Alexander stared at it for a long moment. Then another thought surfaced. Earlier that day, he had casually promised Clara that he would prepare a proper gift for her someday.His gaze lingered on the diamond as a thoughtful expression crossed his face. “Would giving her this be inappropriate?”After all, the diamond had originally been chosen for Aurelia. Even if Aurelia had rejected it, the stone still carried memories he no longer wished to revisit.He closed the box gently. “No,” he said at last. “She deserves something chosen especially for her.”A faint smile finally appeared on his face. “A blue diamond would suit her better.”He found himself imagining Clara’s bright smile, her playful eyes, and the way she had blown softly on his injured arm as though she truly believed such a simple gesture could ease his pain.The thought warmed his heart in a way he had not expected. “I’ll find one,” he murmured. “But not this.”Satisfied with his decision, Alexander returned the velvet box

Aurelia nodded weakly. “I’ll apologize,” she murmured. “I’ll tell him... I’ll never ignore him again.”They had barely taken a few steps toward the entrance when Aurelia’s legs suddenly gave out beneath her. Her body collapsed onto the cold pavement before Vivian could catch her. “Aurelia!”Vivian immediately dropped to her knees and tried to help her up, but Aurelia had exhausted every last bit of strength she had left. Between the alcohol, the crying, and the complete emotional collapse, she could no longer force her body to move.Vivian looked up toward Alexander’s dark window, then back down at the woman slumped against the ground. After a long moment, she let out a helpless sigh. “You really picked the hardest man in the world to love.”She removed her suit jacket and carefully draped it over Aurelia’s shoulders before pulling out her phone and beginning to call Alexander, and it rang.The ringtone continued, but no one answered. She tried again. Still nothing. Then again, still

“He always made breakfast for me,” she said softly. “This time, I’ll make breakfast for him.”She lowered her head. “Then I’ll apologize properly.”Vivian studied her in silence.The woman standing before her no longer looked like the confident CEO who had once believed Alexander’s devotion would last forever. This Aurelia looked uncertain, fragile, and almost frightened.Without another word, Aurelia picked up her handbag and hurried toward the door. A soft click followed as the front door closed behind her.Vivian stared after her retreating figure for a moment before slowly turning to look toward Alexander’s bedroom. “Please don’t tell me...”Before she could finish the sentence, the bedroom door slowly opened.Alexander stepped into the hallway, lazily rubbing the back of his neck after what had been the most peaceful night’s sleep he had experienced in years.Vivan froze.She looked toward the front door that had closed only seconds earlier, then back at Alexander. A helpless lau

She had known Alexander for years, yet this was the first time she had ever heard him speak so openly about his marriage.A faint smile appeared on his face. “I genuinely hope she finds happiness.”She blinked in surprise. “You mean that?”“I do.” He nodded once. “I hope she learns to cherish the person standing in front of her. Nahir may not be a good man, but he’s the one she chose. I won’t stand in the way anymore.”His words left her strangely unsettled.She remembered Aurelia crying herself into exhaustion only a few hours earlier. She remembered the desperation in her friend’s eyes, the trembling in her voice, and the way she had insisted on coming here no matter how much it hurt.Then she looked back at Alexander.The man sitting in front of her no longer resembled the devoted husband who had once built his entire world around Aurelia.That man had quietly disappeared.She let out a slow sigh. “I think you’re misunderstanding her.”Alexander raised an eyebrow.She added, “She i

He was not the loudest student in the room, nor was he the most popular, yet he always seemed to notice other people’s needs before his own. She remembered watching him carry heavy books for elderly professors without being asked.She remembered seeing him help classmates repair broken equipment, and she even remembered the day he skipped his own lunch so that another struggling student could eat.He had never bragged about any of it. He had done those things as naturally as breathing. Little by little, admiration had quietly turned into affection. A faint smile touched her lips at the memory.There had been one semester when she had spent an entire weekend teaching herself how to bake. The results had been questionable, to say the least. Most of the cakes had come out burnt, lopsided, or so misshapen that they barely looked edible.The memory made her laugh inwardly.After countless failed attempts, she had finally managed to make one batch that looked presentable. Of course, giving