Chapter 97: Chapter Ninety seven: only with my permission
Alexander and Alicia’s eyes t but it was Just for a second.
Then Alicia lowered her gaze, forcing a shy expression onto her face.
But the helplessness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden.
Her thoughts drifted back to that conversation—
To what Alexander had said about divorce... even if there was a child.
A faint bitterness rose in her chest.
She didn’t understand what he was thinking.
But one thing, she felt certain of—
In his eyes, she was never the one.
Not the one worthy of carrying his child.
Not the one he would choose to build a future with.
That place...
Had always belonged to Lilian.
"Alright, you’re going to be late," Aunt Rose said, breaking the tension.
They exchanged their goodbyes.
Nadia got into the car, waving as the vehicle pulled away.
Alicia stood there, watching until it disappeared from sight.
Only then did she turn and walk back inside with the others.
"Uncle, are you planning to stay here for long?" Alexander asked.
"I didn’t expect us to stay this long," his uncle replied. "But for now, we’ll remain here and keep an eye on your grandmother’s health."
"You don’t have to do that. I’m fine now," Grandma protested.
"We can’t just leave you alone," Aunt Rose said gently.
"I’m not alone. I have the staff here," Grandma insisted.
They continued their discussion, voices overlapping lightly.
Alicia sat quietly to the side, watching them with a faint, distant smile.
...
They stayed until evening before finally getting up to leave.
After saying their goodbyes, Alexander and Alicia walked out together.
Hand in hand.
But the mont they stepped out of the living room—
Alicia pulled her hand away.
Alexander’s steps paused.
His gaze flickered to his now empty hand.
Without a word, he reached out and took hers again.
This ti, his grip was firr.
Alicia frowned and tried to pull away, but his hold tightened, refusing to let go.
"What are you doing?" she asked, stopping in her tracks, her voice cold.
Alexander looked at her. "I should be asking you that. What are you doing?"
"What do you an?"
He didn’t release her hand.
His voice lowered, steady but firm.
"You said Grandma wanted us to get along. That I should show it through my actions."
His fingers tightened slightly around hers.
"I’m doing exactly that. But you keep pushing
away—again and again."
Alicia’s gaze flickered.
Her coldness these past few days... had been that obvious?
"I’m not pushing you away," she said.
"Really?" Alexander lifted their joined hands slightly. "Then what is this?"
Alicia didn’t answer.
His eyes darkened.
"I also saw you give the cookies to your assistant."
Her lips pressed together.
For a brief mont, the question rose to her throat—
Were those cookies... never ant for
either?
But she swallowed it back.
There was no need to ask.
She already knew the answer.
Back then, they hadn’t been close.
There had been no reason for him to buy her cookies.
And if she asked now—
He might realize.
Realize her feelings for him.
That was sothing she couldn’t allow.
"Can’t explain it?" Alexander pressed, his voice quieter now—but heavier.
Alicia looked up at him.
"Are you serious?"
"Of course I am." Alexander held her gaze steadily. "I’ve been serious about keeping my promise to Grandma."
Her eyes lingered on his for a mont—
Then she lowered them.
She didn’t respond.
Over the past few days, she had felt it—his concern. Subtle, restrained... but real.
And yet—
She couldn’t trust it.
Didn’t dare to.
Or maybe...
She was just afraid.
Afraid of losing herself again.
Afraid of slipping back into the sa place she had struggled so hard to climb out of—
Where she couldn’t escape.
Where she couldn’t protect her own heart.
Sensing her silence, Alexander stepped closer.
Gently, he reached out and pressed her head against his chest.
"Alicia," he said softly, "don’t push
away."
His voice was low, almost coaxing.
"Since you’ve already promised Grandma... why not try to be sincere with ?"
For a mont, she didn’t move.
Then, quietly—
"That depends on you," she murmured.
Her voice was soft, but there was a line drawn within it.
She could stop pushing him away.
But she wouldn’t take a single step forward on her own.
She would let things happen... naturally.
And if anything went wrong—
She would make sure she could walk away in ti.
Alexander seed to pause, as if weighing her words.
Then he said, "In that case... can we move back to the master bedroom?"
Alicia’s lashes trembled slightly.
Before she could respond, he added quickly,
"A healthy married life can help improve the relationship between husband and wife."
For a split second, sothing almost like a smile tugged at her lips.
For two years, their marriage had been harmonious but there hadn’t been much of a bond between them.—
"Fine," she said at last. "But you can’t—"
"I know," Alexander cut in imdiately.
With Maria’s help, the two of them moved back into the master bedroom that very night.
Maria was clearly delighted. She busied herself arranging the room, scattering rose petals across the bed and lighting a few scented candles.
By the ti everything was set, the space looked warm... almost intimate. Too intimate.
Alicia stood by the doorway, her gaze sweeping over the room. The soft glow of candlelight flickered against the walls, the faint fragrance of roses filling the air. Everything about it suggested closeness. Tenderness. A beginning.
But for so reason—it made her feel suffocated.
Behind her, Alexander stepped in as well, his presence filling the space just as quietly, just as steadily. The door clicked shut. The sound echoed faintly in the room. Neither of them spoke.
The silence stretched, thick and unspoken, blending with the scent of roses and the dim light. What should have felt warm only made the distance between them more obvious. Yet, even in the quiet, Alicia could feel the familiar tug she had been trying to resist for days.
Alicia’s POV
As I lay there, the darkness pressing softly around us, I couldn’t shake the unfamiliar flutter in my chest.
This was our wedding bed—the place we had shared for two years. Yet tonight, it felt different.
I sensed his presence beside , warm and steady, impossible to ignore. My body reacted before my mind could catch up, my heart beating a little faster, my fingers gripping the sheets.
"Alicia," Alexander whispered, his voice low and calm, "are you asleep?"
"No," I murmured.
"Would you like
to tell you a story?"
"...Mm."
His voice carried through the room, soothing, steady. I listened, but sleep didn’t co. My mind was wide awake, aware of every small sound, every subtle movent he made.
When he finished, he asked again, "Are you asleep?"
"No."
A brief silence followed. Then I felt him shift closer. His warm breath brushed my face, sending a shiver down my spine.
"Since you can’t sleep..." he murmured softly, "...shall we try sothing else?"
I bit my lip, staring into his eyes in the dark. He knew
too well to know that I was just pretending, pretending to resist.
"I told you... only with my permission," I whispered, my voice trembling slightly.
He raised an eyebrow, leaning just a little closer, his hand brushing mine. "And do I have it now?"
I didn’t answer. My chest tightened, a mixture of anticipation and fear coiling inside . My silence was my answer—hesitant, restrained, but not rejection.
Alexander’s eyes softened. He didn’t push further, not yet. He simply let his presence speak, the unspoken tension thick between us. Slowly, deliberately, he pressed his lips to mine.
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