14 Have You?

— Alexander POV — 

Lilith Durfort's stubbornness was a double-edged sword, I found it intriguing and alluring, but at the same time, it caused unnecessary arguments.

Any other woman would have been happy for me to lavish my attention and concern on them, but then again, Lilith Durfort was not any other woman.

She didn't really need me and based on my research, she didn't need her family either.

The moment Lilith returned I had my best men investigating her years away and if it weren't for that ex-husband of hers, she would have flourished. 

"Called to gloat?" I asked as I answered Lexington's call. 

"Gloat about you not being able to handle my cousin? I would never!" he teased, pretending to be appalled by the thought. 

"We both know you're happy someone can finally refuse me," I scoffed. 

"She hasn't been refusing you, Alexander, she is simply wary," he said, his tone becoming more serious. 

"Wary about what? I haven't done anything to hurt her," I hadn't, I didn't even know why she broke up with me all those years ago. 

"Her heart, you idiot!" Lex chuckled. It seemed my suffering brought him great joy.

I frowned at the mention of her heart. 

Did she really love that bastard of an ex-husband of hers? 

"She just got out of a very toxic marriage," Lex reminded me. "She isn't even fully out of it, you said you'd deal with the divorce. How's that going?"

"There isn't even a divorce to file," I smirked. 

Luther Durfort had been so certain that the marriage would fail that he made sure that the papers were stopped. There was no recorded union between Lilith Durfort and Jason Young. On paper, Lilith has never been married. 

"What are you talking about?" Lex questioned. I thought about telling him for a moment but eventually decided against it.

Nothing was more satisfying than to watch Lexington Durfort squirm because information was withheld from him.

"Nothing, just leave ironing out the details of our marriage to me," I told Lex, he didn't need to know that anyway. I'd leave it to Lilith to tell him. "You should really fire that ex-sister-in-law of hers."

"Diverting the topic, but Jason Young's stepsister is someone Lilith is capable of handling on her own," he said quite confidently.

"Stepsister?" that was news. 

"Yeah, Janet is Jason's stepsister, wow I know something you didn't," Lex bragged.

"Still, you should eliminate everyone that is a threat to Lilith, especially after they almost assaulted her in the parking lot today," I knew Lilith could handle her, but she didn't have to. 

"She did what?" Lex asked, stunned by this new bit of information.

"It seems you've been too busy frolicking with the press to even know someone threatened Lilith," I said triumphantly.

"Or you're just being a stalker? Does she even know yet?" he asked proudly. "Have you even gotten my cousin an engagement ring yet?" 

Lex was diverting and shit, I hadn't.

"I'm trying to find the perfect one for her," I said, giving my excuse.

Note to self, buy the most expensive engagement ring in the country for Lilith and tell her never to take it off.

"You forgot, haven't you," he said, chuckling. "Damn, who knew that the only thing Alexander Harris sucked at was women."

"Goodbye, Lex," I said, dropping the call, annoyed that he was right.

I waited a while and drummed my fingers on my office table before finally giving in and admitting that he was right. 

"Get my jeweler to line up the most expensive and rarest diamonds, I want it made into a ring," I told my assistant as soon as he picked up the call.

"Why not use a family heirloom, sir?" he suggested.

It was a thought, I did consider it for a while, but I eventually shook my head.

"No, she deserves something better, something new, something that matches her," I declared.

"Very well, sir, I'll have the jeweler email you the options—"

"No, I'll go drop by myself," I told my assistant. 

Lilith would probably be hitting the mall tomorrow, I just need to know when so that I could accidentally bump into her.

"I'll tell him to expect you tomorrow then, sir," my assistant said. 

I quickly ended the call, a little bit embarrassed about how I was behaving. It was as if I were a teen again crushing on the same girl who had now become a woman.

Well, of course I was and she was fucking gorgeous now. 

I needed to make sure we coordinated, I wanted everyone to see that we were a couple.

"Riley," I said with a smile as I spoke to my cousin, one of Lilith's best friends.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, cousin," she said, clearly annoyed that I had called. She still partially blamed me for Lilith leaving.

"In a few minutes, my fiancée will be giving you a call, I want you to make sure that she and I match during the little party I've arranged," I tell her.

"You mean the annual Harris Ball, if you even call that little, all the employees are invited as well as the richest and most prominent families in the country." I groaned at her words, of course, it wasn't some small event. I wanted to introduce her to the world in the loudest way possible. 

"Just tell me what she'll be wearing and when you order a mask for her, have one made for me too," I said, ending the call.

I paced across the room, annoyed at how everyone was getting on my nerves when it came to Lilith.