Alex.

I had gotten fed up with the hospital environment, and honestly, I saw no reason to remain there any longer. The doctors had already confirmed that Eva and the baby were fine. According to them, she could even be discharged anytime soon.

That should have been enough to ease my mind, but it didn’t.

Instead, the longer I stayed beside her hospital bed pretending to be concerned, the more irritated I became. Every second felt suffocating. Every forced smile felt exhausting.

The only thing keeping me sane at that point were the thoughts running through my head.

Ella.

I leaned against the hospital corridor wall for a moment after stepping out of Eva’s room, loosening my tie slightly as I shut my eyes briefly.

I kept imagining Ella’s expression right now—she must have received the necklace already.

A faint smile spread across my lips at the thought of it.

I could already picture her face lighting up the moment she opened the golden box. She had wanted that necklace for years. I still remembered the way she had shown me the picture back then, her eyes sparkling with excitement while she talked endlessly about it.

And now, I finally got it for her.

This time, she would understand, she would know I was trying, and my intentions are sincere.

I chuckled softly under my breath.

"She must be smiling right now," I muttered to myself. "She definitely misses me too."

I imagined her rushing into my arms the next time we met. Her soft lips crashing against mine as she complained about how long I stayed away from her.

That was how it was supposed to be.

Ella always came back to me, she is just throwing tantrums at the moment.

But then another thought ruined the moment instantly.

The triplets.

My jaw tightened immediately.

Philip had informed me earlier that Ella was now working at the Ironclad Group. Not just working there, but working closely with those damned triplets.

A dull ache spread through my chest immediately, because I fully could not trust them around her.

Those brothers were dangerous and manipulative and worst of all...they had suddenly been obsessed with her in one way or another.

I clenched my fists tightly beside me.

"No," I muttered sharply. "I can’t let them poison her mind against me."

There would be no divorce.

Ella was still my wife and no one is taking her away from me.

And with that thought firmly rooted in my head, I stopped wasting time. I left the hospital immediately, got into my car, and drove straight to the Ironclad Group.

The drive felt longer than usual, as my fingers tapped impatiently against the steering wheel while my thoughts remained consumed by Ella.

Would she smile when she sees me?

Would she pretend to stay angry?

Would she finally listen to me?

The moment I arrived at the company building, I remained outside waiting and minutes passed slowly.

Workers moved in and out of the building, but none of them mattered to me, I was only waiting for one person and then finally...

I saw her.

The moment Ella stepped outside the building, my breathing hitched. She looked even more beautiful than I remembered.

For a second, everything around me faded completely, It was like she was the only thing my eyes could focus on.

My heart pounded loudly against my chest as excitement surged through me.

"Ella!" I called out instantly, already walking towards her without hesitation.

My entire attention remained fixed on her, and I didn’t notice anything until Ella suddenly turned slightly...and grabbed another man’s hand.

My steps froze instantly and my eyes slowly moved towards the man standing beside her.

And the moment reality sank in...

...it felt like my entire world shattered into pieces.

"Ella, wait!" I called out immediately the moment I saw her turning away.

Without thinking twice, I rushed forward and grabbed her hands before she could take another step. My chest tightened instantly at the familiar feeling of her skin against mine, relief washing through me so suddenly that I almost smiled.

"I came to take you home, sweet cake."

Ella rolled her eyes instantly. The coldness in her reaction caught me off guard almost immediately.

"Mr. Blake, Ella is dead," she said sharply, her voice firm enough to make my smile falter slightly. "I am Theresa Copper, and I have no relationship with you, so I will advise you to stop blocking my path."

The words hit harder than I expected.

My brows furrowed immediately.

"Stop this nonsense, Ella!" I snapped back instantly, frustration slowly creeping into my voice despite my effort to remain calm.

Because this...this wasn’t what I had been expecting at all.

Hadn’t she received the flowers I sent?

The necklace?

She should have been happy.

Overjoyed even.

Unless...maybe she hadn’t received them.

That had to be it.

There was no other explanation for this cold behavior.

"Excuse me, but I have been patient enough."

The man standing beside her finally spoke. His voice was calm, but there was something firm beneath it that immediately irritated me.

"My girlfriend doesn’t know you," he continued, his gaze fixed directly on me. "So I advise you to stay clear away from her."

And then, he wrapped his arm around Ella’s waist possessively.

My jaw tightened instantly because trust me, at that exact moment, all I wanted was to rip those hands away from her.

How dare he touch her like that?

But then, one particular word finally settled properly in my head.

Girlfriend?

For a second, my mind blanked. It actually took me longer than it should have to process what he had just said.

"What?" I echoed, staring at him in disbelief. "What do you mean girlfriend?"

My voice rose immediately, anger flaring hotter in my chest.

"She is my wife, you pervert!" I yelled.

The sharpness in my tone instantly drew attention around us. A few people nearby turned to look, their curious gazes settling on the scene unfolding before them.

But honestly, I didn’t care. If anything, I might actually need their support to claim my wife back.

"Stop embarrassing yourself, Mr. Blake...it won’t do your reputation any good," Ella said coldly.

There wasn’t even the slightest trace of softness in her voice.

Then she turned calmly toward the man beside her. "Micheal, let’s go."