h his flawless reputation and lack of scandal-had earned him a huge following. People hailed him as the perfect hero, the ideal embodiment of success. Isabella, with her

online hype. Fans showered them with blessings, and a massive wave of OTP

thousands. Writers penned heartfelt love stories about them, while artists crafted adorable couple avatars and even cute, cartoonish illustrations

an had changed their username to: "Did CEO

ecstatic over ev

wthorne had remained single, with no rumors swirling ar

all s

tabbing into my heart. Every sentence mad

phone, my throat tightening, makin

o why was he trea

alm down. Then I turned off my phone, sto

ment before gently k

nder's voice cal

desk, speaking with determination. "CEO Hawthorne, I believe

locking onto mine. "What do you me

ly be associated with Isabella. It doesn't align with Valm

rne the 'CEO' of V&R. Isabella was endorsing V&R's products, and in the

to Isabella. I didn't want to cooperate with her

"Is this your honest opinion, or are you just

. "Why would

Topics info? You've always had ties with the investors. Yo

ng. "You're saying the Trending Topics issu

the terms of the agreement, you could have come to me directly. But instea

, while I was being accused of manip

ng wrong, yet he ref

like a punch to the ches

lips trembling, but I

how Alexa

years, and yet he'd always

Are you planning to leak that we're married and deliberately ruin Isab

ere almost ready to spill, but I forced myself to hold them in, l

ent silent

I'd been holding back burst out uncontrollably. "How did y

d over. "If you had told me back then that you couldn

ould I keep letting you t

en letting you have her? Alexander! Can't you just be reasonable? If I really

e. Sti

e cut through the quiet, deep and he

rr

a

e, and all he could le

it right. But this has nothing to do with Isabella. She doesn't

a bitte

nder Hawthorn

ll while threatening m

ired even to argue. "

d and walked out o

n, fragile, and

, his eyes narrowing, the

n, his p

the screen,

rry, but if I'd been more careful, I wouldn't have got

mmediate response, she c

t. "It's fine, I've taken car

o much, Alexander. Y

brilliant move. But what if Vivienne decides to go all in? If t

dark screen, confidence radiatin

intuition

ella

a feeling Vivienne had

. For the sake of Alexander's reputa

ing had shifted. He spaced out often, distant. It's better to ge

enne

Agreement from my folder, staring at it blankly for a l

ready left me. Why shoul

arriage, and thi

n, we're no longe

"Take this document to

utive Assistant, at the door to the CEO's office. "Jane, this is the docum

then handed it to Alexander. "Boss, this is

ok it, and casually

ienne didn't say. She just told

and, and Jane

of words caught his attention

. He quickly flipp

me, neatly signed-stared ba

staff had said, my signa

Settlement Agreeme

nity, then closed the folder and set it aside.

call from the matriarch

nne, i

ling?" I tried to soun

miss you. Remember to come home for lunch to

tood. The elders must have heard the

r. Don't say he's busy. If he d

ana, I'll make

. When the workday ended, his message popped u

ed: "On

ound Alexander's car, and

arted th

ftly, "Nana probably wants us to come back because of the news.

nodded silently, staring out the wi

He'd probably been waiting