Chapter 95
As Natalie emerged from the bathroom, toweling her hair dry, she saw the custom bag she had bought lying on the bed. Next to it were several suitcases, lined up
neatly.
Damn it. She had forgotten to tell the store manager not to deliver the bag to the hotel. The person Alexander sent to pick up her luggage must have brought it along with everything else.
“Check if anything is missing p>
Suddenly, Alexander’s voice came from the sofa. Natalie turned to see him watching her, a smile in his eyes. It was just a smile, but it made her heart pound with
nervousness.
“Okay, I will p>
Natalie pretended not to notice the bag, silently praying he wouldn’t recognize it from the boutique. He hadn’t gone into the private room with her, so he wouldn’t know the styles.
She opened each suitcase and checked its contents carefully. “Nothing’s missing. It’s all here,” she confirmed.
“Good,” Alexander said, his expression unchanged. Natalie breathed a sigh of relief.
But in the next second, he stood up and walked over, his gaze falling to the bed. “What a coincidence. Is that a KC bag p>
KC was the brand of the luxury boutique.
Natalie’s heart leaped into her throat.
“Did you buy it abroad?” he asked.
The brand had stores in major cities worldwide. “Yes,” she mumbled, going along with his suggestion. “I bought it in London. I haven’t really used it p>
His dark eyes stared at her for a long moment before he let out a short laugh. “No wonder you didn’t find anything you liked this afternoon p>
“The custom styles in Cabinda are different from the ones in London, so I couldn’t find anything p>
Natalie started to relax. Alexander nodded without saying more.
“You should get some sleep. I still have some work to do p>
“Okay p>
After he left the bedroom, closing the door behind him, Natalie let out a long breath.
If he had known she’d bought the bag at that very store, she wouldn’t have gotten off so easily.
“So stupid,” she muttered, slapping her own forehead as she began to hang up her clothes.
Outside the door,
Alexander’s
pleasant expression vanished, replaced by a dark, somber look. Half an hour ago, the store manager had called him. She told him that Mrs. Ramirez had selected a custom bay that afternoon but had paid for it herself without his knowledge. Fearing it would cause trouble between them, the manager had decided to come clean. Follow current nová´‡ls on.net
By then, Natalie’s things had already arrived, including a distinctively wrapped gift box with the brand’s logo. Her desire for a divorce was so strong she wouldn’t even accept a gift from him. The one bag she had let him buy was inexpensive, and she was probably already plotting how to return it to him.
Alexander clenched his fists. After a moment’s thought, he had placed the custom bag in the most obvious spot on the bed, curious to see how she would explain it. When the bathroom door opened, he saw the shock surprise and flicker of panie on her face in that instant, desire to confront her vanished, and he found himself offering her an excuse instead.
Standing outside the master bedroom, Alexander gave a bitter, self-deprecating smile before finally heading to the study.
By the time Natalie finished unpacking, it was very late, and Alexander still hadn’t returned. She took a blanket and lay down on the sofa. Exhausted from the day, she fell asleep almost instantly.
She woke up thirsty. As she sat up to get some water, she realized she was in the bed. Looking over at the sofa, she saw Alexander lying flat on his back, one arm covering his forehead. His long legs were bent uncomfortably to fit the sofa’s length, and his brow was furrowed in his sleep.
Natalie stared. When had he moved her to the bed? She hadn’t felt a thing. She had been about to get up for water, but now, afraid of waking him, she gently lay back down.
When she opened her eyes again, it was morning. The sofa was empty. Natalie checked the time: seven o’clock sharp.
The auction started at ten, so she wasn’t in a rush. She got out of bed, washed up, and changed into a stylish, deep blue pantsuit with a fluid drape. When she went downstairs, Alexander was in the dining room talking with Charlotte. They both looked up as she approached.
“Natalie, you look beautiful in that suit! So chic p>
Natalie blushed at the compliment.
Alexander, however, concealed the flicker of admiration in his eyes and handed a peeled egg to Charlotte. “Grandma, I think your taste needs an update p>