"Ma'am, you should try calling Mr. Alexander again. Maybe he got caught up with something important," Mrs. Maria, our house staff, said, checking on me for what felt like the hundredth time that night.
"It's okay, Maria. I already told you—just go to your room and rest. I'll wait a little longer," I replied, forcing a smile.
"Alright. But if you need anything, just call me, okay?" she said with a sigh.
I nodded, and she finally left.
I remained seated in the dining room, staring at the well-prepared candlelit dinner in front of me. Once again, I glanced at my phone—no calls, no messages.
This had never happened before. My husband, Alexander, always informed me if he got caught up with something. And at this hour of the night, what could possibly be so important?
I had been planning this dinner since the day he left for his business trip. Yet here I was.
My gaze drifted to the small gift box on the table with my pregnancy test result inside it. Doubt crept into my heart. Was this a mistake?
I had only recently found out I was pregnant, and Alexander had already been away then. That was why I planned this candlelit dinner—to surprise him on his return. But now it was past ten, and he was nowhere to be found. His phone was unreachable.
I stood up, quietly cleaning everything away and blowing out the candles before heading to the living room.
The TV was on, though I had no interest in whatever was playing. Hugging a pillow, I curled up on the sofa, glancing repeatedly at my watch.
It was already 11 p.m.
A yawn escaped me, and without realizing it, I drifted off to sleep.
Half-awake, half-asleep, I suddenly felt my body lighten—as if someone had picked me up.
Dazed, I caught a familiar scent mixed with a hint of alcohol. "Alexander?" I murmured.
"It's me."
"You've been drinking…"
"Yeah. Had a drink with some friends," he replied lazily.
Soon, the sound of running water came from the bathroom. I frowned slightly and turned over, trying to fall back asleep. A while later, the blanket was pulled halfway off me, and a warm hand rested on my waist, sliding along my curves and pulling me closer.
Instinctively, I leaned into his arms.
His hand paused, then moved to my back.
"Go to sleep."
Unable to hold on any longer, I drifted back into a deep sleep.
The next morning, I woke up to find his presence gone. Only the slightly wrinkled sheets proved Alexander had been there at all.
A twinge of regret settled in my chest—how had I fallen asleep so quickly last night?
But it didn't matter. Today would be the same.
After washing up, I walked into the walk-in closet and picked out a white suit for Alexander. Pregnancy should be a joyful thing, so I also chose a red-striped tie and placed it neatly at the foot of the bed, excitement fluttering in my chest.
Alexander had already returned from his morning run. He sat on the sofa in casual clothes, a document in his hand. When I came downstairs, he looked up, set the papers aside, and said calmly, "Let's eat."
After breakfast, I took a deep breath, forcing myself to maintain the faint smile and anticipation on my face.
"Alexander, I need to talk to you."
He should be happy to hear about the baby… right?
"I have something to tell you too," Alexander said, lifting his gaze.
"You go first," I said sweetly, though unease stirred within me.
"Alicia, let's… get a divorce."
He stood up, picked up the document from the sofa, and handed it to me.
"This is the Divorce Settlement Agreement. Take a look. If you have any questions, I'll do my best to accommodate you."
My heart stopped.
"Divorce?" I whispered, my mind going completely blank.
Just like that—out of nowhere—he wanted a divorce?
Everything happened so suddenly, leaving me completely unprepared.
"We were both manipulated that night," he continued calmly, as if discussing something trivial. "This marriage was forced. We never made it public. Since that's the case, it's better to end things sooner."
My face turned pale. The air around me seemed to freeze.
My heart felt like it was being squeezed, making it hard to breathe.
No.
No…
I had loved him for six years.
From the day I entered the Blackwood Dynasty at seventeen, to now—twenty-three and at the peak of my career. From my innocent first love to two years of marriage, these had been the best years of my life.
I didn't marry him out of necessity. I married him because I wanted to.
But to him, it had always been "out of necessity".
I took a deep breath, forcing myself to meet his eyes. My voice trembled.
"These two years… haven't we gotten along well? Are you really sure you want to divorce me?"
"I'm sure."
"What about Nana…?" I asked stiffly.
"I'll explain things to everyone at home."
"If I—" I hesitated, unable to finish the question I truly wanted to ask.
He cut me off impatiently.
"Lilian's back in the country."