Chapter 12

Scarlett POV

He seemed to be interrogating me, making me feel as if not sitting beside Reuben immediately was my mistake.

Looking at Alexander's sharp gaze, I could only obediently comply, each step feeling like walking into a bottomless abyss, fear and helplessness intertwining within me.

As soon as I approached Reuben, I noticed his gaze following the sway of my hips, that kind of blatant desire giving me goosebumps all over.

His disgusting eyes seemed to be trying to see through my dress to what lay beneath. The silk dress suddenly felt thinner, more revealing than before.

I could almost feel the heat of his gaze burning on my skin.

I looked desperately toward Alexander, hoping for even the slightest response, yet he coldly averted his gaze, not sparing me even a single glance, as if I were nothing more than an object that could be disposed of at will.

In that moment, my heart plunged into an icy abyss, the pain of betrayal piercing my heart like a sharp dagger, more intense than any physical humiliation.

"Reuben," Alexander said, taking a glass of wine from the girl, his voice as calm as if discussing the weather.

"I heard your business in Colombia is doing well. Seventeen percent net profit? You've been busy making money for yourself without thinking of sharing some of the benefits with me?"

Reuben's jovial demeanor became slightly unnatural, his smile stiffening.

"Mr. Grey, surely you must be joking? My little business can't compare to yours, and I wouldn't dare hide anything from you!"

"You wouldn't dare?"

Alexander's voice remained melodious, but his tone became spine-chilling, the dangerous aura seeming to lower the room's temperature by several degrees.

"Just like you wouldn't dare conceal how you schemed to ruin the Smith family?"

I froze, the blood in my body seemingly solidifying instantly. So the Smith family's business failure truly wasn't a normal commercial mishap.

My fingers gripped the armrest tightly, my knuckles turning white.

"That was just business," Reuben protested weakly, his voice clearly lacking conviction. "Market conditions..."

"Then let's talk business." Alexander interrupted him, his voice carrying an unquestionable finality. "I want 30 percent of the Smith family's shares."

"What did you say?" Reuben was so surprised he almost jumped from his chair, his eyes widening.

"That's... that's almost all the shares I have."

"That's my price," Alexander's tone was cold and merciless. He placed a check on the table, then suddenly looked at me, a flicker of an emotion I couldn't decipher passing through his eyes.

"Plus her. You haven't had a woman like her before, have you?" He looked at me, his gaze full of malice.

My hand trembled, knocking over the wine glass, the red liquid spilling onto the tablecloth like blood, resembling my current state of mind.

He had just sold me out like that!

My brain exploded with a deafening sound, my thoughts scattering like beads from a broken string, leaving nothing but emptiness.

My lips parted slightly as I wanted to demand answers from Alexander, yet I couldn't produce any sound.

Hearing this, Reuben looked at me, his eyes constantly appraising, scanning up and down my body, as if assessing whether I was worth it.

Alexander laughed coldly, a laugh that chilled me to the core.

"I'm offering these things in exchange, just for a bit of fun. Surely you're not reluctant?"

His gaze met mine across the table, his eyes conveying a message I couldn't understand, as if trying to communicate something.

"After all, I do enjoy playing with precious things."

My heart was racing. I wasn't sure what he meant exactly—was he really going to hand me over to this disgusting man Reuben, or was he playing some game I didn't understand?

Fear, anger, and confusion overwhelmed me like a tidal wave. I felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff, about to fall at any moment.

Suddenly, a phone rang, the jarring sound particularly stark in the silent room. Everyone went quiet instantly.

I was grateful for this timely interruption, giving me a chance to escape this suffocating atmosphere.

I picked up the phone, my voice slightly trembling from emotional turmoil: "Excuse me for a moment."

Walking out of the room, I stood by the window looking at the number, unsure whether to answer, my finger hovering uncertainly over the answer button.

"Answer it," I was startled, almost crying out, as Alexander was suddenly standing behind me.

He said languidly: "It might be the hospital, you never know."

My face instantly turned pale, an icy fear coursing through my body: "What have you done?" My voice was shaking.

"Nothing yet." Alexander's smile was frighteningly gentle. "But hospitals are dangerous places. Many things can go wrong, and people can die if you're not careful."

"You bastard!" I said in a low voice, my voice trembling with suppressed anger.

"I trusted you by coming here with you. Don't forget, I am your..."

"My what?" he interrupted me, his voice dangerous and cold.

"My uncle's fiancée? The woman who willingly came to my bed? Or do you mean my little wildcat?"

He moved closer, his arm around my waist, his grip so tight it almost hurt. That feeling of being unable to escape made me even more desperate.

"You can only listen to me."

I felt my dignity crumbling bit by bit. I was trying my best to protect my family, but the price was too heavy, almost suffocating me.

In the end, Alexander hung up directly and led me back to the private room.

He looked at Reuben: "Do we have a deal?"

Reuben was already nodding, his eagerness making me feel sick to my stomach. Every cell in my body was rejecting what he might do to me.

Sitting back in my seat, Reuben's hand rested on my waist, moving up and down, the sensation like a poisonous snake crawling, making me want to scream and run.

But I could only endure the disgust and remain still, my eyes fixed straight ahead, trying to detach my consciousness from this body, to not feel this humiliation.

I no longer wanted to look at Alexander—he was the one who had put me in this situation.

Tears welled in my eyes, and I used all my strength to keep them from falling.

"Ah!" An exclamation made me look up.

The blonde girl called Victoria stood up awkwardly, her expression weak, looking as if she was about to cry.

"Reuben, your people are too rude! I just wanted to eat a grape, and she dared to feed me with her mouth. It stinks."

"I'm sorry, Victoria is being too senseless."

Reuben, now having secured both money and a person, suddenly seemed to feel the deal wasn't so bad after all, and resumed his fawning manner.

His attitude further confirmed my fear that I was truly being traded, and a desperate dread enveloped me.

"Lauren, go serve Mr. Grey properly."

He directed another girl sitting nearby to go over, treating her like an object under his control.

"Mr. Grey, I'm Lauren. It's my pleasure to serve you."

Her appearance was less striking than Victoria's, but she looked gentler. As she sat down, she pushed Victoria aside, that competitive posture sending a chill through me.

To this, Alexander raised no objection, still placing his hand on Lauren's waist, though his expression was somewhat gloomy.

Seeing how easily he shifted his attention, an indescribable feeling of loss and anger rose within me.

Finally, he stood up abruptly, nodding to Reuben, his movements decisive and clean, as if he had completed everything.

"I have matters to attend to. Have the documents ready by tomorrow morning."

I watched him walk straight out, without even looking back, showing no intention of taking me with him, as if I were just an object that could be discarded at will.

Panic instantly consumed me. I couldn't be left here, couldn't be traded as a commodity to this disgusting man Reuben!

"Alexander, you bastard, you can't leave me here!"

I shouted urgently, my voice filled with fear, desperation, and anger. Tears finally flowed uncontrollably down my face.