After three months of filming 'To the End of Time', the television drama successfully ended. The whole crew erupted in joy, the happiest being the director. He picked up his phone and generously booked a hotel, treating the whole crew to a celebratory meal.
'To the End of Time' ended around 3 pm in the afternoon. The technical crew needed to pack up their equipment and the actors needed to remove their makeup and change, hence the celebratory meal was set at night, around 8 pm.
Alexander had been in Rome all that time due to the filming of his new movie. Using the limited two day break in-between his tight schedule, he returned to settle sudden issues arisen in the company.
Due to the time constraint, he barely had any time to rest from the long flight. Right after landing in the international airport, he went straight to the company.
Without wasting time, the meeting started the minute he entered. The board had already gathered and was waiting for his arrival.
The meeting lasted from 3 pm in the afternoon all the way till 6 pm at night. His assistant followed him into his office.
"Mr. Smith, I've already booked the 12 am flight to Rome. After landing, you can rest up to fifteen hours before your next scene."
After the long flight and a meeting that lasted the whole afternoon, Alexander looked exhausted. Sitting in his office, he casually took out the phone he had on silent while listening to his assistant report his schedule.
Just as he was about to lock his phone, a message came in. He smoothly clicked it open, " 'To the End of Time' filming completed. There'll be a celebratory banquet tonight at 8 pm in Mount hotel. Do drop by if you have the time!"
Alexander stared at the message for about five seconds before lifting his head indifferently. He nodded towards his assistant, acknowledging his report.
His assistant had been working for him for many years, hence he was well acquainted with his boss' aloof personality. Unperturbed by his lack of concern, he continued, "Mr. Smith, there are about six hours before the airplane takes off. Would you like to have dinner in the city or at the airport?"
"In the city," he replied faintly. Before his assistant could ask about the location, he continued, " Mount hotel."
When Alexander and his assistant finished their meal, it was already 8.30 pm. They footed the bill before proceeding to the main door. Just as they reached it, Alex stopped.
His assistant stopped immediately as well. "Mr Smith, is something wrong?"
Alexander remained silent for awhile and just when his assistant was started debating whether or not to repeat the question, he replied, "Wait for me in the car, I have something to do upstairs."
He stood at the main door for a few more seconds before turning towards the lift.
~*~
As part of the crew in 'To the End of Time', Isabelle was naturally at the dinner. The minute she reached the city, she had hurriedly bathed, changed her clothes, done her hair, and applied light makeup before rushing to Mount hotel. Despite preparing in record time, she was still late for the dinner. When she reached, 'To the End of Time' director was already on the stage, addressing the crowd, expressing his gratitude.
Since everyone was focused on the director, no one noticed Isabelle's late arrival. She stood in the crowd, looking around before making a beeline for her manager Camila.
After the director's brief speech, the dinner began.
Since it was a banquet, socializing and alcohol were customary.
Isabelle wasn't an A lister in the industry but her pretty face, perfect figure, good personality, and eloquence allowed her to shine, so she fit in perfectly.
She was starving by the time she greeted everyone in the banquet. Without hesitation, she pulled Camila towards the buffet area. She filled her plate before randomly sitting down near a window. After a few bites, the originally boisterous banquet hall suddenly fell silent.
She lifted her head in curiosity as she continued to munch on her food. Following the direction of the crowd's gaze, she saw Alexander.
The memory from three months ago resurfaced. She remembered getting strangled by Alexander after climbing into his bed...
"Isabelle, are you trying to play with me?
"Good, I'll play till the end!"
The grip she had on the chopsticks unconsciously tightened, and her heart pounded.
He must have been very angry that day to have said such things.
For the past three months, she had been hiding from him. Despite her efforts, she still met him in the end.
Dressed in a well-fitted black suit, Alexander's tall and trim physique was accentuated. As the bright lights in the banquet hall fell on his face, his originally exquisite facial features became three-dimensional. His sharp nose bridge, thin lips, strong brows were dazzling.
The entertainment industry was saturated with good looking people. One could easily pick out an entertainer that would stand out in the crowd. However, Alexander was not just that, he possessed a unique charisma that would capture anyone's attention, easily making him the focal point anywhere.
