Divorced Heiress
Chapter 27

ALEXANDER

The last therapy session of the day for Alexis came to an end, I felt satisfied with his progress. He still couldn't walk, but he made his best effort to regain strength in his legs. He spoke very little, only able to say the names he remembered, and it overwhelmed me that he kept mentioning the name of my ex-wife, causing irritation to my mother and sister.

The only thing that occurred to me in such a case was that her name might have remained in his subconscious because I mentioned it so many times while he was still in a coma, or maybe he mentioned another woman with the same name. It was the most logical explanation since Alexis never got to know Sarah.

My phone rang in my pocket, and I distanced myself from the nurses who were helping my brother with his meal. I frowned upon seeing that Gina was calling me.

"What's up, Gina?" I asked as soon as I answered the call. I hadn't seen her all afternoon, in fact, she didn't even come today to see how her brother was doing.

"Alex, you have to help me. A woman has confronted me without any reason, and I think she wants to hit me." I could hear her trembling voice, although I quickly realized that she was exaggerating things as usual.

"You can handle it on your own, I'm busy." I said with no intention of giving in to her whims. Maybe someone just gave her a dirty look, and she thought they were out to get her.

I ended the call and returned to Alexis, who was looking at me warmly with his honey-colored eyes that shimmered with green.

I couldn't help but feel a pang in my chest every time I saw him like that, knowing that it was my fault he couldn't speak or walk as much as he wanted. I stole thirteen years of his life.

He turned his gaze back to the television, focusing on the news channel that one of the nurses had put on. It helped him familiarize himself with current events and also served as a practice for him to interact and learn more words from the nurses. My phone rang again, and this time the name "Mike" appeared on the screen.

I smiled at Alexis, who looked at me again upon hearing the sound of my phone. I turned my back to him to answer the call without disturbing his tranquility or interrupting the leg massages he was receiving. "Mike." I answered.

"Alexander, you have to come to Eclipse Bar. Gina is here, and she was verbally attacked by your ex-wife, Sarah." A wave of coldness ran through my body upon hearing that name. Sarah?

Verbally attacked by Sarah?

Was she the woman who confronted Gina for no reason? Was she here?

Did she come back to New York?

I remained silent for a few moments, and as if destiny wanted to give me an answer, Sarah's face, along with the same group that appeared in the news I saw a few days ago, appeared on the television screen. I focused all my attention on the headline. "Doinel's representatives will be present at Fashion Week."

Unconsciously, I tightened my hold on the phone, and the cold in my body was accompanied by a shiver and a pang in my chest when I realized that Mr. Doinel didn't come alone with his wife this time, but with the high executives of his company, including... "Sarah."

That voice caught my attention, and I glanced at Alexis, who looked restless, staring at the television screen after mentioning the name of the woman on screen.

What? How?

It was impossible for Alexis to recognize my ex-wife. He hadn't even seen her in pictures. Or, had he?

"Mike, I'll be there in a moment. Stay with my sister until I arrive and demand an apology from that woman."

I didn't wait for Mike to say more and hung up the phone to quickly go to Alexis' side. He continued staring at the television with the image of the green-eyed brunette and her companions.

"Alex, do you know who she is?" I asked, referring to Sarah.

Alexis still didn't give me a glance; he seemed hypnotized or maybe he was still listening to the information about Doinel's representatives attending this week.

"Sarah." he said her name again and I felt inexplicably uncomfortable. It was clear that Alexis could not say more than a few names, so it was impossible for him to resolve the doubts that began to swirl in my head.

"Do you know who Sarah is?" I asked again, hoping that at least she would respond with a nod, but all I got was a dirty look from the nurses.

"Mr. Lancaster, don't pressure him to answer, Alexis is not yet in a condition to engage in a conversation, you have to be patient." Sofia intervened, in charge of Alexis' speech, and I had to swallow my curiosity.

She was right.

Anyway, I shouldn't give any importance to any topic related to Sarah. Maybe he had seen more news about her and associated my ex-wife with the name he had always mentioned.

"I have something to do, I'll be back in an hour." I informed the nurses, but mostly Alexis, as I hadn't left him since I brought him home.

Minutes later, I was on my way to Mike's bar. I clenched my hands on the steering wheel as I imagined my sister being attacked by Sarah. The last time I saw her, I could tell how cold she had become after the divorce, and it was no wonder. I was responsible for hurting her in the worst way. However, she had no right to attack my sister without reason.

I parked the car near the entrance of the bar and got out when I saw a familiar male figure getting into a black van in the passenger seat, before the car drove off and disappeared from my sight.

Vincent.

It didn't take a wise person to know that Sarah was in that van. Of course, she was in good company.

I handed the keys to the valet parking attendant and entered the bar in search of my sister in the private room assigned to the Lancasters. I found her with Mike, who was saying God knows what to her, with a visibly upset red face.

"Can you tell me what's going on? Has Sarah apologized to you?" I asked Gina, but she didn't seem willing to answer. She sat on the couch with her arms crossed and without looking at me.

