My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 82

"Wasn’t Isabella burned?"

"I went to visit her the day it happened. It’s not serious."

"Oh."

Then why did Victor Sinclair look like Isabella was on the brink of death at the time?

"I see you’re fine now. How about coming with me?"

"Is that a good idea?"

Alexander will definitely be there for Isabella’s birthday party. I don’t want to see him right now.

"What’s wrong with that? The invitation says you can bring a plus-one. CEO Hawthorne is your second brother, and she might be your future sister-in-law. Isn’t it only natural for you to go? It’s just like that press conference. The more you avoid them, the more the media will stir things up. If you’re bolder, they might think twice before making things up." 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

I lowered my gaze and pursed my lips.

Julian gave me a glance before continuing, "I heard that for Isabella’s birthday party, CEO Hawthorne spared no expense. The venue was designed by an internationally renowned designer, her dress is a limited edition, specially airlifted, and even the birthday cake was made by an international sugar artist. It’s a rare sight. Are you sure you don’t want to see it for yourself?"

As I listened to Julian, my expression darkened further.

He truly cares for Isabella.

This birthday party must have been in the works for a long time.

On September 20th, Isabella managed to get Alexander to spend the day with her and even hold a private birthday party. She must be so pleased, right?

I know—if I show up, Isabella will be furious.

"Alright, I’ll go with you."

After landing, we quickly freshened up and headed straight to the party.

Isabella had only just returned to the country and had limited contacts, so she hadn’t invited many people—just the guests from her previous variety show and the cast of Empire of Shadows.

As soon as we entered the banquet hall, we were greeted by the opulence of the venue. It was like stepping into a lavish castle, everything so meticulously crafted and elegant.

Anyone who saw this would have to admire Alexander’s thoughtfulness—it was flawless.

Even though I had prepared myself, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of emotion.

This unique gesture was all for Isabella.

Once upon a time, I had dreamed of us having a grand wedding, with him holding my hand as the center of attention.

But all I received was the Divorce Settlement Agreement.

The sound of a piano filled the air, soft and soothing, almost familiar.

"I didn’t expect CEO Hawthorne could play the piano!" Julian remarked, looking in a certain direction.

I followed his gaze.

In the far corner of the hall, there was a grand piano.

A man, dressed in a suit, sat before it, focused and intent as he played, his fingers dancing across the keys.

The sound was beautiful, pouring from the piano with perfect harmony.

His expression was so reverent.

I recognized him immediately—it was Alexander.

So he can play the piano.

It was so romantic, playing at Isabella’s birthday party.

Too bad my husband had given all that romance to another woman.

"Director Calloway and some crew members are over there. I’m going to greet them. Want to come?" Julian asked.

"No, you go ahead," I replied. I went to grab some desserts and sat in a corner, slowly savoring them.

Even after being in high society for ten years, I still felt out of place. At occasions like this, the only way I could pass the time was by eating.

Before long, the guest of honor appeared.

Isabella Blackwood, in a stunningly designed princess gown, held her skirt as she stood at the center of the hall like royalty, microphone in hand, smiling.

"Thank you all for taking the time to come to my birthday party," she said. "The venue is simple, but I hope you won’t mind."

"And, of course, thank you to Alexander for being so thoughtful, organizing this party for me and personally playing Adeline by the Water. This song is our love song. We met because of it, and today, Alexander and I will dance our first dance to it. Feel free to join us, everyone."

I froze in place.

No wonder the song sounded so familiar.

Adeline by the Water, that’s the song Alexander had told me about.

So he can play it himself.

And it’s their love song.

No wonder he recognized it right away that day at the restaurant.

I couldn’t help but smile bitterly, then my gaze was drawn to something sparkling—Isabella was wearing a ring.

From a distance, it was hard to see clearly, but something in my heart told me that the ring was the same one from the day on Alexander’s car.

Scattered applause broke out.

The small gathering was more laid-back, and Isabella’s tone was casual, not overly formal, which helped to bridge the distance between everyone.

As her voice trailed off, Alexander’s piano piece slowly came to an end.

He stood up from the piano, walking with a calm stride toward Isabella. Taking her hand, they moved to the center of the room.

His hand rested on her waist, while hers settled on his shoulder, beginning their dance with the elegance of a ballroom waltz.

The music filled the room.

With the rhythmic beats, they moved in sync, effortlessly blending together, each step more fluid than the last.

As an observer, I couldn’t help but admit their movements were perfectly matched, complementing each other beautifully.

Isabella, a trained dancer, seemed to glide like a butterfly, her body spinning with the rise and fall of the music, drawing closer to Alexander’s embrace.

Given their coordination, it was clear they must dance together often.

Unlike me, a clueless country girl, who had stepped on Alexander’s shoes when I tried to dance with him.

In that moment, I finally understood why Isabella always looked at me with that air of superiority.

Because she was the first to experience Alexander’s gentleness.

Alexander played the piano for her, danced with her, taught her German, read her German stories, bought her cakes, cooked for her.

And I would always be a step behind Isabella.

My gaze drifted, lost in thought.

In that moment, I finally understood the gap between Alexander and me.

I had once prided myself on knowing him, but it had been nothing more than arrogance.

Alexander had never truly opened up to me; what I thought I knew about him was merely what he wanted me to see.

What he didn’t want me to see, I could never know. It was like how, until now, I hadn’t even realized Alexander could play the piano.

But, upon reflection, it wasn’t all that surprising.

Alexander, the heir to a noble family, raised with the best education, had been trained in piano since childhood. What was so unusual about that?

Just like how he spoke languages beyond just Chinese and English—Japanese and German included—danced with refined elegance, cooked meals, and maintained a disciplined lifestyle. He worked out regularly, ran every morning to stay in shape, only drank black coffee with no sugar, never smoked, and drank alcohol sparingly.

When I compared myself to him, I felt utterly insignificant.

I was just an ordinary person, lucky enough to be adopted by The Hawthorne Dynasty.

Without that stroke of luck, I probably would never have even met him, let alone married him.

Maybe we truly weren’t meant to be.

Suddenly, Alexander’s steps faltered, almost causing him to trip up Isabella. Thankfully, he reacted quickly, pulling her into his arms just in time.

Isabella adjusted her movements, and they quickly found their rhythm again.

She leaned into his ear and softly asked, “Alexander, what’s wrong?”

He lowered his gaze. “It’s nothing.”

As he turned, he glanced toward the corner, confirming that he hadn’t been mistaken—it really was Vivienne.

What was she doing here?

How long had she been here?