Chapter 6: Behind Closed Doors
891 Words
The drive back to the Knight Mansion was painfully silent.
Brittney stared out the tinted window, watching the city lights blur into streaks of gold. Alexander hadn't said a single word since they left the family gathering.
His expression was unreadable.
His jaw was clenched.
One hand rested casually on the steering wheel while the other drummed lightly against the leather.
He looked calm.
Too calm.
"You've been quiet," Brittney finally whispered.
"I've been thinking."
"About what?"
He glanced at her briefly.
"About how many people smiled at you tonight while secretly hoping you'd fail."
She swallowed.
She had noticed it too.
The fake compliments.
The judging eyes.
The whispered conversations that stopped whenever she walked past.
"I can handle it."
"I know."
"But I don't want you to have to."
Her heart skipped.
That sentence lingered in the air between them.
Alexander Knight wasn't a man who wasted words.
Every sentence carried weight.
Every promise sounded like an oath.
When they reached the mansion, he stepped out first and opened her door himself.
The bodyguards immediately lowered their heads.
"Welcome home, Mr. and Mrs. Knight."
Mrs. Knight.
The title still felt unreal.
Inside, the butler approached nervously.
"Sir... Miss Veronica came while you were away."
Alexander's expression instantly hardened.
"What did she want?"
"She said she'll return tomorrow."
Brittney noticed the slight change in his face.
Who was Veronica?
Before she could ask, Alexander looked at her.
"Don't worry about her."
That only made her more curious.
The next morning...
Brittney woke to the smell of fresh coffee.
She walked downstairs wearing an oversized white sweater and soft shorts, her hair still slightly messy from sleep.
Alexander froze.
He had just finished reading the morning newspaper.
For a brief second...
He forgot how to breathe.
She looked effortlessly beautiful.
Not because of expensive makeup.
Not because of designer clothes.
But because she looked...
Real.
Comfortable.
At home.
She caught him staring.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"You were looking at me."
"I wasn't."
"You definitely were."
A tiny smile tugged at his lips.
"You've become very confident."
"And whose fault is that?"
He couldn't answer.
Instead, he stood and walked toward her.
Every step made her heartbeat louder.
He stopped inches away.
Close enough to smell her vanilla shampoo.
Close enough to notice the tiny freckles beneath her eyes.
Without saying anything...
He reached out.
Her breath caught.
His fingers brushed gently against her cheek.
She completely froze.
"There."
He pulled away holding a tiny strand of thread.
"You had something on your face."
Her cheeks immediately turned pink.
She had actually thought...
Never mind.
Alexander noticed.
His lips curved into the smallest smile.
"You were expecting something else?"
"N-No."
She turned away too quickly.
He chuckled.
The deep sound made her stomach flutter.
Later that afternoon...
A black luxury car pulled into the driveway.
A tall woman stepped out.
Elegant.
Beautiful.
Confident.
She removed her sunglasses and walked inside as if she owned the place.
"Babe!"
Before Brittney could react...
The woman threw her arms around Alexander.
Alexander immediately pulled away.
"Veronica."
She pouted dramatically.
"You didn't even miss me?"
Then...
Her eyes landed on Brittney.
Her smile disappeared.
"So..."
"This is the fake wife."
Silence filled the room.
Brittney forced herself to smile politely.
"Nice to meet you."
Veronica ignored her hand.
Instead, she laughed.
"I honestly thought you'd choose someone prettier."
The insult landed like a slap.
The servants lowered their heads.
No one dared speak.
Alexander's voice suddenly became ice.
"Apologize."
Veronica blinked.
"What?"
"I said apologize."
She laughed again.
"You're defending her?"
"I don't repeat myself."
The room became deadly quiet.
Veronica stared at him in disbelief.
"You've changed."
"No."
"I've simply decided who deserves my respect."
Brittney looked at him in shock.
He was...
Standing up for her.
Without hesitation.
Without embarrassment.
Without caring who was watching.
Veronica's smile completely disappeared.
"I see."
She grabbed her handbag.
"This marriage won't last."
Then she looked directly at Brittney.
"When it ends..."
"You'll realize rich men never fall in love."
She walked away.
The front door slammed shut.
Brittney remained standing there long after she'd left.
Alexander sighed quietly.
"I'm sorry."
"For what?"
"You shouldn't have heard that."
She smiled weakly.
"I've heard worse."
Something inside him tightened.
He hated that sentence.
Because it meant someone else had already made her believe she wasn't enough.
He stepped closer.
"Brittney."
She looked up.
"You don't have to prove your worth to anyone."
"Especially not in this house."
For a moment...
Neither of them spoke.
Their eyes locked.
The distance between them slowly disappeared.
Her breathing became uneven.
His gaze dropped to her lips...
Then back to her eyes.
Neither of them noticed the butler quietly leaving the room to give them privacy.
The silence felt louder than words.
Brittney could hear nothing except her own heartbeat.
Alexander slowly reached for her hand.
His fingers intertwined with hers naturally...
As if they had always belonged together.
"This contract..."
he murmured softly,
"...is becoming far more complicated than I expected."
Before Brittney could answer—
His phone rang.
The name flashing across the screen made every trace of warmth vanish from his face.
UNKNOWN CALLER
He answered.
A distorted voice spoke only one sentence.
"If you want your wife to stay alive... come alone."
Alexander's eyes darkened.
Someone had just declared war.
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