The CEO's Contractual Wife

Chapter 194

Olivia

After finishing work, I decided to explore the hotel. The Savoy was a London landmark in itself, with a storied history and impeccable service. I wandered through the elegant public spaces, admiring the art and architecture, before finding myself at the hotel’s famous American Bar.

I ordered a light lunch and a glass of wine, people–watching, and soaking in the atmosphere. A couple at a nearby table was clearly on their honeymoon, holding hands and stealing kisses when they thought no one was looking. I wondered if Alexander and I looked like that to outsiders, a couple genuinely in love.

The thought gave me pause. What exactly were Alexander and I to each other now? Our relationship had certainly evolved beyond our initial arrangement. The sex was mindblowing, but there was something else there too, a connection I hadn’t anticipated.

After lunch, I returned to the suite to prepare for our afternoon excursion. Alexander arrived precisely at three, his tie loosened and a weary set to his shoulders.

“Rough meetings?” I asked as he collapsed onto the sofa.

“Interminable.” He rubbed his eyes. “The London office is performing well, but some personnel issues need to be addressed.”

“Firing people isn’t fun,” I sympathized.

“Especially when they’ve been with the company for twenty years but can’t adapt to new methodologies.” He sighed, then visibly shook off the business persona. “But enough about that. Ready to see some royal history?”

I nodded enthusiastically. “Let me grab my coat.”

The Tower of London was everything I’d imagined: imposing, historic, and slightly macabre. Our private guide, a retired Yeoman Warder named Roger, was a fountain of knowledge and gruesome anecdotes.

“And right here,” Roger said, gesturing to a small green, “is where Anne Boleyn was beheaded. They brought in a French swordsman specially for her execution, more humane than an ax, you see.”

“How considerate,” I remarked dryly, making Alexander chuckle.

“The king may have wanted her dead, but he still had some affection for her,” Roger explained. “Now, shall we see the Crown Jewels?”

a dazzling display of wealth and power. I was particularly transfixed by the Imperial State Crown with its enormous sapphire and nearly

of upgrading your ring, are you?” Alexander murmured in my ear as I stared at the

don’t know, this might be more my style,” I joked, gesturing to one of

keep that in mind for your

and the modern skyline beyond. The afternoon was cool but clear,

I said, squeezing Alexander’s hand as we walked.

at me with an expression I couldn’t quite read. “You’re easy to please, Olivia. A

that a

I’ve dated would have preferred Bond Street to the

to shop too,” I assured him with a grin. “But history first, shopping

and pulled me closer, wrapping an arm

Garden. The food was incredible, seasonal British cuisine with a modern twist. Alexander

walk back to the hotel, stopping to admire the lights reflecting on the Thames. The London Eye was illuminated against the night sky, slowly rotating with its cargo

tomorrow?” Alexander asked,

hear the views

it. Anything else

And

I have meetings until noon tomorrow,

bar for a nightcap. The pianist was playing classic jazz standards, and the

Alexander said

Now?” I glanced around the

stood and offered his hand. “I want to

stuttered at the way he said it, like it meant something beyond our paperwork. I placed my hand in his and let him guide me to the small space near the piano where a

warm against the small of my back, the other cradling mine against his chest. The pianist shifted into something slower, more intimate, and

I murmured, surprised by how