Chapter 23

The moment Alexander returned to Windsor Estates, he was drenched from head to toe, looking like he'd been dragged through a storm.

Olivia rushed forward with a towel, but he brushed past her without a word, his expression thunderous as he stormed upstairs.

"What happened to Mr. Kingsley? Did someone upset him?" Olivia asked Daniel, her face creased with concern.

"If you've got a moment, Olivia, go check on him. He's just been played for a fool."

"Played? Who could possibly outsmart Mr. Kingsley? Should we call the authorities? We need to report this!" Olivia's voice rose in alarm.

Daniel shook his head grimly. "No, this is beyond the police. Some people are just too cunning."

"I always warned Mr. Kingsley to be cautious, but he wouldn't listen. Overconfidence can be dangerous."

A bitter smile crossed Daniel's face. This time, Alexander had met his match.

The financial loss was bad enough. But the real blow was to Alexander's pride.

When he reached the top of the stairs, his face was ashen, his energy completely drained.

"Mr. Kingsley, Ms. Sterling is waiting in the study with Mr. Blackwood," a servant informed him.

Lips pressed into a tight line, Alexander entered the study.

"Alex! There you are!" Victoria rushed to embrace him, clinging like ivy.

Alexander didn't return the hug immediately, leaving her arms awkwardly suspended.

Tonight, her presence made his skin crawl.

"Alexander, how did the meeting with President Dubois go?" Reginald asked briskly.

As chairman of the Vanderbilt Group, he shouldn't have been micromanaging such minor affairs.

But Arabella had nagged incessantly, forcing his hand to pressure Alexander.

"I trust Alexander completely," Arabella purred, entwining her arm with her husband's. "He'll move heaven and earth to protect Victoria's family. After all, he adores her. If he speaks to Ms. Sinclair, how could the Dubois family refuse? The Vanderbilt name carries weight. Crossing us would be disastrous for them in New York."

Her manipulative tactic was transparent - inflate expectations first, ensuring any failure would infuriate Reginald and widen the rift between father and son.

"Father, Arabella, let's drop the matter regarding the Sterling Group." Alexander's voice was flat, his eyes empty.

"Alexander, what do you mean by that?" Reginald's brows knitted together.

"From now on, I won't be assisting the Sterling Group. That's final."

With that, Alexander turned on his heel and left.

Reginald, Arabella, and Victoria stood frozen, their faces masks of shock.

"Reginald, he's joking, right?" Arabella's smile stiffened as unease coiled in her stomach.

Reginald's expression darkened, but he remained silent.

Alexander returned to his bedroom, still soaked, too numb to change or shower. His mind replayed every moment of how Isabella had deceived him.

Why hadn't she faced him directly? Was it guilt? Or did she consider him beneath her notice?

"Alex! Why won't you help us?" Victoria followed, clutching his arm desperately. "All our orders are canceled! Inventory's rotting in warehouses! We can't even pay salaries! The Sterling Group will collapse!"

Her usual gentle facade had shattered, revealing only naked self-interest.

Exhaustion weighted Alexander's voice. "It's late. Daniel will drive you home."

"Alex! What changed your mind? Tell me!" She shook his arm violently.

He lacked the energy to explain. How could he admit his own miscalculations had left him empty-handed?

Then his heart lurched.

The suit box that had sat neatly by his bed was gone.

Alexander wrenched free, searched frantically, then barked, "Olivia!"

"Yes, Mr. Kingsley?" She appeared instantly.

"Where's the suit box that was beside my bed?"

"I didn't touch it! You instructed me never to handle Mrs. Kingsley's gifts when cleaning. And when Ms. Sterling visited earlier, I specifically warned her not to touch that box." Olivia's pointed glance at Victoria was deliberate.

She'd intentionally used "Mrs. Kingsley" to provoke Victoria into confessing.

"I threw it away." Victoria finally admitted, defiance flashing in her eyes.

"Where?" Alexander's voice dropped dangerously.

"Alex, why obsess over some trash she gave you? You're divorced! I'm your fiancée now! How could you treasure her gift more than me? Have you considered my feelings?"

Tears welled in her eyes, a performance straight from her aunt's playbook.

"One last time. Where is it?"

Alexander wiped her tears away mechanically, his cold detachment frightening the tears right out of her.

"The backyard dumpster."

Alexander plunged back into the rain, rolling up his sleeves to dig through the refuse for the discarded box.

"Alex! Stop! It's disgusting!" Victoria shrieked from the terrace.

Disgusting?

Perhaps the Vanderbilts didn't know he'd been an illegitimate child, scavenging streets with his mother at five years old. He'd rummaged through filthier trash just to survive.

He'd been born in squalor. What was there to explain?

Finally, his fingers closed around the grime-smeared box. Relief flooded him.

Olivia arrived with an umbrella as he pried it open.

The next instant, his eyes burned crimson, his face draining of color.

The once-pristine suit was now shredded beyond recognition.

He turned toward Victoria.

She stumbled back, breath catching at the unfamiliar fury in his gaze.

Wordlessly, Alexander cradled the ruined box and walked past her.

"Alexander, do you love her? Do you regret the divorce?" Victoria mustered her courage, clinging to him.

"No." His voice was thick with confusion and something like shame.

"But you're furious over some stupid gift! Did you ever consider how it feels seeing reminders of your three years together? Don't my feelings matter?" she lashed out.

"What do you want from me?"

Alexander peeled her away, inhaling sharply. "I divorced her for you. Even under grandfather's pressure, I stood firm. But you destroyed her belongings, slandered her publicly, orchestrated online attacks. She's gone, yet you keep dragging her back. Enough."

His words doused her like ice water, humiliation seeping into her bones.

So he'd known all along.

"Alexander, I did it because I love you!"

His frown eased, but his expression remained frigid.

"Next time you need help, ask directly. If it's reasonable, I'll assist. But I won't tolerate manipulation disguised as love, or betrayal from those I trust. You announced our engagement to salvage your family business. This time, I'll overlook it. Don't let there be a next time."

With that, Alexander walked away decisively.

Victoria hugged herself, trembling with rage, murderous thoughts of Isabella consuming her.

Meanwhile, Isabella and Sebastian enjoyed the storm's symphony, wineglasses in hand by the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Her favorite opera played softly in the background.

"Miss, the waitress contacted me. Mr. Kingsley intercepted her tonight. He knows about the decoy."

Sebastian set down his glass, noticing her tired feet after a day in heels, and knelt to massage them.

"I knew he'd discover the ruse eventually. Just not this soon."

His skilled fingers worked the tension away as her eyes fluttered shut. "After we dismantle the Sterling Group, the Vanderbilts are next. Given Alexander's harsh words today, how could I possibly let that slide?"