After leaving the café, Alexander did not take a taxi.The wind blew along the street, gently swaying the hem of his shirt. With his hands in his trouser pockets, he walked step by step along the roadside, his expression indifferent, as if the argument and the punches inside the private room had nothing to do with him.This café was very close to Aurelia's company.So close that with just a glance, he could recall how brightly lit that office building used to be, and the nights he and Aurelia had spent side by side in a small office when the company was first founded.Back then, Aurelia was young, proud, and full of ambition. Even her speech carried a radiant energy. She would spread stacks of market reports across the table, frowning as she repeatedly overturned plans, almost burying herself in the documents.It was Alexander who finally set the direction.Aurelia wanted to enter high-end skincare, but the brand's core identity kept shifting. One day, she wanted to target young girls;

The night wind swept through the city streets, carrying with it the faint chill of early autumn. Neon lights flickered overhead as Alexander walked alone beneath their glow, one hand tucked into his pocket while the other loosened the collar around his neck.Behind him, traffic lights cycled endlessly, red fading into green, green into yellow—while distant skyscrapers carved cold brilliance into the dark sky.For the first time in days, the pressure that had been crushing his chest eased, if only slightly.It had nothing to do with Aurelia, and it certainly had nothing to do with home. Strangely enough, it was because of that little girl.The memory surfaced naturally, the way she had clutched her recovered bag tightly to her chest, her small face full of indignation as she called him a “mean mister,” and the stubborn confidence in her voice when she spoke afterward.A quiet laugh slipped from his lips.Helping a stranger for less than an hour had somehow brought him more peace than sp

Aurelia instinctively opened her mouth to respond, but Alexander spoke again before she could.“You always say the issue is small,” he continued. “But what exactly is small to you? The lie? The humiliation? Or the fact that your husband comes second every single time?”Aurelia’s heartbeat became uneven. For the first time, she realized that this conversation was no longer about jealousy.Alexander was talking about something much deeper.“Honey…” she said uneasily. “You’re making things too serious.”Alexander studied her for a long moment before speaking again. “Do you remember the night I got injured protecting you?”Aurelia’s expression shifted as the memory surfaced.At a business gathering months ago, someone had accidentally shoved a broken wine bottle toward her during an argument. Alexander had blocked it instinctively, and the jagged glass had sliced deeply into his arm, staining his sleeve with blood.Yet that same night, Nahir had twisted his ankle while trying to help after

The driver’s door opened immediately, and Jake stepped out. The moment he saw Alexander carrying luggage, his expression darkened visibly.Back at the café previously, he had already noticed the unusual intimacy between Aurelia and that man named Nahir.Now seeing Alexander leave the villa in the middle of the night practically confirmed everything.A trace of anger flashed through Jake’s eyes. His boss had sacrificed so much for that woman, yet this was the result?“Boss…”Jake immediately stepped forward and took the suitcase. “Where to?”“Back to New York, or back to the Stellar Grand Hotel?”The cool night wind swept across the villa entrance, and Alexander pinched the bridge of his nose tiredly.But after several seconds, he still shook his head faintly. “Not yet.”Jake paused.Alexander leaned back slightly against the car door, his voice low. “My identity can’t be exposed for now.”“If my enemies target her because of me…”“Things will only get messier.”Jake’s expression became

Alexander glanced at her. “You really investigated me thoroughly.”Nora immediately coughed awkwardly. “A little.”Alexander did not seem angry. Instead, he leaned back quietly and slowly began speaking, about the company, about helping Aurelia build everything from nothing, about stepping behind the scenes for her, about the anniversary dinner, the airport photo, the café, and Nahir.And the exhaustion that had gradually accumulated until even love itself became unbearable.Nora listened silently the entire time, no interruptions, no defending Aurelia, no questioning his feelings.The more she listened, the angrier she became on his behalf. “You built her company together.”“You took care of her for years.”“And she still keeps hurting you over another man?”Nora frowned tightly. “I seriously don’t understand her.”Alexander lowered his eyes quietly. “Neither do I.”Nora suddenly blurted out angrily, “Even if someone raised a dog for years, they’d feel attached.”“Why does she always