My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 107

Even though Alexander had never actually cheated, it was undeniable that he had once shared an ambiguous relationship with Isabella, which, in Sophie’s eyes, counted as infidelity.

I didn’t try to defend Alexander. Instead, I replied, "Right now, my grandfather’s health isn’t great. He doesn’t want to see me and Alexander get divorced."

I grew up in a single-parent household, and I didn’t want my child to go through the same thing.

But when I asked myself honestly, could I really provide a warm, stable family environment for my child with the way things were between me and Alexander?

Sophie: "Well, I can’t really say much about your situation. Just make sure you’re clear with yourself about it."

Sophie: "So, what’s your plan? I saw the comments on Twitter, and they’re all ripping you apart. If it were up to me, you and CEO Hawthorne are legally married anyway—just make your relationship public and let the truth smack Isabella in the face!"

Vivienne: "We’re not going public for now. Let those people online say whatever they want."

Sophie: laughs "Do you think I don’t know about Alexander’s little tricks?"

Vivienne: "..."

Sophie: "If you go public, it’ll be clear that Alexander cheated, won’t it? A guy with that many schemes would never agree to go public—of course, the one who’ll suffer is you."

I couldn’t help but laugh and cry at the same time, sending her a crying-laughing emoji.

"By the way, that picture you posted on your Moments the other day—was that man Alexander? He looks great. So, how is he? Good in bed? Comfortable?"

Vivienne: "?"

Vivienne: "Sophie, can you be a little more serious?"

Sophie: "I didn’t directly ask him how long he is, so I’m already being serious."

"..."

Sophie went off to do something else.

Not long after, I received a message from Ariana.

I had no choice but to repeat to Ariana what I had just told Sophie.

I set my phone down, covered my face with my hands, and sighed.

Then, an old client, someone I hadn’t heard from in a while, suddenly reached out to chat, subtly trying to pry into things about Alexander.

I couldn’t possibly tell them the truth, so I just made up an excuse, "It’s nothing. The media is just blowing it out of proportion."

The client replied, "Really? Doesn’t seem like it."

I stared at the words on the screen, instantly losing the desire to respond.

But the client wasn’t letting it go. In a tone that suggested they’d seen it all before, they said, "Vivienne, you don’t have to explain. We all get it. It’s not shameful to do it for money."

"There are plenty of people like that. Nothing wrong with admitting it."

"By the way, you’ve got the naming rights for the upcoming show. Are you coming to the Serton Hotel tonight?"

A greasy feeling washed over me, and I nearly gagged.

I immediately added that person to my block list.

I turned off my phone, leaned back in my chair, and stared blankly out the window.

A feeling I couldn’t quite describe filled my chest.

Like Sophie said, by not choosing to go public, the one who would suffer was me.

When I first saw the scandal break, I wondered what Alexander was planning to do.

Would he handle it like last time, letting the heat die down with a cold response, or would he choose to face it head-on?

He probably thought it would blow over, just like last time.

But unexpectedly, Alexander released a formal statement.

When Sophie reminded me to check it, I had a fleeting moment where I held on to a silly hope, wishing Alexander had decided to make our relationship public.

However, that thought was fleeting.

When I saw the lawyer’s letter, I felt an odd sense of resolve, neither sad nor happy.

Isabella’s identity shouldn’t be tainted by the rumors of her being the third party in someone else’s relationship. Alexander had promised to protect her career.

As long as Isabella was involved, we would never be able to go public, to openly declare that we were husband and wife. With Alexander and Isabella’s statuses, the media would be watching us constantly.

Just imagine—decades of people observing our every move, invading our privacy. Every time Alexander and I were photographed, it would stir up a media frenzy, and we’d be viciously criticized, just like today. Reporters would surround us, and uninformed people would chase us, prying into our lives.

Our child would be cursed before they were even born, unable to appear in public without facing scrutiny.

The thought of living like that left me feeling suffocated. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

There was no point in continuing this marriage.

If our child were to grow up in an environment like that, I’d rather raise the child on my own.

Sophie, sensing my frustration, said, "Vivienne, don’t take this the wrong way, but if you two don’t go public, you’ll carry this stigma forever. If he truly cares about you, he wouldn’t let you go through this humiliation. Honestly, I think you should just get a divorce."

"Look at you now. You’re supposed to be CEO Hawthorne’s wife, but all you get are insults. What’s the point of being his wife?"

"You’d be better off getting a divorce and living on your own terms."

I preferred staying low-key, and divorce seemed to be the best option for me.

"I understand, Boo Sophie. Thanks."

Alexander’s POV

After Olivia was reassigned, Lucas was promoted to Director of Public Relations. It was the perfect opportunity for him to shine, but then this issue came up.

He had been up since five, working tirelessly, and had finally managed to help Jane contain the situation. Just as he settled into his chair, he received an internal call from the CEO’s office.

Lucas had been about to report the situation to me, so he stood and walked toward my office.

“CEO Hawthorne, the heat around the Twitter hashtags has died down. I’ve been negotiating with the Clickbait Accounts privately to have the posts removed. The problem is, these accounts are tough to deal with. They’re determined to go against us.”

I glanced up slightly, keeping my voice low and steady. “No need to negotiate. I’ll handle it myself.”

Hearing this, Lucas seemed momentarily surprised but quickly replied, “Understood.”

I picked up a file from my desk and slid it toward him. “I had the Secretarial and Legal departments draft a cease-and-desist letter. It will be sent out through the company’s official Twitter account shortly. You need to keep a close eye on the online response.”

“Got it,” Lucas said, taking the file and flipping it open.

The letter was a standard form used in the entertainment industry—legally meaningless but serving as a warning.

It stated that the gossip about Alexander Hawthorne had infringed upon his right to reputation, demanding the immediate removal of the Twitter posts, an apology, and a cessation of the defamation and attacks against him.

Within minutes, the statement became the talk of the internet.

The comments flooded in, mostly mocking.

“A cease-and-desist letter? My advice? Just sue them.”

“Right to reputation? So it’s true, then?”

The Twitter influencers showed no fear. Not only did they refuse to take down the posts or apologize, but they even shared the cease-and-desist letter with the caption: “It’s over, we’re going to jail.”

As for Isabella’s side, they didn’t respond at all.