Chapter 216 - Alex Distrusts

The old lady with cataract wasn't expecting anyone that afternoon. She was busy dusting her books as usual when the bell chimed, informing her that she had visitors.

The visitor she received wasn't like the other customers she had before. The blonde teenager looked very upper class and didn't seem like someone to appreciate her sad drip coffee brew or yellowing books. In fact, this visitor's sense of style was way too expensive to be found in a humble bookstore like hers. That bag alone was enough to pay rent for an entire month or more and the old lady trembled from the exertion at getting down from her step ladder to attend to this rich young lady.

"How can I help you?" she asked and Alex removed her sunglasses. She looked around at the bookstore and at the hunchbacked old lady.

"Is this Kat's Book & Coffee?" she asked and the old lady nodded.

"Indeed, it is. Are you looking for a book or coffee?"

Alex smiled warmly. "I guess I'll have a coffee, I'm actually here to wait for someone."

The old lady hobbled to pass Alex a menu and Alex took her time to read everything twice. There wasn't the usual thing she liked to order at Moonbucks so she decided to opt for tea, the safer option.

"Can I have a cup of earl grey tea, please?" Alex ordered and checked her phone for Scarlet's text. After giving her the location, her sister said nothing else and Alex wondered if grabbing an uber lift was an unnecessary thing. Scarlet didn't say that she would be there quickly and she was still at Edward's apartment when she texted. Alex might be a little too fast but she couldn't be blamed. Anyone who heard Scarlet crying would have been anxious too!

The old lady put a kettle on and Alex waited as she looked around. The shop was rather small and crammed with so many books that it was difficult to walk through some of the aisles. For some reason, she could understand why Scarlet liked this place. It was the same kind of feeling an artist gets when they are surrounded by nothing but art supplies. This must be ther.a.p.eutic for Scarlet.

The writer arrived about ten minutes later. Alex was sipping on her tea and browsing through some of the books the old lady recommended without really reading them. If anything, she wondered if the old lady had art books lying around somewhere.

"Sorry, Alex. I was caught in traffic."

"It's alright, how about we order you a drink first then we'll talk?" the model suggested and Scarlet smiled with a shake of her head. 

"A black coffee please," she asked and the old lady nodded. She recognised this young lady even if she had an unclear vision.

"It's lovely to see you again," the old lady smiled and prepared Scarlet's black coffee. Scarlet greeted her warmly even though her smile wasn't as bright as when it was with Edward the last time she was here.

Not wanting to rush her sister into talking, Alex focussed on making her feel comfortable. This tiny bookstore that sold coffee was like a safe haven for Scarlet and Alex remained silent while her sister conversed with the old lady. The one thing she did notice about Scarlet was the lack of nerdy accessories. That horrid glasses were gone and Scarlet had gone back to her usual messy bun instead of the straight ponytail.

Once the coffee was served and Scarlet was settled in, Alex tried to broach the subject in a tactful and subtle manner.

"It's been a while since I last saw you," Alex commented. "You've decided on a new look?"

Scarlet took a sip of the bitter liquid and sighed in appreciation. This was the taste she loved and it reminded her of another person who also shared the same liking for it. Unfortunately, that person wasn't here today and her lifted mood fell back down once more.

"No," she answered. "I just don't have a need to hide anymore."

Her answer only made Alex more curious. What was Scarlet hiding? Those glasses and change in hairstyle didn't hide anything. Even if Scarlet wanted to go incognito, she had to wear sunglasses and a mask or something. Alex saw how her sister was wearing her hood up with sunglasses when she arrived. Other than that, everything else remained the same.

"What do you mean? What are you hiding?"

Scarlet looked at her sister. Perhaps it was because she knew Alex for a long time that she didn't notice how stunning Alex's true beauty actually was. She inherited her mother's good genes and was very pretty. Anyone who didn't know her could have guessed that she was a model even if they didn't know her. It wasn't hard for those who followed the entertainment news to put a name to this face. How had she not considered this before?

"Say, are you easily recognisable by the average university student?"

Alex blinked. That was a rather sudden question but she nodded. "Yes. I'm fairly popular at the campus because of all the social events I participate in."

"No, that's not what I meant. Do they know you as Alexandra Wilde the world-famous model and heiress of the Wilde Empire or as Alex the social butterfly on campus?"

For some reason, that made Alex pause. "Now that you mention it... I don't really know. Is there a difference? I'm still the same person, I just dress down in school."

Scarlet was quiet for a long time and only drank her coffee while mulling over the information. For Alex, that might be true because her private life and public image were very closely related. Nobody at school really bothered her for an autograph but they did ask for pictures together and Alex loved the attention so she never denied them. The same could not be said for Scarlet.

"Edward recognised you as the daughter of the Wilde Empire and the model. He found out about my celebrity identity even before I told him anything. We had an argument of sorts and I said some very hurtful things to him."

Alex inhaled. She was determined to get the truth out of Scarlet but she wasn't expecting it to drop like a bomb without warning. She was even prepared to painstakingly weasel it out in bits from Scarlet and coax her for hours. Who knew that it was easier to get Scarlet talking than Edward?

Yet, this wasn't what Alex was expecting for the couple to fight about. Edward's reaction was rather unusual. If a normal person realised that the person they were dating was actually a celebrity, wouldn't they be a little less composed? Edward looked as if this wasn't anything special and Alex couldn't help but feel suspicious about her sister's boyfriend.

"Tell me everything from the beginning," Alex demanded. "Don't leave anything out, I want to know the full story. I saw how he looked with Jasper and Elfie and I feel like there's something I'm not understanding here."

Scarlet teared up but held them back as she confessed what she did. "I went through his things because I found listening bugs all around the house that are unfamiliar to me. Edward's apartment is odd, Alex. He keeps funny clothes hidden behind his bed's headboard and has a briefcase under a false board under his bed that his father told him to hold onto but there isn't a key to it or at the very least, I haven't found it. His actions were very confusing and I know he is hiding things from me. I couldn't ask about it or tell him about it but I got caught trying to investigate. He has two phones, Alex. One with everyone's number and the other that he keeps only three numbers and it's that phone that he uses as Jedd77 to contact me previously."

Alex listened to Scarlet retell the story about how Edward was hurt that she didn't come to him to ask and talk about it before going through his things and accusing him of being the spy that their father sent. Alex cringed at that. She knew that her sister had a tendency to overthink and in the heat of panic she often made bad decisions. The words that she said to Edward couldn't be taken back and the damage was done. She could now understand Edward's listless attitude. However, when Scarlet talked about the things Edward said and did after that, she found it odd.

"You mean he found out about your identity from the time he was at the old apartment in Brooklyn Heights?"

Scarlet nodded. "He said he also knew that Claire wasn't our real sister and did his research about the Wilde family. He knew everything from the beginning, Alex. He also knows that Claire sends four bodyguards to stake out on his apartment and follow me wherever I go."

Alex was deep in thought. As someone who was in love, Scarlet might be too blind to see it fully because she wants to trust Edward. However, as her sister, Alex was sure of one thing. Edward was hiding many dangerous secrets even if his feelings for Scarlet were real. She didn't know if she should support such a thing.

Further investigations will be required before Alex could conclude if Edward was a threat.