CHAPTER 7

I picked up my phone and texted Rachel again. "Hey Rach, can I ask you something?" I said.

Rachel responded immediately. "Of course, what's up?" she asked.

I hesitated for a moment before asking my question. "Do you know who Julian St. Clair is?" I asked.

There was a pause before Rachel responded. "Actually, I don't" she said. "He seems like a wealthy businessman and philanthropist. All those rich second generation.."

I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "So, you are saying you don't know anything about him?" I asked.

Rachel's response was immediate. "Well, I heard some ladies gushing over him in the gala. They said he's got a bit of a reputation as a ladies' man," she said. "And also heard from their gossip that he's really kind and generous, especially when it comes to his charitable work. And least one, he's a ruthless man. Those ladies where a little bit scared of him."

I nodded to myself, processing this new information. It sounded like Julian was a complex person, with both good and bad qualities.

As I thought about Julian, I couldn't help but wonder what his motivations were. Was he really interested in getting to know me, or was he just looking for another conquest?

I decided to ask Rachel one more question. "Do you think I should be careful around him?" I asked.

Rachel's response was immediate. "Definitely," she said. "I'm not saying he's a bad guy, but you've been hurt before, Alex. You deserve someone who's going to treat you right."

I nodded to myself, feeling grateful for Rachel's advice. I knew she was right - I did deserve someone who would treat me well.

As I put my phone away, I couldn't help but feel a sense of trepidation. What would happen if I decided to get to know Julian better?

I couldn't shake off the feeling of uncertainty as I went about my day. Part of me was curious about Julian and wanted to get to know him better, but another part of me was hesitant and didn't want to get hurt again.

As I was getting ready for bed, my phone buzzed with a text from Julian. "Hey, beautiful," he said. "I was thinking about you all day. Would love to see you again soon."

I felt a flutter in my chest as I read his text, but I tried to push the feeling aside. I wasn't ready to see him again yet, and I didn't want to lead him on.

"Hey, Julian," I replied. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm going through a tough time right now and I need some space."

There was a pause before Julian responded. "I'm so sorry to hear that," he said. "Is everything okay? Is there anything I can do to help?"

I smiled to myself as I read his response, feeling a sense of relief. Maybe Julian was actually a kind and caring person.

"Thanks for offering, Julian," I replied. "But I just need some time to sort some things out. I'll talk to you soon."

Julian responded with a simple "Okay, take care" and I felt a sense of gratitude towards him. He didn't push me to talk about what was going on, and he respected my boundaries.

As I drifted off to sleep, I felt a sense of hope that maybe, just maybe, Julian was someone I could trust.

The next morning, I woke up feeling refreshed and renewed. I decided to take a walk in the park to clear my head and get some exercise.

As I was walking, I lost myself in thought, thinking about my situation with Emma and Jack, they can't go scot free. They will all pay the price for hurting me so badly.

As I walked, I felt the warm sun on my face and the cool breeze in my hair. It was a beautiful day, and I was grateful to be alive.

As I turned a corner, I noticed a small café nearby. I decided to stop in and grab a cup of coffee.

As I waited in line, I couldn't help but think about Julian. I wondered what he was doing at that moment, and if he was thinking about me too.

When it was my turn to order, I asked for a latte and took a seat by the window. As I sipped my coffee, I felt a sense of peace wash over me.

Just as I was starting to relax, my phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number. "Hey, Alex. I hope you're doing okay. I was thinking about you and wanted to check in."

I frowned, wondering who could be texting me. And then I saw the name "Julian" pop up on the screen.

I smiled, feeling a flutter in my chest. "Hey, Julian. I'm doing okay, thanks for asking. Just grabbing a cup of coffee and enjoying the day."

Julian responded immediately. "Sounds like a great way to spend the day. Would love to join you sometime."

I felt a sense of excitement at the prospect of spending time with Julian again. But I also felt a sense of caution. I didn't want to rush into anything or get hurt again.

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As a successful event planner in her late 20s, Alex works for her father's company, Reginald Enterprises. Her father, Reginald, is a well-respected businessman and philanthropist, and his company has been a staple in the community for years.

Alex loves her job, which allows her to be creative, work with people, and bring events to life. She's particularly skilled at planning high-end weddings and charity galas, and her attention to detail and ability to think on her feet have earned her a reputation as one of the best in the business.

