Chapter 323

The car had barely left the driveway when Evelyn noticed Alexander's unusual silence. His jaw was clenched tight, fingers gripping the steering wheel with uncharacteristic tension.

She stole glances at his profile, the sharp angles of his face illuminated by passing streetlights. The words hovered on her tongue - What's wrong? - but something in his stormy expression made her swallow them back.

The city lights streaked past like shooting stars. Without warning, Alexander swerved into a deserted side street, tires screeching against asphalt. Before Evelyn could react, he'd already unbuckled her seatbelt with one hand while reclining her seat with the other.

In one fluid motion, he pulled her across the console onto his lap. The leather seat creaked beneath their combined weight as Alexander cradled the back of her head, pressing her against the cold steering wheel. His lips crashed into hers with a desperation that stole her breath.

It wasn't a kiss - it was a claiming.

His calloused palms framed her face as if she might disappear, his mouth mapping every inch of her with reverent urgency. The faint taste of coffee and mint exploded across Evelyn's senses as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sweeping possessively against hers.

The confined space filled with the scent of his cologne - sandalwood and something uniquely Alexander. Evelyn's fingers tangled in his hair as the world outside the tinted windows ceased to exist.

His teeth grazed her bottom lip, drawing a gasp that he swallowed hungrily. The dashboard clock ticked loudly in the sudden silence between breaths, marking seconds that stretched into eternity.

Alexander broke away just enough to rest his forehead against hers, his ragged breathing fogging up the windshield. "Say you're mine," he demanded, voice rough with emotion.

Not a request.

A plea.

The touch was so light it could have been mistaken for a passing breeze.

Overcome by the sudden intimacy, Evelyn attempted to turn away. Her thoughts raced. It's the middle of the day. Even if this alley is quiet, we're still parked right by the street. What if someone sees us?

But Alexander wasn’t having any of it.

Without hesitation, he pulled her back, his arms locking around her possessively. His kiss was relentless, demanding, leaving no room for escape.

Only when he was satisfied did he finally release her, his breathing uneven. He rested his forehead against hers, his voice low and rough. "Evelyn, I'm not in a good mood. Fix it."

Her pulse stuttered.

The way he said it—like a child denied his favorite treat—made her chest tighten.

Evelyn studied him carefully, her gaze softening. "Why are you upset? Is it because of what just happened?" She mentally replayed the last half-hour.

When Ethan had tried to corner her earlier, she had been firm in her rejection. She had made sure Alexander’s pride remained intact, ensuring he had the upper hand in every way.

He had dominated the encounter effortlessly.

So why was he still brooding?

Alexander abruptly let go of her, his expression dark. "Even though you shut him down, I’m still not happy." He reached into his pocket, pulling out a cigarette and placing it between his lips.

The tension in the air was thick enough to cut.

Alexander hadn't been part of her life in those seven years, leaving him with lingering insecurities.

The silver lighter clicked open, its flame dancing as Alexander shielded it to light his cigarette. He inhaled deeply, the nicotine calming his nerves before rolling down the tinted window of his car. Smoke curled into the evening air as he rested his arm against the frame, his gaze distant.

His voice was low, rough with emotion. "Ethan called me a coward. Said I was a venomous snake who'd sink to any depths."

Evelyn turned to him, her brow furrowing. "He was angry. You don't actually believe that, do you? You're the most principled man I've ever known, Alexander."

A humorless laugh escaped him as he stubbed out the cigarette. "You give me too much credit." He turned to face her fully, his dark eyes intense. The scent of tobacco clung to him as he confessed, "Evelyn, Ethan wasn't entirely wrong. I did whatever it took to make you mine. You have no idea the lengths I went to."

Her breath caught.

Alexander continued, voice raw, "I sought you out first. I'd wanted to marry you for years. That day you left Hawthorne Estate, broken and desperate, when you called me—" His jaw tightened. "I'd never felt such triumph."

"So yes," he admitted, "I took advantage. Every moment was calculated. I orchestrated Ethan's marriage to Vanessa. Those reporters waiting outside the hotel that night? They were mine." His fingers flexed against the steering wheel. "Does that disgust you?"

The silence between them grew heavy. Evelyn stared at him, seeing the man she loved in an entirely new light.

The phone trembled in my hand, my breath catching in my throat.

"Evelyn," Alexander's voice was rough with emotion, as if he'd been holding onto those words for years. "You have no idea."

A decade.

Ten years of silence. Ten years of wondering if he'd ever speak my name again.

My fingers tightened around the device, my pulse erratic.

"I've been waiting for this call," he admitted, the weight of those years pressing between us. "Every damn day."

The confession shattered something inside me.

I had thought I was the only one counting the days. The only one haunted by what we'd lost.

But he had been waiting too.

Silently.

Relentlessly.

Just like me.