Chapter 41

Summer stood frozen, staring at the man whose cold presence felt like an approaching storm. Alexander locked eyes with her, silent but sharp, his gaze piercing as if he could see right through her. Taking a shaky breath, Summer forced herself to speak again. "Hey... did I do something wrong? Are you mad at me?" Her voice was soft, almost pleading. She tried to lightly tug at the hem of his sleeve, but before she could, Alexander grabbed her wrist roughly. "Cut the act." His voice was biting, his eyes full of scorn. He seemed almost amused by how startled she looked. "Even if you're not tired of lying,I'm done being your audience." There was a harsh edge to his tone, the kind that cuts deep. His eyes were red-rimmed, anger simmering behind an icy façade. He was holding onto control by a thread. All of James Carter’s words echoed in his mind on a loop—the hug, their closeness... The thought alone made his blood boil. His fury was a wildfire—uncontrollable, destructive. In his world, she