~Alistair's POV~
I couldn't help it. Despite my anger, despite the distance I had kept, I reached out and laced my fingers with his, squeezing firmly. I turned to him for a split second, a silent command for him to stay grounded, to stay calm.
Alex's mother noticed the movement, her eyes flickering down to our joined hands with a flash of irritation before she smoothed her features.
"Alistair," she began, gesturing gracefully toward Sarah, as if this were a perfectly ordinary introduction. "I'm not sure whether you've properly met before, but this is Sarah."
Sarah leaned forward with a soft, carefully rehearsed "Hi," but I didn't indulge her. My gaze slid past her without acknowledgment, settling back on my mother-in-law.
"Alright, Mom," I said coolly. "Get to the point."
She cleared her throat, completely unbothered. "Your husband recently traveled to Singapore, didn't he?"
"Yes, Mom," I answered, my voice a flat line. "He did."
