Darling, You Lose

“Do you think she knows?” Vivienne’s voice broke the silence, dripping with false innocence as she trailed her manicured fingers across Alexander Hartley’s bare chest.

Alexander smirked, letting the corners of his mouth curl up in that arrogant way that made people simultaneously admire and despise him. He reached for the cigar resting on the nightstand and lit it with deliberate precision, his movements slow, as if he had all the time in the world.

“Knows what?” he asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke that drifted lazily toward the chandelier above them.

Vivienne leaned in closer, her lips brushing his ear. “Knows that you’re here with me. In her bed.”

Alexander chuckled, the sound deep and cold. “Don’t worry about her?” He turned to meet Vivienne’s gaze, his icy blue eyes gleaming with a dangerous mix of confidence and indifference. “She wouldn’t dare do anything. Elena needs me.”

Vivienne laughed softly, her green eyes sparkling with amusement. She shifted on the bed, letting the silk sheets pool around her hips. “You’re bold, Alexander. Most men would be terrified if their wives caught them like this.”

“Most men aren’t me,” Alexander said simply, flicking ash from his cigar into a crystal tray. He leaned back against the headboard, utterly relaxed, as if his wife walking in on them would be nothing more than a minor inconvenience.

Vivienne tilted her head, studying him with a sly smile. “You’re so sure of yourself. What if she surprises you?”

Alexander raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. “Elena doesn’t have it in her. She’s too predictable. Too dependent. She wouldn’t dare rock the boat.”