Alexander’s POV

After Lilian was taken away by her brother, I left the police station, leaving Jane behind to handle the rest.

Only when I stepped outside did I reach into my pocket—

and realized my phone wasn’t there.

Frowning, I turned back to the car and got into the back seat. My gaze swept across the interior before landing on it, lying quietly on the opposite side.

I picked it up and unlocked the screen.

Just as I expected—

several missed calls from Alicia.

Hours old.

My grip on the phone tightened slightly.

At that moment, I regretted not checking it sooner.

I immediately dialed her number.

The line rang.

The car felt unusually quiet.

Leaning back in my seat, I tapped my fingers lightly against my knee as I waited. After a moment, I pinched the bridge of my nose.

Then—

a soft beep.

The call ended.

I dialed again.

Disconnected.

My lips pressed into a thin line.

I quickly sent Jim a message, asking him to bring another car to pick Jane up once she was done. It was a good thing I had already sent him to take Alicia home earlier.

Without wasting another second, I moved to the driver’s seat and drove off.

By the time I arrived at the estate, it was close to eleven at night.

Everything was quiet.

The living room was dark.

Alicia hadn’t left the light on for me—

like she used to.

I paused for a brief moment before heading upstairs.

When I reached the master bedroom, I tried the doorknob.

It didn’t turn.

I froze.

Then knocked lightly.

"Alicia... are you asleep?"

No response.

I called out again.

Still nothing.

A faint crease formed between my brows.

With no other option, I went downstairs, turned on the lights, and searched for the spare key.

But it wasn’t there.

The noise must have woken Maria.

She stepped out of her room, looking slightly startled.

"Sir, you’re back... are you looking for something?"

"The spare key to the master bedroom," I said. "It was always kept here. Where is it?"

"Oh..." she hesitated slightly. "Mrs. Alicia said she lost her key, so she took the spare some time ago. Didn’t she return it?"

"...I see."

I fell silent for a moment.

"Never mind. Go back to bed."

"Yes, sir."

I turned off the lights and went back upstairs.

Standing outside the bedroom for a second, I said nothing more.

Then I turned away.

I entered the guest room next door instead.

After a quick shower, I lay down on the unfamiliar bed.

The room felt different.

Too quiet.

Too empty.

But exhaustion weighed heavily on me.

And for once—

I didn’t have the energy to think.

So I closed my eyes.

And let the silence take over.

Alicia’s POV

I had a good night’s sleep—but the next morning, I overslept.

When I saw the time, I immediately got out of bed and rushed to get ready. I barely had time to eat breakfast before heading out.

On my way to the office, my phone buzzed with a notification from Twitter.

The filming schedule for the movie starring Aiden as the male lead had been suspended due to an on-set incident.

The topic had already shot to the top of the trending list.

Frowning, I tapped into it.

A video appeared—clearly recorded in secret. The quality was poor, the angle unstable. But one thing stood out—

It only showed Aiden hitting someone.

My brows furrowed.

I had known Aiden since we were children. Even though we hadn’t seen each other in years, I knew his nature well enough.

He wasn’t someone who resorted to violence without reason.

I scrolled through the comments, and my expression darkened.

Only a handful of people questioned the video.

Most had already decided what to believe.

They painted him as an arrogant celebrity—someone who bullied staff, threw his weight around, and lashed out without restraint.

The narrative spread quickly.

Soon, bystanders and overzealous netizens flooded the official account, demanding an explanation... even calling for his replacement.

Aiden’s fans, however, pushed back.

Some of the on-set staff also stepped forward, insisting that the video was misleading. They claimed Aiden had been outnumbered and provoked—that he had taken several hits himself before retaliating.

They demanded the release of the full footage.

Not long after, Arclarie Entertainment released an official statement, explaining that inappropriate remarks from staff had triggered Aiden’s reaction.

But the public wasn’t convinced.

"Does that mean he can hit people just because he’s offended?"

The backlash only intensified.

I couldn’t help but wonder—

What could have pushed Aiden this far?

A faint unease settled in my chest.

Without thinking too much, I sent him a message.

Aiden, I saw the news. What happened?

His reply came quickly.

It’s nothing serious. Don’t worry about it.

I stared at the screen, speechless.

Nothing serious?

How could this not be serious?

This could lead to lawsuits.

Damage his reputation.

Even cost him his role.

If this wasn’t handled carefully—

it could leave a permanent stain on his career.

But when I pressed him for more details, he only brushed it off—said it was a minor conflict and told me not to worry.

I didn’t believe him.

Still, there was nothing I could do.

"Don’t let those clueless netizens get to you," I said quietly. "Right now, the most important thing is keeping your job."

Aiden replied. "Don’t worry."

I exhaled slowly after the call ended.

If this really was a setup by a competitor... then ironically, it might become his turning point.

Public opinion was against him—but not everyone.

His director was well-known and firmly supported him. Some major investors had also stepped forward.

Even if the backlash continued, it wouldn’t cost him the role.

At worst, he’d lose a few endorsements.

But if the film succeeded...

None of this would matter.

That thought eased something in my chest.

By the time I arrived at the office, I had already calmed down.

I returned to work.

—

A moment later, my phone rang.

Unknown number.

Since this number was for work, I often received calls from potential clients or collaborators. I wasn’t surprised by the unfamiliar number, so I answered.

"Hello, who’s this?"

"Bitch, you’re really disgusting, f—"

I froze.

For a second, I didn’t react.

Then—

I hung up.

Silence returned.

But it didn’t last.

The phone rang again.

A different number.

I stared at the screen this time.

I didn’t pick up.

A message came instead.

"You disgusting mistress. Go die....."

Another one followed immediately.

"You ruined someone’s relationship. Filthy whore. I hope your children die before they’re even born."

My fingers tightened slightly around the phone.

More messages.

More calls.

One after another.

I didn’t need to be told.

I already knew.

My work contact had been leaked.