I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 279

Alexander’s fingers stopped midair, his glass hovering just above the table. He stared into the amber liquid, his eyes deep and unreadable, almost pitch black.

He sat in silence for a few seconds before finally speaking. His voice was low, with a hint of self-deprecation. “So what if she knew?”

Bruce Ward’s brow furrowed, clearly not happy with that answer. “At least she’d know you still care. You skipped your own engagement party for her. Isn’t that proof enough?”

Alexander gave a bitter smile, then tossed back his drink in one swift motion. As the empty glass left his lips, he found himself lost in memory, staring through the glass like he could see the airport all over again. Natalie’s silhouette faded into the distance, swallowed up by the crowd. He remembered how much he’d wanted to run after her, to tell her the truth, to explain that things weren’t as she thought. But he hadn’t moved. He didn’t have a single reason she’d believe.

He never told Natalie he was at the airport, and he didn’t show up to his engagement party. Later, he blamed it on a last-minute crisis with the Emberfall deal, saying he had to handle it himself. It sounded convincing enough. Gabriel Ramirez had been furious at first, but once he heard it was urgent business, he let it go. He just told his people to keep things quiet in the press. He consoled Camila, promised to make it up to her when the wedding came. As for the guests, they sent someone to explain. The whole engagement mess finally died down.

But Charlotte Roberts wasn’t fooled. That night, she called Alexander into her room.

“There was nothing wrong with the acquisition,” she said, cutting straight to the point. “You missed your engagement because Natalie flew to London today and you went to the airport, didn’t you?”

Alexander hesitated, then decided not to lie. “Yeah.”

Bruce opened his mouth to argue, but he knew Alexander was right. Natalie knowing wouldn’t change anything. Alexander and Camila had a child on the way. That was the truth. There was nothing left for Alexander except to watch from a distance.

Bruce sighed and gave his friend’s shoulder a squeeze. He didn’t say another word. He just lifted his glass and clinked it against Alexander’s. “Let’s just drink.”

They kept drinking late into the night. By the end, Bruce was sprawled out on the sofa, completely out of it. Alexander, on the other hand, felt even more awake. He asked someone to call Bruce’s driver, told the bar manager to keep an eye on him, and left.

Forty minutes later, the door to the private room opened. But it wasn’t Bruce’s driver who walked in.