Chapter 196

Evelyn froze for a second, her cheeks burning crimson.

Had she misunderstood him?

Alexander's words were perfectly innocent, yet they made her ears turn red.

"You..." She stumbled over her words.

"Hmm?" He leaned in closer, his breath brushing her ear. "Did I say something wrong? When did you become so stingy... refusing even me."

"Stop it!" She pushed against his chest, but he caught her wrist.

His lips grazed her fingertips, his gaze dark with possessive hunger—as if he wanted to devour her whole.

Evelyn squirmed, feeling branded by his touch.

"Alexander, remember our agreement," she protested, trying to pull free.

"The agreement never said I couldn't kiss you," he countered, unmoving. "Or that we couldn't live together."

She averted her eyes from his scorching stare.

"What about Isabella Winslow? The whole city saw your engagement."

His expression turned icy. "Must you do this, Evelyn?"

He knew her too well.

Bringing up Isabella was just her way of reminding him of Julian Ashford.

She didn’t want reconciliation.

This marriage was only for the baby.

The realization tightened his chest.

The only comfort was that she valued this child more than Julian.

But the thought of her carrying another man's baby made it hard to breathe.

"Evelyn," he pulled her flush against him, "I'm the legal father now. Do you want our child raised in a broken home?"

She pressed a hand to his chest. "We'll discuss that after the birth. If you still want to be a father by then."

"I'm starting now." His arms locked around her, leaving no room for refusal.

"Alexander—"

"You expect me to watch you live across from Julian?" he cut in. "To let another man covet my wife?"

"He wouldn’t—"

"Did you change the locks?" he challenged.

Evelyn hesitated.

Julian had returned the key...

"I saw you leaving together," Alexander said coldly. "I won’t tolerate it again."

Suddenly, he asked, "How did this happen?"

Her breath hitched.

That was a question she couldn’t answer.

He took her silence as confirmation.

"You're my wife now," he gritted out. "The agreement states you can't see Julian again."

But the apartment she lived in belonged to Julian.

If not for his grandmother's interference, she wouldn’t have moved out.

"Grandmother wants you back at the estate," he warned. "Don’t force me to side with her."

Evelyn laughed bitterly. "Isn’t this coercion?"

Her expression stung him.

"Just let me in," he conceded. "I’ll follow your rules on everything else."

She bit her lip.

She knew better than to yield.

Give him an inch, and he’d take a mile...

"You sleep in the living room," she stated firmly.

"Fine." He agreed easily. "But I’m getting a sofa bed."

Without waiting for a reply, he took the keys and ushered her inside.

Evelyn stared.

It dawned on her then.

The living room had been his goal all along.

The talk of cohabitation was just a ruse to get inside.

Since when did Alexander play mind games?

His efficiency was staggering.

Within an hour, the living room held a sofa bed and a coffee table, making the space feel cramped.

As Evelyn opened her mouth to protest, he handed her a document.

"Read this."

She flipped it open—a confidential file in English.

"What’s this supposed to mean?" She feigned calm.

"Living here," he said meaningfully, "you’ll have access to intel like this anytime."

She shoved it back at him.

"I don’t need it."

Retreating to her room, she leaned against the door, steadying her racing heart.

Alexander had dangled bait.

Right now, her career mattered more than anything.

And he’d casually drop business secrets her way.

Should she take advantage?

A knock interrupted her thoughts.

"What now?" She cracked the door open just enough to speak.

"A goodnight kiss isn’t too much to ask, is it?"

The door slammed shut in response.

Absolutely too much!

Alexander was the epitome of pushing boundaries.

......

Madeline Kingsley stewed in frustration after returning home, venting to her daughter-in-law: "I only wanted to know the baby’s gender. It’s not like I’d reject a girl. Why are they so guarded?"

Eleanor Kingsley stayed silent.

"They refuse to move back," the matriarch grumbled on, "and ignore doctor’s orders by leaving the hospital early. Don’t they care about the baby?"

"Young couples cherish their privacy," Eleanor deflected. "They’ve just reconciled. Give them space."

"If not for the pregnancy, I wouldn’t interfere!" Madeline huffed. "Eleanor, talk Evelyn into returning. She listens to you."

Eleanor wanted no part in this.

"Evelyn might heed me, but Alexander would resent it," she sighed. "He already blames me for not helping him win her back last time."

Seeing Madeline wasn’t done, Eleanor excused herself to prepare her husband’s late-night snack.

Alone with her longtime maid, Madeline complained, "This generation is so willful!"

"Exactly!" the maid agreed. "My daughter-in-law quit her job the moment she got pregnant. With the Kingsley fortune, why must the young mistress keep working?"

"Precisely!" Madeline slapped her knee. "Alexander should put his foot down!"

The maid lowered her voice. "The problem lies with the young mistress... Lord Alex is besotted. He indulges her every whim."

Leaning closer, she whispered, "Newlyweds can be reckless. The mistress is delicate—what if they harm the baby..."