Alexander Sterling was a man who prized cleanliness above all else. Finding himself trapped in a filthy, reeking body was unbearable, his first instinct was to wash himself. He had to do it immediately, regardless of the situation."Isabella..." he called the woman again. "I... I need to take a bath."Isabella blinked. Her eyes widened as if she'd heard something utterly absurd."A-a bath?" she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief.Alexander nodded. "Yes. This body feels absolutely disgusting."Isabella fell silent. In five years of marriage, Kyle had never once cared about hygiene. Bathing even once a week was considered excessive to him. His body always reeked of alcohol and sweat, and of course, he would fly into a rage if Isabella dared to remind him."You... you want to bathe?" Isabella asked again, as if she couldn't quite believe it."Is there no water?" Alexander asked back, his voice still gentle.Isabella was stunned. She stared at the man before her, the same face as Ky

Alexander stared at Lily, the little girl frozen before him, her eyes wide with sheer terror. Her tiny frame was trembling, her chest heaving like a cornered animal trying to disappear into the shadows.And then, Kyle's memories of Lily came flooding back, not just indifference, but outright hatred. Kyle despised Lily simply because she was born a girl. Alexander saw flashes of what he had done: the screaming tantrum after her birth, Kyle raging at Isabella. "Why did you give me a daughter? I wanted a son!" He had hurled everything within reach against the walls, while Isabella clutched Lily to her chest and bit back her sobs.Then came another memory, Kyle's obsession with turning Lily into a boy. He had hacked off all her hair until she was nearly bald, not for hygiene, but because he couldn't stand the sight of his child looking like the girl she was.Alexander looked at Lily, his emotions churning. She actually had a sweet face, warm, honey-brown eyes like Isabella's, and clear, d

Alexander walked back toward the narrow alley where Kyle's rented shack stood. In his hands, he carried several plastic bags of groceries. The money Victoria had given him, money meant to pay for prayers for his own death, he had used to buy something far more useful.To Alexander Sterling, that sum was pocket change, utterly inconsequential. But to a destitute family like Kyle's, it was a small fortune, enough to keep them going for days.Alexander bought fresh vegetables and fruits. He bought chicken and a bit of beef, along with soft, fresh loaves of bread,not the stale, rock-hard discount loaves Isabella usually set on their rickety table."You're back," Isabella said as Alexander stepped into the ramshackle house.Alexander nodded. He walked over to the wobbly wooden table and set the bags down."I picked up a few things," he said.Isabella approached. She opened one of the bags, and her eyes went wide.Fresh vegetables. Fruits. Meat. Bread."This..." Isabella stared at Alexander

That night, Alexander stood at the dock, gazing at the small boat he was about to pilot. It wasn't the luxury yacht he used to command, just a simple motorboat with a small cabin for passengers. Which meant it would be far easier to handle.He had prepared in advance, wearing the most decent clothes Kyle owned to look presentable. Upon boarding, he first inspected every piece of equipment to ensure everything was in working order. Mr. Hendricks had also provided him with a route map and brief instructions beforehand.After confirming everything was in order, Alexander waited for the client while standing at the helm, gazing at the controls. A strange sense of nostalgia washed over him as he stood on this small vessel. His mind drifted back to the first time his mentor had trusted him to pilot a boat. He'd been just fifteen years old then, and the boat they'd used for his first trial run had been exactly this type."It's been so long," Alexander murmured to himself.After all these yea