Chapter 76
Chapter 76:
Dominick had never understood why, but something about Alden always put him on edge. As soon as Alden walked in, whatever boldness he’d been riding on vanished. He handed over the menu, allowing Helena to take it.
Feeling somewhat victorious, Helena allowed herself a brief moment of satisfaction. At least Alden wouldn’t have to splurge unnecessarily on the meal. With a gracious smile, she raised her head and extended the menu toward him.
“Mr. Wilson, would you like to add anything p>
Without so much as glancing at the selections, Alden remained silent, his expression unreadable. He handed the menu to Xavier instead.
Helena’s smile faltered as she quickly dropped her gaze. What had she done wrong this time? His coldness had come out of nowhere. She cast a hopeful glance at Xavier, silently asking for his help.
But Xavier, focused on the menu, pretended not to notice her discomfort. After a moment, he asked casually, “Mr. Wilson, should I go ahead and order some alcohol p>
Helena and Alden spoke at nearly the same time.
“Yes,” said Alden.
“No,” said Helena, rising from her seat as she spoke.
That last drinking incident still haunted her. She had no intention of reliving it—not with this crowd, and definitely not tonight.
Sensing the tension, Dominick tried to smooth things over. “Mr. Wilson, Helena doesn’t hold her liquor well. Last time she had a drink, she started saying the most ridiculous things p>
Helena stared down at the table, her cheeks turning scarlet.
A flicker of something sharp passed through Alden’s eyes. His slight smile faded, replaced by something far colder. “You and Ms. Ellis seem quite close p>
“We’ve been through a lot on the job. That kind of thing builds a bond, you know?” Dominick said, offering a clueless laugh.
Alden’s tone dropped a few degrees colder. “If memory serves, Ms. Ellis is a married woman. No matter how strong a workplace friendship might be p>
“Boundaries exist for a reason. Otherwise, people will start drawing their own conclusions p>
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Dominick had just taken a sip of water when Alden’s comment landed like a blow, sending him into a harsh coughing fit. Helena quickly reached over and handed him a tissue, casting Alden a quiet, imploring glance in hopes that he would hold back.
Instead of softening, Alden’s expression darkened even more when he met her gaze.
Memories of Helena chatting easily with Dominick, walking out of the building side by side, suddenly surfaced. She had always kept others at arm’s length—but with Dominick, there was never any hint of hesitation.
If he hadn’t been the one to marry Helena first, then she and Dominick… Alden’s fingers absently twisted his wedding band. “There’s been chatter going around about improper conduct between coworkers at Nexus TV lately. I believe it’s best for men and women in the workplace to maintain respectful boundaries, especially when one of them is married p>
As soon as his words settled into the air, tension gripped the table. Several heads turned toward Helena. Everyone knew exactly who Alden meant, even if he hadn’t said her name.
Helena was stunned. Her head snapped up as she struggled to process the words that had just reached her ears. Alden was really twisting the very thing that had hurt her most these past few days, just to push Dominick away from her?
She looked at Alden with disbelief, the warmth fading from her delicate features.
“Thank you for your concern, Mr. Wilson, but I don’t have many people I’m close to at work—Dominick just happens to be one of the few. And for the record, my husband has complete faith in me. He always stands by me, no matter what others might say p>
Helena’s response dragged the mood at the table down even further. Dominick shifted awkwardly, and the rest of the team exchanged uneasy glances.
Nobody could figure out why Helena—usually kind and even-tempered—sounded so cutting when she spoke to Alden. She had done the same thing earlier at the press conference, and now again, over dinner? It almost felt like there was something personal going on, something no one else was aware of.
As Alden noticed her eyes welling up, a heavy wave of realization crashed into him.
He hadn’t meant to hurt her. His only goal had been to keep Dominick in check.
But the words had already left his mouth, and no apology could undo them.
Regret sat heavy in his chest, sharper than pride for the first time.