The CEO's Regret: Darling, Don’t Leave Me novel Chapter 246

< Chapter 123- Be in Control

Chapter 173: I’ll Be in Control.

Vanessa

I don’t like the way he looks at me; it’s not just any look. It’s not superficial, or casual, or one of those looks that get lost in the obvious.

Alexander… he doesn’t look like that. He observes. He analyzes. He measures… And that… I love it, but it also puts me on edge.

I’m standing in front of the dressing room mirror, arranging the new blouse I finally agreed to buy. He

insisted too much for me to refuse. White, simple, but elegant. Very much his style… or perhaps hers,

Clara’s.

My reflection gives me a slight smile, but my eyes don’t smile, because I can’t stop thinking about what

just happened.

“It looks good on you,” his voice says from behind me.

I look up from the mirror.

He’s leaning against the wall, arms crossed, watching me with a tranquility I don’t quite believe.

“Thanks,” I reply, turning to face him. “I guess you had to make up for the accident somehow.”

He lets out a soft laugh, barely audible.

“I still sorry,” he says. “It wasn’t my intention.”

I look at him for a second longer than necessary. No… definitely not. But how convenient.

“I know,” I reply, grabbing my bag. “Sometimes things happen… for a reason.”

He barely frowns at that.

Good, he’s thinking about it.

We leave the dressing room and walk toward the register. He insists on paying, I pretend to hesitate… but ! let him. Not for the money, of course. For the dynamic. Some men need to feel like they’re solving

problems. And Alexander… is definitely one of them.

When we leave the store, the cold air lightly hits my face.

I take a deep breath, smoothing my hair as I walk beside him.

Silence… But not awkward. It’s that kind of heavy silence… where both of us are thinking too much

“So you work with Ethan,” he finally says.

There it is.

I smile slightly, without looking at him right away

+25 Points

Chapter 173-#Be in Control

“Yes,” I reply casually. “I’ve been working with him for a while.”

“Interesting.” I

look at him now.

“Why?”

He shrugs, but his expression says otherwise.

“Because it doesn’t seem like a coincidence.”

“What doesn’t seem like a coincidence?” I ask, tilting my head slightly..

“That you…” he says, looking directly at me, “know Clara… that you work with Ethan… and that we just happened to run into each other like this today.”

I hold his gaze. This… is getting interesting.

“Do you believe in coincidences?” I ask him.

“No,” he replies without hesitation.

I smile. “Me neither.”

Silence again, but this time… heavier.

We walk a few more steps before he speaks again.

“You two don’t seem to get along,” he says.

I don’t need to ask who he’s referring to.

I let out a small laugh.

“Clara and I?”

He barely nods.

“Let’s just say… we didn’t click.”

“That’s a nice way of putting it,” he replies.

I glance at him.

“You want the honest version?”

He stops, and so do I.

“Always,” he says.

Perfect.

I turn completely toward him.

“I can’t stand her.”

f

Chapter 173- Be in Control

+25 Points

Silence… There’s no drama in my words. No melodrama. Just the truth. And that… makes it stronger.

He watches me, analyzing every gesture, every microexpression.

“Why?” he asks.

Ah… that’s a dangerous question

I smile gently.

“Because she’s the type of woman who pretends to be perfect,” I reply. “Proper, focused, professional…

admirable.”

I pause. “And those types of women… they’re always hiding something.”

He doesn’t answer right away, but I see it. He’s thinking about it, and that’s enough.

“I don’t think Clara is like that,” he finally says.

“Of course you don’t. You work with her,” I tell him. “It’s normal to have that perception.”

I move a little closer, just enough to lower my voice slightly.

“But I… I’ve seen her in other contexts.”

His eyes narrow slightly. “What do you mean by that?”

I walk away again, as if nothing’s wrong.

“Nothing important.”

Liar… But I’m not going to

make it that

easy for him.

We walk again; I can feel his

on me now. More focused. More alert. Good.

“You don’t seem very neutral either,” I say suddenly.

“What do you mean?”

I look at him with a half-smile. “The way you talk about her.”

Silence.

“How do I talk about her?” he asks.

“As someone who knows her beyond work.”

There… I see it… That small change. That moment when his mask adjusts Bingo

“She’s my business partner,” he replies. “It’s normal.”

“Sure,” I say softly. But I don’t believe him, and he knows I don’t. And that… creates something between us

Something dangerous.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify