When Alexander returned to the suite, it was already late at night.
Alexander felt a twinge of guilt; he hadn’t expected that his entanglement with Ivy would make
him lose track of time.
He didn’t know whether Isabella would be upset, or if she had waited for him to come back before
sleeping.
As soon as he opened the door, it was pitch–black and empty, no sign of her anywhere.
Alexander noticed Isabella’s clothes and suitcase were gone. She herself was gone too.
Panic surged. He called her, but the call was immediately hung up on.
Unwilling to give up, he tried again, only to find her phone switched off.
He rushed downstairs, shouting at the lobby staff, “Where’s my wife? Where did my wife go? How could you let her get away? Weren’t you supposed to keep an eye on her?”
The staff quickly tried to calm him and pulled up the surveillance footage for him.
Alexander saw Isabella dragging her suitcase, her solitary figure disappearing out of the hotel
entrance. He couldn’t help but feel distressed.
She couldn’t read a map. Where could she possibly go alone in a foreign land?
Alexander felt an emptiness deep inside, as if he had lost some rare treasure.
“Book me the earliest flight home!” His voice trembled.
At that moment, Ivy’s call came through. “Alexander, looks like you left your tie here. Want to
come get it-”
Alexander refused. “Ivy, Isabella is missing. I need to find her…”
Her voice softened with a hint of disappointment. “But I really want you to spend more time with me… Plus, I just learned some new positions. Are you sure you don’t want to come try them out?”
Alexander hesitated.
Ivy seized the moment. “It’s now or never.
He sighed but agreed. “Alright, I’ll be there.”
After returning home, Isabella took a long, soothing hot shower. The next morning, she awoke to
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find Alexander staring at her, his eyes bloodshot with worry.
“Isabella, why did you leave without saying a word?”
There was something off about Alexander. Before she could say anything, he suddenly pulled her
into his arms, his grip desperate.
Instinctively, she struggled. “Let me go…
But Alexander held her tighter, his voice full of relief and tenderness. “Thank God, Isabella. Thank God I didn’t lose you…”
Isabella heard the choking emotion in his voice, feeling dazed as she was held in his arms.
Was he really so afraid of losing her?
But if he was so afraid, why did he hurt her?
Her sigh was long and faint, making Alexander’s heart sink even further.
He held her even tighter.
Alexander never left Isabella’s side in the following days.
Neither of them brought up the hotel incident again, as if by unspoken agreement. But only Isabella knew that some things, once broken, could never be restored.
Even if unspoken, that thorn remained, buried deep, destined to cut them both one day.
Meanwhile, her visa for surgery abroad was approved.
Only three days left.
In the afternoon, Alexander sent her a message: [Baby, I’ve got an urgent trip. Won’t be back tonight. Make sure you eat on time, okay?]
Isabella edited her reply over and over before finally sending: [How long will you be gone?]
It took a while before his answer came: [Three days.]
Three days. Isabella mulled over the number, feeling as if it were fate.
“Alright then. Have a smooth trip.”
That night, she began packing the rest of her luggage.
Her phone buzzed. She unlocked and saw a new Instagram post from Ivy.
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[Someone’s making it up to me by taking me on a trip to Vardal~ Clear skies, fluffy clouds, and my beloved by my side. Feeling so happy!]
The picture showed their hands intertwined, fingers locked.
Isabella stared at it for a long time before scrolling past with no expression.
She knew Ivy had posted it deliberately, tagging only her. It was a clear message.
Three days before departure, she packed all her luggage and shipped it to her new apartment
abroad.
That evening, Ivy posted another update on Instagram.
Her head rested on Alexander’s lap as he massaged her, the indulgent smile on his lips like a blade in Isabella’s eyes.
Two days before departure, Isabella burned all the love letters and notes she had written to Alexander over the years, leaving not a single one.
The next morning, yet another post appeared.
Ivy and Alexander were embracing and kissing by the seaside, their lips pressed together, the kiss
earnest and all–consuming.
On the final day, Isabella shut down all the surveillance cameras in the Hawke estate.
With only a canvas bag on her back, she walked out without looking back.
From that moment on, no matter how Alexander searched, he would never find her.
One farewell, two separate paths.
