[Look, I said I'd distance myself, but she's pregnant and needs help. You know her husband's not around.]
As always, Alexander pretended to be torn, but his actions spoke louder than his words. He consistently chose Colleen. We'd had this argument countless times. He always found an excuse—claiming he stayed close to her for the benefit of her Mafia family, that without her connections, his family's business would collapse.
Same story, different day.
When Alexander noticed I hadn't replied, he called me right away. "Darling, I’ve booked a restaurant for everyone to apologize. Please don’t make a scene."
I replied casually, "Is Colleen coming?"
"Of course," he said. "So, how about it?"
"Fine," I answered. "But if they want to apologize, it better be sincere, not just for show."
"I know. I've already told them." He paused, his hesitation evident. "Should I drive you tomorrow?"
"No need," I countered. "It’s better to handle this separately."
Alexander hesitated, clearly wanting to argue, but sensing my resolve, he reluctantly accepted my decision.