Chapter 245
The restaurant staff maintained strict confidentiality about their guests.
He guided Alexander and Elizabeth to a window-side table, offering a silent smile.
Elizabeth’s presence was magnetic, her elegance outshining even the sparkling crystal chandelier suspended above them.
Alexander studied her intently, noticing a transformation in her demeanor.
His eyes traced her carefully.
She wore a modest, long-sleeved outfit paired with loose-fitting pants.
It left everything below her face hidden, yet her elegance was undiminished.
As she tilted her head to scan the menu, Alexander’s gaze caught on a faint red mark just visible at the base of her neckline.
His breath hitched.
He recognized such marks all too well.
It didn’t take much to piece it together—Elizabeth’s earlier frustration with Elijah now made perfect sense.
She wasn’t just speaking from anger; something had shifted within her.
It was as though she had blossomed overnight, stepping more fully into womanhood.
Unbidden, his imagination wandered, conjuring intimate scenarios between Elizabeth and Elijah, wondering about the depths of her sensuality.
Despite his extensive romantic history, Alexander found Elizabeth incomparable.
Her allure remained constant—from her previously pristine and aloof persona to her current state as a married woman.
Even her most vulnerable moments, like her near-assault by thugs, had always stirred something profound within him.
Since returning from Foxfire County, she had haunted his dreams relentlessly.
His attempts to distract himself with other women proved futile, only intensifying his consuming desire for her.
His throat constricted, a visceral longing overwhelming his senses.
“I’ll have the sparkling water,” Elizabeth said, closing her menu.
Alexander returned to the present, quickly ordering a set meal accompanied by an array of signature desserts.
“These are the restaurant’s specialties.
Would you like a recommendation?”
Elizabeth politely declined, “You’ve ordered too much.
I can’t possibly finish all of this.”
“You don’t need to finish everything,” Alexander responded, his tone smooth.
“Just sample and enjoy.
I enjoy treating women well.”
His mind drifted to the hospital incident in Foxfire County when he had purchased clothes for her.
The expense was irrelevant; he simply wanted to win her favor effortlessly.
Elijah’s subsequent arrival and more lavish clothing purchase had undermined Alexander’s efforts.
“I dislike wastefulness,” Elizabeth insisted.
“Besides, we agreed that I would treat you today.”
Alexander acquiesced with a smile.
“As you wish.
There will be other opportunities.”
After the waiter’s departure, Elizabeth addressed him directly.
“Mr.
Clark, I’m grateful for your help in Foxfire County.
However, I believe we should maintain some professional distance.”
Her statement hung in the air, its meaning crystal clear.
Just as Alexander prepared to respond, movement caught his eye.
A private room’s door briefly opened as a server entered.
Elijah sat near the entrance, accompanied by an intimate companion.
Yet, the woman’s face remained obscured by Elijah’s positioned body.
Turning back to Elizabeth, Alexander’s lips curved into a subtle, enigmatic smile.
“Ms.
Elizabeth, might you be harboring some misunderstanding about me? Or perhaps you suspect those thugs in Foxfire County were part of an elaborate rescue scheme I orchestrated?”