The Platonic Trap novel Chapter 16

Her voice was soft and gentle, but it twisted like a knife straight into Norma's deepest insecurity.

*Ding—*

The elevator doors chimed open.

"Celia!!"

Norma's eyes bulged with rage. She raised her hand high and swung hard at Celia's face!

"Ms. Forrester."

A chillingly authoritative voice cut through the air, and Norma's hand froze inches from its target.

Alistair stood there in his dark suit, his face completely devoid of warmth, his eyes devoid of mercy.

Seeing what was happening, Ken rushed forward and physically separated the two women.

Alistair's expression remained utterly unreadable as his icy gaze locked onto Norma, who stood frozen in place.

He didn't speak a single word, but the moment Norma met his eyes, her body went rigid.

Stumbling back two steps, Norma finally snapped out of her trance and desperately yelled, "I-It was Celia! She started it!"

"Ms. Forrester, what could Ms. Stafford possibly have said to warrant such violence?" Ken's expression darkened. "No matter how angry you are, raising a hand is crossing the line."

"Celia said, she said..."

What had she said?

She said, *Alistair Zucker will never, ever like you.*

How could Norma possibly repeat that to Alistair's face?

Celia lowered her head, hiding the gleam of triumph in her eyes, her voice quivering and soft. "Norma, I know you don't like me. If I upset you, I sincerely apologize."

"Stop acting, Celia!" Norma screamed. "It was you, you were the one who just said—"

Norma looked pleadingly at Alistair, desperate to explain herself.

"Mr. Forrester will hear an exact account of today's events," Alistair interrupted, his tone completely void of emotion. "If you have an explanation, Ms. Forrester, you can ask him to relay it to me."

Alistair checked his watch.

"It's getting late," he said, looking at Celia. "I'll take you home."

He had been working nonstop since returning to the country. Alistair sat with his legs crossed, resting his temple against his hand as he closed his eyes to rest.

Celia still maintained a polite distance from him.

He didn't speak, so neither did she, simply watching the city blur past the window.

After what felt like an eternity.

A cold, indifferent voice drifted to her ears.

"So, what did you say to her?"

In an instant, an icy chill wrapped around Celia, running from the top of her head straight to her fingertips. Her fingers involuntarily curled into her palms.

"Hmm?" Celia acted as though she didn't understand, turning to him. "What did you say, Uncle Alistair?"

Without her noticing, Alistair had opened his eyes. Those cold, penetrating eyes that felt like they could see straight through a person were fixed calmly upon her.

Impossible to read.

"What did you say to her to make her so angry?"