing.
Before he could retaliate, Marcus’s patience snapped. He threw a punch straight at Alexander’s left cheek, sending him stumbling backward.
“If Lauren weren’t so kindhearted,” Marcus snarled, his calm facade dropping to reveal cold fury, “I would’ve dumped you worthless bastard outside the estate to be torn apart by wild animals.”
Alexander touched his cheek, tasting blood where his lip had split against his teeth. But Marcus wasn’t finished.}
“Listen carefully,” Marcus continued, stepping protectively in front of Lauren. “Lauren is my fiancée now. No matter how shamelessly you pester her, she’ll never look your way again.”
Alexander froze.
The word hit him like a sledgehammer to the chest. Fiancée.
He slowly lowered the fist he’d raised to strike back, eyes wide with disbelief as he turned to Lauren.}
Lauren lifted her left hand, and there it was–a simple but elegant diamond ring catching the moonlight. Not huge or flashy like the engagement ring Alexander had given her all those years ago, but perfect. Chosen with love instead of obligation.
“He proposed yesterday,” Lauren said quietly. “I said yes.”
Alexander felt like the ground was falling away beneath his feet. “You can’t,” he said desperately. “You can’t marry him. You’re already married to me.“>
“We’re divorced, Alexander,” Lauren said firmly. “I filed the papers properly this time. They’ve been processed. We’re not married anymore.” “But I never signed”
“You don’t have to,” Marcus interrupted. “In cases of abandonment and adultery, her signature was enough.”
Alexander looked between them, his mind reeling. “How long?” he asked hoarsely. “How long have you been planning this?“}
“Don’t you dare” Alexander’s grip tightened.”
At this point, he could no longer lie to himself. Marcus wasn’t just some random vineyard worker. The way he held Lauren, the way she looked at him–this wasn’t casual. This wasn’t revenge. This was real.
“Who gave you the right to my wife?!” Alexander demanded, his voice breaking with desperation.}]
Marcus let out a low chuckle, unfazed by the aggression. “Your wife? Alexander, have you ever truly treated Lauren like your wife, let alone cherished her?”
“You don’t know anything about us,” Alexander snarled.
cherished her?“@
“You don’t know anything about us,” Alexander snarled
“I know she cried herself to sleep for years,” Marcus said quietly. “I know she begged you to choose her over Victoria I know she died a little bit every day living with you.”
“You…”
Before Alexander could retaliate, Marcus’s patience snapped. He threw a punch straight at Alexander’s left cheek, sending him stumbling backward.
Alexander’s hand flew to his face, tasting blood. “You hit me!”
“If Lauren weren’t so kindhearted,” Marcus snarled, his calm mask finally slipping, “I would’ve dumped you worthless bastard outside the estate to be torn apart by wild wolves.”
“How dare you?”
“How dare 1?” Marcus stepped closer, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. “How dare you show up here and act like the victim? How dare you stalk her? How dare you think you have any claim to her after what you put her through?”
Alexander looked desperately at Lauren, expecting her to defend him, to stop Marcus, to show some sign that she still cared. But she just stood there, her arms crossed, watching the confrontation with cold eyes.M
“Lauren,” he pleaded. “Tell him. Tell him what we had was real.”
“What we had was a mistake,” she said quietly. “One that lasted six years too long “W
Marcus straightened his shirt and looked Alexander directly in the eye. “Listen carefully. Lauren is my fiancée now. No matter how shamelessly you pester her, she’ll never look your way again.“W
Alexander froze.
The word hit him like a sledgehammer to the chest. Fiancée. Not girlfriend. Fiancée.
“That’s… that’s not possible,” he whispered, his voice barely audible. “We just got divorced. You can’t be engaged already“}
“We can be whatever we want to be,” Lauren said firmly. “We’re both adults. We both know what we want.”
“And what we want is each other,” Marcus added, putting his arm around Lauren’s waist possessively.
Alexander raised his fist, ready to strike Marcus again, ready to fight for what he believed was his. But then he looked at Lauren’s face.
There was no fear there. No uncertainty. No trace of the woman who used to love him. She looked… happy. Peaceful, Complete.
He slowly lowered the fist he’d raised to strike back, eyes wide with disbelief as he turned to her.}}
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