Alicia’s POV

Even though Alexander had never actually cheated on me, the ambiguity of his relationship with Lilian was undeniable. To Ariana, and likely many others, that ambiguity was as good as infidelity.

I didn’t bother defending Alexander. Instead, I typed out a simple, honest response.

Alicia: Right now, my grandmother’s health isn’t great. She doesn’t want to see me and Alexander get divorced.

I paused for a moment, the weight of my words settling in. I grew up in a single-parent household, and it had always made me fear the idea of my child growing up in the same environment. But then, a quiet, almost frightening question crept into my mind:

Could I really provide a warm, stable family environment for my child with the way things were between me and Alexander?

The thought lingered, hanging in the air between me and the screen.

Ariana’s reply came swiftly.

Ariana: Well, I can’t really say much about your situation. Just make sure you’re clear with yourself about it.

A pause.

Ariana: So, what’s your plan? I saw the comments on Twitter, and they’re all ripping you apart. If it were up to me, you and CEO Blackwood are legally married anyway—just make your relationship public and let the truth smack Lilian in the face!

I stared at her words for a moment.

Alicia: We’re not going public for now. Let those people online say whatever they want.

Ariana laughed lightly through the screen.

Ariana: Is that what you really feel, or are you just saying it because of Alexander?

I hesitated, not knowing how to answer her.

Alicia: ...

Ariana’s tone shifted, becoming a little more direct.

Ariana: If you go public, it’ll be clear that Alexander cheated, won’t it? A guy with that many schemes would never agree to go public—of course, the one who’ll suffer is you.

I didn’t even know what to say.

Her words were blunt, but there was truth in them.

The conversation shifted again.

Ariana: By the way, that picture you posted on your WhatsApp status the other day—was that man Alexander? He looks great. So, how is he? Good in bed? .

I stared at the screen for a moment, completely caught off guard.

Then I sent her a shocked emoji.

Alicia: Ariana, can you be a little more serious?

Ariana’s reply came instantly, full of cheeky humor.

Ariana: I didn’t directly ask you how long he is, so I’m already being serious.

I couldn’t help but chuckle, despite myself. There was something strangely comforting about Ariana’s brashness. It was like she had this ability to force me to laugh when everything felt so heavy.

Alicia: ...

The chat continued that way until she went offline to handle something.

Not long after, Sophie messaged me.

Sighing, I picked up my phone again and repeated to her what I had just shared with Ariana. The routine felt almost mechanical now, as if my life had become a series of rehearsed conversations and responses to questions I couldn’t quite answer.

Once I sent the message, I set my phone down.

I covered my face with my hands and exhaled slowly, trying to gather my thoughts.

The weight of everything—the rumors, the judgment, the strained relationship with Alexander—pressed in on me.

I was supposed to have control over my life, over my decisions, but it felt like I was losing grip, like I was caught in a storm of other people’s expectations and opinions.

I suddenly received a message so I picked up my phone to check.

A client I hadn’t spoken to in a while suddenly reached out.

At first, it seemed like casual conversation—but it didn’t take long before he began subtly probing about Alexander.

There was no way I could tell him the truth.

So I replied lightly,

"It’s nothing. The media is just exaggerating things."

"Really?" He responded almost immediately. "It doesn’t look like that."

I stared at the message, my fingers hovering over the screen, already losing the desire to reply.

But he didn’t stop.

"Alicia, you don’t have to explain. We all understand. There’s nothing shameful about doing things for money."

"There are plenty of people like that. No need to hide it."

My grip on the phone tightened.

Then another message came through.

"By the way, we have a show this weekend. Don’t you have a product you’d like us to promote? If so, we can meet tonight at the Silverbird Hotel."

A wave of disgust rose in my chest so suddenly it made me feel sick.

Without hesitation, I blocked the number.

I turned off my phone, leaned back in my chair, and stared blankly out the window.

A strange feeling settled in my chest.

Heavy.

Suffocating.

Ariana was right.

By choosing not to go public, I was the one bearing all the consequences.

When the scandal first broke, I had wondered what Alexander would do.

Would he handle it like before—stay silent and let the situation cool down on its own?

Or would he face it directly this time?

Most likely, he thought it would pass.

Just like last time.

As that thought lingered, my phone rang.

It was Ariana.

"Check the company’s official Twitter account," she said.

For a brief moment—just a fleeting second—I allowed myself a foolish hope.

Maybe...

Maybe Alexander had decided to make our relationship public.

But that thought disappeared just as quickly as it came.

When I opened the page and saw the lawyer’s statement, I felt an odd sense of calm.

Not sadness.

Not relief.

Just... understanding.

Alexander was protecting Lilian.

I still remember when he said that he had promised to protect her career .

Her image could not be tarnished by rumors of being the third party in someone else’s marriage.

And as long as Lilian remained part of the picture, there would never be a way for Alexander and me to go public.

To openly acknowledge that we were husband and wife.

With both of their statuses, the media would never leave us alone.But then will we continue living like this?will I have to continue living like this?.

Just imagine—decades of people observing our every move, invading our privacy

Years of scrutiny.

Endless headlines.

Every appearance dissected, every interaction twisted.

Reporters following us.

Strangers prying into our lives.

And our child...

Condemned before even being born.

Growing up under constant judgment, unable to live freely.

The thought alone made it hard to breathe.

My hand instinctively flew to my abdomen.

There was no future in this kind of marriage.

If my child had to grow up in an environment like that...

I would rather raise them alone.

My phone lit up again.

A message from Ariana.

"Alicia, don’t take this the wrong way, but if you two don’t go public, you’ll carry this stigma forever. If he truly cares about you, he wouldn’t let you go through this humiliation. Honestly, I think you should just get a divorce."

I stared at the message for a long time.

Alexander’s POV

"The police contacted us regarding the information we provided earlier," Jane said, standing beside my desk.

"Any progress?" I asked, my tone calm.

"They tracked the location listed in the file. There were signs someone had been staying there... but the suspect is no longer on site."

My expression darkened.

"What do you mean he’s no longer there?" I asked, my voice sharpening. "How did they let him escape?"

Jane lowered her gaze slightly under the pressure. "It seems he caught wind of the investigation and fled before they arrived. However, they did recover some clues and are continuing to track him."

I tapped my fingers slowly against the armrest.

If he managed to evade the police, then my suspicion was correct.

This wasn’t a simple case.

It ran deeper than it appeared.

And if I wasn’t careful... I might never uncover the truth.

"Cooperate fully with the police," I said finally. "If they need anything from us to apprehend him, give it to them immediately."

"Yes, sir."

I looked at her again. "What about what I asked you to check?"

Jane understood instantly.

"We had the technical department examine Director Jason’s computer," she said, hesitating slightly before continuing. "They confirmed he has been in contact with Echelon Industries."

My jaw tightened.

So it was exactly as I expected.

I had deliberately made it seem like the culprit behind the data leak had already been caught—just to draw out the real mastermind.

And it worked.

Jason had taken the bait.