Chapter 16

The woman standing before him had shed the worn-out pencil skirt and wrinkled blouse. Now, she was draped in an exquisite wedding gown, her feet adorned with crystal heels that added another ten centimeters to her already impressive height.

At 170 centimeters tall, Alice Carter didn’t need the extra inches, but the heels accentuated her long, sculpted legs, making her silhouette even more striking.

She hadn’t touched her face with makeup yet.

Even bare-faced, she was breathtaking.

There was an effortless elegance about her, a natural aloofness that made it seem as though the world couldn’t touch her. The wedding dress only amplified that untamed beauty.

Her gaze met his—cool, unreadable, and utterly composed. She didn’t speak.

For some inexplicable reason, Alexander Knight felt a surge of irritation.

His voice was low, rough with restrained anger. "What were you doing this morning? Do you realize you almost missed the most important event of my life?"

"Is this our wedding?" Alice asked bluntly.

Then, as if speaking to herself, she added, "I don’t need this. And neither do you. In two months, you’ll be marrying Victoria Sullivan anyway. If we go through with this now, the Sullivans will see me as their greatest enemy."

Alexander’s fingers tightened around her chin, forcing her to look at him. "Listen carefully. Whatever history you have with the Sullivans—debts, grudges, tangled messes—I don’t care. But Dominic Pierce? That’s another story."

"Today was supposed to be our wedding, and yet you stepped out of his car looking like you’d been through hell."

"You really are a woman with a past as murky as swamp water, aren’t you?"

The words left a bitter taste in his mouth.

He had seen everything.

From the moment she emerged from Dominic’s car, Alexander had been watching from his own vehicle, finishing a call with the hospital to delay his mother’s arrival.

Then Dominic had stepped out too.

And in front of everyone, he had draped an arm around Alice, pulling her close.

She had leaned into him.

Disgraceful.

"Mr. Knight." Alice’s jaw ached under his grip, but she refused to flinch. Her voice remained steady. "Our arrangement lasts two months. That’s it. When you sat there discussing your wedding with the Sullivans in front of me, I didn’t interfere. So don’t meddle in my personal affairs."

Alexander’s lips curled into a cold smirk. "You think you have the right to negotiate with me?"

"Why not?" she shot back. "This is a partnership. Equal terms."

"No." His voice was lethally calm. "I pay. You obey. That’s the deal. You signed the contract, so you’ll play your role as Mrs. Knight flawlessly. Serve my mother. Stay out of trouble. And if I find out you’ve been playing games during these two months, you won’t live long enough to regret it."

His tone gave nothing away, but Alice knew better.

This man was ruthless.

Powerful.

Untouchable.

That was why the Sullivans feared him. Why Victoria was desperate to marry him.

Alice bit her lip, softening her tone. "I was at a job interview today. Dominic is the owner’s son at the real estate firm I applied to. When you called, I couldn’t wait for the bus. He offered me a ride. That’s all."

"What job?" Alexander frowned.

"Bricklayer." The word tasted bitter.

She had spent hours perfecting her designs, only to be dismissed for lacking formal credentials.

Instead, they offered her ghost design work—anonymous labor, no credit, no recognition.

And from what Dominic had hinted, most of her time would be spent doing grunt work on-site.

"You’re going to haul bricks?" Alexander’s disbelief was palpable.

"Is my employment also under your control now?" she challenged.

His grip loosened slightly. He released her and turned to the makeup artist waiting nearby. "Fix her face. I’ll be outside."

"Yes, Mr. Knight."

Alice was led to a vanity lined with cosmetics. Thirty minutes later, the veil was placed over her head.

When she stepped out, Alexander was waiting.

And for the second time that day, he was struck speechless.

Alice was stunning.

Without makeup, she had been effortlessly striking. Now, with subtle enhancements, she looked ethereal—untouchable, regal.

If Victoria stood beside her in a wedding dress, she would pale in comparison.

After a beat, Alexander extended his arm. "Take it."

Alice hesitated.

Apart from their accidental collision in the bathroom and the way he had just manhandled her, they had never been this close.

They were strangers.

Before she could decide, Alexander grabbed her wrist and forcibly tucked her arm into his.

The motion sent a jolt through her.

It reminded her of that night—the darkness, the strength of the man who had dominated her, turning her body to his will.

She hadn’t seen his face.

But the way Alexander moved, the way he controlled her—it felt eerily familiar.

Lost in thought, she barely registered when they reached the restaurant’s entrance.

A wheelchair was being pushed toward them.

Inside sat Margaret Bennett, Alexander’s mother.

Her smile was warm, her eyes kind. "Alice, darling… did you like my little surprise?"