Alicia’s POV

I was sitting up in bed, leaning against the headboard as I read through one of the books beside me.

Over the past few months, I had bought several books about pregnancy and parenting.

Before, I had always been too afraid to look into those things, worried Alexander might find out.

But now...

There was no reason to hide anymore.

Alexander had already left for the office after making sure I finished breakfast.

Lately, he had seemed exhausted.

Even though he never said anything directly, I could tell there was a lot happening at the company. Every time I asked, he would simply tell me not to worry.

As if he could handle everything alone.

Just then, my phone suddenly vibrated with a notification.

Ever since Alexander bought me the new phone, I hadn’t used it much after setting everything up. Realizing it had been a while since I checked my social media accounts, I put down my book and picked up the phone from the nightstand.

The notification was from Twitter.

And it involved Blackwood Dominion.

My brows furrowed slightly as I tapped on it.

#BlackwoodDominion #CEO

Attached was a photo of Alexander alongside a short article.

"The CEO of Blackwood Dominion Enterprises, Alexander Blackwood, is allegedly about to be replaced. A board meeting is currently being held at the company headquarters. Follow us for further updates regarding the situation."

I immediately sat up straighter.

A board meeting?

Why hadn’t Alexander told me anything?

And replaced?

What exactly had happened?

If something this serious was going on, then why had he looked so calm this morning?

Not once had he shown any sign of worry.

After all, Alexander was still incredibly young, yet he already stood at the very peak of success. He controlled Blackwood Dominion with absolute authority and respect.

Countless people admired him.

Even more envied him.

How could he possibly give all of that up so quietly?

I stared at the screen, the article replaying repeatedly in my mind.

If the rumors were true...

Then who did the board want to replace him with?

It couldn’t possibly be an outside professional manager. The Blackwood family would never hand control of the company to an outsider.

That meant the number of possible candidates was very small.

Uncle Steve?

No... he had never shown much interest in the company.

Aunt Angela?

Unlikely.

Then who?

One of the major shareholders?

The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I became.

Without hesitating any longer, I dialed Alexander’s number.

Third Person POV

Alexander sat at the head of the conference table, Jane standing quietly behind him.

On both sides of the long table, the board members waited as the meeting prepared to begin.

Then suddenly—

Alexander’s phone rang.

The interruption immediately drew everyone’s attention.

Alexander glanced at the screen.

Alicia.

Without saying a word, he raised a hand slightly.

The room instantly fell silent.

Under the watchful eyes of the board members, Alexander answered the call and placed the phone against his ear.

"Alicia," he said softly, his tone noticeably gentler than usual. "What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?"

The concern in his voice was unmistakable.

Several board members exchanged stunned glances.

No one had ever imagined that the cold and decisive Alexander Blackwood could speak so gently to someone.

On the other end of the line, Alicia hesitated briefly before responding.

"No... I just wanted to know if the board meeting is happening today."

Alexander’s gaze darkened slightly.

"Who told you that?" he asked calmly. "Don’t worry about it. Just focus on resting."

The softness in his voice contrasted so sharply with his usual demeanor that even Jane looked slightly surprised.

"I won’t be able to rest unless you tell me the truth," Alicia insisted quietly.

Alexander remained silent for a brief moment before replying,

"Wait until I come back. I’ll explain everything then."

Alicia understood there was no point pressing further.

Even if she got an answer now, there was nothing she could do from home.

"...Okay," she finally said before ending the call.

After hanging up, Alexander placed the phone back onto the table and calmly glanced around the room.

"Let’s continue."

The atmosphere immediately turned tense once again.

With the Chairmwoman’s absence due to illness, Vice Chairman Miles Harper was temporarily presiding over the meeting.

After several minutes of discussion, Miles finally spoke.

"Under Alexander’s leadership as both CEO and General Manager, his personal controversies and management decisions have caused significant damage to the company’s public image."

The room fell completely silent.

"In recent months, the company’s stock prices have continuously declined, and our market value has suffered greatly. Public confidence in the company’s leadership has weakened, and shareholders have begun demanding explanations."

Miles paused briefly before continuing in an even sharper tone.

"Furthermore, the warehouse fire incident at the B City branch was mishandled due to CEO Alexander’s poor judgment, which intensified public criticism and further damaged the company’s reputation."

Several board members nodded subtly.

"And let’s not forget Sophia Smith," another board member added coldly. "She worked diligently for the company for years, yet CEO Alexander used his authority to suppress and isolate her—first by transferring her away and later forcing her resignation. That was a direct abuse of power and a violation of company regulations."

The accusations echoed heavily throughout the conference room.

Finally, Vice Chairman Miles Harper looked directly at Alexander and spoke clearly.

"For all these reasons, I formally propose that Alexander Blackwood be removed from both his CEO and General Manager positions."

The moment those words fell—

A suffocating silence filled the room.

The atmosphere instantly became heavy with tension.

The board members exchanged glances across the table.

Some whispered quietly among themselves, others remained expressionless, while a few exchanged meaningful looks.

Miles Harper calmly observed everyone’s reactions before speaking again.

"Of course, I’m not denying Alexander’s contributions to the company over the years," he said evenly. "But contribution alone does not excuse negligence."

He paused deliberately before continuing.

"A general may win countless battles, but the moment his mistakes lead to heavy losses, he must still take responsibility."

The atmosphere in the conference room grew heavier.

"And let’s not ignore the fact that many of these recent issues stem directly from Alexander’s personal life," Miles continued. "As CEO, every decision he makes reflects on Blackwood Dominion. Yet time and time again, he has prioritized personal interests over the company’s reputation."

Low murmurs spread throughout the room.

Miles allowed the discussion to simmer before adding,

"We cannot simply sit here while shareholders continue dumping company stock."

"That’s true," one board member said cautiously. "But replacing the CEO right now could create even more instability. The shareholders may not support such a drastic move."

"At the very least, it would show that we’re taking action," miles countered immediately. "We can’t continue ignoring public pressure."

The issue of personal matters interfering with company decisions is serious," another board member added. "There were earlier discussions about replacing the head of Éclat Beauty in order to reduce public criticism and prevent further reputational damage."

His gaze shifted toward Alexander.

"But in order to protect his wife, Alicia Sinclair, CEO Alexander disregarded the company’s broader interests entirely. That is not the behavior of a qualified leader."...