The Secret Lover's Revenge

I was Alexander Williams's dirty little secret for three years before I finally woke up.

At a charity gala, right in front of everyone, he took the rare vintage necklace I had been trying to bid on for weeks and personally clasped it around his first love's neck.

I didnt cry. I didnt demand answers. I just quietly walked out.

I went straight to the wildest underground racetrack in the city and climbed into the passenger seat of a rebellious street racer.

"Win this race, and I'm yours tonight."

I held a cigarette between my lips, letting the young driver's hot breath brush against my neck.

But the next second, the car door was violently yanked open from the outside.

Alexander stood there, his face dark as thunder. He dragged me out of the car and slammed me against the cold metal door.

A storm of madness raged in his eyes, his voice raw and furious.

"Valerie, who the hell gave you permission to get into another man's car?"

The crystal chandeliers at the charity gala were blindingly bright.

I sat in the corner of the third row, gripping my bidding paddle so tightly that my palms were covered in cold sweat.

On stage, a rare, vintage antique necklace was on display.

I had fallen in love with it two weeks ago.

Today was the celebration of Alexanders new film topping the North American box office, and it was also the third anniversary of my secret relationship with him.

I wanted to win the bid. I wanted to buy it as a gift to myself, and perhaps use it as leverage to finally ask him for a public status.

"Five million."

A deep, cold male voice rang out from the front row.

The entire hall fell dead silent. It was Alexander.

He was wearing a custom, pitch-black suit, leaning back lazily in his chair, casually spinning his wine glass with his long fingers.

The dim lighting outlined his sharp, cold jawline, exuding the suffocating pressure of a man used to being in absolute control.

My heart skipped a beat.

He knew I wanted this necklace.

Last night in bed, I had curled up in his arms, pointing at the picture of this necklace in the catalog.

At the time, he had just closed his eyes, smoking a cigarette, saying neither yes nor no.

And now, he was bidding on it himself.

My eyes welled with warmth. Just as I was about to lower my paddle, a slight commotion came from the front.

"Oh, Alexander, that necklace is beautiful."

A woman in a moon-white haute couture gown, surrounded by a small entourage, quietly sat down next to Alexander.

Serena Bennett.

Alexander's first love, and a well-known socialite in New York.

She had just returned from Europe, radiating elegance and effortless grace.

Alexander turned to look at her. His hard, cold features softened visibly.

"Do you like it?" his deep voice murmured.

Serena smiled gently without speaking, her eyes fixed on the necklace on stage.

The auctioneers gavel banged down.

"Sold! Congratulations to Mr. Williams."

Amidst the roaring applause, a hostess presented the velvet box containing the necklace to Alexander.

Sitting in the third row, I looked at his back through the crowd, my heart bursting with anticipation.

As long as he turned around to look at me, as long as he had his assistant hand me the necklace, all my silent endurance over the past three years would be worth it.

But he didn't turn around.

Without a single second of hesitation, his elegant fingers picked up the dazzling necklace. He leaned in slightly and slowly, deliberately, put it around Serena's neck.

"It suits you perfectly," he said softly.

Immediately, envious whispers broke out around them.

"Mr. Williams spent millions just to make his lady smile!"

"Miss Bennett just got back, and Mr. Williams is already claiming his territory. They are truly made for each other."

Alexander didn't deny it. He kept his eyes lowered, gently adjusting Serena's hair behind her neck. The gesture was natural and incredibly intimate.

I sat less than fifteen feet away. I felt like all the blood in my body had been drained.

My fingers tightened, and the hard edges of the bidding paddle dug painfully into my palm.

If this were the past, I would have lost control.

I would have rushed over, demanded to be acknowledged, or sobbed and questioned him after the gala.

But tonight, looking at their matching backs, a wave of profound, ridiculous exhaustion washed over me.

Three years. I had lived like a shadow, kept in his suburban villa.

He gave me career opportunities, he gave me protection, but he refused to give me dignity.

Slowly, I let go of my hand. The bidding paddle fell onto the thick carpet with a soft thud.

I stood up, gathered my skirt, and walked toward the exit. I didn't look back.

"Valerie! Where are you going?" My assistant caught up with me in the hallway, looking panicked.

She took one look at my face and quickly tried to make excuses for Alexander.

"Mr. Williams only gave the necklace to Miss Bennett for PR. The Bennett family is the biggest investor in his new film. Mr. Williams is just playing the game..."

I stopped, looking at her frantic eyes, and suddenly smiled.

"Playing the game?" I wrapped my shawl tighter around my shoulders, my voice so calm it even surprised me.

"Well, hes a fantastic actor then."

The calmer I was, the more terrified she became.

She knew I loved Alexander past the point of sanity.

Usually, if he so much as frowned, I would worry for hours. There was no way I should be this indifferent.

"Go back inside. I'm tired."

