Chapter 17

I returned to the bedroom to rest for a while. Around three in the afternoon, Alexander came back, looking worn out from his day. He headed straight for the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water, and briefly glanced at the pile of gifts in the corner. “Maggie, has anyone been here today?” Maggie answered truthfully, “Mrs. Hawthorne’s friend stopped by.” She hesitated, her words trailing off. Alexander narrowed his eyes. “And then?” “Mrs. Hawthorne asked me to refer to her as 'Miss' in front of her friend.” Alexander frowned. “Vivienne’s friend is a man?” “Yes.” A cold premonition stirred in Alexander’s chest. The friend who had come by today was the one I liked. I had pretended to be single around him. Clearly, I must have liked him very much, probably because I was afraid he'd be put off by my status as a second-time bride. Alexander took a sip of water before asking, “What about the man? What does he look like?” “He seems like a celebrity from TV.” Maggie