The Lies Behind Her Marriage novel Chapter 269

Xavier's Father.

“I swear to God, I thought we were loud, but Alice was louder!” Joan claimed at breakfast.

It flustered Alice. She reacted, “I was not loud!”

“Oh, yes, you were! You were calling my cousin’s name like someone reaching an orgasm for the first time!” Joan said. “Trust me, I know those kinds of screams.”

The entire time, Xavier just chuckled behind the nook table, cooking scrambled eggs.

Alice and Xavier did not put a name to what happened last night.

Earlier, when Xavier brought it up, their conversation was interrupted by Joan knocking on their door.

Alice thought it was a good thing. Honestly, she did not know how to face it.

She liked the idea, but she did not know how to tell Xavier she had always liked him. Moreover, she wanted to be absolutely sure he was in this for the right reasons.

When Xavier served the eggs, he calmly placed a generous portion on Alice’s plate.

He was caring as ever, but was he doing it out of habit or newfound feelings for her?

“I’ve always known you two would end up together,” Joan muttered. Her boyfriend just happily nodded, not understanding Alice and Xavier’s history.

“Did you?” Alice asked, averting everyone’s gaze.

“Yes!” Joan answered. She then smirked at Alice. “Even back in college, I could always tell you had a crush on Xavier.”

Alice froze.

She dared not turn to Xavier, but she felt his burning gaze.

Thank goodness Joan brought up her reason for visiting, and the topic shifted.

“Anyway, why am I here?” Joan said. “Xavier mentioned that you two are going on a business trip to Cedar City. I just happened to be in Cedar last week and met someone.”

Joan paused, looking seriously at Xavier.

It made Alice curious too, and she paused eating.

“Yeah, we’re going to Cedar City. We’re opening a bidding process for local medical device companies to become our distributor,” Xavier explained. “Why?”

Cedar City was far from Rexam, yet the center of many developing cities. Instead of branching out, Silas had decided to distribute their medical devices. That would save them the hassle of logistics.

“Okay.” Joan paused. Then she took a deep breath. “I wasn’t going to tell you this, but I met Walter.”

Alice’s eyes widened.

Xavier stopped midway through eating.

After a second, Xavier put his food into his mouth and said, “And?”

He said it like it was nothing, like it did not affect him—but Alice knew the name had wounded him in the past.

Joan hesitated before making a face. “He wants to meet you. He said he is sorry, yada-yada. He wants to make up for his past mistakes.”

Dead air fell over them, stretching for several seconds.

After breakfast, Alice and Xavier hurried to prepare for their trip to Cedar City.

Xavier packed up first, then they went to Alice’s place.

On the way to the airport, they reviewed the companies that had submitted bids for distribution. Alice caught a name on the list.

“Xavier? Walter is the founder of Cedar Valley Medical Distribution,” Alice said, shocked. “It’s a start-up, but he’s already trying to land a partnership with VanderMed Technologies.”

Xavier’s brows furrowed. He replied, “Then maybe it’s best to meet Walter before the bid.”

“Yeah,” Alice answered. “You’ll meet him either way.”

“At least we have three days to prepare for the pre-selection dinner,” Xavier said.

Suddenly, he slipped an arm around Alice, a knowing grin tugging at his lips.

“You know… boss and assistant on a business trip?” he murmured. “That’s practically a cliché at this point.”

“Same trip, same hotel…” he leaned in. “You know how those stories usually go.”

Alice shot him a glare. “Oh my god! Since when are you so shameless?”

The driver could hear them. Why did he have to bring it up in the car?

Xavier laughed, pressing his lips against her ear. “I can’t stop thinking about last night.”

Truth be told, Alice was in the same boat. But whatever naughty thoughts they had in mind would have to wait, because the moment they landed at Cedar City, they came face to face with Xavier’s father, Walter.