All kinds of refined compliments echoed around them, enough to make even William's usually stern, dignified expression soften into something gentler.
Alexander also responded to each praise carefully, maintaining a steady and composed demeanor.
While Alexander was calmly conversing, a maid slowly approached with a tray of orange juice. Suddenly, she stumbled, slipping forward. Without warning, the juice splashed over Alexander's finely crafted suit, leaving bright streaks of orange across the fabric.
"I'm sorry, sir. I really didn't mean to."
"I truly apologize."
Startled, the maid bowed in a panic, reaching out as if to help wipe his clothes.
However, he stepped back, suppressing the unpleasant sticky sensation, and said calmly,
"It's alright. Just clean up the mess."
Alexander's voice remained cold and emotionless.
At that moment, William spoke up in a steady tone.
"Ethan…"
Ethan, the butler, appeared immediately. Seeing Alexander's slightly disheveled state, he understood at once.
"Master, I will take the young master to change into another outfit right away…"
Without waiting for William to speak, Ethan had already grasped the situation and was thinking of how to remedy it. William gave a satisfied nod and gestured for Ethan to lead Alexander away.
Meanwhile, he calmly turned around and continued conversing with the business partners.
Alexander unhurriedly followed Ethan upstairs and entered his room. Then, Ethan carefully retrieved a spare suit, already pressed flat, from the wardrobe and respectfully handed it to Alexander.
"Young master, this is the spare suit that the master prepared for you."
"You may get changed in this room. If you need anything, just tell me."
Finishing his respectful words, Ethan stepped aside and gently closed the door behind him.
With Ethan standing guard outside, Alexander quickly changed his clothes and stood before the mirror to straighten himself up. Fortunately, the orange juice had only stained the outer layer of the suit and hadn't soaked through to his body.
Once he put on the fresh suit, the sticky, unpleasant sensation from earlier vanished. Alexander looked at the suit stained with orange juice, thinking it could no longer be cleaned or salvaged.
He casually picked it up, opened the door, and handed it to Ethan.
"Help me throw this away."
Ethan asked no questions. He simply accepted the order with respect and swiftly went to dispose of it.
Alexander glanced at him, then leisurely made his way downstairs. Just as he was about to walk over to William as before, Alexander was suddenly stopped.
"Oh my, who do we have here? Isn't this the penniless ex-fiancé of mine?"
Isabella's sharp, snide voice rang out, dripping with smugness. She theatrically stretched an arm forward to block the way, lifting her chin in mockery.
Alexander frowned faintly, intending to sidestep her and leave.
However, Isabella deliberately moved to obstruct him, refusing to let him pass.
She gave him a slow once-over from head to toe, lips curling in disdain.
"I wonder where you borrowed that suit from, and how you even managed to sneak into a high-society banquet."
"Truly shameless. Do you have any idea that this event today is held to welcome the long-lost heir of the Knight family?"
"Did you really think that just because someone as lowly as you slipped in, you'd magically become part of high society?"
Isabella let out a cold, derisive laugh. Something seemed to cross her mind, and she added with a biting tone, shrugging casually.
"Ah, and that esteemed heir happens to share the same name as you. Funny, isn't it?"
"Same name, yet such different fates."
"He's the heir to a multi-billion-dollar family, while you're just a pathetic pauper without even half a coin to your name."
The man beside her, Adrian Holt, cleared his throat smoothly, a mocking smile tugging at his lips.
"Isabella, don't say it like that. Who knows, maybe he heard you would be here, so he came looking for you."
"After all, even though the engagement was annulled, he must be terribly regretful and trying every possible way to beg you to take him back…"
Hearing Adrian's self-satisfied remark, Alexander simply looked at him with calm eyes, a sarcastic smile touching his lips.
Beg Isabella?
In his dreams.
However, Alexander had no intention of arguing with the two of them here right now. He merely cast a calm glance at the people in front of him and slowly said.
"Step aside."
The two words were icy to the extreme, leaving Isabella stunned. Yet, instinctively, anger flared within her, and she raised her hand to slap him.
"What did you just say? Who gave you the right to talk to me like that?"
"Damn it!"
But Alexander was no longer the meek man he once was, no longer someone she could bully at will. He easily gripped Isabella's hand, pinning her in place.
Isabella's face drained of color, her arm flung sharply behind her. Furious, she screamed and cursed, unable to control her emotions.
"Damn it, do you even know what you're doing?"
"A lowly dockworker, coming to beg me to take you back, and you have the nerve to act like this?"
Her shrill cries drew the attention of everyone around. Under so many gazes, she struggled to maintain her composure, standing upright, narrowing her eyes at Alexander.
"Now, I'll give you one last chance."
"Kneel and apologize, and I'll forgive you as if nothing ever happened."
"If you're sincere, I might even soften and take you back."
As Isabella finished speaking,
the atmosphere seemed to freeze,
falling into an eerie, suffocating silence.
At first, Alexander had managed to maintain a cold, composed demeanor, but upon hearing her words, he couldn't help letting out a cold laugh.
"You mean, kneel and apologize?"
The icy, noble aura Alexander carried at that moment made Isabella feel a flicker of unease.
Something was different.
Even so, she lifted her chin and smirked with arrogance.
"What else? Do you not understand human language?"
"You went through all kinds of trouble to sneak into this hotel, didn't you? All just to get close to me?"
"You were all bold when you demanded our engagement be annulled, and now that you regret it, you're trying every pathetic way to cling to me. Don't you feel disgusted with yourself?"