Grand Return of Alexander Fitzgerald : The Great Son-In-Law

Chapter 3

Isabella was still trying to collect herself after the dramatic interruption when Alexander and Ruben stood face to face in the office. 

She felt a surge of shock and guilt, even though she knew she hadn't betrayed Alexander. To conceal her guilt, she quickly turned to Alexander and asked, "Alexander, why did you come here?"

Alexander's reaction was not what she had expected. He scoffed and his tone was accusatory as he responded, "Isabella, I came because I was sure that if I hadn't, you might have betrayed me."

Isabella's eyes widened in surprise and she felt a pang of shame. She had never wanted to give Alexander any reason to doubt her, and now he seemed to question her loyalty.

As Alexander and Isabella stood together in the office, Ruben's frustration boiled over. His previous confidence had now turned into anger as he lashed out at Alexander.

"You are lying to me," Alexander declared, his voice filled with doubt and bitterness.

Ruben couldn't contain his rage any longer. He turned to Alexander and sneered, "You really are a pathetic excuse for a man, Alexander. You should be ashamed that a woman is the one providing for you."

The taunts and insults were like a bombardment of hurtful blows, but Alexander remained quiet, his jaw clenched, unwilling to let Ruben's words provoke him.

Ruben continued, determined to humiliate Alexander even further. "Don't you care that you're known as a poor son-in-law, relying on a woman to survive? You're a disgrace."

Alexander felt a burning anger welling up inside him, but he held his emotions in check, refusing to give Ruben the satisfaction of a reaction.

And then came the final blow, as Ruben attempted to buy Alexander's departure from Isabella's life.

 "I'll tell you what, Alexander. I'll give you a job as my driver with a high salary, as long as you agree to divorce Isabella," He said with a cruel smile. 

In the heat of the moment, fueled by anger and frustration over Ruben's condescending words, something inside Alexander snapped. 

His fists flew in a blur of motion, and in the blink of an eye, he landed a powerful punch on Ruben's jaw. Ruben, who had never faced such a physical confrontation, fell to the ground, shocked by the sudden attack.

Isabella was frozen in shock, watched as her usually calm and gentler mannered husband unleashed a flow of fury. 

Alexander continued to beat up Ruben, relentless in his anger and determination to defend his honor and his love for Isabella.

Ruben's cries for help only seemed to incite Alexander further, and his voice trembled with pain and desperation as he shouted, "I won't spare you, Alexander! I'll have my revenge!"

But Alexander was beyond reasoning; he had been pushed to the brink by Ruben's taunts and insults. Each punch he delivered was a response to the humiliation he had endured in the presence of the man who had tried to come between him and his wife.

Seconds felt like hours as Isabella stood frozen, her husband transformed into a force of nature she had never seen before.

 He was no longer the passive man who had endured her family's humiliation, but a warrior defending his love and honor.

Ruben was battered and covered in blood. He lay on the ground, defeated and broken. 

Isabella finally snapped out of her shock and rushed forward, her voice pleading, "Alexander, that's enough! Stop!"

When Alexander finally stood up, his face, a mix of anger and exhaustion, Isabella's emotions overwhelmed her.

In her haste to reach out to Alexander, she accidentally slapped him, the sharp sound echoing in the corridor. Alexander was stunned, his hand on his cheek where her slap had landed. 

It was an unintentional gesture, borne out of fear and concern, but the shock of it sent a jolt through both of them.

Isabella, who was equally surprised by her own actions, felt a pang of guilt for striking her husband. However, she couldn't bring herself to apologize to him. Instead, she did something even more unexpected.

Her mind was still reeling with thoughts of the cooperation and her fear that Ruben might exact revenge on Alexander. With these worries consuming her thoughts, she went to Ruben's side, extending a hand to help him up.

All that was on her mind was her determination to save the cooperation agreement, as misguided as it might have been. 

She hoped to prevent any further confrontations or repercussions that might harm her company and her family, even if it meant reaching out to the man who had threatened her marriage.

Isabella's actions left both Alexander and Ruben surprised and confused.

 Alexander, who was still rubbing his cheek, watched in disbelief as his wife extended a hand to the man he had just beaten. Ruben, despite his battered state, accepted Isabella's help, though his expression remained one of anger and defiance.

Isabella's unexpected actions had dealt another blow to Alexander, who stood there, a mixture of hurt and bewilderment written across his face.

 He gazed at his wife, unsure of what had just transpired and feeling a deep sense of hurt from her actions.

Ruben, whose face was a mess of bruises and cuts, stood up and glared at Alexander with resentment burning in his eyes.

 He muttered through his battered lips, "I'll have my revenge, Alexander. You haven't seen the last of me."

Alexander's gaze met Ruben's, his eyes filled with an intensity that sent cold shivers down Ruben's spine. 

The once-spoiled man, who had never faced a real confrontation in his life, suddenly felt the weight of Alexander's determination and strength. He realized that his attempts to come between Isabella and her husband had not only failed but had also unleashed a powerful force he couldn't contend with.

With one final threat, Ruben turned and ran out of the office with his steps echoing through the corridor. Isabella watched him go, her emotions in turmoil, and a sinking feeling of dread settled over her.

The silence that followed was heavy with tension, and Isabella finally turned to face her husband.

 She could see the pain and confusion in his eyes, and her heart ached at the sight of the hurt she had unintentionally caused him.

Alexander fixed a cold, unyielding gaze on Isabella. He couldn't shake the feeling that she had been on the brink of betraying him, and the weight of that suspicion bore heavily on his shoulders.

Isabella felt the weight of his gaze but chose not to answer him, her silence pregnant with a mix of emotions she couldn't articulate. 

The damage had been done, and the misunderstanding hung between them, a barrier neither was ready to confront in the immediate aftermath of the confrontation.

With a strained expression, Isabella finally broke the silence, her voice calm but distant. "It's getting late, Alexander. We should go home."

She turned and walked out of the office, not waiting for him to follow. Her heart was heavy with the turmoil of the day, and she needed the distance to clear her thoughts and emotions.

Alexander simply nodded in response, his face was a mask of unreadable emotions. He understood that their relationship had been severely tested, and he needed time to process everything that had transpired.

As Alexander and Isabella left the office together and sat side by side in Isabella's car, the silence between them was stretching on.

Minutes passed in stillness, the tension in the car was evident. Isabella was unable to bear the silence any longer, finally broke it with a bitter tone in her voice. 

"Alexander, you had no right to ruin my cooperation with Ruben. You shouldn't have provoked him like that. Do you have any idea what kind of disaster you've brought upon us?"

Alexander, whose disappointment was evident, remained silent as his gaze was fixed on the passing scenery outside the window.

 Isabella's accusation stung, but he felt that the events that had transpired were not entirely his fault.

Isabella continued her tirade, her voice laced with frustration. "Ruben was offering us a way out of our financial troubles, and you ruined it with your reckless behavior. Now we're left with nothing."

The accusation cut deep, and Alexander's disappointment in his wife's attitude grew. 

He had acted out of a desire to protect their relationship and to defend his own honor, but Isabella seemed to place the potential business opportunity above everything else.

As they drove in silence, Alexander realized that the opportunity to discuss the divorce agreement had slipped away in the chaos of the day's events. 

He had wanted to raise the topic with Isabella, but now it seemed that the timing was all wrong, and he was left with more questions than answers.

Isabella's frustration and blame hung in the air, and Alexander couldn't find the words to respond. The trust between them had been shaken, and the road ahead appeared more uncertain than ever.

The rest of the car ride passed in silence, both of them deep in their thoughts. The events of the day had left them wounded and uncertain.