Chapter 24

"Is it raining?" Alexander stepped onto the balcony and glanced outside. The downpour was relentless. His gaze drifted downward, where a lone figure knelt in the storm, her eyes fixed on his floor.

Grabbing an umbrella, Alexander descended.

"Master Alexander... You actually came down for me." Victoria's lips trembled, blue from the cold. She crawled forward on her knees, clinging to his legs. "Please, just hear me out. After that, you can punish me however you want. Just give me a chance to explain."

The sight of her groveling made Alexander's stomach churn with disgust. Just yesterday, he had nearly ended her life with a single kick.

But she had saved him once—with her own body—and that debt had secured his control over Knight Enterprises.

His foot hesitated mid-air.

Yet his revulsion for her only grew stronger.

This wasn't the same helpless woman who had shielded him that night. He had promised to marry her in two months, yet she kept pushing him to the edge with her schemes.

When he didn’t pull away, Victoria pressed her tear-streaked face against his legs. Her voice was thick with emotion. "Did you know, Master Alexander? I loved you long before the Knight family exiled you. But I also knew ambition consumed you. You wouldn’t entertain romance until you seized control of your empire."

"So I waited. Silently. Hoping one day I could be of use to you."

"That day came. I gave myself to save you, never expecting marriage. I knew I wasn’t worthy—not then, not even if there were ten of me."

"But you promised."

"You vowed to marry me in two months, yet you wed Alice instead. How could anyone endure that?"

"I love you too much, Master Alexander. Seeing you with her... I couldn’t bear it. I just wanted to scare her away. I never meant for those thugs to rob her. I never wanted her dead—just gone."

"I can’t lose you. I love you."

"I’m sorry."

"From now on, I’ll disappear."

She released his legs and began crawling away.

Alexander tossed the umbrella aside and yanked her up.

Victoria collapsed into his arms. "Master Alexander... You forgive me, don’t you? Tell me you forgive me." Her eyes gleamed with something dark beneath the tears.

This act—playing the pitiful victim—was her mother’s signature move.

And it worked.

Alexander’s voice was ice. "I said I’d marry you. A Knight never breaks his word. As my fiancée, don’t embarrass me again."

"Never! I’ll obey you completely. I swear!" Victoria nodded frantically.

Then his phone rang. He answered sharply. "Speak."