Chapter 78
Chapter 78:
Helena stood motionless, caught off guard by how quickly Alden had noticed she had removed her ring.
Still, did it really matter? He had flashed a smile at another woman like it meant nothing!
She lifted her gaze to meet his, her voice steady as she forced a smile. “Keeping our marriage secret is the least I could do, Mr. Wilson. You don’t owe me anything p>
Alden’s fingers curled tighter around her wrist, betraying tension he hadn’t voiced. “Stay away from Dominick p>
Helena narrowed her eyes. “Is there a reason you look down on him? I saw how friendly you were with that anchor next to you. And I’m curious—why invite my team to dinner in the first place p>
Alden’s tone remained cool as he said, “That night at Nightfall Bar, you called me and said they wanted to meet me. I figured dinner would be the best way to get a sense of the people around you p>
“The one they wanted to see wasn’t…” Helena started to protest, but the rest of her words stayed locked in her throat.
Technically, she had called Alden because her colleagues had been curious. But this wasn’t what she’d envisioned at all.
She had imagined something simple. A quiet dinner, no need for secrets. She would sit with her husband, publicly and confidently embracing the well-wishes from friends and coworkers.
But that version of events wasn’t theirs. It likely never would be. A dull ache settled over her at the thought.
Closing the distance, Alden leaned in, his voice low and commanding as he asked, “Where’s your ring p>
Without a word, Helena slipped it from her pocket.
It still shone with the same brilliance it had on their wedding day. But to Helena, it no longer felt like the mark of some distant arrangement. Now, it carried a weight she hadn’t felt before. Its meaning had shifted.
Alden gently slipped it onto her finger. “Unless you hear it from me, don’t take it off again p>
Helena offered a slight nod, yet even with the ring now back on her finger, Alden’s grip on her hand didn’t ease in the slightest.
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Out of nowhere, he asked, “At the development area… you were about to say something, weren’t you p>
The image of Helena running into the chaos, shouting his name like nothing else mattered, had stayed with him. Had that moment meant something to her too?
Rather than respond, Helena simply shook her head.
Whatever strength she’d gathered had vanished just as quickly as it came. The truth was—they came from two different worlds. There was no use indulging in wishful thinking.
As the dinner wound down, Alden shot a glance in Xavier’s direction.
Catching on, Xavier approached Helena. “Ms. Ellis, I can give you a ride. We’re headed the same way p>
“That won’t be necessary,” Helena said flatly. “We’re not actually headed in the same direction p>
From the side, Dominick interjected, “Then come with the company car. I’ll drop you off p>
“That won’t be necessary either,” Helena replied, her tone clipped.
Alden rubbed at the bridge of his nose, utterly lost as to what she was thinking.
With zero emotion on her face, Helena grabbed her bag and said in a deliberate tone, “I’ll take a cab home myself. I’ll submit the receipt to the station for reimbursement later. None of you need to give me a ride.” And just like that, she turned on her heel and walked off, still simmering.
Even after all of her coworkers had left, Helena lingered outside, still waiting for her ride to show up.
She briskly rubbed her palms together, trying to chase the chill from her fingers.
Rather than leave her standing there, Alden had Xavier drive around the block before pulling up beside the curb.
As the window eased down, Alden leaned toward her and called out, “Your coworkers already left. That means it’s just us now. Get in p>
Not bothering to acknowledge him, Helena spotted an approaching taxi and slipped inside without hesitation.
Watching her disappear into the cab, Alden sat stunned before quietly instructing Xavier, “Follow that car. Slowly p>
Frustration clawed at him. He left the window open, hoping the cold air might help clear his head.
As he loosened his tie, he struggled to figure out why Helena had abruptly decided they should head home separately.
“There’s just something about Dominick that gets under my skin,” he muttered to himself.
A grin tugged at the corner of Xavier’s mouth. “Should I be honest with you, Mr. Wilson p>
Arching a brow, Alden gave a short nod. “Yes p>
“Well, sir,” said Xavier, his tone amused, “You’re jealous. Ask Mr. Morrison if you want a second opinion p>
The idea struck Alden as completely absurd. “Jealous? Me? That’s nonsense p>
“Your wife was feeling jealous too,” Xavier added. What he said next caught Alden completely off guard. “Honestly, the entire dinner was just the two of you taking turns being jealous p>