HIS PRETENSE BRIDE

CHAPTER 32

Xander's POV

I spoke too soon earlier. 

Well, my day started out right before it took a dramatic turn for the bad and the good again only for it to take another downhill turn that I am not a fan of. 

After Dave and Sofia left with Alexa, I remain to finish my day's work. I am determined to finish my pending work and go on our honeymoon with Akexa the following week. As I think about it, I realize that I have little to no idea on where she would like to go.

I'm sure there are places on her list—that's if she has one—that she would love to go to. She would definitely be excited to go on our honeymoon there. It would be an experience of a lifetime.

But despite myself, I start to tick off the places I would want us to visit if she doesn't have a place in mind. Pretty sure she must be thinking that we won't be going on our honeymoon anymore. As if I would pass on a time to relax and free my mind off work. 

The phone rings on my table, startling and drawing me away from my work. I stare at it for a second before answering the call knowing that it's Carly that is on the line. As soon as I'm clear on where we want to go, I will have Carly start to make reservations and plans for us. Knowing that won't be a problem is a relief. Money can buy those sort of things.

“Yes, Carly?” I ask when I answer the call. I can hear her breathing hard on the line and I can immediately tell that someone is giving her a hard time.

“Carly,” I call again, ready to shoot out of my seat to go see who.

“Mr. Gold, your mother is here.” She tells me in a pained voice, like she is being hurt. 

My body freezes for a few seconds as I glare at the telephone. My mother shouldn't be here. She has been in Singapore and then Geneva in the last few weeks. When did she return back to NY without my knowledge? My informants are starting to slack on their job. 

I breathe hard on the line, anger and unease burrowing up my veins. “I'm coming, Carly.” 

When I hang up, I shoot out of my seat without bothering to shut my laptop. I leave everything behind and walked out of my office. I take the left turn and head over to Carly’s office. Just as I suspected on the line, she is hurt. 

There are tears in her eyes when I approach her and neck looks bruised like someone had wrapped their hands around it, almost choking her to death. My heart stops and I go to her. She raises a hand up in the air to tell me that she is fine but I know better.

I turn my head to the woman seated on the couch flanked by two other men I recognize as hey bodyguards. The men who do my stepmother’s dirty work for her. The one with a scar on his left cheek sneers at me while the other one simply stares at me as if already bored with my presence. Anger boils in the pit of my stomach and I see red as I storm toward her. 

“Really, mother?” I scream, furious.  “This is how you make your presence known? By hurting my assistant?” 

A smirk stretches on her lips as she looks up at me. Those familiar eyes I have seen almost all my life doesn't startle me. They look as deceitful as she appears to be to everyone. Knowing that only makes me more mad.

“I didn't do a thing,” she says in a deceptively sweet voice that can fool anyone but me. “I've been sitting here all along.” She adds.

“Really?” I shoot her a glare as though her response matter.  I believe her though. She didn't do a thing but her bodyguards did. And they know it since the fuckers are now grinning at me.