Chapter 172 Such an Act
Isabella's unease was palpable. She had wanted to sit next to Alexander, but at his pointed direction, she had no choice but to take the seat he indicated. Her hands were tightly clasped in her lap, a clear sign of her nervousness. "Alex, what is going on?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
"The incident at the resort," Alexander began, his voice steady and calm. "I want you to explain it to Ava. What really happened?"
Isabella's gaze darted between the two of them, her confusion evident. "Alex, why bring up that out of the blue?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
Was Alexander's intention to have Ava hear the explanation from her? Was he disregarding her feelings, or was this a ploy to give Ava a reason to belittle her?
Ava, too, found the situation baffling. "What do you want her to explain to me? I really don't get what you're thinking."
"It's quite simple," Alexander replied, his tone matter-of-fact. "I tried explaining, and you wouldn't listen. Even if you did, you wouldn't believe me. So, let Isabella explain to you. We'll clarify what happened right in front of you!"
Ava's patience was wearing thin. "I don't have time for these games." She made a move to stand, but Alexander was quick to stop her.
"No one's leaving until everything is cleared up today." His voice was firm, leaving no room for argument.
"Go ahead," he said, turning his gaze to Isabella. "Tell Ava exactly what you told me last time."
His impatience was evident in his tone. Isabella was taken aback, her anxiety skyrocketing. She had to stick to her original story; any deviation would be immediately called out by Alexander.
Taking a deep breath, she mustered the courage to speak. "Last time, Alex took me to a resort..."
Under Alexander's watchful gaze, Isabella recounted the events, not daring to alter any details.
Ava remained silent for a long while after hearing the account. Initially, she found it hard to believe that nothing untoward had happened between them. However, the anger and frustration in Isabella's eyes were convincing. If they had been intimate, Isabella would have been gloating, not displaying such resentment.
Ava was taken aback, but she wasn't entirely convinced. Isabella's claim of spiking Alex's coffee with sleeping pills to help him rest seemed far-fetched. It was more plausible that she had done it to take advantage of him. This meant that Alex probably hadn't touched her, which brought a wave of relief over Ava.
Her mood lightened considerably, as if the sun had finally broken through the clouds. However, just as she was about to voice another thought, she stopped herself. She didn't want to give Isabella the satisfaction. Instead, she forced a smile and took Alexander's hand. "I'm sorry for the misunderstanding. Now that I know nothing happened between you two, I feel relieved."
Turning to Isabella, Ava's smile remained in place. "Miss Harrington, next time try to refrain from such actions. After all, he is a married man. Even if you mean well, it's not appropriate."
"I..." Isabella began to protest, but Alexander's icy stare silenced her. What was Ava trying to imply now? Such an act!
