I already had my answer.

My expression darkened further.

"That Status Update... only Alicia could see it, right?" I continued. "Why?"

There was a long pause.

Then—

A soft, broken sob.

"Alexander, I’m sorry... please don’t hate me, okay?" Her voice trembled. "I... I was just scared of losing you."

My grip on the phone tightened.

"That day... when you said you might fall for Alicia... that you might not divorce her... that you might send me abroad..." she continued, her voice cracking. "I was terrified. I didn’t know what to do. I couldn’t bear the thought of being apart from you."

Her breathing grew uneven.

"In a moment of panic... I posted that Status Update. I’m sorry. Please forgive me."

I said nothing.

Why would she do something like that?

Didn’t she consider that Alicia might show it to me?

Or had she simply acted without thinking?

‎When I saw the Status Update, Lilian’s image in my mind shifted, just slightly.

On the other end, Lilian continued, her voice desperate now.

"Alexander, please forgive me. I’ll go apologize to Alicia right away. As long as you don’t leave me... I can’t live without you."

"Just this once," I said finally. "Delete the Status Update."

"Okay, okay! I’ll delete it right now!" she said hurriedly. "Alexander... have you forgiven me? I’m really sorry. I’ve disappointed you. How could I do this to Alicia? I’ve hurt her... she probably hates me now..."

"She probably didn’t see it," I said flatly. "Don’t blame yourself."

A pause.

"Just stay away from her from now on."

"...I understand."

She agreed, but there was something in her tone—

A faint reluctance.

After ending the call, I refreshed the Status Update on Alicia’s phone.

It was gone.

I let out a quiet breath.

Relief settled in.

Now—

Alicia wouldn’t know that I had left that night.

Just then, there was a knock on the door.

I walked over and opened it.

As expected—

Alicia stood there.

"I think I left my phone here," she said.

"It’s not ’think.’ It’s ’you did,’" I corrected, handing it to her.

"Thanks," she replied.

Then she turned and left.

Alicia’s POV

I returned to my room and lay down on the bed.

After a moment, I picked up my phone and opened WhatsApp.

I scrolled through my messages.

Nothing important.

Almost absentmindedly, I tapped on Status Updates.

My finger moved slowly across the screen—

Then paused.

Lilian’s status.

I stared at it for a moment before tapping in.

Then I scrolled down, searching for the post from earlier.

It was gone.

My fingers stilled.

Deleted?

Why would she delete it so suddenly?

A faint, cold smile curved my lips.

Whatever the reason—

It didn’t matter.

She had already shown it to me.

That alone was enough.

Just as she had disgusted me—

I would make sure she felt the same.

Even if the post was gone—

I still intended to return the favor.

The next morning, I spent the first few hours touring the resort with some of my female colleagues, snapping photos of the lush scenery and the sparkling coastline along the way.

By 12:00 PM, we had reserved three tables on the third floor of the restaurant, and the staff gathered for a barbecue lunch. The women sat together at one table, chatting and laughing over a few bottles of juice, while the men occupied the other two tables, pouring wine and teasing one another.

Laughter and chatter filled the air, and after a couple of drinks, some of the bolder men began teasing Alexander. He only smiled, calm and composed as always, and didn’t seem bothered at all, which made everyone feel even more relaxed and playful.

After lunch, someone suggested a game.

"Alright, let’s play. What should we do?"

"I have some confession cards here," one of the employees said, holding them up. Everyone nodded in agreement.

"Sounds good," several voices chimed in.

With CEO Blackwood present, no one dared to refuse, even if they weren’t particularly eager. Everyone knew they’d have to put on a brave face and join in.

A director from M&E asked, "CEO Blackwood, will you play with us? Everyone’s hoping you will, right?"

"Yeah, come on, CEO Blackwood, join us!" others echoed.

Alexander exhaled softly, a hint of reluctance in his eyes. "Alright, I’ll join in for a bit," he said, his tone calm but distant.

The employees cheered, excitement lighting up the room.

