I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 336

With Charlotte gone, the tea room felt suddenly empty. Only Natalie and Alexander were left, and the silence between them was thick and heavy.

Alexander sat down across from her, his eyes cold and distant. “What did you tell my grandmother? Did you try to explain Camila wasn't pushed by you?”

Natalie’s fingers tightened around her teacup, absently tracing the edge. She looked up and met his gaze. The way he looked at her stung, sharp and deep, like a needle straight to her heart.

She opened her mouth, ready to explain.

Alexander let out a short, mocking laugh. “So you admit it to me, but you spin a different story for my grandmother. Impressive. You really know how to put on a show for the right audience.”

Every word hit her like a slap. Natalie’s lips pressed together. Her eyes, once bright, seemed to lose their light as she looked at him.

“If that’s what you believe about me, then there’s no point in explaining anything,” she said softly.

“So you’re just admitting it then?” Alexander shot back.

Natalie didn’t respond. She dropped her gaze to her cup, staring at the cold tea inside. Her reflection was hazy, almost like she didn’t recognize herself anymore.

The silence stretched out, heavy and suffocating.

Finally, Natalie stood up and picked up her jacket. She glanced at Alexander one last time. “Staying calm is good for your heart,” she said quietly. “Take care of yourself.”

She turned and walked out, her back straight even as her figure seemed so small.

Alexander stayed where he was, watching her leave until she disappeared from view. He remembered what Bruce Ward had told him—how Natalie had asked about his health.

His fingers tapped lightly on the table, his eyes downcast and unreadable.

After a while, his gaze fell on the teacup Natalie had used. The tea inside was untouched, clear but now cold.

He picked up the cup, his fingers brushing the porcelain, and after a moment, he took a sip. He finished it all in one go. The tea was bitter, but there was a hint of sweetness that lingered after.

She texted back: What did they say?

Ralph replied: Couldn’t get close enough. No idea what they talked about.

Camila scrolled through the messages, annoyed. Why did Alexander always have to see Natalie?

Ms. White, about that trending topic from before, I found out it was Samuel Thompson who had it taken down.

Camila read the message, then turned off her phone, her brows furrowed and her expression darkening.

Somewhere else, Ralph sent an update. His assistant, standing nearby with some equipment, glanced at his phone and asked, “We never found out who did it. Why tell Camila it was Samuel Thompson?”

“How else are we supposed to figure it out? She wanted an answer, so I gave her one. Better that than having her breathing down our necks.”