Chapter 6

Not only did the people from Vanguard Global Enterprises look uncomfortable, but Isabella’s team also seemed a bit awkward. The assistant quietly tugged at Eliza’s sleeve under the table. Eliza still held her chin up, her face showing little change. "So, you're saying Chairman Hawthorne is only interested in profit and doesn’t value old relationships?" I asked calmly, though a flicker of anger stirred inside me. Eliza’s expression stiffened slightly. "That’s not what I meant." Just then, the door to the private room opened, and Alexander walked in, side by side with Isabella. He looked as elegant and captivating as ever, his handsome features and extraordinary presence impossible to ignore. Isabella, on the other hand, was like a dazzling star—charming and successful. Standing together, they were truly an enviable sight. The product manager quietly leaned over to me and whispered, "Boss, Mr. Hawthorne and Miss Blackwood really make a perfect match. Looks like we might have a new matriarch of the business soon." Those words felt like a sharp knife, stabbing directly into my heart. My face paled slightly, and I forced a smile as I stood to greet them. "Mr. Hawthorne, it’s truly an honor. Isabella, please, take a seat with Mr. Hawthorne over here," Eliza said, her voice cutting in as she quickly arranged for Alexander and Isabella to sit together. Everyone else also stood to welcome them. "Please, everyone, take your seats," Alexander said, and only then did everyone return to their places. The atmosphere appeared harmonious, but the turbulence in my heart refused to settle. During the meal, Eliza and the others made an effort to engage in conversation, occasionally throwing compliments Alexander and Isabella’s way, which helped warm up the atmosphere. Alexander remained low-key, speaking little but always making an impression with his concise words. I stayed unusually quiet, my mind a blank. In the space between his gaze and Isabella’s smile, I felt like I had become invisible. When the conversation shifted to a new topic, Eliza noticed Isabella’s plate and suddenly reminded her, "Isabella, watch your portions." Celebrities are always strict about managing their figures. "I know..." Isabella pouted slightly before placing a piece of beef on Alexander's plate. "Alexander, this is too spicy. Could you eat it for me?" Alexander had a delicate stomach and always preferred bland food, never eating anything too spicy. I was about to remind him, but before I could speak, I saw him calmly pick up the beef and eat it without hesitation, showing no sign of discomfort. My words caught in my throat, and I had to swallow them back down. When something is given by the person you love, even if it’s poison, it can still seem sweet—how much more so when it’s just a bit of spice. At that moment, a small part of me felt a sense of relief—had I spoken up, it would have only embarrassed me. The meal progressed, and the atmosphere had relaxed quite a bit after several rounds of drinks. Eliza suddenly shifted the conversation to me and casually asked Alexander, "I heard Director Vivienne is CEO Hawthorne’s sister and works under you. I’m sure you two are very close, right?" Alexander glanced up at me for a moment, then looked at Isabella before responding coolly, "For Grandpa’s sake, I take care of her a bit." His words were so casual, yet they struck me like a thunderclap. Others might not have noticed anything unusual, but I knew—was he trying to distance himself from me in front of Isabella, or was this truly his view? My heart was filled with questions. Perhaps it was a bit of both. In three years of marriage, I had never been able to warm his heart. His so-called kindness toward me was merely out of respect for Grandpa. I forced a smile, trying to stay calm. "I’m just a subordinate to CEO Hawthorne. There’s no real closeness between us. But it seems you’re quite curious about me?" Eliza flashed a playful smile. "We’ll be working together soon, so naturally, I’m curious. Please don’t mind, Director Vivienne." The dinner lasted over two hours, finally coming to an end as the workday wrapped up. I let everyone leave first and then returned to my office to continue working. At eight in the evening, I shut off my computer screen and prepared to leave. The entire floor had quieted down. The lights in the CEO’s office were still on. I hesitated in the hallway for a moment before finally walking toward the familiar door and gently knocking. I heard Alexander’s voice from inside. I pushed the door open and walked in, asking, "Do you have any plans for the evening?" "No," Alexander