บท 36: Chapter 36 Louis Warned Madelyn

The two of them reached the parking lot and hopped in the car. After buckling up, Alicia asked curiously, "What brought you to the museum?" Louis started the car and replied casually, "I went overseas for business and picked up some cultural relics along the way. Figured I'd donate them to the museum."

Alicia said solemnly, "On behalf of the country and the people, I thank you." Louis glanced at her indifferently, "It's only been a few days since we last met, and you're already talking all formal with me? Don't put me on a pedestal. Donating cultural relics can boost the company's reputation and help us dodge taxes legally."

Alicia paused, studying his handsome, brooding face, and smiled, "You're getting more and more like a seasoned businessman."

Louis smirked, "Are you making fun of my money-hungry ways?"

Alicia grinned, "I wouldn't dare."

The two debated where to go for lunch, eventually letting Louis take Alicia to a standalone building near the river. An antique plaque on the building displayed two elegant, calligraphic characters: Le Louvre. The exterior was grand, like a mini palace. Luxury cars filled the parking area, their license plates hidden. After getting out of the car, Louis handed the keys to the valet.

Alicia trailed behind him into the club. It was a members-only spot, offering superb privacy. Louis was obviously a regular, as the manager greeted him enthusiastically upon their arrival. After exchanging small talk, the manager led them further inside. Accordion music floated softly in the corridor, evoking French cinema. Waitresses in skirts glided around, conjuring up the ambiance of Paris. They arrived at a private room at the end of the hallway.

Once inside and seated, the manager chatted briefly before leaving. Louis handed Alicia the menu, "Order whatever you want."

Alicia took the menu and ordered one of her favorite dishes, while the rest were all Louis' favorites. During their three-year marriage, she had learned everything about him.

After she finished ordering, Louis moved the menu in front of himself and had the waiter remove all of his favorite dishes, replacing them with Alicia's favorites. The waiter, puzzled and curious, couldn't make sense of their subtle display of affection.

As the food arrived, Alicia looked at Louis' slightly thinner face and asked, "Were you swamped during your week abroad? You seem to have lost some weight." Louis placed an appetizer on her plate, "It was alright, but the food overseas wasn't as tasty as what you whip up."

Alicia smiled, knowing he was deliberately teasing her. No matter where he went, he always stayed in the finest hotels and dined on the best food. How could world-renowned chefs' dishes be any less delectable than her simple home-cooked meals?

As they were wrapping up their meal, Louis stepped out to take a business call.

Alicia got up to use the restroom, which was adorned opulently and with impeccable taste. As she left the restroom and strolled back down the corridor, she was suddenly grabbed by her clothes and shoved into a small garden. She quickly spun around to see that the person who grabbed her was Madelyn.

Facing one annoyance after another, even the easy-going Alicia was losing her cool now. She knit her brows and asked, "What's the deal?"

Madelyn didn't answer, instead pulling Alicia behind a massive, thick banyan tree. She shot Alicia a menacing look, blowing off steam, "I admit that I slapped you, but you got someone to puff up my face? You're a real piece of work!"

Alicia coolly fixed her rumpled clothes, throwing Madelyn an ice-cold glare. "I didn't set that up, actually. Maybe you've got too many haters because you are always so full of yourself."

"You shut up! I've only been back for a hot minute, and you're the only one I've butted heads with!" Madelyn shot back. Alicia shrugged it off, "Believe what you want, but like I said, show me the proof."

With no proof to show and her pride on the line, Madelyn's face turned beet red, sputtering, "What are you doing here?" Alicia deadpanned, "Duh, I'm here to grub. What else would I be doing at a restaurant?"

Gritting her teeth, Madelyn asked, "Are you here with Louis?" "Yep," Alicia confirmed. Madelyn's eyes darkened, and she snarked, "You've signed the divorce papers and are about to split, yet you're still hanging around Louis, leeching off him. How low can you go?"

Now those words crossed the line. Louis and Alicia weren't divorced yet; until that day, they were still legally hitched. Grabbing a bite together shouldn't trigger such snarky comments.

