Chapter 9: Seeds of Distrust
The incident with Ethan lingered in Lila's mind, a constant source of unease. She couldn't shake the feeling that Alexander was growing too close to his secretary. The thought of Ethan accompanying him on business trips, spending hours alone with her husband, filled her with a growing sense of dread.
One evening, as they were preparing for dinner, Lila decided to confront Alexander. She sat beside him on the sofa, her gaze fixed on his face.
"Alexander," she began, her voice serious. "I need to talk to you."
He looked up, a flicker of concern in his eyes. "What's wrong, darling?"
Lila took a deep breath. "I'm not comfortable with you taking Ethan on these business trips."
Alexander raised an eyebrow. "Why not? He's been a tremendous help."
"I know," Lila replied, her voice steady. "But I don't trust him."
Alexander frowned. "Lila, that's unfair. Ethan is a good man. He's loyal, hardworking…"
"Loyal to who, Alexander?" Lila interrupted, her voice rising. "To you, or to his own ambitions?"
Alexander bristled. "What are you suggesting?"
"I'm just saying," Lila continued, her voice trembling slightly, "I don't think it's a good idea to rely on him so heavily. You need to be more cautious."
"Cautious?" Alexander echoed, his voice sharp. "Are you accusing him of something?"
"I'm not accusing him of anything," Lila said, her voice rising. "I'm just expressing my concerns. I don't want you to get hurt."
"And you think I'm incapable of making my own decisions?" Alexander demanded, his voice cold. "You think I need you to protect me from my own employees?"
Lila felt tears welling up in her eyes. "That's not what I meant," she cried, her voice breaking. "I just…"
"Just what, Lila?" Alexander demanded, his voice hard. "Just jealous of his success? Just afraid of losing your grip on me?"
Lila was stunned by his accusation. "Jealous? Alexander, how dare you?"
The argument escalated, their voices rising in anger. Lila, fueled by a mixture of fear and jealousy, insisted that Alexander stop taking Ethan on business trips. Alexander, feeling betrayed and insulted, refused to back down.
The argument left a chasm between them, a silent, suffocating tension hanging in the air. Lila retreated to their bedroom, feeling more alone than ever. Alexander, consumed by anger and hurt, retreated to his study, the door clicking shut with a resounding thud.