I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 265

“Shouldn’t you be off with your usual crowd? What are you doing here with us?” Arianna shot Bruce a pointed look, her annoyance obvious.

Bruce gave her a tired smile. “So just because of Alexander, you’re going to throw me into the same pit as the rest of them?”

Natalie wasn’t as openly hostile, but she kept her distance. “Is there something we can help you with, Mr. Ward?”

She knew Bruce wouldn’t just show up for no reason. Deep down, she had a feeling this visit had something to do with her.

Bruce didn’t waste any time. He pulled out a chair and sat down, turning his attention to Natalie. He hesitated for a moment, choosing his words. “When you and Alexander divorced, you signed that extra agreement. He gave you the seaside villas.”

It wasn’t just the two villas by the beach. He’d also handed over a villa in the south part of the city, plus five percent of his shares in the Ramirez Group.

Natalie nodded, still not sure what Bruce was getting at.

Bruce finally got to the point. “Alexander wants those two seaside villas back. He hopes you’ll say yes.”

Natalie hadn’t expected this at all.

Arianna’s voice shot up. “Since when can you just take back a gift? What does he think Natalie is? Someone he can just hand things to and snatch them away whenever he feels like it? It was part of the divorce settlement. He owed her that. Now he regrets it, and he thinks he can just change his mind?”

Arianna didn’t hold back. Her frustration was aimed right at Bruce, and her words came flying out so fast that people at nearby tables started to look over.

Bruce, trying to keep things from escalating, poured her a cup of tea and slid it over. “Why are you like this? You always manage to keep it together when it’s about you, but the second it’s someone else, you’re a firecracker.”

Arianna ignored the tea, barely glancing at him. “Is Natalie just someone else to me?”

“He feels guilty toward that woman? And what about Natalie? Does she just have to sit there and take it?”

She kept fuming, still flexing her hand. Bruce tried to calm her down again. “Seriously, why are you getting so worked up? You’re going to hurt yourself. This is Natalie’s business. Can you please not go nuclear every time?”

He reached for her hand to see if she was okay.

Arianna jerked her hand away. “Alexander’s your friend. Of course you’re on his side.” She turned to Natalie, her face flushed with anger. “Natalie, don’t give them back. You deserve every bit of that settlement.”

Maybe Natalie had already seen this coming, or maybe she just didn’t care anymore. Either way, she was nowhere near as upset as Arianna.

She looked at Bruce, her voice calm and certain. “The villas on the west and south side, and the shares in the Ramirez Group—I’ll give them all back. Please tell him we’re even now. From here on out, there’s nothing left between us.”