Chapter 125 Except for That Night, I Never Touched Her When I Was Sober
"Her perception of me is tainted, she believes I am unclean. Should I pursue her further..." Alexander's voice trailed off, his dissatisfaction evident in the timbre of his words.
"Persist in your pursuit and she will only yearn for divorce with greater fervor. But Alex, why not just grant her the divorce?" Edward questioned, his tone laced with curiosity.
"Why enter into matrimony if the end result is dissolution?" Alexander shot back, his retort sharp and swift.
"Isabella, however, seems to have a different perspective. She sought out Sebastian and myself earlier this evening, imploring us to mediate. She claims to carry a Harrington heir," Edward interjected, his voice steady and informative.
"Does she have evidence to support her claim?" Alexander countered, his tone skeptical.
Edward was left speechless, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
"Sebastian has returned?" Alexander's demeanor shifted, his voice dropping several degrees as he posed the question.
"Yes, he arrived just before nightfall," Edward confirmed.
"Hmph," Alexander scoffed, a cold laugh escaping his lips.
The man had the audacity to return, yet lacked the courage to face him.
Gone were the days when he would seek out his company.
"Returning to the matter of you and Miss Kensington, do you intend to..." Edward began, only to be cut off by Alexander.
"She is my wife," Alexander interjected, his voice firm and unyielding.
Benjamin looked on in confusion, taken aback by Alexander’s stern correction. He had never expected Alexander to assert so solemnly that Victoria was his wife. Her name was seldom on his lips.
"So, should we address her as Mrs. Harrington now?" Benjamin queried, his tone laced with uncertainty.
"Why not?" Alexander retorted, his voice carrying a note of defiance.
"We have no objections, but this would make it public knowledge that she is Mrs. Harrington. What of Isabella? And the child she carries? That child shares your blood," Edward pointed out, his tone probing.
"My blood? Are you suggesting I woke up one morning to find myself a father?" Alexander scoffed, his demeanor shifting from cool indifference to heated sarcasm.
"Alex, are you questioning the paternity of Isabella's child?" Edward couldn't suppress the doubt gnawing at him.
"Save for that one night, I have never laid a hand on her in sobriety," Alexander declared. His reputation for strict discipline and an ascetic lifestyle was well-known, making him the embodiment of self-control.
"So, you're uncertain about what transpired between you and Isabella that night?" Edward pressed, his tone insistent.
"Was it just Isabella and I in that suite?" Alexander retorted, the tension in the room escalating as they all acknowledged the presence of a third party that night.
The atmosphere in the room thickened, becoming almost palpable. Alexander, having consumed only two drinks, rose to his feet and announced, "I'm heading back."
"But Isabella is adamant that the child is yours," Edward reminded him, his voice laced with concern.
Alexander responded with indifference, "I thought our friendship held more weight." Without another word, he departed, leaving Edward to sigh in resignation.
"Why did you bring it up?" Benjamin asked, his tone laced with curiosity.
"I merely wanted to remind him of Isabella's certainty," Edward explained.
"Have you considered that Isabella's certainty might be rooted in something else?" Benjamin probed, his tone suggestive.
Edward locked eyes with him, a realization dawning on him. Could there be another reason? Like...
Suddenly, a memory of Isabella mentioning Sebastian earlier that day surfaced in Edward's mind.
---
Regal Retreat, a drizzle of rain. In the bedroom, a tall figure loomed by the bedside.
The woman in bed was trapped in a nightmare, reliving the car accident.
"Mommy..." she whimpered.
"Don't go, mommy, daddy, no, please no..." She thrashed about, her cries echoing in the silent room, tears streaming down her face.
"Daddy, daddy..." She envisioned her parents climbing into the car, her pleas for them to stay falling on deaf ears. If only they hadn't embarked on that fateful journey, they would still be with her.
But her pleas went unheeded. They cheerfully climbed into the car, discussing the gifts they would bring back for their friends until...
All she could do was chase after them, her desperate cries of "Daddy, stop, please stop..." echoing in the empty street.
Enveloped in the comforting darkness, her restless slumber was abruptly shattered by silence.
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