I Refuse to Be Your Second Choice novel Chapter 6

Friends? If Natalie hadn’t overheard the possessive tone in her voice on the phone last night, if she hadn’t seen the way Camila looked at Alexander, she might have actually believed her.

Sure enough, her suspicions were confirmed in the next moment.

After her sincere-looking speech, Camila leaned in and whispered a challenge only Natalie could hear.

“I was faking it last night. I can’t believe Alexander came running with just one phone call. Natalie, just give up. I’ve been gone for years, and he still can’t let me go. Who do you think he loves more, you or me?”

Natalie kept her expression carefully neutral. The answer was obvious. Alexander didn’t love her anymore. Or perhaps, he never had. She had been the one pathetically trying to win him back, hoping he would return to the man he used to be.

Now she knew. No matter how hard she tried, she could never compete with a simple test from Camila.

Natalie pulled her arm away, freeing her wrist from Camila’s grasp.

“Ah!”

Suddenly, Camila stumbled backward and fell to the ground, clutching her right ankle with a pained expression, as if Natalie had pushed her. “My ankle…”

Alexander shot a cold glare at Natalie before immediately kneeling beside Camila, his brow furrowed. “What’s wrong with your ankle?”

“I think I twisted it. It hurts so much…” Camila looked like she was on the verge of tears.

Alexander looked up, his handsome face grim and emotionless. He spat out a single word at Natalie.

“Apologize.”

Natalie froze. From his angle, she couldn’t believe he hadn’t seen what really happened. Yet he was demanding she apologize.

“I saw it with my own eyes! She fell on her own. It had nothing to do with Natalie!” Arianna couldn’t stand it anymore. She had seen the whole thing; the woman had done it on purpose.

A sharp, piercing gaze, cold as an arrow, shot from Alexander toward Arianna.

Natalie stepped in front of her friend. “Arianna’s right. I didn’t push her.”

Alexander scoffed, a mocking smile on his lips. “I know exactly what you’re thinking. You’re just angry I didn’t come home to you, so you’re taking it out on Camila to make me think you’re the victim, to make me feel sorry for you.”

Natalie stared at him, a look of utter disbelief in her eyes.

How could he think that of her?

Natalie pulled her gaze away and started walking toward the shipping company with her boxes. “She’s his first love. Of course he’s worried.”

“That doesn’t give him the right to falsely accuse you and threaten you!” Arianna said, catching up and taking the other box from her.

Natalie gave a self-deprecating smile. “Do you really think he’s the same Alexander he used to be?”

-

Natalie and Arianna had dinner before she returned home.

As soon as she walked in, Susan rushed over. “Mrs. Ramirez, where have you been? Mr. Ramirez is waiting for you upstairs. He’s not in a good mood.”

Her first thought was: Did Camila really break her ankle? If so, "not in a good mood" would be an understatement.

Natalie went upstairs and pushed open the master bedroom door.

Inside, Alexander was sitting on the sofa, still in his suit, his face a thunderous mask. Hearing her enter, he lifted his eyes, his gaze cold and sharp.

“Where are all your things?”