Chapter 5

~Emily's POV~

I fumbled on my feet as I followed Alexender back to the car. Everything was blurry. I’d definitely had too much to drink. Liquor usually didn’t affect me like this… but today wasn’t like any other day.

He glanced over his shoulder just as I stumbled. His hand shot out, steadying me by the waist. My breath caught as I looked up at him.

Just who did he think he was?

One moment he was charming; laughing with me, arguing about favorite characters at the theater and the next, he was cold and unreadable. Like none of it ever happened.

Did he think he could just toy with my emotions because we were stuck in this sham of a marriage?

He didn’t choose me, and I sure as hell didn’t choose him. We were both trapped.

“You...” I slurred, pinching his cheek clumsily. “You’re an idiot.”

He raised a brow. “You’re drunk.”

“I… am not,” I hiccuped as he helped me into the car.

By the time we got home, I couldn’t even meet his eyes. I stormed into my room and collapsed on the bed without bothering to undress.

Sleep hit me like a wave.

I didn’t know how long I slept, but when I stirred, I rolled over and froze.

Alexender lay beside me.

Half-naked.

My eyes widened. He was fast asleep, dressed in nothing but black briefs. The sheets had slipped low, revealing the sharp lines of his chest and torso. My heart lurched.

Oh, God.

I blinked again, praying I was hallucinating.

But I wasn’t.

Panic rose in my chest. Did something happen? I couldn’t remember… but I was sure I hadn’t done anything. Still, the ache in my body… the way we were tangled...

I bit my lip and tried to look away.

Tried.

Instead, I found myself staring longer than I should’ve.

He was… beautiful.

His dark waves fell across his forehead, lips slightly parted, breathing soft. Up close, Alexender Westwood didn’t look like a billionaire. He looked like a man carved from sin.

I leaned closer, hovering over him.

My fingers grazed the curve of his shoulder, then trailed down the muscles of his chest. I told myself to stop, but I couldn’t. Not when my breath was shallow and my body reacted like this.

Then his hand shot up and grabbed mine.

I gasped.

In a heartbeat, he pulled me down. Onto him.

My body slammed against his. Skin flushed to skin.

“A-Alex?” I whispered, stunned.

He didn’t answer. His eyes were still closed, his face slack with sleep. But his grip tightened on my waist.

I should’ve pulled away.

I should’ve screamed, slapped him, something.

But my limbs refused to move.

His hand traveled down my spine. Lower. Until it settled on my bottom and squeezed.

I gasped again. “Alex!” I breathed.

He moaned softly, shifting beneath me, guiding me with maddening pressure against his hips. My legs trembled. His skin was hot beneath mine. I was practically shaking from the contact.

What the hell was I doing?

I buried my face in his neck, trying to breathe, trying to stop feeling. But then I heard him murmur something.

A name.

…Li…

I froze.

“What?” I whispered.

I leaned down, placing my ear near his lips.

“Lisa…” he breathed.

My heart shattered.

Lisa.

Who was Lisa?

His ex? His lover? The woman he truly wanted?

I sat up, blinking back the sudden sting of tears.

Why did it hurt?

I shouldn’t care. This was just a contract marriage. Nothing real. I didn’t matter to him, and clearly, someone else already lived in his heart.

Still, the ache was real. Raw.

I clenched my fist and did the only thing that made sense in that moment.

I punched him.

Hard.

“Shit!” he groaned, jolting awake, eyes flying open.

He sat up, brows furrowed in confusion, then locked eyes with me.

Tears were already streaming down my cheeks as I scrambled off the bed, wrapping the sheet around my body like armor.

He looked at me for a long, unreadable moment.

Then, without a word, he muttered, “Shit,” again and stormed out of the room.

I sat there, shaking.

Why was I crying?

Why did it matter what name he whispered?

A  chime lit up my phone.

I wiped my eyes and glanced over.

My breath hitched.

Ethan.

His name glowed like a ghost from my past.

I reached for the phone with trembling fingers, heart slamming in my chest.

Meet me. Now. —E

I stared at the screen, stunned. Hope and fury warred in my chest.

The same Ethan who left me at the altar.

The same man who promised forever, then vanished without a word.

What did he want now?

I threw on the first thing I could find and bolted for the door.

When I stepped into the hallway, Alexander stood there.

His amber eyes locked with mine.

He looked tired. Guarded. And yet... something flickered behind his gaze.

I hesitated.

I wanted to say something. Anything.

But instead, I stepped past him.

He didn’t stop me.

Not until I reached the driveway and raised my hand to flag down a cab.

Then—

A strong hand gripped my wrist.

I turned to find Alexender standing behind me, his eyes burning with fury.

Before I could react, he grabbed my wrist again.

“Let me go,” I said sharply.

He didn’t.

So I yanked my hand back with everything I had; anger, pain, betrayal pulsing through me. My nails scraped across his skin, and he hissed, finally releasing me.

Guilt pricked my chest the moment I saw the red mark on his hand. I didn’t even understand why I felt that way.

“I already told you,” I muttered.

“To do what?” he snapped. “Run off to Ethan?”

My heart faltered.

How did he know?

“Oh, come on,” he scoffed. “You’re really that desperate, huh?”

The mockery in his voice lit something in me.

I met his gaze, unflinching. “Yeah. I’m pathetic. But at least I didn’t nearly have sex with someone while whispering another woman’s name.”

His expression shifted.

He stilled, brows drawing together, like he was trying to make sense of my words.

“I heard you,” I added coldly. “You were dreaming about her. Lisa.”

He said nothing.

So I stepped back and threw the final blow.

“Don’t worry. I won’t get in the way of your little reunion. Go be with your lover.”

He blinked. “My… lover?”