Emily felt the air in the room turn cold.
Sophia.
Alexander's ex-fiancée.
The beautiful woman in the red dress stared at Emily as if she were something unpleasant stuck to the bottom of her shoe.
"This is ridiculous," Sophia said sharply. "Alexander, tell me this is a joke."
Alexander's expression remained calm.
"It's not."
Sophia let out a short laugh, but there was no humor in it.
"You expect me to believe that you suddenly married some random woman overnight?"
Emily felt her cheeks heat up, but she forced herself to remain quiet.
Alexander stepped slightly closer to Emily.
"I don't need you to believe it," he said coolly. "It's already done."
Sophia's eyes flashed with anger.
"You were supposed to marry me," she snapped.
Emily blinked in surprise.
Alexander looked completely unmoved.
"That arrangement ended months ago."
Sophia folded her arms, glaring at Emily.
"So you replaced me with… her?"
Emily finally spoke.
"I didn't replace anyone."
Sophia raised an eyebrow.
"Oh really? Then explain how you suddenly became Mrs. Knight."
Emily hesitated.
She couldn't exactly say *it was an accident caused by too much alcohol.*
Before she could think of a response, Alexander spoke firmly.
"That's enough, Sophia."
His voice carried authority that instantly filled the room.
"She is my wife now."
Sophia looked stunned for a moment, as if she had never heard Alexander defend someone like that before.
Then her expression slowly turned dangerous.
"Interesting," she said softly.
She stepped closer to Emily, her eyes cold and calculating.
"Do you even know who Alexander Knight is?"
Emily swallowed.
"I think I'm starting to."
Sophia leaned in slightly and whispered,
"Then you should also know that people who get close to him… rarely last."
Emily felt a chill run down her spine.
Sophia straightened and turned back to Alexander.
"This isn't over," she said calmly.
Then she walked away, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor.
The room fell silent.
Emily finally released the breath she had been holding.
"Your ex-fiancée is terrifying," she muttered.
Alexander looked slightly amused.
"You handled that better than I expected."
Emily crossed her arms.
"You could have warned me about her."
Alexander shrugged.
"I didn't expect her to show up today."
Emily sighed.
"Well, now she hates me."
Alexander's eyes met hers.
"That makes two of us."
Emily blinked.
"What do you mean?"
Alexander looked toward the hallway where Sophia had disappeared.
"She didn't come here just to argue."
His voice grew more serious.
"She came because she wants something."
Emily frowned.
"And what is that?"
Alexander looked directly at her.
"Me."