Chapter 334

Alexander strolled out of the conference room and punched in Esme’s number. Esme picked up in a flash, her voice choked up. “Alexander, you finally called. I thought you’d ghosted me for good.”

Alexander sighed, ruffling his hair, looking distraught. Since Esme’s proposal, he’d gone radio silent. He figured they both needed to cool down, and Elara needed to cool off too.

“Esme, I gotta ask you something, and I need you to be straight with me,” Alexander said, sounding dead serious.

Esme didn’t miss a beat. “Okay, Alexander, shoot. I’ll be honest.”

Alexander’s face tightened, and he dropped his voice. “Did you hire someone to snatch Elizabeth?”

Esme was floored by the question. She couldn’t wrap her head around Alexander even thinking that. Usually, it was Alexander grilling Elizabeth about messing with Esme.

“Alexander, you really think I’d hurt Elizabeth just because I can’t have you?” Esme’s tears flowed, her voice dripping with hurt. “After all these years, if I wanted Elizabeth gone, would I have waited and dealt with all this? You called this late just to ask about Elizabeth, not because you missed me, right?” Esme’s voice was heavy with disappointment.

Esme was increasingly convinced that Alexander’s heart had drifted since Elizabeth brought up divorce. Could it be that Alexander actually had feelings for Elizabeth?

“Esme. We’ll deal with us later. Answer my question first,” Alexander said, glancing at Rose. Rose looked like she was about to faint. Elizabeth was the Percy family’s princess. If something happened to her, they’d be devastated.

“I didn’t!” Esme snapped and then hung up.

Alexander stared at his phone, his expression complicated. He called Nolan, “Dig into who Ms. Russell’s been talking to lately.”

“Got it.”

Alexander wasn’t buying Esme’s story. One side of the story never…

Rose happened to glance up and saw Alexander. She looked like she wanted to say something but clammed up and turned away. Alexander walked over and squatted in front of Rose. Rose and Alexander rarely interacted, and this was the closest they’d ever been.

“Rose, Elizabeth’s gonna be okay. Don’t stress,” Alexander said, trying to sound reassuring.

But Rose couldn’t relax. “Mr. Tudor, Elizabeth’s been pampered her whole life. If she got kidnapped, she must be terrified.”

Alexander went quiet. Rose’s words put a wall between them.

“I’ll find Elizabeth. She’ll be fine,” Alexander promised Rose. He wouldn’t let anything happen to Elizabeth…

“Rose, why don’t you and Declan go home and rest? Let me handle this,” Alexander said, noticing Declan looked exhausted too.

Rose shook her head. “How could we trouble you, Mr. Tudor?” Rose stood up and walked back into the conference room.

Alexander’s heart felt like it was being stabbed. Not only had Elizabeth pulled away from him, but everyone close to her treated him like the enemy since the divorce. He remembered how Elizabeth used to bring him home in high school, and the Percy family treated him like one of their own. Take another look at now.

Alexander hung his head and let out a bitter laugh.