replied, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his brow. He turned off his computer and stood up. "Let’s go." Back home, dinner was already prepared by the staff. I ate a little, while Alexander went back to the library to take care of some work. I sat in the living room, casually flipping through TV shows. I poured myself a glass of warm water, then took out a pill bottle and swallowed a tablet. "You're taking medicine? What's wrong? Are you feeling okay?" Suddenly, I heard Alexander’s voice from behind me. My heart skipped a beat. I turned to look at him, trying to act casual. "I’ve been having some stomach issues lately." Alexander approached and poured himself a glass of water. "Have you been to the doctor?" He didn’t seem suspicious—after all, I had used a similar excuse at lunch. "I’ve been." "Good. You really need to take better care of yourself," he said, his tone full of concern. Hearing his worry, I nodded, but inside, a wave of sadness washed over me. Early the next morning, I was woken up by the sound of my phone ringing. I squinted at the screen, groggy, and reached for it on the nightstand. "Hello?" It was my assistant, sounding frantic. "Director Vivienne, something’s wrong. You need to check the Trending Topics right now!" "What happened?" I asked, quickly grabbing my iPad. The news popped up instantly. "CEO Hawthorne and Miss Blackwood were spotted together." As soon as the assistant finished speaking, I tapped on the Trending Topics. There, I saw a photo of Alexander and Isabella entering and leaving a restaurant together. The clickbait accounts were buzzing with wild speculations. I took a deep breath and replied calmly, "Contact Isabella’s team. Don’t respond yet. Wait for me at the office." The photo and the surrounding hype weren’t complicated. We could use those restaurant photos from both teams to spin it into buzz about a potential collaboration. "Got it." The assistant was about to hang up, but I stopped him. "You still have the group photos from yesterday, right? Find one where Alexander and Isabella don’t look too close. Get that ready." "Got it, I’ll handle it." After hanging up, I quickly got dressed and headed out. When I arrived at the office, the assistant was waiting for me. "Director Vivienne." As we stepped into the elevator, I asked, "Has Isabella’s team been contacted? What did they say?" The assistant hesitated, then said, "CEO Hawthorne has handed the matter over to CCPR." I pursed my lips, not saying anything further. The elevator dinged, and the doors opened. As I stepped out, I ran into Olivia. A smug smile appeared on her face when she saw me. "Oh, it’s our Director Vivienne. Did you see Miss Blackwood and CEO Hawthorne together at the company yesterday? Some people are really trying to seduce him, but BOSS himself said he wasn’t close to certain people. If it were me, I’d be too embarrassed to even stay at the company. What a disgrace." The assistant’s face turned bright red with anger, but I continued walking, acting like I hadn’t heard her jabs. Olivia, noticing my indifference, became even more smug. She suddenly called out, "Vivienne Sinclair, don’t you want to know how CEO Hawthorne wants me to handle the Trending Topics?" I stopped in my tracks. Olivia smiled, slowly approaching me. "Let me be clear. CEO Hawthorne told me to leak to the Clickbait Account that he and Miss Blackwood were once lovers. Do you understand what that means?" In that moment, I felt a chill rush through me, as if cold water had been poured over me. My heart almost stopped. I went pale, my mind blank as I mechanically walked back to my office. I picked up my phone and reopened the Trending Topics. The comments had completely shifted direction. Now, instead of speculation about the business relationship between a female star and a businessman, netizens were wondering about her possible "sugar daddy" and any sponsorships involved. For Isabella, who had just returned to develop her career here, this was a crushing blow. The Clickbait Accounts had started to dig up old news—photos and posts—about Isabella and Alexander, revealing they were once college sweethearts. They were dubbed the "Campus Couple of the Year," with pictures of them walking side by side, looking perfectly natural. Now, as they reunited, the implication was clear: they were reigniting their romance. What was even more surprising was that Vanguard Global Enterprises’ Brand Ambassador had originally been Lena Ashford, the Next Big Thing. But now, it had suddenly switched to Isabella Blackwood. Netizens were already connecting the dots, making their own conclusions.