Alex stood there and realized it again—he had no obligation to help Renata. They weren''t that close. Her personal matters were none of his business.


    But she was his wife''s best friend.


    That was the only reason he decided to act.


    Not to intervene. Not to confront.


    Just to record everything.


    His fingers brushed the bracelet on his wrist. A faint vibration answered him as the recorder activated, silently locking onto Matthias and the woman beside him.


    The woman grinned and pinched Matthias''s cheek hard, possessive and sharp.


    "You''re my man," she said, her voice sweet but jealous. "So why are you still sticking with her? I don''t allow other women to touch what''s mine."


    Matthiasughed softly and leaned closer, his tone slick and coaxing.


    "Rx, Jess. That woman''s cold as a corpse-so conservative she wouldn''t even let me touch her before marriage. She''s a duke''s daughter. Filthy rich. And she bankrolls me without question."


    He lowered his voice, intimate and false.


    "I haven''t touched her since we got together. My body is yours. Only yours. Always. I''m exclusive to you." He smiled. "But you know we need her money. That stupid woman is useful."


    Jess nodded, satisfied. "You''re right. She''s a duke''s daughter. Of course she''s loaded. Squeeze a few more million out of her, and we can live happily ever after- without her."


    Matthiasughed, crude and careless.


    "I''m already sick of her. I nned to dump her the moment her money came through to open the auto shop. But who knew that idiot had enough cash to keep pouring money into me for a whole year-fantasizing about turning me into the owner of the biggest auto shop, building a name so her father would finally ept us. So yeah. I stayed."


    His eyes gleamed with contempt.


    "Once everyst cent is gone, I''ll ditch her. Kick her out of our lives like trash."


    Jess burst intoughter. "She believes every dor she gives you is for buying cars to resell. She still doesn''t know you never opened an auto shop-just a parking lot. And she actually thinks all those cars belong to you."


    Matthias smirked. "She has no clue. I cooked the books. Messed with the ounts. She still thinks the shop is doing great, that we have a future together."


    Jess slid a hand to her waist,ughing seductively.


    "You really are good at this," she said. "A real talent for making money."


    She pressed her chest against Matthias''s arm, slow and deliberate, like a cat


    rubbing against a pir. Her voice softened into a purr.


    "Matthias... buy me the V?XEN sixth generation now. Ever since I saw that stupid woman driving one, I can''t stop thinking about having one for myself."


    Matthias lifted his chin and smiled, smug and assured.


    “Later, baby. Come back to my ce first. We''ll go a few rounds of good sex." His eyes flicked over her body. "If I''m satisfied, then yeah-tomorrow, I''ll buy you your dream car."


    Jess squealed with delight. "Really? You swear? You''ll buy me the V?XEN sixth generation tomorrow?"


    "When have I ever lied to you?" Matthias grinned. "That woman is here in Winchester. She''s just dumping money on me like rain. I''m loaded, babe. But first— you make me happy with all the holes you have."


    Jess tapped his chest yfully, eyes glittering. "You bad dog. Don''t worry. By the


    time we get to your ce, you''ll be floating in heaven."


    Laughing together, they turned and walked out of the V?XEN showroom.


    Alex watched them go, then shook his head. Without hesitation, he sent the recorded video to Sofina.


    At least now, she would finally see what a "good man"-her best friend''s partner- really looked like behind closed doors.


    He thought that would be the end of it.


    It wasn''t.


    His bracelet vibrated with an iing call.


    Not Sofina.


    Renata.


    "Hello,” Alex answered.


    "Alex," Renata snapped, her voice edged with fury. "I don''t know what you think you''re doing-sending that video to Sofina and having her pass it to me. Matthias would never do something like that to me."


    “Alright,” Alex replied tly, already regretting sticking his nose into something that wasn''t his business.


    "I''m telling you right now," Renata continued coldly, "I have zero interest in you. So stop trying to destroy my rtionship with Matthias. Our love is pure."


    "What?" Alex frowned. He genuinely didn''t understand what she was talking about. “Don''t pretend,” Renata said. “I know exactly what you''re thinking. I''m beautiful. I''m


    a duke''s daughter. You think you can get my attention."


    Her tone turned mocking. “You think if Matthias breaks up with me, I''ll run to you? Keep dreaming."


    Alex was stunned. "Wow."


    “Now tell me," Renata demanded, “that Al fake video-you generated it, didn''t you?"


