Alexander didn't budge as she rolled her eyes and continued.
"I'm sorry Lena called you. She doesn't know what's going on, but you shouldn't have come."
Alexander frowned. "Charlotte, I'm here because I care. I know we—"
"Care?" she cut him off, her voice rising. "You broke up with me this afternoon, Alexander. Did you forget? You don't get to care anymore!"
His patience, already thin, began to waver.
"I'm just trying to make sure you're okay! You passed out in the middle of the street, for God's sake. Do you know how dangerous that is?"
At his words, Charlotte let out a sharp, bitter laugh.
"Dangerous? You want to talk about danger? How about the danger of being gaslit by someone who said they cared but threw me away like I was nothing?"
Alexander's jaw clenched, his calm slipping away.
"You think I'm the villain here? Huh? If anyone should be angry, Charlotte, it should be me!"
She stepped back, stunned. "You should be angry? After everything, you're angry?!"
"Yes, I am!" His voice rose, the restraint gone. "Do you want to talk about everything? Fine. Let's talk about the pregnancy and the abortion you hid from me!"
Charlotte froze, processing what he had just mentioned as she stared at him.
"What did you just say?" Her voice was low, almost a growl.
"You heard me," he snapped, his eyes blazing. "I know everything. The pregnancy, the abortion—"
"I didn't have an abortion!" she yelled, her voice trembling with anger and pain.
"Then what was it?" he demanded, his tone cutting.
Charlotte's eyes filled with tears, and her voice cracked as she shouted, "It was a miscarriage, Alexander! I lost our baby! But you wouldn't know that because you were too busy running your empire to pick up your phone!"
Her words hit him like a slap, but his expression didn't soften. Instead, he scoffed.
"Why didn't you tell me? If it was so important, why didn't you say anything sooner?"
"I tried!" she sobbed. "I wanted to tell you, but you were out of town. And when it happened, I texted, I called, demanding to see you, but you didn't respond! You were always 'too busy.'"
Her voice broke on the last words, and tears streamed down her face. She wiped at them angrily, her shoulders shaking with sobs.
But Alexander didn't relent. His voice turned cold, his next words slicing through her like a blade.
"Was the baby even mine?"
The question shattered the fragile thread holding Charlotte together. Without thinking, she raised her hand and slapped him hard, the sharp sound echoing in the quiet street.
"How dare you?" she whispered, her voice filled with venom. She pushed against his chest, her hands trembling with rage.
"Get out of my sight, Alexander! Get out of my life!"
He stumbled back slightly, his hand grazing his cheek where she'd struck him. His face hardened, his own anger surfacing fully now.
"Maybe I made the right choice, then," he said coldly. "Breaking up with you was the best decision I ever made."
"Good!" she screamed, her voice raw. "Because I don't even need you! I don't need anyone like you in my life!"
The door behind her creaked open, and Lena, who had been eavesdropping, ran out, her eyes wide with panic.
"Charlotte, stop!" she cried, grabbing her friend by the shoulders and pulling her back.
"No! That bastard must leave my presence now!" Charlotte continued to yell.
Alexander turned without another word, his face a mask of fury. He got into his car and slammed the door, the tires screeching as he drove off into the night.
Charlotte stood there, shaking, her tears mingling with the rain that had begun to fall heavily again.
"Arrrrrgh!!!" She screamed into the dark, a guttural sound of pain and frustration, before collapsing into Lena's arms.
"Let's go inside," Lena whispered, struggling to hold her. "Come on, Charlotte. Please."
With all her might, Lena dragged her friend back into the house, her heart breaking for the shattered woman in her arms.
Meanwhile, In the shadow of a nearby tree, a tall figure stood motionless. His face was obscured by the darkness after watching the heated confrontation.
His fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, anger radiating from his tense frame.
As Alexander's car disappeared into the distance, the figure pulled out a phone, his voice low and sharp.
"Proceed with the next plan," he ordered, before ending the call abruptly.
The rain masked his retreat as he melted back into the darkness...
Inside the house, Lena shut the door firmly behind them, her arms still around Charlotte to keep her from collapsing in her anger and despair.
"No, this is not happening to me!"
"Charlotte, stop!" Lena pleaded, her voice trembling with worry.
"He's not worth it! You've been blaming yourself for too long for a man who has never made you a priority."
But Charlotte wouldn't listen. She paced the room, her hands clutching her head as she screamed into the air.
"It's my fault! I should have seen it coming! I wasted so much time on him, Lena! Why wasn't I enough?"
"You are enough!" Lena snapped, grabbing Charlotte by the shoulders.
"Alexander's the problem, not you! He's always been too busy, too distracted by his work, and too blind to see what he had in front of him."
Charlotte's sobs softened slightly, but her voice was laced with bitterness. "Maybe I wasn't what he wanted. Maybe I—"
"Stop!" Lena interrupted, pulling her closer. "You don't need him. You deserve someone who sees you, Charlotte. Who actually cares."
Before Charlotte could respond, the TV in the corner caught both their attention.
"Breaking news," the presenter announced, her voice cutting through their discussion.
"Alexander Wallace, CEO of Wallace Enterprises, and Eleanor Whitmore, heiress to Whitmore Holdings, have officially announced their relationship tonight. The couple revealed plans for their engagement, which is set to take place in just two weeks. The sudden news has sparked a media frenzy in both the entertainment and business worlds."
A photo of Alexander and Eleanor appeared on the screen, smiling arm-in-arm at a recent glamorous event.
Charlotte froze, her body rigid as she stared at the TV. Her breath came in low gasp, and the room seemed to close in around her.
Lena's hand flew to her mouth, her shock evident as she whispered, "What the hell is this?"
Charlotte's face twisted in pain, tears streaming silently down her cheeks as the presenter continued to talk.
The room fell into a silence as they both locked gazes...