Alicia’s POV 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

After gagging at the sink for a long moment and feeling nothing come up, I washed my face, rinsed my mouth, and decided to stay there until I felt steady again.

When I finally stepped out, I almost ran straight into Lilian at the bathroom door.

"Alicia," she said with that sweet, calculated smile. "So you’ve come to the hospital. Why hide in here?"

I didn’t reply immediately.

"Of course," I said finally, my tone sharp. "I wanted to give you some face. I didn’t want to watch Uncle Steve and Nana kick you out of the room. I figured you’d have nowhere to hide."

Her smile faltered for a heartbeat. I smirked, watching her struggle to maintain composure, then walked past without another word. I’d already heard how indifferent Nana had been to her visit—there was no approval here.

"Alicia Sinclair," Lilian called, her voice sharp now. "Why rush off? I have something to say."

I paused, turning slowly. "Unless it’s about Alexander, we have nothing to discuss. Or are you planning to reminisce about your time with him? Is that all you have left?"

"No, you’re wrong," she said, crossing her arms, her grin smug. "What I have to say concerns you."

I raised an eyebrow, staying silent. My legs felt like lead, but I refused to give her the satisfaction of fear.

She took two slow steps closer, her smile turning cold and calculated. "I heard you were in a car accident a few days ago. The person who hit you... was one of my fans. Do you know why?"

I met her gaze without blinking.

"Because you’re the mistress between me and Alexander!"

I laughed, bitter and sharp. "You only have the guts to say that to my face. You know who the real homewrecker is. You strut around, high and mighty, but are you not worried that I could go to the media and set the record straight? I could easily expose you as the mistress."

Lilian laughed.

"What’s so funny?" I asked, confused.

"Because, Alicia," she said, tilting her head, "right now, in the eyes of the media and netizens... you’re the homewrecker."

I stayed silent, my heart skipping a beat. I hadn’t checked Twitter in days—my vision had been blurry—and I hadn’t even looked at my phone.

"What’s the matter?" Lilian taunted. "Too scared to check?"

I clenched my fists, nails digging into my palms until they stung. I knew exactly what she was doing—provoking me.

The more she goaded me, the more I refused to give her the reaction she wanted. "Alicia Sinclair," she continued, "didn’t you claim to be Alexander’s wife? Don’t you even have faith in him? Yesterday, one call from me... and he couldn’t wait to come. He even brought me to meet Nana."

"If it weren’t for you, Alexander and I would already be married. The one he loves is me—and you’re the one standing in the way," she said, her voice venomous.

I swallowed, throat tight, words deliberate. "Lilian Summer, you should know better than anyone who the real homewrecker is. When Alexander and I got married, you two were already over. I never interfered—you did."

"Then why won’t you check your phone? Stop pretending. You know the truth. Deep down, you’ve accepted it—you’re the homewrecker between Alexander and me!"

I scoffed lightly. "It’s just a phone. Even if the media calls me a homewrecker, does that change the truth? You’re the mistress."

But somehow, my hands moved on their own. I pulled my phone from my bag, opening Twitter. Hundreds of unread notifications awaited me.

My fingers trembled as I tapped the most recent tweet. The comments had grown into a swarm—over ten thousand.

I braced for insults and slander—but what shocked me most was the timing. The earliest comments accusing me had been posted days ago. August 18th.

What had I done that day? I racked my brain. Sunday. Concert with Alexander, then picking him up from the club. Someone must have photographed it.

I turned off the screen, trying to calm myself, and looked at Lilian.

"I’ve seen it. So what? They’re just people jumping on the bandwagon, led by the media. You really expect me to take them seriously?"

Lilian laughed again. "Alicia, if I said you were foolish, I’d be putting it lightly. Have you stopped to think why it took you so long to find out? Why hasn’t anyone stepped up to clear things for you?"

My body stiffened as a suffocating pressure built in my chest. A sharp, unbearable pain surged through my heart. I had known this would happen... yet I hadn’t wanted to face it.

"It’s because Alexander deliberately hid this from you," Lilian’s smug voice sliced through the air like a cruel demon. "You really thought he took your phone by accident? No. He did it on purpose. He said you’d see the news and try to clear things up, so he took your phone and told everyone not to mention it to you."

I felt my stomach turn.

"Do you know why no one stepped in to help? Because Alexander forbade it. He went to Nana himself and stopped any attempts to explain. Do you know why?" Lilian leaned closer, eyes gleaming. "Because he cannot—cannot—let me be labeled a homewrecker. In his eyes, I am the one he loves. You... you’re just insignificant. Someone he can throw under the bus. The real homewrecker... is the one unloved in the relationship. That’s you."

The buzzing in my head grew deafening. I refused to believe it.

Frantically, I unlocked my phone and opened WhatsApp. My blood ran cold as I scrolled through Sandra’s messages.

"Alicia, did you see what’s trending? You and CEO Blackwood were photographed. If I didn’t know you two weren’t like that, I might have believed it myself."

I replied: "Thanks, I know. I’ll handle it."

But no. I hadn’t replied. It wasn’t from me.

Scrolling further, I saw the same in other messages. Call records for that day showed multiple missed calls—calls I knew I had never received. I hadn’t had my phone. I had been in a car accident.

It had all been handled... by Alexander. Hidden from me.

Suddenly, everything clicked.

No wonder, at Family Court, when they collected the divorce decree, he had apologized.

No wonder he always asked if I could see my phone font.

No wonder he constantly checked on my eyes.

He hadn’t been concerned about me.

He had been worried I’d see the messages, see the news, and interfere. He loved Lilian enough to twist the truth, letting me—his wife—bear the label of "homewrecker," be insulted, attacked, humiliated.

The matter had been dragged out for days... and now it was already settled. It was too late for me to speak. If I tried, everyone would think I was guilty.

Perhaps... when he learned of my car accident and my vision problems, he had been pleased. Pleased that he could keep hiding the truth... for even longer.

My hand holding the phone trembled. A bitter taste rose in my throat, and the pain in my chest felt like a dagger twisting inside me.

I had known all along that Alexander would do anything for Lilian.

But I had still underestimated his coldness.

While he hid everything from me for her, he played the role of the loving husband, pretending to be the perfect couple with me.

And the most ridiculous part? I had believed it. I had fallen for it.

I laughed bitterly, hating myself. I had been deceived again, tangled in his web.

Finally, I understood. I had taken Grandma’s words too seriously, thinking there was a chance to salvage this marriage.

But in Alexander’s heart, he probably only wanted to put on a show for Grandma... to make Grandpa happy. He never truly wanted to work things out with me.

He had never planned to give up on Lilian.

Or maybe... once Grandma was gone, the only option left would be divorce.