Chapter 6. He raped me

The next day, Alice woke up early, ready to face another day at work. Downstairs, she found Alex sitting on the couch, his leg crossed, and his face still emotionless. Yet, he looked like an angel, his beauty captivating.

"Shall we?" he asked, his hands in his pockets.

Alice was taken aback. "Huh?"

Alex raised an eyebrow. "Do you always get confused? I'm dropping you off."

The ride to work was smooth and silent, a welcome respite for Alice. But then, Alex spoke up, his voice calm. "I heard you went out with my brother yesterday."

Alice's heart skipped a beat. "Y-yes, I did, sir."

Alex's next question surprised her. "Hope he didn't hurt you." He asked because he knows Aiden too well.

Alice stared at her hands, feeling a mix of emotions. "No, he didn't."

The rest of the ride was silent, the tension palpable.

At the office, a few minutes to till quitting time, Alice overheard her coworkers gossiping about her.

"She's a seductress," one of them sneered. "Who knows how many men she's manipulated to get where she is?"

"Don't worry, her facade won't last," another voice chimed in. "Her true nature will be exposed soon enough."

"That girl is a master manipulator," one of them hissed. "She's probably slept her way to the top."

"Just wait, her secrets will come to light," another voice added, dripping with malice. "And when they do, she'll be the one who's exposed."

Tears pricked at her eyes as she fled to the restroom. Nikki found her later, concern etched on her face. "You can't stay in there forever, we have to go home."

Alice emerged, her eyes red, and headed to the parking lot where Alex waited. The driver opened the door to the back seat, and Alice got in, her head down, hiding her tears.

Alex noticed her distress and moved closer, his expression darkened the moment he saw her her red, puffy eyes.

"Who did this to you?" he asked, his voice low and menacing, like a beast ready to pounce. Alice was frozen, her eyes locked on his dangerous gaze.

"Who did this to you?" he repeated, his impatience growing, causing Alice to flinch. She took a deep breath before speaking, her voice trembling.

"I-I heard some people talking about me... they called me a cheap slut," she stammered, a lone tear rolling down her cheek.

He remained calm, his expression unchanging. "And who were they?"

"Mandy, Rose, and Kelly, my coworkers." she replied, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Marketing department?" he asked, his tone still calm.

Alice nodded, and he picked up a handkerchief and gently wiped away her tears, taking her by surprise.

As they sat in silence, Alice's eyelids grew heavy, and she rested her head on the headrest, unaware when it slipped onto Alex's chest. He wrapped a gentle arm around her waist, lost in thought.

*_At the mansion_*

The driver pulled up to the mansion, and Alex lightly tapped Alice's shoulder, rousing her from sleep. She sat up with a start, realizing her position, and pulled away, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." she stammered.

"It's fine," Alex replied, not looking at her.

Alice quickly exited the car, still flustered. But Alex didn't go in with her as he had pressing matters to attend to.