My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 127

Three days later, a trending topic exploded across the internet.

Empire of Shadows had replaced its female lead, and the director’s team would be selecting a new actress.

Given the recent interview video, netizens speculated: Had Alexander and Isabella broken up?

Sharp-eyed fans, like detectives, noticed that Vanguard Global Enterprises had already removed Isabella’s endorsement ads from their official website.

It seemed Alexander had decided to play the role of the “good man” and return to his family.

When Director Calloway heard the news, he was both surprised and pleased.

Overall, the pleasure outweighed the surprise.

The surprise stemmed from the fact that, given the current filming schedule, changing the female lead would mean reshooting some scenes, which would waste time, effort, and money.

The pleasure, however, was because Isabella’s casting had been forced on him by the investors from the start. He had no say in the matter. Now, he could choose the female lead based on his own preferences. A little wasted time didn’t seem like much in comparison.

The head of investment at Stellar Entertainment Group arranged a private dinner at an exclusive restaurant, inviting Ethan and Alexander.

The restaurant was tucked away in a narrow alley, where you had to park outside and walk a bit to reach it. But inside, the decor was elegant, the food delicious, and the service impeccable. Despite its hidden location, it had a loyal following.

Ethan remembered the last time he dined with Alexander, when he and Isabella had been so intimate with each other.

Meanwhile, Julian and Vivienne had been laughing and chatting. Thinking back on Alexander and Vivienne’s relationship, Ethan felt awkward, especially remembering how he had teased Julian and Vivienne right in front of Alexander.

However, Alexander’s expression remained calm. He raised his glass to Ethan and said, “Sorry to trouble you, Ethan. I won’t interfere with the film crew’s work again.”

“No trouble at all! It’s an honor and a pleasure to work with CEO Hawthorne!” Ethan quickly lifted his glass, offering the appropriate words.

The weather had changed, and by the time they were halfway through the meal, rain began to fall.

After finishing their meal, the head of Stellar Entertainment Group and Ethan left first.

Alexander’s POV

I stepped out of the restroom, exchanged a few words with the restaurant owner, grabbed my umbrella, and left.

The rain was coming down hard, and the alley was deserted, leaving only the sound of the rain splashing on the pavement.

As I reached the mouth of the alley, six men walked toward me, each holding an umbrella, talking and laughing.

As they passed by, a flash of white light appeared in front of me.

A cold, sharp blade shot toward my abdomen, and I instinctively tightened my grip, stopping the knife-wielding man’s wrist.

The umbrella dropped to the ground, and rain poured down.

For a split second, I couldn’t make sense of the situation. Then the other five men suddenly pulled knives from their clothes, tossing their umbrellas aside, and began slashing at me.

Thanks to my regular training, I was quick on my feet. I dodged one strike, then quickly kicked to the side, the sound of a “clink” echoing as a dagger fell to the ground.

Several more daggers flew at me, slicing through the air with a sharp whistle.

I couldn’t avoid one in time, and my arm was grazed. I grabbed the man’s arm, forced my shoulder into his chest, and threw him over my shoulder, sending him crashing to the ground.

Drenched and with rainwater streaming down my face, I backed up against the wall, warily eyeing the six disheveled men in front of me. The rain made it hard to make out their faces.

“Who are you?”

“You damned capitalist, give us our stock money back!” A tall man with red eyes lunged toward me in a fury.

I sidestepped, locked his wrist, and elbowed him in the chest to push him back.

The other five closed in immediately, all wielding knives. Though I was reacting quickly, I still took a hit.

The “shh” of a blade sliced through my suit sleeve, and blood began to drip down my arm, quickly vanishing into the rain.

I roared, kicking one of them away. He fell to the ground, clutching his stomach, coughing up blood mixed with bile.

“Enough... if we don’t...” One of them began to hesitate.

The original plan had been simply to teach me a lesson.

But now, the others had clearly lost their reason. Their attacks were ruthless, showing no signs of stopping, and they had completely disregarded their original agreement.

I fought back fiercely, trying to defend myself.

Just then, one man came up behind me, a knife aimed straight at my back.

“Alexander! Watch out!”

“Thwack!” The blade pierced my flesh.

“Ah—!” A woman’s scream tore through the air, heart-wrenching.

Vivienne’s POV

At 2:18 PM on October 24th, a stabbing incident occurred in the Bandel district of Virellia City. Two individuals were injured and are currently receiving treatment at the hospital. The case is under investigation.

A news alert popped up on my phone.

I was focused on my work and didn’t give it much attention.

Ten minutes later, Sophie sent me a link. "Vivienne, does that guy in the video at 57 seconds look like that jerk?"

My finger hesitated for a moment before I clicked the link.

The video had been filmed by a pedestrian.

The footage was blurry and zoomed in, making it hard to make out much, but I could hear the sound of rain pelting the camera. A few medical staff were seen moving an injured person from the ground and loading them into an ambulance.

I dragged the timeline to the 57-second mark, where a man’s profile briefly flashed.

It looked like Alexander.

I hit pause, but I was a second too late. The frame stopped at the 58-second mark, showing the injured person on a stretcher. She was wearing a black outfit, her arm exposed, and it looked like a woman.

Just as I was about to hit play again, something caught my eye. I stared at the woman’s wrist.

She was wearing a bracelet. Even through the blurry video, I could make out the faint blue glow, subtly shimmering in the rain.

A chill ran down my spine—I had a feeling the person on the stretcher was Isabella.

Looking more closely at her black outfit, it looked like a coat Alexander often wore.

So, the man in the video? Definitely Alexander.

A sarcastic smile tugged at the corners of my lips.

A few days ago, he was going on and on about sending Isabella abroad, but clearly, he couldn’t bear to let her go.

Dragging out the divorce—what’s the point?

Why not just let him be with Isabella?

About half an hour later, my assistant knocked on the door. "Director Vivienne, CEO Hawthorne would like to see you in his office."

I raised an eyebrow. "Isn’t he out of the office?"

"I’m not sure, but Jane sent the message herself."

"Did Jane say why CEO Hawthorne wants to see me?"

"No, she didn’t."

"Alright, I’ll head over in a bit."

I finished up my work and stood to make my way to the CEO’s office.

When I reached the door, I hadn’t even knocked yet when I heard a voice from inside. "No need to knock, just come in."

I froze for a moment, then pushed the door open. The sight in the office left me speechless.

"You... What the hell are you doing, taking your clothes off in the office in broad daylight?"

I quickly turned away, not daring to look at him. My face flushed slightly.

Alexander was shirtless, his broad arms and chest on full display, muscles clearly defined. His eight-pack abs were neatly arranged, and the chiseled lines continued down to his waistband.

He didn’t even try to cover up, lazily leaning on the couch with one hand draped over his shoulder, his eyes fixed on me. His voice was low and raspy. "Vivienne, I’m hurt. Could you help me bandage it...?"