Chapter 3

"Clear the area," Alexander said coldly.

The bodyguards immediately moved forward, pushing the crowd away with brute force.

Diego frowned, about to snap, but the track owner quickly grabbed him.

The owner's face was pale as he frantically shook his head at Diego. In New York, nobody messed with Alexander Williams.

The crowd dispersed quickly, leaving only the rumble of idling engines.

Alexander took long strides, closing the distance between us.

He carried the chill of the night air, along with a faint, subtle scent of Serena's perfume.

That scent stung my nose.

I forced myself to stand tall, meeting his gaze with a perfect, flawless smile.

"What brings you to a place like this, Mr. Williams?" I flicked my cigarette ash.

"Shouldn't you be helping Miss Bennett try on her new necklace?"

Alexander's gaze fell on the cigarette between my fingers, his brow twitching violently.

He suddenly reached out, snatched the cigarette from my hand, threw it to the ground, and crushed it with his shoe.

The next second, his fingers wrapped around my wrist with enough force to crush my bones.

"Valerie, have you lost your mind?"

He slammed me against the cold car door, his tall frame looming over me like a dark shadow.

"Who the hell gave you permission to get into another man's car?"

He growled, his voice laced with unmasked fury.

My back ached from the impact, but I didn't even flinch.

"I'm single. Whose car I get into is my own business," I said, looking him dead in the eye.

Alexander's pupils dilated.

"Single?" He let out a dark, angry laugh. His fingers gripped my chin, forcing my face up.

"Three years, and now you're telling me you're single? What does that kid have that I don't?"

"Can he fund your movies? Can he get you lead roles?"

He was always like this.

Arrogant, measuring everything with money and power.

To him, I was just a pet he could keep in a cage with money and fame.

Looking at his handsome face, I suddenly felt incredibly sick.

"He can't give me anything," I said, shoving his hand off my chin.

"But at least he wouldn't take the one thing I wanted and put it on another woman right in front of my face."

Alexander froze.

The anger in his eyes flickered, as if he finally realized why I was acting out.

He frowned, his voice returning to his usual cold, rational tone. "It was just a necklace."

"Serena just got back. The Bennett family is crucial for my new project. I had to show her some respect."

"Tomorrow, I'll have my assistant take you shopping. You can have whatever you want. I'll pay."

It was charity, not an explanation.

"I don't want it anymore," I said quietly.

"What?"

"I don't want the necklace. And I don't want you, either."

I pushed past him and walked away.

Alexander’s voice boomed behind me. "Valerie! Are you done throwing this tantrum?"

"Don't mix business with your personal feelings. Come back now, and I'll pretend tonight never happened."

I stopped but didn't turn around.

"Alexander, we're done."

I said it softly, then walked out into the falling snow.