My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 81

I rubbed my brow, a sudden thought flashing through my mind. I remembered the argument I had with Vivienne over Isabella bringing her own makeup artist.

Vivienne had said that Isabella’s makeup was completely off the mark, and despite her objections, Isabella insisted on keeping it, even threatening to end our collaboration if changes weren’t made.

At the time, I didn’t believe that Isabella would casually throw around such drastic words.

But later, it turned out that the makeup really had been a disaster.

Now, considering everything that had happened recently, I found myself thinking that Vivienne had been right. Isabella had indeed made those provocative remarks, threatening to end our collaboration.

Just as I finished backing up the data, Jane handed my phone back to me.

The notification sound chimed.

I glanced at the screen and saw a message from Isabella.

"ALEXANDER, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you. Can you forgive me?"

Isabella knew I wouldn’t pick up her call, so she had been sending these messages over the past few days, asking for my forgiveness.

Just as I was about to put the phone down, another message popped up.

"ALEXANDER, will you still come to my birthday party tomorrow? This is my first birthday here in the country, and I really hope you’ll come."

The message was laced with a hint of nervousness and hope.

The party had been planned in advance, but after everything that had happened, Isabella had lost her confidence.

But she didn’t expect that, moments later, I would reply with: "Yes."

"Great! Thank you, ALEXANDER! I thought you were still mad at me and wouldn’t come."

I didn’t reply.

Isabella, seizing the moment, sent another message.

"ALEXANDER, will the promise you made about tomorrow still stand?"

"Mm."

She replied, overjoyed, "Thank you, ALEXANDER! You’re so kind to me."

Then another message came in.

"ALEXANDER... are you no longer angry? I’m so sorry... I really do love you so much..."

I responded, "Is there anything else you want? I’ll try to make it happen."

Isabella felt a surge of happiness.

"Thank you, ALEXANDER. This is enough."

He still loved her. Even after learning that she had deceived him, he was still so accommodating.

I typed, "This will be the last birthday I celebrate with you. I’ll do my best to make it memorable."

Isabella’s call came through immediately.

I answered.

Through the receiver, Isabella’s trembling voice demanded, "ALEXANDER, what do you mean? What do you mean by ‘the last birthday you’ll celebrate with me’?"

"From now on, every September 20th will just be my wedding anniversary with Vivienne. It won’t mean anything else."

Isabella could barely believe her ears. "ALEXANDER, does that mean you’re not divorcing Vivienne? You don’t want me anymore?"

"When I agreed to be with Vivienne, I warned you this could happen. If you chose to go abroad, I promised you that you wouldn’t have to worry about your needs. But if you chose to stay here, I’d do everything I could to help your career thrive."

Tears streamed down Isabella’s face. "I don’t care about being taken care of, I don’t need my career to be perfect. I just want you to stay with me. You promised to take care of me for the rest of my life. Have you forgotten?"

"You were the one who rejected me."

After that incident, I had promised her again, even suggesting an engagement and marriage, but she chose to break up.

Now, after our reunion, whether those promises still held was entirely up to me.

"I... I was just scared back then..."

"I’ll make it up to you in other ways."

"I don’t want anything else! I just want you!"

"Isabella, be good."

Every time I told her to "be good," it meant my patience was running out.

I was growing impatient now.

"ALEXANDER, have you fallen for Vivienne?" Isabella’s voice trembled with despair.

She had hoped for this birthday party for so long, yet it turned out to be the last one!

She thought she had beaten Vivienne, but in reality, she had lost completely!

I didn’t answer. "If there’s nothing else, I’m busy."

I pressed the red button to end the call and set the phone aside.

Then it rang again.

I muted the phone and placed it face down on the table.

Leaning back in my chair, I loosened the collar of my shirt, feeling an unexpected sense of relief.

Perhaps it was because my mindset had shifted.

On the other end of the line, Isabella stared at the blacked-out screen of my phone, her chest tight with heartbreak.

Why?

Why had it come to this?

He was about to divorce Vivienne.

She was about to become the CEO’s wife.

She was on the verge of becoming the happiest woman in the world.

But now, all of that had turned into a bubble, an illusion.

Isabella Blackwood’s eyes were filled with hatred, so intense it seemed like it might spill over.

Vivienne Sinclair!

It was all Vivienne Sinclair’s fault!

If it hadn’t been for her, she and Alexander would have been married long ago!

She couldn’t accept it.

Vivienne’s POV

The business trip was supposed to last four days.

However, by the morning of the third day, I had finished my work, leaving me with nearly two extra days.

I gave the assistants a break and told them to enjoy B City, as if they were on vacation.

Then, I received a message from Julian on WhatsApp:

“Got any time these days? I’m free, let’s grab a meal.”

“Are you still filming?”

“You haven’t seen the news? Due to safety concerns with Isabella’s incident, the production was put on hold for a few days. I’m in B City for a publicity event but heading back today.”

“Funny, I’m in B City for a business trip.”

“Really? Finished with work already? How about I treat you to dinner?”

“Sure, I’ll find us a place.”

I ended up booking a table at a private members-only club—secluded but with a good reputation.

Julian was already there when I arrived. He’d reserved a private room and ordered a few simple dishes.

It wasn’t long before I walked in. “I’m here.”

“Take a seat.”

“Why are you in town for publicity?” I asked as I sat down at the table.

“I’m a guest on a reality show. Take a look at the menu and order whatever else you want.”

“Don’t bother. You’ve already ordered all my favorites.”

Julian smiled, then casually asked, “So how are things with your boyfriend?”

I stiffened for a moment, then waved my hand dismissively. “Don’t mention him.”

“Had a fight?” Julian asked, though I could hear the faintest hint of satisfaction in his tone.

“We’re probably breaking up soon.”

“Why?”

“He doesn’t like that I have feelings for someone else.”

“Yeah, then you should definitely break up.”

“Someone like you? I’m sure it wouldn’t be hard to find someone who likes you.”

“And you? When are you going to settle down?”

“Me? I’m not in a rush. If I dared to date now, my fans would eat me alive.”

“You can’t stay single forever, can you?”

“I’ll wait until Empire of Shadows airs.”

“True. If you win an award for Empire of Shadows and make a successful career transition, who’s going to stop you from dating? By then, you’ll probably be dating ten people at once.”

Julian chuckled softly. “Are you done with work here? When are you going back?”

“It’s all finished. My flight is tomorrow.”

“Then let’s go together. I’m flying back tomorrow, too.”

“Alright.”

We had a rare moment of free time, so we bought tickets for the last row of the theater to watch a movie. Julian wore a mask, a hat, and sunglasses—totally incognito.

After the movie, we both went back to our hotels.

The next day, I met up with Julian to fly back to Virellia City together.

Our seats were next to each other, and we chatted casually throughout the flight.

Julian asked, “Are you going home after we land?”

“Where else would I go? Aren’t you going home?”

“I have to attend a small gathering. Not sure if you’ve heard about it.”

“What gathering?”

“Isabella’s birthday party.”