HIS PRETENSE BRIDE

CHAPTER 23

Xander's POV 

It occurs to me only moments after our dinner ends that I really have no choice but to make this work with Alexa. It's been a tough past few weeks with us, and the last thing I want is to hurt my wife.

It really doesn't matter why I married her. It doesn't matter that I married her to have a child. I couldn't have a child with someone I barely knew anything about. I will have to deal with Alexa for the rest of my life, married or not.

I eye her slowly as she presses her face to the window, taking in the city as the car speeds off. She barely said more than a few words to me after the interruption from the staff earlier. After they left, I couldn't bring myself to say anything to her, especially as I knew that she would only get hurt.

What is wrong with me?

I offered to marry her to make our situation more believable and barely. I offered to marry her so she could give me a child.

Why then am I making things more difficult than they already are? 

She wants me to touch her. We are married, and she is totally on board with me touching her. Why then am I resisting her?

My phone starts to ring, the ominous sound disrupting the silence that has consumed the air. I grab my phone from my pocket, and when I look at the caller ID, I blink in surprise. 

The meeting. 

I completely forgot that I am supposed to be in a meeting with a few investors and partners. It is an important deal that I have been putting off for a while. Plus, I really can't put it off any longer, especially as I'm trying to close down the deal in time for our honeymoon. 

Glancing at Alexa quickly, I wonder if she won't mind if the driver changes direction to take me to the office instead. Since she isn't looking at me, I get the attention of my driver and tell him to switch lanes and get me to my meeting.

Alexa doesn't say a word. She doesn't even turn to look at me after I utter the words. She mustn't be surprised, I guess.

Determined to make it up to her, I keep my lips shut while I text my assistant at the office to help me out with a gift for my wife. Maybe that would pacify her later on. In only a few minutes, he manages to get me to the office, and I alight from the car.

Turning around, I make to go in but stop. Alexa's face is still pressed to the window, and although the glasses are tinted, I know she is no longer watching me. Cussing myself under my breath, I turn around and head into the building for my meeting. 

“I will make it up to you, I promise.” I swear as the elevator takes me up to the top floor where the meeting is holding. 

Hours later, after having my brain frozen from all the back and forth from the meeting, It's close to becoming a close deal. The thoughts almost make me smile, but I am so tired that merely stretching my lips seems to be a problem.

When I step into the office, Carly, my assistant, walks in behind me with a shipping bag. I raise a brow in question at the bag, but the middle-aged woman in her mid-thirties only smiles at the look on my face.

“Here is what you asked for, Mr. Gold.” She says as she offers me the bag.

I take it from her and peep inside. Intrigued, I take out the jewelry box Carly must have gotten. This time, my lips tipped up in the corners at the sight of the very expensive diamond necklace I know must cost a few millions.

“Charged to my account?” I ask her as I run a few fingers over the stone. 

“Of course. Where would I get that kind of money?” Carly rolls her eyes at me.