Sham Marriage Quit Real Heiress Strikes Back novel Chapter 90

Before that will, she and Alexander had never even met.

"I don't know," Chloe said thoughtfully. "If this is purely business, he's putting in way more effort than he needs to. You were with Nathan for years. He barely acknowledged I existed."

Elena had wondered about that herself. Nathan had always known Chloe existed, yet in five years they had barely crossed paths. When they did end up in the same place, conversation between them was stiff and short, more out of obligation than anything else. There were even times when Nathan, knowing Chloe would be there, conveniently found a reason not to show up at all.

Alexander, on the other hand, had treated Chloe with consideration from the start.

"What are you two plotting?" Alexander asked as he returned.

"Nothing," Elena replied quickly. "Ready to go?"

Chloe had driven herself, but both of them had wine.

"Ride with me," Alexander said.

"You didn't drink?" Elena asked.

"No."

Alexander had reached for the front passenger door at first, then noticed Elena and Chloe standing side by side and shifted without comment, opening the rear door instead.

"Hop in."

Elena slid into the back seat, and Chloe followed, practically vibrating with excitement.

She could not believe this was happening. She was riding in the CEO of Pinnacle Group's car, and he had opened the door himself. That was entirely because of Elena.

Alexander dropped Chloe off first.

As she stepped out, she leaned back toward the open window. "Mr. Kingsley—"

"Alexander," he corrected easily.

He rested his elbow against the window frame, listening.

"Take good care of Elena," Chloe said with surprising seriousness.

Elena covered her face with her hand.

Alexander's lips curved. "I intend to."

Chloe nodded in approval and walked off toward her building, humming to herself.

Once the door shut, the car felt noticeably quieter. Elena remained in the back seat while Alexander stayed behind the wheel. Through the rearview mirror, his eyes found her and did not move away.

She cleared her throat and turned to look out the window.

A few seconds passed. She glanced up again. He was still watching her in the mirror.

Without a word, she exhaled softly and moved to the front passenger seat, fastening her seatbelt.

A low laugh escaped him as he started the engine.

"We haven't had much time," he said, his voice edged with something possessive. "Seems like a waste not to use it."

"It's only a few days. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Before he could respond, his phone rang. He took a steady breath, answered, and switched it to speaker.

"Mr. Kingsley, James has been looking for you. There's an urgent meeting you need to attend," a woman's voice said softly.

Elena felt a flicker of recognition. She had heard that voice before. At the Grayson gathering. And earlier, when Alexander had made that pointed call in front of Nathan.

"Understood," he said, ending the call.

"I'll take you back to the Hart house," he added, no longer arguing.

A dull heaviness settled in her chest. "You don't have to. Just drop me up ahead. I can get a ride from there."

He glanced at her briefly.

"What?" she said, catching it immediately. "You've got work. It's close."

Her tone was calm, even gentle, and a faint smile rested on her lips, as if nothing were wrong at all.

He held her gaze for a second longer, then pulled over near a bus stop.

"Text me when you get home," he said quietly. "Be careful."