Chapter 81. High and Dry

Alexander’s POV

As I walked away from the restaurant, my chest felt like it was closing in. The picture of Nina and Leo together was seared into my mind, a painful reminder that maybe I wasn’t enough for her anymore. But what hurt more—the anger simmering inside me or the crushing sadness that felt like drowning in a sea of betrayal?

I unlocked my car and slid into the driver’s seat, clutching the wheel until my knuckles turned white. My breathing was ragged, and the car felt like it was suffocating me. I’d rushed here thinking seeing Nina would clear the air between us, but now I felt trapped. And then I saw her with Leo. Why was he with her?

A bitter laugh almost escaped my lips as the irony hit me. I’d given up everything for this woman, the one who had a hold on my every thought. Yet, she was slipping away, and I’d been clueless. Or had I chosen to ignore the signs? Had I assumed she’d come crawling back? Did I really think our connection was s