Silence fell in the room the minute he arrived. 'To the End of Time' director was the first to come back to his senses. With a glass of wine in hand, he enthusiastically welcomed Alexander, "Mr. Smith..."
The atmosphere gradually heated up after the director had spoken. Even though it was clear to everyone that their greetings wouldn't be reciprocated, it didn't stop them from greeting him.
Alexander strolled towards the seating area as though no one had spoken to him. Even though it was just a short stroll, he was still able to captivate everyone's attention.
The director held onto the wine, fawning all over Alex with a smile plastered on his face.
Isabelle was eating in the seating area. Initially, when she was still a distance away from him with the crowd shielding her, she had the courage to look at him. But as he came closer, she only dared to sneak occasional peeks.
When Alex was finally about to reach her, she didn't even dare to lift her head. Cautiously, she remained in her seat, motionless, no longer moving her chopsticks, no longer as carefree as before.
"Chairman Smith, why didn't you inform us that you were coming? I could have gotten someone to escort you..."
When the director's words reached Isabelle's ears, she distinctly felt Alex walking towards her. Unconsciously, she tightened the grip on her chopsticks and straightened her back into a rod. As she focused on her plate of food, even her chewing started to slow, becoming careful.
When Alexander finally walked pass her and Isabelle was preparing to heave a sigh of relief, she realized that he had sat down in a chair behind her.
When Isabelle first fell in love with Alexander, her dreams were constantly filled with him. As time went by, she became afraid of seeing him. Whenever he was near her, she would be drowned in fear and anxiety. And these feelings only intensified after the events three months ago...
At this very moment, Alexander was sitting behind her. All her senses heightened as she grew aware of his voice and his breath. Her palms got soaked with sweat from her anxiety.
Alex and the director's conversation centered around movies and dramas. Even though Alex didn't say much, Isabelle's heart trembled at his every word.
No longer able to withstand the pressure, Isabelle put down her chopsticks, threw the excuse of washroom to Camila, and stood up. But the moment she stood up, Alexander stood up as well.
Was it a coincidence or was it deliberate?
The dining hall exit was behind Isabelle and the washroom was behind Alexander. Hence, just as she turned, he turned as well. Their gazes collided.
Just a glance at Alexander caused Isabelle to frantically lower her head, avoiding his eyes.
The two of them now have been married for five months but the news had never been publicized. To the public, the two of them were strangers to each other.
Isabelle clenched her fists tightly, trying to calm her rapidly pounding heart. Attempting to act like everyone else, as though they were indeed strangers, she greeted him politely, "Good evening, Mr. Smith."
Alexander remained straight-faced, not moving, his gaze uncertain, giving the impression that he hadn't heard Isabelle's greeting at all. After a long while, he suddenly blinked. Turning, he took a detour before taking long strides out the dining hall.
From the very beginning, he hadn't taken a single glance at her, as though the woman in front of him wasn't the wife he had married five months ago.
He had a cold and aloof personality that made it difficult for others to get close. His authority in the entertainment industry further instilled fear in others, forcing them to behave carefully around him. The moment he left the dining hall, the atmosphere gradually heightened, returning to the boisterous affair of before his arrival. But because he had come, people naturally started gossiping about him.
"Alexander Smith is indeed a legend of the industry."
"He's not just a legend, he is an unbelievable miracle. For the past ten years since his debut, there wasn't any gossip or backlash."
"He has also built his own empire from scratch. It's said that he entered the industry as a poor boy without any background. After four years, his fame skyrocketed, and he clinched the "Best Male Actor" award for six consecutive years."
"What's most unbelievable is that when Global Entertainment company was facing bankruptcy issues, he took out all his savings to buy it. Everyone thought that he would go down together with the company, but in just three short years, he developed it into the biggest Entertainment company in the country. "
"But I heard that he has an aloof personality, doesn't like interacting with others and likes to do everything by himself. Though in terms of looks, ability, and acting skills, he's definitely at the top. He's no doubt worthy of the "Nation's Husband" title bestowed on him. I wonder who this "Nation's Husband" will marry in the end..."
