Chapter 7

Alexander's eyes showed surprise as he looked at her a little longer.
Emily returned just in time and sat next to Alison, laughing heartily. "I ran into a high school classmate and chatted for a while."
The waiter brought their main course, and the three began eating. Occasionally, Emily would speak up and chat with Alison about school matters. After their meal, they left the restaurant only to run into Hilda's group. Hilda was treating clients to dinner, so when they met at the entrance, she raised an eyebrow at Alison. The two pretended not to know each other and passed by each other. Two CEOs recognized Alexander outside and respectfully greeted him. The rain had stopped outside; the roads were clear again; John drove over in his car and picked them up.
"Alison, where are you going?" Emily asked from the passenger seat.
"If it's on your way could you drop me off at Columbia University?" replied Alison.
"On our way? No problem! Alexander is easy-going," said Emily with a meaningful smile.
Alison chuckled twice inwardly, thinking she might have believed it too quickly if she hadn't heard how sharp-tongued he was earlier.
They still had some distance left before reaching her university campus; meanwhile, she chatted with Emily while Alexander sat beside them, reading documents silently. However, his solid personal aura made it impossible for anyone to ignore him. These two people were husband and wife riding together in one car, which gave Alison an indescribable feeling.
When they arrived at Columbia University's gate, she bid farewell to Emily before getting off the car: "Thank you very much."
"Don't mention it," replied Emily playfully charmingly.
Alison smiled back, holding her umbrella & bag, then added: "Thank you, Mr.Rosier."
Alexander didn't lift his head but said, "Hmm."
Alison turned around and got off the car, waving goodbye to Emily. As soon as the vehicle drove into traffic, Alison went to wait for her bus at the station.
Emily suddenly remembered something and turned back towards Alexander: "Alexander, I want Alison to tutor Ares at home."
Her parents were often not home; they had gone to London for an economic seminar with her grandparents. They had just left when Ares Rosier's tutor found an excuse to resign. Now it was up to her alone to take care of him, so she needed someone else's help quickly.
Alexander frowned slightly and looked up: "Why don't you hire a professional tutor instead? Why ask a student?"
Emily snorted in response: "The professionals can't handle him! Besides, Alison is quite pitiful, having to earn tuition fees by tutoring others. So I want to help her out."
Alexander didn't trust an ungraduated student but replied, "Let her try then!"
Emily nodded excitedly, "I'll call her later!"
It was almost dark when Alison returned home. When she entered the door, Cooper jumped on her, asking for attention. Cooper was Alexander's dog - a Samoyed- who was only three months old when Alison first came here. She raised him through thick & thin until he became three years old, which gave her that feeling like raising someone else's son.
There was also Maria, who cared for them, the housekeeper Jack, three people, and one dog living together under one roof for nearly three years, making them feel like family. After playing with Cooper for a while, she went upstairs and showered before receiving Emily's phone call about tutoring Ares at their house.
Tutoring at The Rosier Family?
Alison thought about what it would be like there, then shook his head, refusing: "I'm not a professional tutor. I'm afraid it will affect Ares' studies. You should hire someone from a tutoring company."
"Professional ones were hired, but Ares didn't like them. Alison, can you help me out? My family is not at home, and Alexander is busy. Can you please help me?" Emily said with a soft smile and a hint of flirtation.
Emily pestered Alison for quite some time before finally agreeing to try it.
"Come over tomorrow on Sunday; I'll be waiting for you home. Don't stand me up!" Emily quickly hung up the phone in case Alison refused.
Alison blinked her eyes helplessly as she looked at her phone. What's going on?
Soon after, there was a message from Emily on WhatsApp: "Where do you live? Tomorrow morning I will have my driver pick you up."
"At 9 am, I'll wait for you at the entrance of Columbia University," Alison replied.
"That's settled then!"
After hanging up the phone, Alison felt dazed momentarily while Cooper jumped onto the sofa and bit her pajamas.
Alison leaned over Cooper and chuckled softly, "I'll see your master tomorrow. Do you have anything to tell him?"
Cooper looked up blankly at her.
Alison patted his head and sneered, "You fool!"
...
The next day at 8:50 am, Alison arrived at the entrance of Columbia University, where she waited for five minutes before a Mercedes stopped in front of her. Then, finally, the driver got out politely and asked: "Are you, Miss Grey?"
Alison nodded and said: "Yes."
The driver became even more courteous: "Miss asked me to come pick you up."
Alison thanked him and opened the car door to get in.
The Rosier family mansion was located in the south of town with black hollow iron railings covering its exterior walls in vines. It took ten minutes driving along flower walls before the car arrived at the gate. One could see a detached villa and garden passing through the black iron gate.
The servant guarding the entrance nodded to her as he opened the door to let her in.
Alison changed her shoes and walked inside without having time to look closer at the villa's interior when she saw a dog rushing towards her from out of nowhere. Alison's face instantly turned pale as she lifted her leg and ran inside. Someone was coming down from upstairs, but before she had time to think, she leaped up and hugged him tightly by his neck while quickly jumping up with both arms wrapped around his neck.
She feared all dogs in this world except for Cooper!
"David!" The man's voice was deep with a warning.
The dog that rushed over stopped abruptly at Alexander's feet, curiously looking up at Alison back and forth.
Alexander turned his head to look at the woman hanging on him with a dark expression: "If you don't get off me now, I'll accuse you of harassment!"
Alison blinked as she looked at his tense profile before shifting her gaze onto a scar behind his ear. It had been many years since it happened; however, even though it had faded considerably over time, such a noticeable scar still seemed out of place on this well-bred man.
Alexander furrowed his eyebrows slightly, then shook off Alison's hands, wanting to throw her down immediately.
But Alison tightened her grip on his shoulders first and whispered: "Can you make it go away first?"