Chapter 4 Meet

"Vienna-"

"It's her birthday. Poor her," interrupted Geffrey quickly, who repeatedly received unpleasant looks from Carissa.

Vienna, who was in a good mood, immediately got off the sofa and approached Geffrey excitedly. They both stared at Carissa, who was still in place with her complicated emotions. But in the end, she still got up and walked hand in hand to the car.

If the trip earlier was filled with uncomfortable silence, then this trip was the opposite. Vienna's babbling filled the car, making the atmosphere between the two adults inevitably melt a little.

Arriving at the largest shopping center in the city, Geffrey swiftly carried Vienna. The little girl looked happy. Carissa was initially about to forbid it, but seeing her laughing face made her hesitate.

They looked like a happy family.

"Where are you going first?" asked Geffrey as he stepped forward, slightly blocking Carissa's path.

Of course, it annoyed Carissa, but she moved in the other direction.

Right then, a group of children were running around, followed by some adults. They seemed to be enjoying themselves and didn't care about their surroundings.

"Vienna wants a doll!" Vienna's little finger pointed towards a shop not far from where they were.

However, as they approached, they were confronted with the argument of two adults blocking the entrance.

"I'm not forbidding you. It's up to you, even if you want to shop for dozens of items. But at the very least, you should be self-aware. You've become a wife, is this all you do? I'm your husband, someone who needs you, not some money-making human!"

Carissa furrowed her brow in displeasure. She quickly approached Vienna and covered her ears. Her behavior brought her very close to Geffrey. "Come on, we should go to another store."

"Never mind. You can never change. Five years into our marriage, and you're still like this. I'm tired."

The man turned around and was about to walk away, but his body instantly froze at the sight of the beautiful woman in front of him. "Carissa?"

Instantly, Carissa's movement that was about to take Vienna and Geffrey away stopped. She turned her body and saw a man who looked at her full of surprise with all her nerves slowly stiffening. The two hands still in Vienna's ears began to loosen, almost falling, but Geffrey swiftly grabbed one of them and held it.

The action made Carissa realize and turn her head, looking at Geffrey, who looked at her deeply while nodding slowly.

The emotional turmoil in Carissa's heart raged even more. Her expression did not change, but the look in her eyes and her body's reaction explained everything. She even unconsciously grasped Geffrey's hand so firmly.

"Carissa, is it really you?" Alex walked up to Carissa with a bright smile and was about to jump into her with a hug. But Geffrey moved more nimbly, standing in front of Carissa and pushing Alex back.

"Please behave yourself!" Geffrey's cold voice filled the air, making the atmosphere between them even more tense.

Alex slowly averted his gaze and was surprised to see the person he knew so well now looking at him with hostility. "Geffrey? Long time no see. Why are you here?"

"No, wait-" Alex looked at Carissa, still visible behind Geffrey, and then back at the man. But right then, he focused on the adorable little girl in his arms. "You guys... Carissa, you, and this kid-"

"Wow, there's my husband's ex-wife." Jillian suddenly appeared and cut Alex off. She coquettishly grabbed Alex's arm and hugged him tightly as if there had never been an argument before. "Who is this, Carissa? You got married again, huh? Congratulations, may you always be happy."

If someone else heard it, they might think it was sincere. But to someone who had been face-to-face with her, it was a clear insult.

Carissa clenched her fists tightly. This woman... she was going to destroy her someday.

"Carissa, are you really married to him?" asked Alex with a touch of displeasure in his voice.

Geffrey thought that Carissa would not be able to answer. So he took the initiative to represent her. "What are you asking for? It has absolutely nothing to do with you, Alex!"

However, unexpectedly, Carissa walked forward to Geffrey's level and said, "Long time no see. But I'm sorry, I don't have time to talk to you."

Afterward, she took Geffrey's arm and led him away, passing by the stunned Alex.

"How arrogant!" sneered Jillian, glancing at Carissa sarcastically. "She's acting too much, but in her heart, she must really want my husband."

"Carissa, wait!" Alex grabbed Carissa's hand, which she immediately stomped. But he didn't give up and got back in her way.

"So you guys are really married?" Alex asked again. He stared at the two people in front of him with inexplicable anger. His heart screamed in disapproval. "How can that be?"

"Why not? No one knows fate. We met and fell in love, it's as simple as that," Carissa said, looking at Alex coldly.

Alex froze. His chest felt tight, as if something was squeezing his heart. In the past, Carissa always looked at him with a twinkle in her eye. But now, she looked at him coldly as if nothing had ever happened between them. And that was enough to make him feel sick.

Not wanting to waste any time, Geffrey immediately took Carissa away, leaving their backs unreachable.

Jillian stared at them hatefully. Damn! Enjoying her life so much, she had not noticed that the ugly woman was married and even had a child!

Geffrey stopped his steps near one of the doll shelves and turned his body to look at Carissa. "Are you okay?"

Carissa glanced at Geffrey and nodded slowly. "I'm not that weak."

On Alex's side, the man walked away so quickly that he forgot about his wife, who kept shouting his name while stomping her foot in annoyance.

In the car on the way home, the image of Carissa, his ex-wife, with Geffrey, his close friend, kept ringing in his mind.

Although she knew Geffrey, she was only limited to knowing his name. Carissa never asked more about him, even though he had told her how close they were as friends. But why? Why are they together now and look so happy?

Then, the child. They even had a child that big. Whereas he and Jillian... there was no hope for that.

These two facts managed to hit his pride hard.

"No. Carissa couldn't have forgotten me so easily. She used to love me so much. They must have just pretended not to look pathetic in front of me. Yeah, it must be like that." Alex muttered, trying to convince himself.

Arriving home, he immediately ran in haste to his study. However, as he passed the living room, he was stopped by his mama.

"Ma, let's talk later. I have something very important to do," said Alex, who was about to leave, but Mirabel immediately held him back.

"Wait a minute! It's also very important. Alex, what if you get married again? Many of my friends' children like you. They have good backgrounds, attractive faces, and, of course, good health. Very different from that trashy daughter-in-law. I already have pictures of her-"

"Ma, I can't," Alex interrupted quickly.

Mirabel's face instantly changed. She looked at Alex angrily and shouted, "What can't you do? You can! Only by having a descendant can you secure this company. And you can't do that with a barren woman! Don't want to know, you have to get married again!"

"Descendant?" For some reason, Alex's mind was drawn to the little girl in Geffrey's arms.

Come to think of it, she was probably about four years old. Suddenly, a thought crossed Alex's mind. He looked at his mother with wide eyes full of seriousness. "Mom, it doesn't matter if it's a boy or a girl, the important thing is my descendants, right?"

Although confused by her son's question, Mirabel nodded.

Instantly, Alex's smile grew wide. He quickly walked away from there while devising a plan to approach Carissa again. This time, he would not let her slip from his grasp.