    "Well, I should apologize to you," Alex said calmly. "First, I have no interest in you. Second, that video is real. Goodbye."


    He didn''t wait for Renata to respond. He ended the call.


    Alex Saint-ire shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips.


    That woman didn''t even realize she was being yed.


    Blinded. Completely blinded by love.


    The manager of the V?XEN showroom had been standing quietly nearby, waiting


    with professional patience. He stepped forward and spoke carefully.


    "Sir, I''m very sorry. The V?XEN


    second generation has already been sold, so we can''t provide it. However," he continued smoothly "we do have one VOXEN fourth


    generation left in our self you''re willing to ept it, we''d like to offer it to you-free of charge."


    Alex raised an eyebrow. "You really do offer excellent service, don''t you? In that


    case, I''ll ept it. Thank you."


    The manager''s face lit up. "The pleasure is ours, sir."


    Alex drove the car home.


    On the way, his bracelet kept vibrating. Felicia called again and again, asking when he would be back, reminding him not to forget about the V?XEN second generation.


    When Alex arrived, he immediately noticed his inws waiting outside the gate.


    The moment they saw the V?XEN roll in, excitement and nervous anticipation lit up their faces.


    Felicia hurried over, circling the car several times, her eyes glowing. She let out a satisfied sigh.


    "Wow... I thought you were buying the second generation. But this one has a four hêre. That''s clearly the fourth generation, right? I heard it still costs over a million dors."


    "Really?" Alex asked honestly. He had no idea what the exact price was.


    Albert frowned and asked, "How did you get the money to buy this car?”


    Alex answered casually, whatever came to mind. "I paid the down payment. I''ll just pay it off monthly-for the next hundred years."


    “Great!” Felicia said,pletely unconcerned about how long he''d be paying. She beamed.


    "It''s such a beautiful car. Truly beautiful. Wow... I never dared to imagine I''d ever ride in a V?XEN in my lifetime."


    Felicia was radiant. The way she looked at Alex softened, her eyes warmer, kinder than before.


    She jumped into the driver''s seat and took the car for a spin around the neighborhood. When she returned, she stepped out reluctantly, still smiling. "It''s a wonderful car. So smooth. Sofortable," she said, patting the door.


    "But I don''t understand half the functions." She looked at Alex. "In an hour, I need to pick up Pauline, and then have an appointment to check, something at the ck market. Help me out. Teach me how to drive this thing properly."


    Alex almost said he had work. Then he remembered he didn''t.


    Belinda''s father had already fired him. And honestly, he didn''t feel like going back anyway. The mention of the ck market caught his interest.


    "Alright," he said.


    For the next hour, Alex drove the car while patiently exining the controls, one feature at a time, teaching Felicia how to handle the V?XEN Fourth Generation. Soon, the car stopped in front of Pauline''s high school.


    Felicia called out to her daughter proudly, right in front of a group of students.


    The moment Pauline saw the car, her face lit up. Her friends froze, staring.


    "Wow. That car is insane,” one of them whispered.


    Pauline climbed in, glowing with excitement.


    "Mom! You got a new car?" Her eyes widened. “A V?XEN fourth generation?!"


    "Mom," she breathed, "this car could buy a house."


    Felicia smiled smugly. "Your brother-inw gave it to me."


    Pauline turned slowly and stared at Alex, studying him. “Alex... you bought my mom


    a car?"


    “I had to give her something,” Alex said calmly, eyes on the road. “I married her


    daughter."


    “And you just gave Sofina a car this morning."


    "She''s my wife."


    Pauline stretchedzily. “Buy me one too."


    Alex replied without hesitation. "Never."


    Sheughed. "Cold."


    "I''m honest," he said.


    Pauline tilted her head. “I heard what you and Sofina were doingst night.”


    Alex''s hands tightened on the wheel.


    "If I buy you a car," she continued lightly, "I can make love with you."


    Felicia snapped, “Pauline.”


    Pauline shrugged. “What? I''m joking. I''m still a virgin.


    Then she smiled-slow, sharp, unreadable.


    "Unless I''m not."


    Silence swallowed the car.


    "And you know my door is never locked," Pauline added with a soft giggle. "You also


    know the price."


    Alex let out a long breath.


    ''This country tests my sanity every single day.''


    Pauline smiled.


    “When the seed of desire is nted, it never rests—


    it grows in silence until it bes fate."