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I would much rather it be on my own terms.
“Your fiancée?” The Chancellor says finally, amusement dripping from his voice. “You two are engaged to bemarried?”
I open my mouth to say something, but Alexander digs his fingers into the skin of my wrist. He glares at me through the corner of his eye. I want to punch him in his fucking face.
The heat simmering in my blood intensifies.
“Yes, we are,” Alexander says matter-of-factly.
The lie rolls off his tongue so smoothly.
Even though his appearance is disheveled, he’s surprisingly calm. There isn’t even a kink in his brow or a twitch at the corner of his lips.
He’s lying so easily.
How did I not notice this about him before? How many times has he lied to me like this?
A sharp bark of laughter leaves the Chancellor. He’s a maniac, shifting between emotions so quickly. Is he right in the head? I guess he couldn’t be. He’s in charge of this wretched place filled with psychopaths after all.
He’s ready to kill me, just like they are.
“Why isn’t this common knowledge?” The Chancellor demands. “Surely Griffin Duke’sheirtaking a bride is something that would make the rounds.” The sarcasm dripping from his tone is overt.
Despite his obvious disbelief, Alexander doesn’t bristle.
“We decided to keep it private because of the nature of things between Alize and I,” Alexander says, a slight smile on his face. “She has no family, and I wanted her nearby. The new name was supposed to be a new beginning for her. A fresh start so she could choose who she wanted to be.”
Another sarcastic chuckle. “Quite the revelation, Mr. Duke.”
Alexander looks to me then, meeting my gaze with one that’s surprisingly warm. “In hindsight, it wasn’t the smartest decision, but I would never regret doing anything that would bring me closer to Alize.” A blush heats my cheeks, and I look away from him.
I would never regret doing anything that would bring me closer to Alize.
That’s when it hits me like a sledgehammer.
Leaking my identity after the breakup led us to this moment. A fucking fake engagement to keep me alive. A chill skates over my skin. Was this his plan all along?
To corner me, so I would have nowhere to run?
My throat grows dry.Oh god.
I try to wrench my hand away from him, but he doesn’t let me. My eyes start to burn, but I gulp down the sadness and bile swirling in my throat. No, I can’t fucking cry—not here, not now, not in front of them, not ever.
“In that case,” the Chancellor says, leaning back in his chair. He rubs his fingertips together, a sly smile on his face. “You’ll still have to pay for this deception.”
My breath catches.
Alexander’s shoulders sag. “How much?”
Dr. Martin’s grin widens. “A donation to fund the construction of a new Horticulture & Botany building. A few million pounds. A drop in the bucket for you.”
With widening eyes, I watch as Alexander appraises the Chancellor.
“Only if it’s named in my mum’s honor,” he says. “She loved flowers.”
That’shis only issue with this situation? Not that he’s being fleeced out of millions of dollars to make this situation ‘go away’? He’s spending all that money for me.
But he probably planned to, anyway—after all, he’s the reason why I’m even here.
