hapter 20 The Man Behind the Name
Finished
And then he walked in. Even after years of being around high–powered men, Elena still froze for half a second when Alexander Kingsley entered the room.
He wasn’t like Nathan.
Where Nathan had soft features and polite charm, Alexander was sharp. Every inch of his nearly six–foot–three frame was wrapped in a perfectly tailored black suit, the kind that probably had its own tailor on speed dial. Even the black dress shirt underneath was crisp, unwrinkled–only the top button undone, revealing just a hint of collarbone.
His eyes were deep and narrow, cold in a way that didn’t invite conversation. His nose was striking, his bone structure symmetrical to the point of unfair. The only thing that seemed off was his lips–full, but pale.
So he reallywassick, Elena thought. And still working like nothing’s wrong. That’s commitment, at least.
Somehow, that made her feel slightly better. She stood up and walked toward him, extending her hand.
“Mr. Kingsley, nice to meet you. I’m Elena.”
Camille hovered just behind her. As Elena offered her hand, she gave Alexander a quick, subtle
wink.
Pretending not to know her own fiancé, while Camille stood right there? Yeah, this was wrong on a lot of levels.
But why did it feel just a little… exciting?
And was it just her imagination, or did Alexander smile–just for a split second? She looked again. His expression hadn’t changed at all.
“Nice to meet you.”
His handshake was firm, warm, his fingers slightly calloused. Elena quickly withdrew her hand, suddenly uncomfortable with the way her pulse jumped.
“Shall we begin?”
“Yes.”
Alexander took the seat at the head of the table and unbuttoned his jacket, crossing his legs with practiced ease.
1/3
0:20 Sun, Feb 8
Chapter 20 The Nain Behind the lupoe
Finished
Objectively speaking, he was stunning. If only he didn’t come with such a messy personal life… Elena pushed the thought away and turned on her recorder.
She didn’t need notes. Her questions were ready. The interview began.
They talked about Pinnacle Group’s growth over the past few years, upcoming projects, and market strategies.
Alexander answered clearly, concisely. No fluff, no fake PR talk. Just real, direct insight.
Halfway through, Elena found herself a little thrown. This man doesn’t sound like the type who would string a woman along and then turn around to get married.
But then she remembered Nathan and Camille.
She forced a laugh at herself for even considering giving a man the benefit of the doubt.
Right then, Alexander’s phone buzzed. Perfect timing for a break.
Elena smiled. “Please, take your call.”
He stepped out. The second the door closed, Camille leaned in. “I’ll take it from here,” she said. “Your questions are pretty much the same as the ones I prepped anyway.”
She was feeling bold now. Maybe Alexander wasn’t so hard to crack after all. Last time must’ve just been bad timing.
“Sure,” Elena said easily. She leaned back and slid her chair over, clearing the space.
When Alexander returned and saw Camille sitting across from him, his brow twitched–just slightly. He said nothing, took his seat again. Camille flipped her hair back, smile perfectly rehearsed.
“I’ll be handling the second half of the interview,” she said, her voice sticky–sweet.
Alexander gave the smallest nod.
She jumped in. “Last month, one of your executive VPs left Pinnacle Group and launched EverRise Group, which is pursuing a similar strategy. There are rumors that it was due to dissatisfaction with your leadership. Is that true? Do you see EverRise as a threat?”
Elena raised a brow. Okay, credit where it’s due–Camille had done her homework.
EverRise’s founder was Alexander’s uncle, who had resigned and started a rival company.
“People come and go,” Alexander said calmly. “It doesn’t change Pinnacle Group’s position in the market.”
2/3
VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABEL
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: Unwanted Fake Wife The Top Billionaire