Under Director Aimy’s guidance, we moved to one of the resort’s standalone villas at the back. The villa was spacious and luxurious, with a large living room, a pool table, a game room, a small movie theater, a gym, and a bar stocked for guests.

Third person POV

They all gathered in the living room, forming a circle around the large table, anticipation buzzing in the air.

The room buzzed with laughter as Director Aimy placed a neatly shuffled stack of cards on the table.

"Alright," she said with a smile, "this is Confession Cards. Once you draw, you answer honestly—no dodging. If you can’t answer, you drink."

A few employees exchanged amused looks, but no one objected.

With CEO Blackwood present, even playful hesitation felt risky.

"Who’s first?" someone asked.

A young female employee leaned forward eagerly. "I’ll go first."

She picked up a card—then groaned immediately.

"Confess one secret you’ve never told your colleagues."

The room went quiet for a second—

Then erupted into teasing cheers.

She covered her face, laughing nervously. "This is too much for a first card..."

But under everyone’s encouragement, she sighed.

"Fine... I once pretended to be sick just to skip a meeting and go on a blind date."

Laughter exploded across the room.

"Wow, bold!" someone teased.

The card was passed on.

Next, Leonard drew one.

He glanced at it and immediately shook his head. "This is dangerous..."

Aimy raised a brow. "Read it."

He sighed. "Confess someone here you think is the most attractive."

The room instantly filled with excited "ooohs."

People turned, scanning each other, suddenly very invested.

He hesitated, then scratched his head awkwardly.

"I think... Director Alicia."

A wave of laughter and whistles broke out.

Several employees turned toward Alicia with teasing smiles, nudging one another.

Alicia, seated calmly among the women, only blinked once.

Her expression didn’t change.

Across the room, Alexander didn’t react immediately either—

But the air around him seemed to tighten, almost imperceptibly.

Aimy clapped her hands lightly. "Alright, next card."

The game continued, laughter rising again.

Everyone grew more immersed as the rounds went on.

The questions became bolder.

One person was asked about their first time.

Another—how long it lasted.

Some chose to drink to avoid answering, but even that came at a cost.

Anyone who refused had to take two shots.

With so many people, it would take at least forty rounds before everyone got a turn.

Alicia and Alexander still hadn’t drawn.

Though a few of the women had already answered, most of the questions directed at them had been relatively mild.

Director Ella, having just finished her turn, leaned back with a grin.

"Finally... it’s CEO Blackwood’s turn."

The room instantly came alive.

All eyes turned toward Alexander.

Cheers erupted.

"CEO Blackwood, your turn!" someone called.

"Draw a card!"

Alexander leaned forward slowly and picked one.

For a brief moment, he hesitated—

Then read it aloud.

"When was your first time?"

A collective gasp filled the room.

Everyone leaned in, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

Alexander’s gaze flickered briefly toward Alicia.

Before he spoke.

"Two years ago."

The answer was simple.

Calm.

Controlled.

He had once been in a relationship with Lilian—but they had never crossed that line.

Perhaps it was because of his father’s many scandals, or perhaps it was simply his nature—

But Alexander had always been disciplined when it came to intimacy.He didn’t allow himself to cross certain boundaries.

And in the end—

The only person he had ever been with—

Was Alicia.

"Then who was it?" Director Ella pressed, unable to hide her curiosity.

Alexander’s expression remained unchanged.

"You don’t get a follow-up question. I’ve already drawn and answered."

The room deflated slightly, disappointment spreading across their faces.

They had clearly expected more.

Among them, Alicia remained quiet.

When she married Alexander, she had known about his past with Lilian.

But what had happened between them had always been unclear.

And she had never asked.

Now—

Hearing that they had never been intimate—

A faint, unexpected sense of satisfaction settled within her.

The game continued.

After two more turns, it was finally Alicia’s turn.

A faint nervous jolt ran through her.

She leaned forward and drew a card, carefully unfolding it.

Her eyes scanned the words.

For a moment, she froze.