The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 165

After signing the check, Alexander stood and pulled out my chair. His hand found the small of my back as we navigated through the restaurant, and I was acutely aware of the warmth of his touch through the thin fabric of my dress.

Outside, the valet promptly brought Alexander’s car around. The cool night air was a refreshing change from the restaurant’s warmth, and I took a deep breath, enjoying the scent of night–blooming jasmine from nearby planters.

“Successful evening?” Alexander asked as we settled into the car.

“Very. I think we showed whoever was watching that we’re completely unbothered by their petty gossip.”

“And we ate extremely well in the process.”

“A win–win situation.”

As we drove through the quiet streets of Beverly Hills, I found myself reflecting on the day, from the triumph of securing the Thompson Hotels account to the unexpected confrontation with Penelope and the nasty gossip article.

“Alexander?”

“Hmm?”

“Thank you for handling the legal side of things today. With the article, I mean.”

He glanced over. “No need to thank me. It’s what any husband would do.”

The word “husband” still felt strange to hear, even after our weeks together. Strange, but not unpleasant.

it. I’ve never had to deal with public gossip

echoing his earlier

Something to look

it. And for what it’s worth, you handled yourself

“I did?”

you didn’t take any

to dump my coffee on her

fact that you didn’t is exactly what I

parked in his usual spot and turned off the engine,

to me, one eyebrow raised. “High praise

I

I’m glad I’ve exceeded your

be awkward and uncomfortable, but it’s been… I don’t

awful. I’ll add

playfully.

do,” he admitted, his expression softening. “And for what it’s worth, I

looking at each other in the dim light of the garage. There was something intimate about the moment, not sexual, exactly, but private. A quiet acknowledgment that whatever this was between us, it was evolving

first. “We should head inside. It’s been a long

Who knew fighting off gossip columnists and

of the car and came around to open my door. “The glamorous life

sure ‘glamorous‘ is the word I’d use.” I stepped out, my heels clicking on the concrete floor. “More like ‘exhausting‘ or ‘slightly

staff having retired for the evening. Alexander flicked on the lights as we moved through the expansive

heading toward the bar in the corner of the

and I might start drunk–texting Victoria to tell her exactly what

“Now that

a

called after me as

lit, just the way I’d left it this morning. I flicked on the bedside lamp, casting a warm glow across the king–sized bed. The sight of it was too tempting to resist. 1 flopped face–first onto the plush duvet, letting

day,” I mumbled into

ceiling. The events of the day replayed in my mind: securing the Thompson Hotels account, the confrontation with Penelope, those nasty gossip

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