บท 128: CHAPTER 128: Real Choices

　　A choked sob escaped my lips, a raw, ragged sound that echoed in the sterile silence of the hallway. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring Alexander's face after his declaration.

　　He deserved the truth, deserved a chance to make a real choice, not one built on a foundation of lies, but I couldn't even give him that.

　　"Goodbye Alexander."

　　As I stepped out of the automatic doors and into the street, I quickened my pace, my steps faltering with each choked sob I fought back.

　　"Ava," Alexander's voice cut through the noise, laced with a quiet urgency. He caught up to me, his hand reaching out to grasp my arm. The contact sent a jolt through me, a conflicting mix of warmth and despair.

　　"I wasn't joking," he said, his voice low and serious. "About stepping down. It's the only way, besides marrying Jamila, to ensure that any form of blackmail doesn't damage the company."