The CEO's Regret: Darling, Don’t Leave Me novel Chapter 263

Chapter 187: Now Everyone Knows.–2

“Good morning,” he says

“Good morning,” I reply.

He approaches my desk and places a glass in front of me.

“Coffee. Just the way you take it.”

I look at the glass, then at him. And there’s something in me that… hesitates. I don’t reject the gesture, but I don’t receive it the same way I did before.

“Thank you,” I finally say. “You’re very kind.”

My assistant leaves, leaving us alone. I take the coffee, sipping it only a small amount more out of habit than need.

Alexander sits down across from me, relaxed.

“I was reading the newspapers,” he says, as if it were just a casual comment. “Congratulations.”

I look up at him.

“Thank you.”

“Wow…” he continues. “You two look good together.”

My pulse remains steady; there’s no immediate reaction. I don’t allow it. If I was afraid of a setback, that he’d start making the same comments that caused us to argue some time ago, well, no…

“Thank you,” I repeat, without elaborating.

He nods, as if… If that were enough, he continues talking about other things. Work, projects. The progress with Boston. Everything is flowing… And for a moment… I almost believe it. That everything is the same, that nothing has changed. But then…

“I didn’t know you worked with Vanessa.”

My hand rests lightly on the desk, I look up. I observe him and my brow furrows slightly.

“Vanessa?”

“Yes, Vanessa Reed. She works with your… with Ethan.”

“That’s right… How do you know? Do you know each other?”

He smiles slightly, without losing his composure.

“No,” he says. “I just found out recently. I recognize her family.”

He pauses.

“She’s an excellent businesswoman.”

A

Chapter 187–Now Everyone Knows -2

Hfeel something small. But very clearly.

“She works very well,” he continues. “She’s very good at what she does.”

+25 Points

I look at him for a few more seconds, evaluating, weighing the meaning of why he said that. But I’m not going to fall for it. No… I’m not going to give him that space.

I take another sip of my coffee, a slow one, before answering.

“I’m glad you have a good reference for her.”

My voice is neutral. But I continue…

“It’s always positive to work with competent people.”

There’s no emotion, no visible reaction. And that… is exactly what I want.

Alexander nods.

“Yes… it is. It’s extremely important. It’s like us, don’t you think? That’s why we make such a good team.”

I nodded, just nodded. I felt that any reaction from me, any response, could be crucial. So, I preferred not

to react.

Alexander finishes his coffee, stands up, and leaves.

For a moment, I look at him and furrow my brow, wondering,

“So he came all the way to my office just to say that?”

I had a feeling, one of those I recognize, the kind that warns you something’s wrong, but ultimately doesn’t say anything definitive.

I shook my head, went back to my planner, and dismissed it.

I called my assistant and asked her to come back to the office to get back to what really matters now: my work.

That coffee was only half–finished; there was still plenty in the cup… but I decided not to drink it. Not to be rude, I just didn’t feel like drinking any more. I think something in their attempt to be nice to me had a ulterior motive. Reason enough not to drink it.

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