Chapter 63

After dinner, Lily rose to clear the dishes, but Alexander stopped her. "I told you to stay put," he frowned disapprovingly. "I forbid you from entering the kitchen. You aren't allowed." Lily felt helpless. "I used to cook myself, so…"

"That was before," Alexander retorted. "You're not allowed from now on!" He neatly stacked the tableware and went to the kitchen. Soon, the sound of running water echoed. Lily walked over and leaned against the kitchen doorframe, watching Alexander. His sleeves were rolled high, revealing lean arms and fair, healthy skin. He looked strong and manly. Lily thought of his hands around her waist, and her body trembled.

"Are you going to respond?" Alexander asked, washing dishes. Lily was stunned. "Huh? What?"

"About those boring things on Twitter," he said, glancing at her.

After a moment, Lily nodded. "Of course!" The Twitter posts were nonsense, but they still affected her reputation. Furthermore, she wasn't alone and didn't want Alexander to be ashamed of her.

"What are you going to do? Clarify?" Alexander asked.

Lily shook her head. "There's nothing to clarify. It'll only snowball if I argue with them."

The public believed Lily was embarrassed because of the truth. A few might believe her, but what good would that do? Her time and reputation would be damaged. How could she stay at the new company? What would her colleagues think?

Nathaniel and Melanie, however, only needed to buy off others. They didn't need to confront Lily directly. Lily couldn't afford to worsen the situation with the shameless couple, nor did she want to.

"Then… do you need help?" Alexander rinsed and dried his hands after washing the dishes, then walked toward Lily. "There's no need," Lily said, but she saw him open his arms and instinctively reached out. She hugged him, looked up, and said, "If I can't handle this, what qualifications do I have to be Mr. Russell's wife?"

Alexander smiled, lowered his head, and kissed her forehead. "You're the only one qualified to be my wife." Whether or not it was a comforting lie, Lily accepted it. In return, she tiptoed and kissed his lips. It was meant as a small reward, but Alexander clearly wanted more. He clasped the back of her head, deepened his gaze, and claimed a more substantial reward.

Meanwhile, Nathaniel had just finished a meeting in MN Inc.'s president's office. He was returning to his office when he saw Lucas waiting. "How are things going?" Nathaniel asked, proudly adjusting his tie. His smile betrayed his confidence.

"Ms. Christian said she'll see you in court."

Nathaniel reached for his coffee and froze. He felt a shock, as if something had pierced his hand. He stared at Lucas. "What did you say?"

"Ms. Christian rejected the private settlement and insists on court." "Does she think she can win? Does she have new evidence?" Nathaniel squinted, puzzled.