Divorced Heiress
Chapter 40

I couldn't stand Alexander's presence for even a second, especially not in what once was our home.

I didn't expect any response from Alexis and continued on my way towards the exit where Vincent was waiting for me in the van, who offered to stay in case any irregularities arose, and this was one.

I walked past Alexander, ignoring him as if he wasn't just a few meters away, and hurriedly descended the stairs. Just as I reached the last step, I heard footsteps behind me and stopped before colliding with Alexander, who stood in my way. "Sarah, let's talk, please." He said. I looked at him with a frown, my face devoid of any humor.

It was unbelievable how identical he was to his twin; I would think I was talking to Alexis if it weren't for the different color of his eyes.

"Mr. Lancaster, I don't have much time. My assistant has already received your proposal, and we will discuss it in a board meeting. Tomorrow we will announce the chosen brand for collaboration. If there's nothing else to discuss, I'm leaving." I passed by his side again, but before I could go any further, he grabbed my arm, stopping me completely. I looked at his hand holding me firmly; the contact of his skin against mine burned like hell and I couldn't stand that sensation. "That's not the way to treat a lady, you're hurting me."

I forcefully pulled myself out of his grip, and his honey-colored eyes inspected my entire face.

"I don't want to talk about the collaboration or work matters. I want to talk about you and me." He said. My eyebrows raised and I couldn't help but let out a laugh filled with amusement.

Was he kidding me?

"What? There's nothing to talk about. Remember that we're divorced? What wasn't discussed during the marriage doesn't matter to me now." I said calmly, still with a hint of amusement on my face. He really made me laugh this time.

"So, after the divorce, you can tell me that my family humiliated you all the time, and I can't say anything. That doesn't seem fair to me." He said with a cold and harsh voice, as if he was bothered by the fact that I didn't want to engage in a conversation with him. What did he want?

To talk about something he himself ruined?

It was a waste of time.

"Mr. Lancaster, you asked me that on your own account. I didn't even give you a direct answer; I just let you figure it out for yourself. If you have nothing else to say, I'd prefer to leave." I responded calmly, adjusting my purse on my forearm before walking towards the exit, leaving Alexander with his words hanging.

I walked, feeling heat spreading throughout my body. Encounters with Alexander put me in a bad mood almost immediately; I couldn't help but feel disgusted just by looking at his shameless face.

I screamed when I felt his hands lifting me and carrying me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He walked towards the backyard without the need to enter the house.

"Alexander! Put me down this instant! I'm going to call the police! Damn it! This is a kidnapping!" I screamed at the top of my lungs, hoping that Vincent could hear me and come to my rescue, but we were too far away. I only held onto the hope that Alexis could intervene for me.

"You entered my house of your own accord, so it doesn't count as a kidnapping." He said. I let out a frustrated scream, thinking he would take me to his tennis court or throw me into the pool, but he didn't.

He set me down on the floor of the outdoor lounge on the other side of the pool, and without waiting, I slapped him, turning his head to the side.

"Who do you think you are? Have you gone crazy?"

He turned his face towards me, touching his cheek with his long fingers. He menacingly approached me, and I immediately pushed him by the shoulders.

This imbecile was bringing out my aggressive side, and I wouldn't take responsibility for anything.

"So you knew my brother for years." He said, approaching again as if I hadn't pushed him with all my might.

"What does it matter to you? It's not your damn problem."

I pushed him again and took advantage of the space I had to walk back, but Alexander surprised me by pushing me against the wall. I groaned when my back hit the cold wall and looked at him with daggers in my eyes because of the proximity of his body. He had me cornered with his arms, stirring up my desire to rip his head off his stupid body.

"What's your problem? You want to talk? Okay, let's talk, but stay away from me." I pushed him again and escaped from his repulsive closeness.

"You have five minutes."

"Why didn't you tell me that you knew my brother?" He asked from his place, while I kept myself as far away from him as possible.

I let out a humorless laugh. "How was I supposed to know he was your brother if you never mentioned him?" I replied sharply, thinking about how absurd this "conversation" was becoming.

"What does that have to do with anything? It was just a chance encounter."

"It is very important because, in some way, you are the reason why his recovery has evolved in an impressive way." He said with annoyance in his voice. Then I remembered the pair of nurses who hinted that I was helping Alexis recover.

"I have nothing to do with Alexis or the Lancaster family. In any case, what happened for it to end up like that?"

I took the opportunity to ask what intrigued me and could see Alexander's body tense up. He swallowed hard, causing his Adam's apple to move up and down.

He was nervous, I knew him well during the years we were together. Did he have something to do with his accident? I looked at him with narrowed eyes, and he avoided my gaze for a few seconds.

"That's what I wanted to talk to you about when I went to Paris." He suddenly said, and then I knew that, indeed, Alexander had something to do with the accident.

I averted my gaze to the pool before speaking.

"And you waited twelve years to tell me? You didn't trust your wife enough to even mention that you have a brother?" I asked disgusted, with a bad taste in my mouth at the mention of his wife.

"It's not that simple, Sarah. I admit that I should have told you from the beginning, but I did something wrong, and I have lived with guilt for many years. Maybe I wouldn't have made so many mistakes if I had confessed it to you, maybe we..."

"Enough. It's enough. I don't want to know anything related to the great Lancaster family." I interrupted before he veered off into a topic that I had no intention of touching.

"Us? There's no 'us' anymore. That died the moment you failed our marriage. There is no 'us' and there never will be."

"Sarah, I just wanted to clarify about Rachel. Things were not as you imagine."

I raised my hand to make him stop talking as soon as I heard that woman's name. Talking about that was unpleasant, I didn't want to remember the scene that destroyed me.

"Alexander, I know what I saw. There's nothing to clarify. Regardless, you were unfaithful to me, and there's no justification or excuse. I think there's something you haven't understood. We're divorced, and I don't care to know anything related to you. You don't owe me explanations, and I don't want to hear them. Why keep looking at the past?" I asked indifferently, letting out a tired sigh before walking back towards the exit of the room. "The five minutes are up."

This time he didn't stop me as abruptly as he did before, but he did stop me with a question that left me motionless.

"What is it that everyone will soon know?"

I shivered at the sound of his icy voice and closed my eyes, thinking of Tristan. It was best for him to meet his father. My dad was right, I couldn't deny Alexander the right to know his son, and if he didn't want to, that would be a separate issue. I turned just a little to look at him disdainfully.

"You'll find out on the day we present the brand that will collaborate with Doinel. It'll be a big surprise." I said, feeling my muscles tense. His mouth opened to say something else, but I kept walking, leaving him alone with his troubled gaze.