"I have something to tell you too," he 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 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 three 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."
Those words pierced my chest like a dagger.
Numbly, I took the Divorce Settlement Agreement from him.
"Alright. I'll take a look."
The explanations about manipulation and necessity no longer mattered.
What mattered now was—
Liliana Summer.
His first love.
She was back.
Over the years, our relationship—though never made public—had been no different from that of an ordinary married couple. We talked about everything and lived simply, day by day.
Every morning, I helped him choose a suit and straighten his tie before we left for the office together. In the evenings, he always updated me if he had business engagements. Before bed, he asked for my company, and sometimes we shared quiet, intimate moments in the private hot spring. A goodnight kiss was our unchanging ritual.
Whether it was our anniversary, Valentine's Day, or my birthday, he never missed a gift. Whenever I mentioned something I liked, he made it happen. He had a way of turning ordinary days into something special, filling our lives with romance and ceremony.
I truly believed our life would continue like this—peaceful and happy.
Until Lilian Summer came back.
Had she already returned to his life?
Had they been in contact all along?
During his business trip, had they met in secret?
Was he with her last night?
The thought sent a chill through me, as though Alexander were slowly tearing my heart apart.
"Alicia, don't worry," he said calmly. "Even if we divorce, you'll still be part of the Blackwood Dynasty. You'll always be the sister I care about most."
Sister.
Two years of marriage, two years of intimacy—reduced to that single word. How was I supposed to accept it?
"We'll talk about it later," I said, forcing a smile as I lowered my head, hiding the emotions threatening to break free.
He studied me briefly, then asked, "What did you want to tell me earlier?"
I flipped through the documents in my hand and smiled faintly.
"It's nothing important. The new quarter's Collection launch is finalized. I've already resolved the last issue."
Some things were better left unsaid.