"Alexander, follow me." Mike said, realizing that Gina wasn't going to say a word. Something was wrong with my sister, that was more than evident.

I followed Mike, who guided me to the security room on the ground floor.

"Can you tell me what's happening? Did you demand an apology from Sarah?" I asked when we reached the monitors where security camera footage was being played.

"Of course I demanded it, and I ended up being scolded by that woman because of your sister. Do you want to know what your sister did? Let's take a look." Mike said angrily, and I couldn't understand anything at all. According to Gina, she was attacked by Sarah. Why would Mike end up being scolded?

What the hell did my sister do?

I focused my attention on the monitor that was playing images from an hour ago and clenched my fist at my side when I saw Sarah arriving at the bar with Vincent and Abby, until they reached the private room assigned to them, which was a great distance from Gina's room.

I couldn't help but take a glimpse of her black dress, hugging her body, making her look so sensual and delicate despite the simplicity of the garment.

An inexplicable, unpleasant warmth settled in my chest as I saw Paul taking her by the waist and seconds later they embraced each other. My brows furrowed as I listened to their conversation, and especially the friend's words insinuating that Sarah was going to propose to Paul.

What a stupidity.

Soon enough, I understood the reason for Mike's anger. Gina appeared in the private room of the newly arrived group and started attacking Sarah deliberately, calling her a gold digger, just like my mother had done since we got divorced. This was not even close to what Gina told me. That girl lied to me, and I even dared to order Mike to have Sarah apologize when she did nothing but defend herself from Gina's insults.

Did my family have so much hatred towards Sarah to spit out so many insults without reason? I didn't think Sarah's words would affect me if they weren't directed at me at all, until she said something that made me feel really irritated and annoyed. "I fell even lower by marrying her brother."

I loosened my tie as I felt like I couldn't breathe properly, I had brought it upon myself and on top of that, my family kept attacking her despite us getting divorced three years ago.

"The photos don't lie, Gina not only invaded a private room in my bar and insulted Sarah, but she lied as she pleased and I ended up in a bad position because of your hasty order, now Sarah is waiting for our apologies for wrongly accusing her. If my bar wasn't involved, I wouldn't even have come to help Gina, you know how whimsical she is and the tricks she uses to manipulate anyone."

I clearly heard every single word from Mike, however, my eyes were still glued to the monitor, following every movement of Sarah.

Wasn't she supposed to be in a relationship with Mr. Vincent?

Why was she so close to Paul now, in front of Vincent?

I increased the speed of the video to inspect any movement from Sarah with Paul, and I felt suffocated when they stood up from the table and made their way to the dance floor, where they danced like professionals and very close together. There were even angles where it looked like they were kissing, until Mike arrived to interrupt them and Paul held her waist with his disgusting hands.

This shouldn't affect me after so many years. Why did I inexplicably feel angry?

I continued to follow their steps, increasing the speed, and after calmly talking to Mike, she turned around to meet Paul and his friends. Sarah paid the bill and they all went out to wait for the van, the audio on the street wasn't very clear, but I could see how the couple hugged each other and when the van arrived, they didn't hesitate to get in, just as I arrived in my car, the black van started moving.

And so she left, just seconds away from reaching the bar and coming face to face with me.

I let out a frustrated sigh and wanted to throw the monitor away from me, but I restrained myself. She had the right to move on with her life. Who was I to disagree?

"This is going to cost Gina dearly." I left the security room and walked visibly angry until I reached the private room where my sister was with her friends as if nothing had happened.

"Gina Lancaster! Right now, you're going to apologize to Ms. Petit and also to Mike for involving him in your childish behavior." I grabbed Gina's arm without any delicacy and she complained in pain as she tried to free herself from my grip.

"Have you gone crazy? She insulted me, I'm not going to apologize to that ungrateful woman." Gina replied as I pulled her out of the room, and I stopped in the hallway to grab her by the shoulders and make her look into my eyes. I wouldn't tolerate another rude remark from her.

"She defended herself from your attacks. You have two options, Gina, either you apologize to Sarah right now or you won't receive a single cent for the next six months, and believe me, I'll make sure my mother doesn't dare to defend you." I spat out each word in her face, showing her that I was truly mad at her malicious actions.

"I'd rather live without money than apologize to such a despicable woman. How blind you were to marry Sarah Petit, she's not even close to your level, not even if she were the president of the country would she lose her poverty." Gina responded arrogantly before freeing herself from my grip and walking towards the exit alone.

I looked at her back, angry, and immediately the questions started to arise in my head.

When did Gina become such a heartless person?

Had my mother and Gina always thought that about Sarah?

Had they been so rude to Sarah all this time?

No, she would have told me.

Just like I told her my secret.

Damn it.

I went to pay Gina's bill and was surprised to find out that someone had paid the bill for everyone at the bar.

"Who woke up in a good mood to pay everyone's bill? It must have cost a fortune." I said jokingly as I put away my credit card.

"Ms. Sarah Petit."

I looked at the woman expressionless and with one eyebrow raised at her response, while I repeated that name over and over again in my head, the name of that woman who has caused so much commotion tonight. My ex-wife.