Chapter 6

Alexander's POV

It was a young girl from administration, running so hard she was out of breath.

"Mr. Hayes, this is bad! Ms. Lane and Assistant Cole are fighting in the office!"

My face darkened, and I strode straight out.

Charlie followed closely behind.

A crowd of gossiping employees had already gathered outside the reception room, pressed against the glass doors and peering inside.

Within the room, Amber Lane had Shannon Cole by the hair, using her other hand to grab the hot coffee from the table and splash it straight into Shannon's face.

"Out of the way!"

Shoving through the crowd with force, I pushed the door open, slammed it shut behind me, and barked,

"Stop it!"

The moment Amber saw me, she released her grip, turning to throw herself into my arms and sobbing hysterically.

"Alexander, you're finally here!"

"It's this bitch! She killed our baby! She deserves to die! You have to get justice for our child!"

I didn't answer. My gaze bypassed her, landing straight on Shannon.

Shannon's hair and face were drenched in coffee. Her soaked shirt clung to her skin, and her hair was a disheveled mess—the very picture of humiliation.

Yet she stood ramrod straight, chin raised, without a shred of fragility on her face.

Even after being drenched like that, she stubbornly held back her tears.

Looking at that defiant demeanor, an unprecedented flicker of pity stirred in my chest.

I had already seen the surveillance footage; she was innocent.

I had wronged her, so I wanted to protect her just this once.

All she had to do was lower her head, and I would have an excuse to settle the matter publicly right here.

I turned Amber around, walked over to Shannon, and said in a low voice, "I'll give you one minute."

"Apologize to her, and we'll put this matter behind us."

In my eyes, this was already an immense act of grace.

Just a single apology in exchange for completely getting off the hook—an absolute bargain.

Shannon shuddered. She wiped the coffee from her face, meeting my gaze with stubborn conviction.

"I cannot violate my conscience to apologize for something I didn't do."

Silence fell over the room. Beside us, Charlie drew in a sharp breath.

For the past three years, Shannon had always been submissive toward me, never talking back when scolded, never defending herself when punished.

Directly defying me to my face like this was an absolute first.

My eyes chilled, fury instantly flaring up.

I had given her a way out, and she had kicked it right back into my face in front of everyone!

Seeing this, Amber immediately grabbed my arm, weeping even more bitterly.

"Alexander, listen to her! She's still unrepentant!"

"We can't just let her off! She's the murderer who killed our child!"

Her tears fell like rain, her shoulders trembling pathetically—a sight designed to evoke pity.

Anyone walking in would have assumed she was the one whose hair had been pulled and who had coffee thrown in her face.

Shannon acted as though she hadn't heard a thing, keeping her eyes fixed solely on me.

"Alexander Hayes, does what you said at the bar still count?"

She was referring to the promise from that night: win Horizon, and the debt regarding the child would be wiped clean.

She had won it, gambling half her life to do so.

Of course I remembered.

Yet she refused to admit her fault, brushed aside my goodwill in front of everyone, and turned around to checkmate me with my own promise.

On top of that, she had let Julian hold her!

Old grievances piled atop new ones, and the fire in my chest could no longer be contained.

Spurred by sheer spite, I reached out and gently pulled Amber into my arms right in front of the entire office.

"Don't cry."

I lowered my head to comfort her, gentle as if I were a completely different person.

"I'm already looking into this. I will definitely give you an explanation."

"Your health comes first. Go home and rest properly. Don't worry about the film crew; I'll handle them."

Charlie watched from the side, utterly dumbfounded.

He had known me for over twenty years and had never seen me speak so softly and deferentially to any woman.

Amber was shocked as well.

Yet following her astonishment, she continued sniffling in my embrace, pushing her luck even further.

"But Alexander, even if she secured Horizon and made a contribution, her crime can't just be wiped clean."

"That was a human life, our child—"

Before she could finish, a loud bang cut her off.

Shannon shoved open the glass door and stormed out without a word.

Energized, Amber pointed at Shannon's retreating back, refusing to let it go.

"Alexander, look! What kind of attitude is that? She's running because she feels guilty!"

"Even if we don't call the police, you can't let this bitch stay by your side anymore. She clearly harbors ill intentions toward you!"

Seeing Shannon leave, I shoved Amber away.

Amber stumbled backward, bumping against the corner of the desk.

She looked up in astonishment, only to meet a pair of eyes frozen solid with ice.

The gentleness from moments before had vanished without a trace, replaced by pure coldness.

"Whether you want to call the police or sue her, that's your freedom."

I looked down at her, as cold as if I were regarding an inanimate object.

"However, Amber, you know better than anyone whether that child was actually mine."

Amber's face drained of color in an instant, her lips quivering.

"What did you say..."

"Alexander Hayes, how could you slander me for that bitch? How could you be so cruel!"

I didn't bother looking at her anymore. I raised a hand to brush off the wrinkles on my sleeve where she had grabbed it, casting her a look of utter disgust.

"Whether you want to remain my friend or become my enemy—the choice is yours."

Leaving those words behind, I walked away without looking back.

Charlie Evans clicked his tongue, shrugged at Amber Lane, and followed him out.

Amber clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. Suddenly, she let out a loud, mocking laugh at my retreating back.

"Alexander Hayes, you really think that woman is as pure and innocent as she acts?"

"She has more secrets than you could ever imagine!"

[Paywall]