I ignored her pleas and walked straight out of the hotel.

A cold wind blew, whipping up my thin dress.

I hailed a taxi and gave the driver an address.

An underground racetrack on the outskirts of the city.

The place was filled with the roar of engines, the acrid smell of burning rubber, and deafening rock music.

It was the exact opposite of the suffocating, fake high-society party I had just left.

Wearing an expensive gown and high heels, I walked into the crowd, looking completely out of place.

But I didn't care.

I walked to the edge of the track, leaned against a rusty iron railing, and lit a cigarette.

I didn't actually know how to smoke. I had just breathed in Alexanders secondhand smoke for three years and picked up the habit.

"Hey, beautiful. You alone?"

A young guy in a black racing suit walked over.

He had a faint scar over his eyebrow, and his eyes were wild and untamed. He practically radiated pure testosterone.

Diego. The wildest wolf on this track.

He and Alexander were from two completely different worlds. Alexander was a man of cold calculation, always keeping his emotions locked away.

I blew out a puff of smoke, looking at him through the hazy screen.

"Need a co-driver?" I asked casually.

Diego paused, then grinned, showing sharp canine teeth.

"Princess, my car is a death trap. That dress doesn't look like it's made for speed."

"Win this race, and I'm yours tonight."

Tinged by the alcohol I had at the gala, I leaned in close to him on purpose.

As the distance closed, I could clearly feel his muscles tense and his breath turn hot.

Honestly, I didn't know how to flirt.

My movements were stiff and awkward, but I just wanted to force myself out of Alexander's suffocating cage.

Diegos adam's apple bobbed. His eyes darkened.

He reached out, his hand moving toward my waist.

But just before his fingers could touch my dress

BANG!

A row of metal oil drums nearby was kicked over violently, making a deafening crash.

The entire place fell dead silent.

The crowd was roughly pushed aside, and two big men in black suits cleared the way.

Then, Alexander strode in.

He was still wearing his tuxedo from the gala, though his tie had been loosened, and his sharp jawline was dangerously tight.

His face, usually so calm and unreadable, was now dark enough to kill.

His eyes bypassed Diego, locking onto me like twin daggers.

"Clear the area," Alexander said coldly.

The bodyguards immediately moved forward, pushing the crowd away with brute force.

Diego frowned, about to snap, but the track owner quickly grabbed him.

The owner's face was pale as he frantically shook his head at Diego. In New York, nobody messed with Alexander Williams.

The crowd dispersed quickly, leaving only the rumble of idling engines.

Alexander took long strides, closing the distance between us.

He carried the chill of the night air, along with a faint, subtle scent of Serena's perfume.

That scent stung my nose.

I forced myself to stand tall, meeting his gaze with a perfect, flawless smile.

"What brings you to a place like this, Mr. Williams?" I flicked my cigarette ash.

"Shouldn't you be helping Miss Bennett try on her new necklace?"

Alexander's gaze fell on the cigarette between my fingers, his brow twitching violently.

He suddenly reached out, snatched the cigarette from my hand, threw it to the ground, and crushed it with his shoe.

The next second, his fingers wrapped around my wrist with enough force to crush my bones.

"Valerie, have you lost your mind?"

He slammed me against the cold car door, his tall frame looming over me like a dark shadow.

"Who the hell gave you permission to get into another man's car?"

He growled, his voice laced with unmasked fury.

My back ached from the impact, but I didn't even flinch.

"I'm single. Whose car I get into is my own business," I said, looking him dead in the eye.

Alexander's pupils dilated.

"Single?" He let out a dark, angry laugh. His fingers gripped my chin, forcing my face up.

"Three years, and now you're telling me you're single? What does that kid have that I don't?"

"Can he fund your movies? Can he get you lead roles?"

He was always like this.

Arrogant, measuring everything with money and power.

To him, I was just a pet he could keep in a cage with money and fame.

Looking at his handsome face, I suddenly felt incredibly sick.

"He can't give me anything," I said, shoving his hand off my chin.

"But at least he wouldn't take the one thing I wanted and put it on another woman right in front of my face."

Alexander froze.

The anger in his eyes flickered, as if he finally realized why I was acting out.

He frowned, his voice returning to his usual cold, rational tone. "It was just a necklace."

"Serena just got back. The Bennett family is crucial for my new project. I had to show her some respect."

"Tomorrow, I'll have my assistant take you shopping. You can have whatever you want. I'll pay."

It was charity, not an explanation.

"I don't want it anymore," I said quietly.

"What?"

"I don't want the necklace. And I don't want you, either."

I pushed past him and walked away.

Alexanders voice boomed behind me. "Valerie! Are you done throwing this tantrum?"

"Don't mix business with your personal feelings. Come back now, and I'll pretend tonight never happened."

I stopped but didn't turn around.

"Alexander, we're done."

I said it softly, then walked out into the falling snow.