Memories of countless mornings during their marriage rose unbidden in her mind. Alexander would wake before sunrise, prepare breakfast, pack lunch for her office, and brew fresh coffee before waiting patiently for her to wake up.Most mornings, she had barely acknowledged any of it.Sometimes she had rushed past him while checking her emails. Sometimes she complained that the breakfast was too greasy. At other times, she had left the house without taking a single bite.Yet through all of it, he had never once complained.Now she was the one standing outside his home with groceries in her hands, too afraid to knock and too afraid to face the consequences of everything she had done.She took a shaky breath. “No,” she whispered to herself. “I came here to apologize. I can’t run away now.”Her grip tightened around the grocery bags once again.Inside the apartment, Alexander noticed the sunlight shifting faintly across the entrance. He frowned and turned his head toward the door. “Strange

She rushed back to the stove, but it was already too late. The butter had begun to burn, releasing a sharp, acrid smell that quickly filled the kitchen. She coughed, her eyes watering not entirely from the smoke.Vivian entered just in time to witness the scene: Aurelia standing helplessly before the pan, clearly overwhelmed.She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Oh, come on…”Aurelia looked up, guilt written all over her face. “I’m trying.”“I can see that,” Vivian replied dryly, stepping forward and gently taking the spatula from her hand. “But if you keep trying like this, we’ll all be eating charcoal for breakfast.”Despite the attempt at humor, Aurelia didn’t laugh. She lowered her gaze instead.“I didn’t know…” she murmured, her voice barely audible. “I didn’t know cooking was this difficult.”Vivian’s expression softened.She had known Aurelia for years, had watched her build her company from the ground up and negotiate million-dollar deals without hesitation.Yet the woman stan

Aurelia stood quietly near the doorway, watching him work.His hands moved with effortless familiarity. Each motion was precise, and he never hesitated or wasted a second. It suddenly struck her that she had rarely, if ever, watched him cook during their three years together.Back then, meals had simply appeared on the table as if by magic.Only now did she realize how much care and effort had always been hidden behind those ordinary moments. Her chest tightened painfully. I truly knew nothing, she thought.I accepted everything… without ever seeing how hard he worked.A few minutes later, Alexander returned with three neatly prepared sandwiches.He placed one in front of Vivian, another before Aurelia, and kept the last for himself.Vivian took a bite and sighed dramatically. “Now this actually tastes like breakfast.”Alexander responded with only a faint smile.Aurelia looked down at the sandwich in front of her. It appeared simple, yet somehow it felt warmer than any expensive meal

Clara slowed her steps. Something felt off. She checked the message again, her brows drawing together. “This should be the place…”Her gaze swept the corridor. “Where is everyone?”There were no footsteps, no voices, and not even the distant noise of maintenance work. Only silence greeted her.A cold unease crept down her spine.Years of working alongside powerful individuals had sharpened her instincts, and those instincts were now warning her that something was wrong.She reached into her handbag. “I’ll just call—”Before she could finish, a heavy blow struck the back of her neck. Pain exploded through her body, cutting her off mid-sentence.Her phone slipped from her grasp and shattered against the concrete floor. The world spun violently around her as her knees gave way. “Wha—”Darkness overtook her before she could even turn around. Her body collapsed onto the cold ground.Almost immediately, several figures emerged from the shadows of the stairwell. Their movements were swift, c

Aurelia stared at the darkened screen in disbelief. “…He hung up.”Vivian pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. “I don’t believe this. He didn’t even give you a chance to answer.”“I was trying to refuse,” Aurelia said weakly.Vivian raised an eyebrow. “Were you?”Aurelia hesitated. “…I don’t know.”Vivian let out an exaggerated groan. “You are unbelievable. At this point, I actually feel sorry for Alexander.”Guilt flashed across Aurelia’s face. “I just… don’t like hurting people.”Vivian folded her arms again, her gaze steady and unyielding. “And because of that, you keep hurting the person who matters most.”The words left Aurelia completely speechless. After a moment, Vivian’s expression softened slightly.“Listen,” she continued, her tone gentler now. “If you’re serious about winning Alexander back, you have to stop leaving room for misunderstandings. You can’t keep trying to make everyone happy, because in the end, it only guarantees that everyone gets hurt.”Aurelia no