I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 161

“Instead of worrying about me, you should be more concerned about your brother,” Alexander Ramirez said, his voice cold. “I heard he’s awake.”

Camila White’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t elaborate, but the grim look on his face sent a chill down her spine.

Could he have already figured out that she was the one who put Benjamin White up to it?

Camila’s gaze darted around the room, avoiding his. “Yes, he… he woke up a couple of days ago…”

“The CEO of the White Group has been exposed in a major scandal, so the company must be in chaos. Aren’t you busy trying to secure new investors? How do you have time to come to the hospital?”

Ever since Benjamin’s incident, the White Group had been in turmoil, and the stress had even made Luke White fall ill. Still, he was forcing himself to show up at the office to keep things from completely falling apart.

Camila had made a deal with her father: if she could either convince Alexander Ramirez to reinvest or marry into the Ramirez family, she would be named the new heir.

Getting Alexander to invest was a lost cause now, which left only one option.

She had to cling to Alexander as if he were her last lifeline. Otherwise, her fate would be no better than Benjamin’s.

“The company is important, but you’re more important to me, Alex. You have no idea… I haven’t been able to eat or sleep these past few days. I could only rest easy after seeing that you’re okay. I know I haven’t been good enough in the past, and you only said those things to me because you were angry.”

“Do you remember when we were little? You always protected me. My father always favored Benjamin, so whenever he made a mistake, I was the one who got blamed. You would always stand up for me.”

“And that one time my father took Benjamin abroad and left me all alone at home, you brought me to your house to play. I remember all of it, Alex. Have you forgotten?”

Listening from the doorway, Natalie Watson felt a pang in her chest. So they had that much history together. Alexander had once cherished Camila, too.

It was no wonder Savannah Davis had wanted Camila to marry him. They had a bond forged in childhood, and it would be a shame not to see it through.

And her? She was just an interlude in their story.

Natalie turned away, her heart heavy.

Alexander remained unmoved, his expression a cold mask. But in his peripheral vision, he caught a flicker of movement at the door and looked over.

“Natalie Watson.”

He shot up from the bed and was across the room in an instant. Just as Natalie reached the doorway, his hand clamped firmly around her arm.

But it confirmed what he’d always said: he had no romantic feelings for Camila whatsoever.

Fat tears welled up and streamed down Camila’s pale cheeks. She bit her lower lip so hard it threatened to bleed.

Just then, a bodyguard pushed the door open and set a bag down on the table.

“Why was there no one outside?” Alexander demanded coldly. He had sent this bodyguard on an errand, but another should have been posted at the door.

The bodyguard bowed his head. “I thought I saw a reporter, so he went after them. I’m sorry, Mr. Ramirez. It won’t happen again.”

“Don’t let any more unauthorized people in,” Alexander said, letting the matter drop.

The bodyguard hesitated, trying to understand. Natalie was allowed, of course—she was Mrs. Ramirez. So the “unauthorized person” must be…

His eyes fell on the desolate figure of Camila White, and he understood.

“Yes, Mr. Ramirez.” He then walked over to Camila. “Ms. White, please leave.”