Chapter 110 She Was Truly Afraid
She was truly afraid.
He wanted to make love to her.
Though she had never been with a man, she was twenty-three and no stranger to the ways of the world.
Was his pursuit of her merely a quest for carnal satisfaction?
Why?
He already had Isabella. Why then, did he desire her?
Once, she had yearned for his touch, but the moment she discovered his involvement with Isabella, she had steeled her heart against such longing.
Why couldn't he control his desires?
Why was he so reckless?
Victoria's heart throbbed within her chest, the fear within her reaching a crescendo.
"Victoria, it's a marital duty. You can't refuse me," Alexander declared.
"No, it's not. If you're with Isabella, you can't desire another woman. Mr. Harrington, please... I’ve always been nothing more than a wife in name to you, I am just…"
"Do you secretly desire another man?" Alexander interrupted her.
"What?" She faltered, taken aback.
"Let me put it bluntly, have you slept with another man while we’re married?" Alexander continued, his voice strained with suppressed rage.
Rumors of her dalliance with Adrian had reached him, and he needed to know the truth.
"No." Her voice was barely a whisper as she vehemently shook her head.
She had never anticipated such distrust from him, especially after she had explained herself.
"Swear it," he commanded.
Victoria looked at him, tears streaming down her face, soaking the pillow beneath her. "I swear," she murmured.
Suddenly, Alexander found himself unable to react. He lay there, staring into her tear-streaked eyes.
His gaze fell on the torn button of her blouse - his handiwork - and he slowly rose, his breath ragged. He hadn't anticipated losing control like this, time and again.
She had fled with Adrian, spent a night with him at the beach, and even avoided returning home by hanging out with unfamiliar colleagues at the club.
She no longer needed him.
Never before had Alexander felt so dispirited and worthless.
"That night, Sebastian and William came to my city to see me. Sebastian said it was a rare gathering, so he invited Isabella too. I hadn't seen much of Isabella before that," he began, his voice low and heavy, seemingly calm but brimming with suppressed emotion.
Victoria lay there, silent, her previously tear-filled eyes now still.
"The next morning, I woke up to find her in my bed, naked."
A wave of confusion washed over her.
"A month later, she told me she was pregnant and asked what I wanted to do with the child."
He continued, then fell silent.
The next part of his tale involved his return to the city and his proposal of divorce to her.
Victoria slowly sat up, fumbling with her torn blouse, unable to utter a word. That was a matter between Alexander and Isabella, not her concern.
All she knew was that Isabella was carrying his child, and he needed to do right by Isabella and the unborn baby. As for her...
Perhaps, in some way, divorce was a resolution.
It was not as if they had spent decades in a marriage of convenience. That would be a feat not easily achieved.
Had he not found contentment with Isabella as she had thought?
Yet, they had shared intimacy, and a child was the result.
She knew she had to step aside.
Besides, he didn't love her.
Victoria silently hugged her knees to her chest. "Shall we get a divorce?" she whispered.
Her voice was barely audible.
She believed it was the best outcome.
Alexander turned to look at her, his eyes filled with a helpless despair, followed by a subdued sigh.
Even after he had bared his soul, she still wanted a divorce.
"Okay," he suddenly agreed.
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