Chapter 3
At seven o'clock that evening, I was all dolled up and ready to head out.
Just as I reached the entryway, James' voice called out from behind me, "Where are you going?"
"Just grabbing dinner with a friend," I replied, not even bothering to look back as I slipped on my shoes.
"Which friend?" James pressed.
"Why do you care? Mr. Foster, aren't you busy running Foster Holdings? Maybe you should pay more attention to your stocks," I retorted, my voice dripping with sarcasm.
Silence hung in the air behind me.
I finished putting on my shoes, pulled the door open, and was about to leave.
"Be back by ten," he said, his tone giving nothing away.
"Why should I? The agreement's gone, but my freedom's still mine!" I made a face at him over my shoulder, then slammed the door behind me.
That should get under his skin.
Alex had booked us a table at an upscale bistro, the kind of place that was always packed but somehow still felt peaceful and private.
He was just as charming as ever, with that gentle, refined vibe, and his eyes were full of open admiration as he looked at me.
"Sophia, you're still as beautiful as ever," Alex said, his voice warm and sincere.
"You're looking pretty sharp yourself, Alex," I replied with a polite smile.
A few glasses of wine loosened his tongue.
"Honestly, when I heard you got married, it felt like my heart broke in pieces. That James... is he good to you? I heard he's so cold, he's basically a block of ice," Alex said, sounding genuinely worried.
I rolled my eyes. "A block of ice? Try a whole iceberg."
"I knew it. Sophia, if you ever feel wronged, you have to tell me. My shoulder's always here for you," Alex sighed, his face full of concern.
As he said that, he reached out, trying to put his hand on my shoulder.
Just as I was about to quietly dodge his hand, a cold voice rang out behind me. "Mr. Carter, fancy running into you here."
I froze, my whole body going stiff.
I turned around and saw James standing there, flanked by a group of sharp-suited executives.
Dressed in a charcoal overcoat, he seemed to draw all the warmth from the room.
What the hell was he doing here? Was he stalking me?
Alex's smile froze the moment he saw James. He stood up, looking a little flustered. "M-Mr. Foster, what brings you here?"
James' gaze swept over Alex's hand, still hanging awkwardly in the air, his eyes icy cold.
"Just here with my team to discuss a project," he said coolly, then turned to me. "Are you done?"
Like I'd dare say I wasn't finished.
"Y-Yeah, we're finished," I stammered.
"Let's go home." He sounded like he was bossing around an employee.
I was burning up inside, but with people watching, I wasn't about to start a fight with him.
I stood up and gave Alex a forced, apologetic smile. "Alex, I gotta run. Let's catch up another time, okay?"
His face fell, but with James right there, Alex didn't dare say a single word.
The Foster family was basically untouchable in Riverdale—no one else even stood a chance.
I followed James out of the restaurant, keeping my mouth shut the whole way.
Once we got into his Rolls-Royce Phantom, the tension inside was suffocating.
The driver barely dared to breathe.
I snuck a look at James—his jaw was clenched so tight, and his glare looked sharp enough to kill.
Why was he pissed off? Seriously, what the hell? We said we wouldn't meddle in each other's lives.
Halfway through the drive, he cut in, his tone cold as ice. "Stop the car."
The driver hit the brakes hard, clearly startled.
James turned to me, his eyes locked onto mine like he was trying to burn a hole through me.
"Sophia, do you ever listen to a single word I say? I told you to be back by ten. And..." He paused, his voice icy.
"Stay away from that guy from now on.
"I don't like you being around him," James said, his tone leaving no room for argument.