Chapter 38

Lilly's eyes sparkled as she gazed at the spread before her, an assortment of dishes she hadn't expected to find in Alexander's office. Seated at a small, hidden diningtable tucked away in a corner of the room, she couldn't help but marvel at the surprise. She hadn't noticed this part of the office before, and it seemed as though Alexander had spent nights here,perhaps alone, before their marriage. A mini kitchen,a resting room-it was an oasis in the midst of his otherwise cold, corporate world.

The scent of the food wafted up, inviting and fragrant, and Lilly felt her stomach settle-no longer churned by nerves. She had grown used to the taste of tension, but now, the warm aroma was a welcome distraction.Alexander made a casual call, and within thirty minutes,the food arrived.

"Why are you just staring at it? Eat," Alexander's voice broke through her thoughts. He sat across from her, flicking through the files she'd marked earlier. She had a sinking feeling he'd seen what she'd written.

Without hesitation, Lilly picked up her utensils and began to eat,savoring each bite. "This tastes amazing," she murmured, her curiosity piqued. "Do you mind telling me where it's from?"

"No," Alexander replied flatly, his eyes glued to the papers before him.

"Why not?" Lilly pouted, her gaze drifting back to the food.

Without missing a beat, Alexander pointed to the markedt-up file. "You did this?" Lilly glanced down, realizing he must have reviewed the documents and noticed the corrections she'd made."Yes. I marked the errors. The one that says 'Redo' needs to be rejected, the 'manageable' one is good but needs work, and the rest need major revisions."

Alexander glanced at the marked file titled "Redo," then back at the one labeled "manageable." His brow furrowed, a small flicker of annoyance crossing his face. "You said this one is manageable?"

Lilly hesitated, unsure of the sudden shift in his demeanor. "Yes, their plan is solid overall, but their cost projections and land requirements are off. It's salvageable with some corrections."

He studied her for a moment before nodding. As much as it irritated him,he had to admit she was right. At first glance, he would have tossedI the projects aside, but she was trying to give the companiesa second chance.However, something about her defense of the 'manageable' company nagged at him. "Do you know whose company this is?" he asked, his voice dropping slightly.

Lilly shook her head, confusion crossing her features. "No, I don't."

"And this one?" Alexander's eyes never left hers as he pointed to the 'Redo'file.

Lilly's eyes darted between the files and his piercing gaze, her pulse quickening. "No," she answered, her voice softer than before.

Alexander's stare lingered for a beat longer than necessary, the tension palpable. He seemed to be weighing her every word, his thoughts unreadable. "Since you want to give them a second chance," he said, breaking the silence, "why don't you attend the meetings with me tomorrow and evaluate the projects yourself? After all, you know exactly where they went wrong." Lilly blinked, taken aback by the unexpected offer. She hadn't expected him to actually involve her in the meetings. But a thrill ran through her at the thought of returning to the world she'd once been a part of-before everything had changed. "I'd love to," she said, her voice light with excitement. "But just so we're cear, I'm not your employee. Is it alright if I speak on behalf of the projects?"

"You'll be acting as a business consultant," he replied coolly,his expression unreadable. "And that's final."

Lilly nodded, a grin forming on her lips. She hadn't expected him to give in so easily. She was eager to get back into the swing of things, to prove that she still had a sharp mind for business, despite the years spent in exile.

"Alright," Alexander said, standing up from the table. "We'll leave in an hour."

Before she could respond, he turned to leave. A question lingered on the tip of her tongue, but the moment he walked out, she dismissed it. There would be time for that later.

An hour later, as they made their way home, Alexander's phone rang. Lilly's curiosity piqued when she heard the word "Grandma" echo through the car. "Grandma," Alexander answered with a polite tone, though Lilly could tell by his voice that he'd already known the conversation would take a predictable turn. "Did Sandra tell you she's finally coming back in three days?" Grandma's voice sounded on the other end, her words sharp and filled with irritation."I can't believe she didn't inform you!" Alexander feigned ignorance. "She is? I dlidn't know."

Grandma huffed. "I'm going to give her a piece of my mind when she returns. You make sure she knows how much she's missed out on!"

Alexander nodded, though he couldn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips. He knew his grandmother well. "Alright,Grandma."

"And how's Lilly?" Grandma continued, the tone of her voice softening. "I've missed her."

Alexander glanced at Lilly, who was looking at him curiously. She could hear every word from the speakerphone, and it was clear that his grandmother had a special place in her heart for Lilly.

"She's fine," Alexander answered, his gaze never leaving Lilly's.

"Is she there with you?" Grandma pressed.

"No," Alexander replied smoothly. "She's at home resting."

"Make sure to pamper her," Grandma warned. "If she ever complains to me,I'll give you an earful!"

The call ended with a chuckle from Alexander,though Lilly couldn't help but smile at the exchange. Grandma Helen always had her back.

Just as the car turned onto the familiar road leading home, Lilly's phone rang, the caller ID displaying a name she wasn't prepared for. "Michael?" Alexander asked, his sharp eyes flicking to her, a subtle edge to his voice. "Who's that?" Lilly's stomach clenched, and she quickly hit 'decline.' "A friend," she said,sending a quick text instead. "A friend?" Alexander's tone darkened. "Explain."

Lilly's heart pounded in her chest as she considered how much to tell him.She had always been upfront about Michael, but the look in Alexander's eyes made her second-guess everything. "We met in school," she began,her voice steady. "He came to the country with me. That's all."

Alexander's expression soured. "HHe left his country and came with you?"

Lilly sighed, growing weary of the questions. "You're still qquestioning me,even after all this time? We agreed not to meddle in each other's lives, but you're doing the exact opposite."

The silence that followed was suffocating. Alexander's gaze turned icy, and for a moment, Lilly felt like she was under fire. The tension thickened.Why was he so bothered by Michael? The question lingered in the air,unanswered.

And then, before she could breathe a sigh of relief, Alexander spoke, his voice low and dangerous.

"I'm going to have James look into him."

Lilly froze, her blood running cold. What was he planning to uncover about Michael? What would he find? The unease in her stomach grew as she wondered how far Alexander would go to control every part of her life.