My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 83

"Alexander, you’re gripping my hand too tightly," Isabella said.

Alexander didn’t respond, but his gaze remained fixed on the corner.

The others around them mistook their exchange for flirtation. Flirting while dancing had a certain thrill to it.

I still remember the day Alexander and I danced together. His teasing made my cheeks flush, and in an instant, the distance between us seemed to disappear, as if we’d crossed an unspoken line.

If it hadn’t been for Isabella’s phone call that night, we might have ended up in perfect harmony.

But unfortunately, there are no “what ifs.”

Isabella was the insurmountable barrier between us.

As the first song ended, guests began pairing off to dance.

Alexander seemed distracted, releasing Isabella’s hand. Isabella, however, quickly grabbed his arm again.

"Alexander, aren’t we going to continue?" she asked.

"I’ve done what I promised you," he replied flatly.

Isabella bit her lip in frustration, unwilling to let go of his sleeve.

Alexander glanced at her hand, his voice cold. "There are too many people here. I’m showing you respect. Don’t ruin it yourself."

Reluctantly, Isabella released his sleeve.

"Isabella," Alexander said, his tone low, "you’ve heard the story of the boy who cried wolf, right? If things keep going like this, the bond between us will wear thin. Think carefully."

"Alexander, I know I was wrong. I’m sorry. I was just scared, scared that you wouldn’t come that day. I missed you so much..."

That day, he’d planned to give her a ring. Even if she hadn’t sent Victor Sinclair to find him, he still would’ve shown up.

But she, thinking herself clever, had tried to manipulate him with a pitiful ploy, only to disgust him in the process.

Alexander had heard all of this before.

He cut her off. "No need to say any more."

Isabella’s face turned pale. Without sparing her a second glance, Alexander turned toward Vivienne.

But after taking two steps, he suddenly noticed that the person in the corner was gone.

He stopped, scanning the crowd.

His eyes narrowed as he spotted Vivienne.

At that moment, Vivienne was dancing with Julian.

I had originally planned to leave. I didn’t want to get caught up in all this drama.

But Julian had asked me to dance, his tone so sincere that I couldn’t refuse.

Although I wasn’t particularly good at dancing, I felt an intense, burning gaze on me, making me squirm. I stumbled through a few steps, but eventually finished the song.

I waved my hand at Julian. "No more, no more. I’ll embarrass myself even more."

"It’s fine," he reassured me. "I’ll slow down. Let’s try again. You’ll get the hang of it."

"Alright, I’ll give it another go." We danced through the second song.

Meanwhile, Alexander had found a seat, holding a glass of red wine.

Julian and I continued dancing, one song after another. With each dance, my movements became more graceful and steady.

Alexander’s mood, however, darkened with every step I took.

As the song came to an end, someone brought out the cake. It was a ten-layer masterpiece, each layer beautifully decorated, intricate, and stunning.

The guests gathered in a circle, clapping and singing the "Happy Birthday" song.

"Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday to you... Happy birthday dear Isabella... Happy birthday to you..."

The song ended in a burst of applause.

It was time to cut the cake.

Naturally, Isabella was the first to slice a piece. She handed it to Director Calloway from Empire of Shadows.

"Alexander," she said, "would you help me cut the rest?"

Without responding, Alexander remained silent as Isabella used the plastic knife to slice the cake from the top down.

There were plenty of actresses around, each one careful to maintain their figure. They could skip eating the cake, but they couldn’t avoid accepting a piece.

Cunning as ever, even those who had taken their slice lingered, trying to strike up conversations.

I stood at the edge, not in a rush to get involved.

Julian asked, "Would you like a piece of cake? I can grab one for you."

"No need," I smiled. "I’ll get it myself later. And I’ll wish Isabella a happy birthday while I’m at it."

Julian nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a good idea."

But what I didn’t mention was that my true thoughts were the complete opposite.

Isabella’s birthday celebration was winding down, and as it came to a close, I’d be the one to step in front of her, wish her well, and watch her expression twist in irritation.

More and more people began to leave.

The crowd around the cake had thinned out.

At that very moment, Isabella called out, "Who still hasn’t gotten a piece of cake?"

I smiled and responded, "I don’t have one."

"Wait—" Isabella’s cheerful expression faltered as she noticed my smile, her face momentarily cracking.

I grinned even more brightly. "Miss Isabella, happy birthday."

As I spoke, I glanced at her finger, clearly seeing the ring. It was the same one Alexander had given her in the car.

Onlookers, unaware of the context, might assume their relationship was deeply affectionate.

But Isabella, of course, could tell I was deliberately trying to disgust her.

However, in that moment, she had no choice but to smile and say, "Thank you."

I responded casually, "You’re welcome."

Alexander glanced at me before cutting a slice of cake with two strawberries and offering it to me.

"Thank you, Alexander. You remember I like strawberries."

Alexander pursed his lips.

I smiled, but to him, everything felt off.

He had imagined that Vivienne might act cold toward him upon her return, ignoring him or even arguing, but he hadn’t expected her to greet him with such warmth, as if nothing had happened.

I walked away holding the cake, casually saying, "Alexander, go home early tonight."

Alexander nodded. "Okay."

His response, though simple, could easily lead to some assumptions.

Most people would think "home" meant his grandparents’ house, and with that, there would be no issue.

But Isabella clenched her fists, a flicker of darkness passing through her eyes, as though she wanted to slap me hard.

But in that moment, she had to endure, forcing herself not to show any signs of discomfort.

If she did, someone might start suspecting the relationship between Alexander and Vivienne.

Seeing Isabella holding back gave me a strange sense of satisfaction.

Maybe I should have done this sooner—always testing the waters, pushing Isabella to the edge.

It was the only way to make her furious, yet helpless to retaliate.

After finishing the cake, I went to the bathroom.

As I passed the stairs, Isabella called out to me, “Vivienne.”

In the dim hallway, Isabella, dressed in a delicate princess dress, seemed completely out of place.

“Miss Isabella, what do you need?”

“I need to talk to you.” Isabella turned and headed toward the stairs.

“What about?” I asked, walking up slowly until I was in front of her.

I guessed Isabella probably wanted to boast—

Boast about what happened on September 20th, or the birthday party today.

Standing in the shadows, Isabella looked at me with eyes full of jealousy. “Vivienne, you lost! I told you Alexander would be with me on September 20th. He stayed by my side all night. If I were you, I would’ve divorced him by now!”

I stayed calm, showing no emotion. “Is that so? But the next day, he followed me on my business trip and promised me...”

I paused, letting my words linger in the air, then added with a meaningful glance, “Do you want to know what he promised me?”