"I see," I said simply.

It wasn’t surprising.

Knowing Alexander’s personality, I was certain he would never cross that line with anyone while we were still married. When I had asked him earlier, I was only teasing him.

But hearing the same thing now from the housekeeper made me feel strangely dignified.

Despite everything, Alexander had never truly disregarded me in that aspect.

After finishing the tour of the villa, I went downstairs and found Alexander seated on a single sofa near the window, casually eating fruit.

When he saw me, he picked up an apple and held it out.

"Try it."

I took a bite.

"It’s good."

"Then eat more."

"You eat it."

I placed the apple back in his hand and went upstairs to arrange our things.

The house was always kept immaculate, and the bedroom was spotless, with freshly aired sheets and a faint clean scent lingering in the air.

I unpacked our clothes and arranged them neatly in the wardrobe.

We hadn’t brought much, and not long after, one of the secretaries delivered several daily necessities that had been purchased locally.

Once everything was settled, Kessy prepared dinner.

To be honest, her cooking was only average.

I silently decided that while we were in New York, I would cook for us instead.

After dinner, Alexander and I took a walk around the neighborhood.

The evening air was cool and pleasant. We passed a few residents along the way, and some of them nodded politely in greeting.

After walking for some time, we returned to the villa.

By then, exhaustion from the day had fully settled over me.

The moment I lay down, I fell asleep.

The next morning, when I woke up, Alexander was already gone.

I reached for my phone and saw a message from him.

Are you awake? I had something to handle, so I left early. If you need anything, just tell Kessy or call me.

Blackwood Dominion Enterprises was vast, with many companies and overseas branches under its name.

Ever since joining the company, most of my work had been centered around Éclat Beauty. The matters here in New York had little to do with me, so there was no real need for my presence at the branch office.

Besides—

I needed the rest.

For the baby.

I replied to Alexander’s message, got out of bed, freshened up, and went downstairs.

"Good morning, ma’am. Your breakfast is ready," Kessy greeted warmly.

I nodded politely and followed her into the dining room.

After breakfast, I rested for a while at the villa before deciding to go out and explore a little.

I changed into lighter clothes and asked Kessy if there was anywhere nearby worth visiting.

She suggested Central Park.

Since Alexander had gone to the branch office and mentioned he might return late, I decided to go. I sent him a message first, and he arranged for a driver to take me there.

The moment I stepped into the park, the atmosphere felt completely different from the city outside.

Towering buildings framed the distance, yet inside was a world of green lawns, winding stone paths, shimmering lakes, and rows of trees swaying gently in the afternoon breeze.

People jogged past, couples sat on benches, children laughed nearby, and street musicians played soft violin melodies beneath the trees.

For once, no one knew who I was.

No board meetings.

No whispers about Alexander.

Just me.

I walked slowly along the lake, stopping now and then to admire the view.

The water reflected the skyline in rippling silver, while small boats drifted lazily across the surface.

I took out my phone and snapped a few photos.

After leaving the park, I continued wandering through nearby streets, stepping into a few elegant malls and boutiques. I didn’t buy much, but simply walking around felt strangely refreshing.

By the time evening began to settle over the city, I asked the driver to take me to a nearby restaurant.

I ordered a few dishes and had just settled down when my phone rang.

Alexander.

"Alicia, have you had dinner yet?" he asked.

"I’m at a restaurant right now."

"Oh?

"Did you enjoy the tour?"

"Yes. A lot," I replied cheerfully.

He chuckled softly.

"We should do it together another time, then."

"Totally," I said, unable to hide the happiness I felt from having been free, even if only for a few hours.

Then I asked, "Have you had dinner already?"

"I’m having dinner here with Jane and the others."

He paused before continuing.

" I’ll call the driver and have him come pick me up at the office when you’re done.We’ll head back to the villa together."

"Okay. See you then."

I ended the call just as my dinner arrived.

For some reason—

The food tasted even better now.

Alexander’s POV

After we completed our work for the day, I had planned to have dinner with Alicia.

But when I called, she told me she was already eating.

Earlier, Sophia had suggested we all have dinner nearby.

At the time, I had declined.

Now that I could no longer eat with Alicia, I accepted and followed the others.

The hotel where they were staying was close to the branch office, with a restaurant attached to it. They had already made a reservation, so we were quickly led into a private dining room.

We took our seats around a large round table and placed our orders.

While waiting for the food, the others chatted among themselves.

I remained mostly quiet, only speaking when necessary.

Soon, dinner was served.

As everyone began eating, Sophia suddenly stood and raised a glass of wine.

"Let’s make a toast to CEO Blackwood—for his hard work and sacrifices for the company."

The others immediately followed, lifting their glasses and looking at me expectantly.

"There’s no need," I said flatly.i had no intentions of drinking tonight.

"It’s only one toast," Sophia insisted.

"Yes, boss. Just this once," the others chimed in.

Seeing their persistence, I reluctantly agreed.

Sophia immediately handed me an untouched glass from the table.

"Cheers."

I raised the glass and took a small sip.

The others drank as well.

Sophia glanced at my glass and smiled.

"You didn’t finish yours, sir. I’m sure everyone would feel bad about that."

I looked around.

Several pairs of eyes were still on me.

Without another word, I emptied the rest of the wine in one go.

Then I stood.

"You all eat slowly. I’ll cover the bill and head back first."

"CEO Blackwood is so generous."

"Thank you, boss."

The room filled with cheerful voices of gratitude.

I gave a brief nod and turned to leave.

But after only a few steps, a faint wave of dizziness hit me.

I assumed it was from drinking too quickly and continued walking toward the front counter.

"CEO Blackwood."

I stopped and turned.

Sophia was hurrying after me.

I frowned slightly.

"Is there something you need, Director Sophia?"

"Can I walk with you for a moment?" I gave her a questioning look.

Seeing my expression, she quickly added,

"I think I drank a little too much too. The room feels stuffy. I need some fresh air."

I said nothing and continued walking.

She followed beside me.

Strangely, the heat in my body began to rise.

Even with the air-conditioning, I felt uncomfortably warm.

I paid the bill at the counter while Sophia stood quietly nearby.

She tried starting a few conversations, but after noticing I had no interest in responding, she fell silent.

When we reached the elevator, I finally turned to her.

"It’s fine, Director Sophia."

"You can go back inside now."

She smiled awkwardly.

"It’s fine, sir. The air outside should help with the alcohol."

The elevator doors opened, and we stepped inside.

Almost immediately, the dizziness returned.

I reached out and steadied myself against the glass wall of the elevator.

"Are you alright, sir?" Sophia asked, stepping slightly closer.

"I’m fine," I said, my voice lower than usual as I straightened.

We arrived at the entrance where I was supposed to wait for the driver and Alicia to pick me up.

"Are you waiting for someone?" Sophia asked.

"Yes."

"Then I’ll wait here with you," she said softly, not moving away.

I frowned slightly, but before I could respond—

"Ahh—!"

Sophia suddenly gasped.

Her body tilted forward.

I instinctively caught her.

"Are you alright?"

"CEO Blackwood... I think I twisted my ankle," she said weakly, her hand subtly gripping my arm.

"I’ll call James to take you upstairs."

"No..." she said quickly, her voice softer now. "I don’t think I can walk. Could you... help me to my room?"

Her weight leaned slightly into me again.

A few passersby glanced in our direction.

I exhaled slowly, trying to steady myself.

"I can’t leave right now," I said firmly.

But the heat in my body kept rising.

Unfamiliar.

Wrong.

Something was off.

And I was starting to lose clarity.