However, working for her father's company can be challenging at times. Alex feels like she's constantly living in her father's shadow, and she struggles to prove herself as a capable and independent professional. Her father can be demanding and critical, and Alex sometimes feels like she's walking on eggshells around him.

Despite these challenges, Alex is determined to make a name for herself in the company and prove to her father that she's a valuable asset. She's been taking on more responsibility and trying to come up with innovative ideas to help the company grow.

But with the drama with Emma and Jack still fresh in her mind, Alex is finding it hard to focus on her work. She's feeling anxious and uncertain, and she's not sure how to navigate her complicated relationships with her family and friends.

I walked into my father's office, feeling a mix of emotions. My father, Reginald, looked up from his desk, his expression unreadable.

"What do you want, Alexandra?" he asked, his voice cold and detached.

I took a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves. "I wanted to talk to you about what happened with Jack and Emma," I said.

My father raised an eyebrow, his expression unyielding. "What about it?" he asked.

I felt a surge of anger and hurt, remembering how my father had taken Emma's side and supported her actions. "You know exactly what I'm talking about," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "You supported Emma's actions, and you never stood up for me."

My father shrugged, his expression unrepentant. "I did what I thought was best for the company," he said. "And that's all that matters."

I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes, and I realized that I was on the verge of tears. I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself.

"You never cared about me, did you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

My father's expression didn't change, but I saw a flicker of something in his eyes. It was a cold, hard glint that made me realize that he was capable of hurting me even more.

"I cared about what you could do for the company," he said. "And that's all that matters."

I felt a wave of sadness wash over me, and I realized that I had been fooling myself all along. My father didn't love me, and he never would.

I felt a surge of anger and hurt as I looked at my father. "So, let me get this straight," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. "You're more concerned about the company's reputation and how it will affect our business dealings with the Smiths, than you are about the fact that my fiancé cheated on me with my own sister?"

My father's expression didn't change, but I saw a flicker of discomfort in his eyes. "Alexandra, you're being dramatic," he said. "This is just a minor setback. We can spin this to our advantage and use it to strengthen our business ties with the Smiths."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. "A minor setback?" I repeated, my voice rising in outrage. "You think being cheated on and betrayed by the people I trusted most is just a minor setback?"

My father sighed and rubbed his temples. "Alexandra, please. You're not thinking about the bigger picture here. This is just business. It's not personal."

I laughed, a cold, hard sound. "Not personal?" I repeated. "You're kidding me, right? This is my life we're talking about. My relationships, my family, my heart. And you're telling me it's just business?"

My father's expression turned cold and hard. "That's exactly what I'm telling you," he said. "And if you can't handle that, then maybe you're not cut out for this business."

I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes, and I realized that I was on the verge of tears. But I refused to cry in front of my father. Instead, I stood up, my heart pounding with anger and hurt.

"I'm talking about my 7 years relationship with Jack," I said, my voice shaking with emotion. "The 7 years I invested in him, the 7 years I thought we were building a life together. And you're telling me that's just collateral damage in the name of business?"

My father's expression didn't change, but I saw a flicker of discomfort in his eyes. "Alexandra, you're being emotional," he said. "This is just business. It's not personal."

I laughed, a cold, hard sound. "Not personal?" I repeated. "You're kidding me, right? 7 years of my life, and you're telling me it's just business?"

My father sighed and rubbed his temples. "Alexandra, please. You're not thinking clearly. This is just a setback. We can spin this to our advantage and-"

I cut him off, my voice rising in outrage. "A setback? You think my 7-year relationship is just a setback? You think my heartbreak, my trust issues, my entire life being turned upside down is just a minor inconvenience?"

My father's expression turned cold and hard. "That's exactly what I'm saying," he said. "And if you can't handle that, then maybe you're not cut out for this family."

I felt a stinging sensation in my eyes, and I realized that I was on the verge of tears. But I refused to cry in front of my father. Instead, I stood up, my heart pounding with anger and hurt.

"I think I've heard enough," I said, my voice cold and detached. "I need some time to think about what I want to do next."

My father nodded, his expression unyielding. "Fine," he said. "But don't think that this conversation is over. We'll be discussing this further, and soon."

I turned and walked out of his office, feeling like I was walking away from a part of myself. I didn't know what the future held, but I knew one thing for sure: I was done being my father's puppet.