My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 171

Vivienne’s POV

After the meal, Ariana drove us to the airport.

When we reached the parking lot, I waved at Julian. "Goodbye, see you in Sydney."

Julian was about to open the door to get out but paused for a moment. "Vivienne, aren’t you going to walk me to the terminal?"

I froze for a second, then shrugged and got out on the other side of the car. I was about to call out to Ariana to join us, but Julian spoke again. "Ariana can wait in the car."

"Got it!" Ariana quickly responded, grinning and waving at me. "It’s cold out. I’ll stay in the car. Vivienne, you go with Julian."

I glanced helplessly at him and said, "How about I just walk you to the terminal entrance?"

"Sure," Julian smiled.

Ariana and Sophie exchanged a meaningful glance from inside the car.

Julian and I walked side by side toward the terminal entrance.

Along the way, I tried to make conversation. "Is this your last business trip to France before the New Year?" 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Julian shook his head. "No, I moved a few shows up. I want to clear the second half of the month to travel with you guys—just a little break to unwind."

"There’s no need to rush. Don’t push yourself too hard and end up back in the hospital. It’s better to balance work and rest. You have so many holidays; you don’t need to rest just before the New Year."

"The thing is, traveling alone is pretty boring. I’d rather go with you." Julian looked at me intently.

I felt a brief stiffness in my expression but tried to brush off his comment. "True, it’s much more fun with a friend along. Anyway, we’re here. Go ahead and go in. I’ll get back in the car. It’s freezing out here."

"Wait, Vivienne." Julian pulled a small box from the pocket of his puffy jacket.

The box was stamped with the logo of a luxury brand.

He carefully opened it, revealing a delicate clavicle chain. "I got it at a duty-free shop in France. Not sure if you’ll like it."

I glanced at it and immediately refused. "This is too expensive. I can’t accept it."

"What’s expensive about it? For us, this price is nothing. If it makes you feel better, just return the favor later."

"But what’s the point..."

"The point is, think of it as a gift from me as a friend—kind of like a ‘divorce gift.’ If you turn it down again, you’ll be disrespecting our friendship."

Seeing how serious he was, I had no choice but to accept. "Alright, I’ll take it."

I made a mental note to find a time to give Julian a similar gift.

"Here, let me put it on for you." Julian took the necklace out of the box and carefully opened the clasp.

I tilted my head forward.

Julian held the ends of the necklace, gently draping it around my neck, his breath warming my ear.

He lowered his gaze, focusing on the clasp.

My ear turned red, though I couldn’t tell if it was from the cold or his breath.

The scene felt oddly intimate, like we were hugging or about to kiss.

"Done?" My neck was starting to feel stiff from the prolonged position, and it was getting colder by the second.

Julian snapped out of his trance. "Almost."

The clasp clicked shut, and Julian stepped back, surveying me with a smile. "It looks great on you."

"Thanks, but you should go. Time’s running out."

"Alright, see you in Sydney. I’m off." Julian waved and took a few steps backward. "Go back to the car, it’s cold out here."

Watching him disappear into the terminal, I turned and froze, my heart skipping a beat. The muscles in my face tensed, and I didn’t know what expression to wear.

Alexander’s POV

Not far away, beside a black sedan, I stood with my hands shoved in the pockets of my long black down coat, the large fur collar of the hood brushing my face. Leaning against the passenger door, my eyes burned with intensity as I stared at her.

When I found out they’d left Somaroy Island early because Julian had arrived, a fiery anger flared up inside me. That bitter, suffocating feeling wasn’t just painful—it was laced with jealousy toward Julian.

Just moments ago, I had watched Julian and Vivienne embrace and kiss, and the fury inside me exploded like a storm, uncontrollable and escalating by the second. Julian had even made time to see her, despite his busy schedule. Had she been moved by him? Had they decided to be together?

The thought of Vivienne eventually becoming Julian’s wife—living a life of closeness and intimacy like any ordinary couple—felt like a sharp dagger piercing my heart, over and over, leaving it bleeding, torn, and in agony.

I clenched my teeth, swearing to myself: She will only be mine.

I had originally been considerate of Vivienne’s feelings, not wanting to appear too soon. But she hadn’t expected me to be here, and for a moment, panic flashed across her face as she hurried toward their car.

I noticed that brief flicker of guilt in her, and for some reason, it reminded me of the moment when a wife is caught in bed with another man by her husband.

But then, it seemed she regained her composure. Of course, there was no reason for her to feel guilty. We were divorced, and her relationship with Julian was nothing more than a friendship. There were no deeper feelings involved.

Even if there were, it had nothing to do with me.

With that thought, she took a deep breath, straightened her back, and calmly walked to the car door under my watch, pulling it open.

Just as she was about to sit in the backseat, my voice suddenly called out from behind, “Vivienne.”

She froze for a moment, closed the door, and turned toward me. A faint smile curved her lips, a soft, almost sad expression. “Brother, what a coincidence. Are you here on business?”

It had only been a few days since we last met, but she seemed to have lost quite a bit of weight.

Yet, hearing her call me "brother" brought a slow, aching pain to my chest. Back then, when we’d run into each other outside, Vivienne would always call me that. I never thought much of it. But now, that title felt like a knife plunging into my heart, and the pain was unbearable.

Only then did I realize—over the past three years, every time Vivienne had called me "brother," maybe her heart had been wounded by the same knife, leaving countless scars behind.

“No,” I replied in a low voice, my eyes dark with unsaid emotions.

She paused for a moment, then smiled. “Not here on business? Then you came for a vacation? I didn’t expect you, brother, to be the chairman of Vanguard GE and still find time for a break.”

I didn’t want to indulge in her games any longer. My expression grew serious. “I came to find you.”

“Find me?” She froze, clearly caught off guard by my bluntness. But she quickly regained her composure and asked, “Find me for what?”

“Vivienne, are you with Julian?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“Is it yes or no?”

She didn’t answer directly, and that silence felt like an unspoken confirmation. My fists clenched, and the pain in my chest almost became unbearable.

“I don’t owe you an answer. Don’t forget, we’re divorced.” Her expression was firm, unwavering.

I stared at her, a wave of bitterness flooding my heart. Suddenly, I realized that using the guise of an older brother to care for her now seemed futile—an empty, powerless gesture.

I let out a bitter laugh, my lips curling into a wry smile. “Vivienne, you know I didn’t want to divorce you.”