Chapter 141

"Get lost." William's voice dripped with irritation.

The girl turned beet red, spat out, "Jerk, no wonder you got dumped," and stormed off in her high heels.

Dumped.

That word hit William like a punch to the gut, his face darkening instantly.

His buddy, Eugene Bailey, who had tagged along, glanced at him, silently ordered a drink, and slid it over. "Man, it's rare to see you like this."

William didn't respond, just grabbed the drink and downed it in one go.

Eugene chuckled, "That's not how you drink, dude. If you really wanna get wasted, go for vodka. One shot and you're out."

William slowly lifted his gaze, giving him a cold stare, "I came here for some peace and quiet. Why are you yapping so much?"

Eugene, intrigued, leaned in closer, "Did you really get dumped? By who? Alice?"

He shook his head, "Nah, you two seemed solid. Even when you fought before, you never looked this down."

William gave a bitter smile, pushing the glass back towards Eugene.

Eugene raised an eyebrow, "Now I'm really curious about the woman who could do this to you. Who is she, making you drown your sorrows in booze?"

William shot him a look, "Drop it, can we talk about something else?"

Eugene paused, then burst into laughter, "I never thought I'd see the day!"

As his laughter died down, he looked past William and raised a hand in greeting, "Alice!"

William glanced over, his tone indifferent, "What are you doing here?"

Alice, dressed in a pink dress with a light pink cardigan, looked sweet and delicate, the kind of girl who easily evoked a protective instinct in men.

She didn't respond, just quietly sat down next to William, gently wrapping her arm around his and resting her head on his shoulder.

Eugene couldn't help but raise an eyebrow, glancing at William with a knowing smile.

Alice had wrapped her arm around the very spot the other girl had almost touched earlier.

Everyone in their circle knew about Alice's possessiveness over William.

On the surface, she was gentle and harmless, but in reality, her possessiveness was intense. If William so much as spoke to another woman, she'd go crazy, sometimes even doing something drastic.

Just a few days ago, when she heard that Lyanna had gone to Harborview City with William, she had someone beat Lyanna up and accused her of being a mistress.

If William hadn't stepped in to smooth things over, Lyanna's family wouldn't have let it go.

But when it didn't involve William, Alice would instantly revert to being the sweet, gentle girl.

This stark contrast made everyone marvel at William's charm, that he could make a woman act like this.

So, Eugene immediately saw through it. She must have been here the whole time, watching the other girl's every move.

Eugene smartly moved to the other side, not wanting to interrupt the couple.

William didn't move, letting Alice hold his arm, as he picked up his drink and downed most of it.

"William!" Alice's voice was soft and sweet, "Have you decided where to go for our honeymoon?"

William squinted slightly, slowly turning to look at her.

She said, "I want to go to the beach and see the fireflies."

William finished the rest of his drink in one gulp.

Eugene, sipping his drink, listened intently to the gossip.

Putting down his glass, William turned, his expression calm, "I can't make love with you."

Eugene nearly spat out his drink, thinking to himself, 'That's blunt. Do I just hear something I shouldn't have?'

Alice, still leaning on William's arm, stiffened, staying in that position for a long time without moving.

William's tone was flat and emotionless, "We've tried, and you know it didn't work."

Alice's face turned pale.

She was already delicate, and now she looked even more pitiful, turning to William with a hurt expression that could break anyone's heart.

But in William's mind, it was Victoria's face that appeared.

Victoria, who was always stubborn and strong in the face of adversity, but would cry her heart out because of him when he acted impulsively.

At that moment, William felt that he wouldn't have refused if she had asked for his life.

Alice, her voice trembling, called out softly, "William!"

William looked up at the sound, his gaze falling on her face.

Alice's eyes were filled with tears, her voice shaking as she reached out and tightly held William's hand, "I know about you and Victoria. I don't want to hold it against you anymore, and I won't be jealous. Let's just pretend nothing happened and be good to each other, okay?"

Eugene, watching from the side, couldn't help but frown.

They had known each other for years, growing up together. Their bond was deep.

Seeing Alice so humble and pleading, Eugene felt uncomfortable.

So, he stepped forward, casually leaning on the back of the sofa, looking at William, "William, what's wrong with you today? Can't you talk nicely? Look at how scared Alice is!"

William leaned back slightly, lounging on the sofa with an air of lazy elegance, but his eyes were as cold as a winter night, devoid of any warmth.

"Because Alice isn't an outsider, I don't want to beat around the bush. It's better for everyone if I'm straightforward." William looked up at her.

Her eyes were red, biting her lip, and after a long pause, she asked, "Do you love her?"

William stared at her for a moment, then suddenly laughed, "Alice, if I said I love her, would you believe me?"

Alice's whole body shook, her face draining of color.

"I don't believe you." Her voice was filled with deep sorrow, "You're lying to me!"

William dropped his playful attitude, looking at her seriously, "I'm not lying. I said I love her."

Alice suddenly started laughing softly, her eyes welling up with tears as she wiped them away with a tissue, her voice choked with emotion, "William, what do all these years of waiting mean then? What about the suffering and depression I endured for you?"

William lowered his gaze, staying silent.

Eugene, seeing her like this, felt a bit scared, quickly stepping forward to comfort her, "Alice, don't get upset. Let's talk this through. William must be joking. Don't take it to heart."

Alice seemed not to hear, her eyes fixed on William, red and seemingly about to bleed, "I don't care if you're telling the truth or not. I want you to promise me you'll never see her again!"