Alicia stood her ground, her voice icy as she said, "Miss Monroe, it's not that I'm dissing you. If we were on a level playing field and competing fair and square, you wouldn't have a shot because you're too hot-headed."

Madelyn scoffed, "So what if you're more chill? Without a loaded dad, it's all zilch. I'm just better at picking my birth! I've been winning since day one!" Alicia laughed out of sheer frustration, "I used to be jelly of you, but now I see how sad you really are. Apart from having a rich dad, you got nothing going for you!"

For someone as proud as Madelyn, those words were the ultimate burn. Already steamed, she lashed out, aiming a kick at Alicia's leg. Alicia nimbly dodged back, suddenly hearing fast footsteps. In a flash, she was swept into the arms of a tall figure.

Madelyn's kick had missed, and she gawked, flabbergasted, at the dude who had popped out of nowhere. Alicia caught a whiff of a familiar manly scent, clean and warm, with a touch of tobacco. Glancing up, she saw Louis. Silently relieved, she hid her racing heart and grinned at him, "How'd you find me?"

Louis's face stayed poker, but his eyes were frosty as he eyed Madelyn. Turning to Alicia, he said, "I wrapped up my call and didn't see you when I got back, so I hit up the waiter and came looking for you. You okay?"

Alicia shook her head.

Madelyn was quick to switch gears, dropping her haughty act and playing sweet and innocent. She looked down and said to Louis, "I wasn't trying to kick Alicia. My shoe was just bugging me. I lifted my foot to check the heel, and you got the wrong idea."

A chilly smile spread across Louis's face. "I'm not blind."

Madelyn pouted, almost in tears. "Louis, you're getting me wrong."

"Maddie, Maddie, where'd you wander off to?" A slightly aged male voice called not far off. Madelyn's eyes sparkled, and she replied, "Dad, I'm over here in this tiny garden."

The sound of footsteps neared. A man in his sixties showed up—graying at the temples, thick eyebrows, big eyes, and a sturdy build. Clad in a snazzy dark gray suit and sporting a pricey watch, he radiated a deep sophistication. This was Madelyn's father, Gregg.

Eyeing Alicia, Gregg greeted Louis with a grin. "Louis, I didn't know you two were here."

Louis replied with a nonchalant grunt, a hint of a smile on his lips but no warmth in his eyes. He coolly said, "Uncle Gregg, you better keep your daughter's antics in check. If you keep spoiling her like this, she'll be ruined."

The words "your daughter" drove a clear wedge. Madelyn's tears started to flow. Touching her face, she sobbed, "Louis, you're taking sides. It was Alicia who started it by picking on me. She had someone beat my face into a puffy mess—it took a whole week to heal, and it hurt so bad." Louis's hand rested gently on Alicia's shoulder as he softly said, "Alicia didn't know about that. Leave her be, and you'll be fine."

Madelyn wanted to say more, but Louis's patience had worn thin. Looking down at Alicia, he gently said, "Let me take you back to the museum."

Alicia nodded, and Louis turned to go. But Alicia suddenly stayed put, feeling Gregg's gaze on her—an unnerving mix of contempt, scorn, revulsion, anger, and hatred. It made her feel super uncomfortable, like being roasted alive or fried in boiling oil.

It was hard to picture that such a creepy stare could come from this refined man.

They say looks can kill, and Alicia was really feeling that today. She wanted to bolt, but her legs seemed frozen, unable to move. Louis walked a few steps ahead, then realized Alicia hadn't budged, her face slightly pale.

"Why aren't you coming?" Louis asked, returning to Alicia's side. His peripheral vision caught Gregg's lingering glare. Louis's expression hardened for a moment, then he took Alicia's hand and held it tight in his own. Without glancing at Gregg, he stared ahead and casually said, "This woman's been through hell and back with me. Anyone who messes with her messes with me."

His tone was light, his face emotionless, but his words packed an unspoken weight—a warning and a threat. Gregg's face instantly darkened.

Madelyn let out a wail and ran off, bawling.