"Because I've seen too many women like that. They always use the sweetest voice to say the most vicious things, then act like nothing happened."
"That's way too accurate." I actually laughed - the first genuine smile I'd had all day.
"Exactly. To deal with women like that, you need to learn to—"
As I was typing a reply, the room door suddenly burst open. Alexander stood in the doorway, and seeing me laughing while chatting with someone, his face instantly darkened.
"Who are you texting?" He walked over, his voice full of possessiveness and suspicion.
The anger in my heart instantly ignited. He'd just defended Tatyana, and now he was questioning me.
"Does it matter?" I looked at him coldly. "Since you can haveprivate meetings with your ex-girlfriend to discuss business, why can't I chat with friends?"
"That's not the same—"
"How is it different?" I stood up and looked directly into his eyes. "Because she's Tatyana Romanova, so she can come find you anytime, can humiliate me in front of you, and I just have to take it?"
"Anna, you're being ridiculous—"
"Ridiculous?" I laughed bitterly. "You think I'm being ridiculous? Fine, then let's clarify exactly what our relationship is. Since you don't trust me, since you think I'm being ridiculous, what right do you have to control my social life?"
Our voices got louder and louder, but I couldn't control my emotions anymore. Three days of pent-up frustration, today's humiliation, and this moment's fury all exploded out of me.
"Do you know how much I've sacrificed to protect you?" Alexander was angry now too. "Do you know how much I've given up for your safety, how much pressure I've endured? And this is how you treat me?"
"I never asked for your protection!" I shouted back. "You decided on your own to trap me here, you decided how I should live! And now you won't even let me be dissatisfied?"
"Trap you here?" Hurt flashed in his eyes. "Is that how you see our relationship?"
"Then tell me how I should see it?" Tears started streaming down my face. "You can meet with any woman you want, you don't have to tell me anything, you can defend someone else when I'm being humiliated. And me? I can't even chat with a friend without being questioned!"
"That wasn't humiliation, that was—"
"What was it?" I cut him off. "Her concern? Alexander, do you really believe that?"
We glared at each other, the air thick with tension.
"Anna, I thought you would understand me." He finally said coldly. "You've really disappointed me."
With that, he turned towardthe door.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I called after him.
But he didn't answer, just slammed the door hard, the sound hitting my heart like a hammer blow.
I collapsed onto the bed as tears finally broke free. I felt like a complete outsider in this house, an unwelcome guest.
Did I really belong here?
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Anna
The next day, I walked with Sofia around the manor, carefully avoiding areas where Alexander might appear. I was still angry about last night's fight, but more than that, I felt a chill deep inside. His words had sliced through me like a blade, leaving raw wounds on my heart. Maybe Tatyana was right—Sofia and I were nothing more than his dependents now, living off his charity.
"Mommy, you look sad today," Sofia said, gazing up at me with concern. "Is it because you and Alex fought yesterday?"
I forced a smile. "No, sweetheart. Mommy's just a little tired. Want to go look at the roses in the garden?"
