ad been like that of an ordinary married couple. We ta

uit, tie his tie, and then we'd leave th

usiness engagements, he alwa

were times when we shared "special moments," occas

iss was our unc

omething I liked, he always did his best to make it happen. He excelled at turning the ordinary into something special, add

e would continue peacefully and happi

ad she already reappeared in his life? Had they been in touch all along? During his business trip, had

Alexander were slowly peeling my heart away. The p

u'll still be a part of the Hawthorne Dynasty.

st

nd placing me into the role of a sister. Three years of marriage, thre

smile, lowering my head, struggling to s

deep gaze fixed on me. "By the way,

y. "It's nothing. The new quarter's Apparel Collection Debut is finalized.

ngs I no longer wan

d job." His t

time again, my designs and strategies had earned his respect. Any project I personally handled-whethe

I took a deep breath, trying to compose myself. I turned and w

r suddenly spoke up and turne

bitterness flooding my chest. My

ling me about the divorce, he was still so composed and even invited

pace. "Since we're about to divorce, it's better

the door. I knew I couldn't lose control in fr

reason he'd married me. I was always just a tool, an accessory in his l

eave in a hurry, his b

.

ide door, but I didn't start the engin

eeling an unsettling knot in my

but there were always one or two exceptions. Third-in-lin

ll of fine wines. The caption read: "A warm welcome to the beautiful Isabella. Let

lso a celeb

from the Members-Only Club, a

ding on the phone screen. It refracted into a r

y, the sharp pain in my c

ok Isabella to meet his friends. They all knew her, and they wer

cret to everyone. He had never introduced me to his friends. Even when we occasionally ran

Hawt

, saw my car still there, and

, pretending not to hear him,

t these emotions int

o distract myself was to

attached the brand project

plied briefly, as usual: "Approved

ped a quick "Okay," and q

d another message from Alexander: "I hav

le piercing my heart. My fingers tremb

utives he was meeting with. He would always share everything. But these past two days

ng" must mean spendi

siness trip. I forgot to give it to you. It

with anoth

ne screen, suddenly feeling a surge of irritation

o the CEO, Jane Smith, knocked and entere

d still hear whispers from a

e to see CEO Hawthorne ju

he's weari

rne's girlfriend looks a lo

e star? No way, isn'

EO Hawthorne make

inclair." Someone spotted

and everyone turned to greet m

onless, and calmly replied, "It's a

y, but my heart was racing. My eyes were slig

afraid I'd witness someth

already com

indifferent. Not even a simple "I have some

rted whispering again, but t

able. You always feel a little envious when

ivienne is CEO Ha

forced Chairman Hawthorne to take in, or how else wou

old yo

ne fro

Vivienne really i

arking lot, buckled my seatbelt, and as

chosen for him that morning. His handsome

intimately with his. She tilted her head to speak to Alexander, an

king Alexander's arm. He smiled gently and no

s first love, had retu

tie stabbed my

en chosen by me to c

ring it on a date w