Chapter 7

I rushed to Crown City that very night.

When I saw Aunt Grace, she hugged me and broke down in tears.

Aunt Grace sobbed, "Alexander won't even listen to his dad anymore.

"When he took the kids away, his father was so furious he passed out and had to stay in the hospital for a long time.

"Serena, the kids are still so young. Charlotte's so vicious, she might actually hurt them. He can't marry her!"

Aunt Grace fell silent.

I spent a long time trying to calm her down.

After a lot of hesitation, I finally decided to go see Alexander.

Even if he mocked me or had me thrown out, I still needed to know why he was doing all this.

I went to the villa where Alexander usually stayed.

The front door was covered in thick ivy, and inside, I could hear the maids murmuring to each other.

But nobody came to open the door for me.

It was peak summer, and I sat on the steps for three hours, almost getting heatstroke.

Summer weather can flip in a heartbeat.

The rain started pattering down, and before I knew it, a full-blown thunderstorm was raging overhead.

I was soaked to the bone, looking absolutely miserable.

as I was about to give up and leave, the front door suddenly swung open.

The butler greeted me warmly, his face lit up with a big smile.

The butler said, "Miss Serena, Mr. Ford would like to see you."

I walked in, dripping wet from head to toe.

The maid lent me some clothes to change into, and I rubbed my hair dry with a towel.

I looked around the living room in silence.

It was pretty much the same as when I used to live here, nothing had really changed.

The only thing new was a toy castle for kids in the corner, stuffed with blocks and toy cars.

The butler kept hurrying me along, visibly anxious.

I tidied up my clothes, climbed the stairs to the second floor, and with my heart pounding, knocked on the door to the study.

Alexander said, "Come in."

Inside the study, Alexander was leaning back on the sofa in a custom black suit and deep blue tie, his legs slightly apart. He looked exhausted, rubbing his temples as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders.

"Mr. Ford," I said.

I stopped about ten feet away from him and got straight to the point.

I said, "I really don't think Charlotte is the right person for you. She'll never be good to the kids. You"

Alexander asked, "Why do you care?"

He didn't even spare me a glance.

Alexander said, "When you walked out, you said you wanted nothing to do with me.

"So why do you care who I marry?"

I was left speechless.

After a long pause, I licked my lips, softened my tone, and spoke in an almost pleading voice:

I said, "I know you hate me, but those kids are your own flesh and blood. Charlotte will never treat them well. She might even abuse them. Please, I hope you'll really think it over."

Alexander let out a short laugh.

His eyes finally met mine. "Do you know why I picked Charlotte?"

I shook my head.

Alexander said, "If I didn't choose her, how else could I force you to come back?

"Did you really think I'd let you settle down in Riverdale with that idiot Ryan, pop out a bunch of kids, and grow old together?"

I froze. "Wait, what did you say?"

Alexander said, "If you really can't stand the idea of me marrying Charlotte, then why don't you marry me yourself?

"Because honestly, who else could look after the kids better than their own mother?"

My eyes shot open in disbelief.

Did I hear that right?

"Mr. Ford," I whispered.

"Either I marry Charlotte, or you marry me. That's your only option," Alexander said.

He leaned back on the sofa, nonchalantly, as if he had everything under control.

Alexander said, "I'm giving you thirty minutes to make up your mind.

In thirty minutes, you'd better give me an answer I like."

My mind went completely blank.

For a second, it felt unreal, like I was dreaming.

Before I came, I'd pictured a hundred different ways our reunion might play out.

I thought he'd glare at me with contempt, sneer, maybe even have me thrown out.

But nothing could have prepared me for this.

What the hell is going on?

Why would he even want to marry me?

My back was pressed against the door.

I had nowhere left to run.

I gritted my teeth and stared him down.

I said, "You're their father. You know better than anyone what Charlotte is capable of when it comes to the kids. You can't let this happen!"

Alexander ignored me completely, like he hadn't heard a thing.

He glanced at his watch, his tone cool and detached.

Alexander said, "You've got twenty-five minutes left."

Screw your twenty-five minutes. I don't want either of these choices!

I had no idea what was going on in Alexander's head.

I thought I had him all figured out.

But in this moment, he was like a complete stranger to me.

He seriously wants to marry me?

After I walked out on him for good, he's pulling all these manipulative stunts to force me back and now he expects me to marry him?

Has he gone crazy?

"Time's up," Alexander said.

Alexander opened his eyes and looked at me. "Have you made your choice?"