"Aunt... do you even realize what Alicia suffered because of what you said?"

This time, she hesitated.

Then her tone shifted slightly. "I heard she’s pregnant. Did something happen to the baby?"

I closed my eyes briefly before answering, "No. Thankfully, nothing serious happened."

Then my voice hardened.

"But if something had happened to Alicia or the baby,it would have been because of you."

"Alexander," she said impatiently, "you’re overreacting. That child is just another thing tying you to her now that Mother is gone."

The irritation in my chest surged instantly.

"That’s my child you’re talking about."

"But you can always have another one," she argued stubbornly. "With a woman actually worthy of standing beside you. Not someone Mother forced into this family."

"Enough."

My voice dropped sharply enough that even she fell silent for a second.

Then I spoke slowly and firmly.

"My grandmother’s decision was never wrong."

Angela seemed to froze.

"If it weren’t for her..." I continued quietly, "...I might never have understood my own heart."

For the first time since the call began, Angela had no immediate response.

Then finally—

"Alexander... don’t tell me Alicia has completely blinded you—"

"She is my wife," I cut in coldly. "And if anything had happened to her or my child yesterday, I would never have forgiven you."

"Ale—"

"I have things to do."

Without waiting for another response, I ended the call.

Silence returned to the hallway.

I lowered the phone slowly, exhaustion settling heavily into my chest.

This entire situation...

was my fault from the very beginning.

If I had understood my own feelings sooner...

If I had protected Alicia properly from the start...

maybe she wouldn’t have been hurt over and over again by the people around me.

I turned around and peeked into Alicia’s room again.

She was finally eating.

Maria sat beside her quietly, making sure she finished every bite.

A wave of relief washed over me.

Even if Alicia still refused to speak to me, at least she was eating.

That was already an improvement.

I remained by the doorway for a few moments, watching silently until Alicia finished.

A little later, Maria stepped out of the room and gently closed the door behind her.

"Sir, you look exhausted," she said, concern evident in her eyes. "I’m here now. I’ll take care of Mrs. Alicia. You should go home and get some rest."

I glanced toward the closed bedroom door.

"But Alicia is—"

"Don’t worry about her, sir," Maria interrupted softly. "We’ll be fine."

I knew Alicia was still angry with me.

At this point, my presence would probably only upset her further.

Maybe giving her some space was the better choice.

After a moment, I nodded.

"Alright. But I’ll arrange for security to stay here before I leave."

No matter what happened, I couldn’t bring myself to leave Alicia unprotected.

Especially not now.

Not while Lilian was still out there.

"Alright, sir."

Maria returned to the room while I stepped away and called Jane.

Even though I was no longer the CEO of Blackwood Dominion, Jane had insisted on continuing to work with me. After years together, she had become someone I trusted completely.

Within half an hour, several security personnel arrived and stationed themselves outside Alicia’s room.

Only then did I finally leave.

The moment I stepped into the villa, silence greeted me.

For a brief second, I simply stood there.

The house felt empty.

Too empty.

Every corner seemed to carry traces of memories.

Memories of Nana.

Memories of Alicia.

Memories of everything that had happened recently.

A dull ache settled in my chest.

Yesterday, Alicia had allowed her emotions to overwhelm her.

But I couldn’t blame her.

Because at the root of it all

I was the reason.

Alicia used to trust me completely.

And I was the one who destroyed that trust.

Piece by piece.

Until there was almost nothing left.

Even now, I had given her another reason to misunderstand me.

I slowly walked upstairs and entered the closet.

The suitcase Alicia had packed was still lying exactly where she’d dropped it.

For several seconds, I simply stared at it.

Then I bent down and picked it up.

I carefully opened it and began unpacking its contents.

A few dresses.

Some medications.

A couple of personal items.

Nothing more.

Nothing that could have supported her for more than a day or two.

Her purse was still here.

Her phone charger was still here.

Even some of her documents remained untouched.

Despite myself, a faint smile tugged at my lips.

She hadn’t truly thought any of it through.

She’d packed while overwhelmed by grief and anger.

She hadn’t been planning.

She’d only wanted to escape.

But the smile didn’t last long.

Because I suddenly remembered the look in her eyes when she asked for a divorce.

That expression hadn’t been impulsive.

She’d meant it.

And that realization felt far heavier than the suitcase in my hands.

After putting everything back in place, I took a shower and changed into fresh clothes.

When I went downstairs to get some hot water, something on the kitchen counter caught my attention.

A note.

Placed neatly beside a covered plate of food.

I picked it up.

I left some food for you.

I know you probably won’t bother eating otherwise.

Please eat while it’s still warm.

You need to stay healthy if you’re going to take care of Madam Alicia and the baby.

Maria

For a moment, I simply stared at the note.

Then I let out a quiet laugh. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

The first genuine one in days.

A strange warmth spread through my chest.

It reminded me of Nana.

Back then, no matter how busy I was, she would always find a way to make me eat.

Sometimes she’d scold me.

Sometimes she’d threaten me.

Sometimes she’d simply sit there until I finished every bite.

At the time, I thought she was being overly dramatic.

Now, I finally understood.

Slowly, I folded the note and kept it aside.

Then I sat down alone at the dining table and picked up the spoon.

For the first time since Nana passed away, I finished an entire meal.

And as I sat there in the quiet villa, one thought surfaced in my mind.

Nana had spent her entire life protecting me.

Even now, the people she left behind were still taking care of me in her place.

In the end...

Every decision she made for me had become one of the greatest gifts of my life.

After the meal, I received a call from Maria informing me that Alicia was being discharged.

Relief washed over me instantly.

I left the villa immediately.

On the way to the hospital, I remembered the cake Alicia had asked for a few days ago. I wasn’t sure whether she would even accept it from me now, but I still asked Jim to stop by the bakery.

A few minutes later, I walked through the hospital corridor carrying the small box.

The security officers stationed outside Alicia’s room nodded when they saw me.

As I approached the door, I slowed.

The door was slightly open.

At first, I thought Alicia was alone.

Then I saw a familiar figure sitting beside her bed.

Uncle Steve.

Alicia’s eyes were red and swollen.

Steve was holding her hand while she cried quietly.

The sight made my chest tighten.

I stopped outside the room.

Instinctively.

I didn’t walk in.

Something told me Alicia needed him more than she needed me right now.

So I remained where I was.

Even though I couldn’t clearly hear what they were saying.