"Now that you mention it, he debuted at 18... so he should be 28 now. Reasonably speaking, even if he doesn't get married, he should at least have a girlfriend, why haven't there been any?"
"Yes! Girlfriend aside, he doesn't even have a female that he's intimate or close with. Such a mystery!"
...
Listening to their endless chatter, Camila couldn't hold back her curiosity. Lifting her head, she asked Isabelle, who was directly in front of her, stirring her cup of coffee, " Why is he back? Isn't his movie still ongoing?"
Even though their marriage was kept a secret, Isabelle still told Camila, who was not only her manager but also a long-time friend. Hence, Isabelle immediately understood who she was talking about even though Camila didn't specifically mention Alexander. Her hands stopped momentarily. Looking up and into her friend's eyes, she shook her head, saying honestly, "I don't know."
"You don't know?!" Camila looked incredulous. "Izzy, are you even his wife? He didn't even call to notify you when he came back from Rome?"
She continued to shake her head. "He didn't."
Just then, Camila suddenly remembered that when her friend had bumped into Alexander, he didn't even bother looking at her. At that time, she had thought that they were trying to cover up their marriage, but now, she realized that it wasn't the case. Camila frowned, continuing, " Are you guys like that in private? How often do you two talk?"
Izzy looked down, not speaking. She and Alex weren't interacting in private. In the five months they had been married, they spoke three times, the last time being the scolding from three months ago when she climbed into his bed.
Thinking of that, her lips curved upwards slightly. Ignoring Camila's first question, she answered the second one, "We haven't talked in three months."
"Three months?!" Camila widened her eyes in shock. "Izzy, are you his wife or his mistress? No, you're worse than a mistress! A mistress would at least get benefits, but what have you gotten? Look at what you're wearing, which item costs more than a five digit sum? And with the authority he yields, he could easily groom you into an A lister, but instead he gave you a small role in 'To the End of Time'..."
Isabelle remained silent, her heart trembling with Camila's ruthless words. It was the truth, she was indeed worse than a mistress. Even though both roles included sleeping with a guy, a mistress had to be of interest to the man at the very least. But Alexander was infuriated after she had slept with him.
Isabelle lifted the coffee and downed a big gulp, suppressing the bitterness biting at her. Calmly, as though she were speaking about someone else, she said, "You should know we were forced to get married. There were no feelings involved, lack of communication is normal."
Camila and Isabelle have known each other since young, so even though their interests and hobbies differed, they still had a close relationship. Hence, regarding some matters, Camila understood. She was silent for a long while, staring at Izzy who remained impassive. Finally, she took a deep breath.
"Izzy, during middle and high school, there weren't many girls who could talk to him but you were one of them. He treated you well and had even gone out to play with you several times. Why did you suddenly stop interacting in college? Why did you start treating each other as strangers that had never met before? Many a time he would treat you impatiently, not minding his language. What exactly happened?"
What happened? Isabelle slipped into a trance. She stared at her coffee for a long while before shaking her head slowly. Softly she whispered, "I don't know, all this while, I've been desperately wondering what exactly happened that year."
~*~
Alexander's assistant had already parked the car at the main entrance by the time he exited Mount hotel.
The minute his assistant saw him, he immediately came out to open the back door.
He entered the car wordlessly. While closing the door, his assistant raised his head to peek at his boss' expression, only to find his face tight with his lips clenched into a straight line.
The assistant definitely hadn't expected such an expression! He hurriedly closed the back door in a panic. Returning to his front seat, he started the engine and scooted out.
Having worked for Alexander for many years, his assistant could easily decipher his mood based on the smallest expressions.
Whenever he clenched his lips so tightly, he was most likely not in the best mood.
But he was feeling fine after dinner, so how could there be such a change? Did something happen just now?
Even though he had his suspicion, the assistant couldn't muster enough courage to ask about it. He continued to drive steadily, only asking in a business like tone, "Mr. Smith, do you want to go directly to the airport?"
Alexander remained quiet.
Silence suffused the car.
Alexander had a cold personality that prevented others from getting too close, and at that moment, he was emitting so much frost that the atmosphere in the car became suppressive and suffocating.
The assistant continued to drive forward, no longer speaking, purely focusing on the road while anxiety slowly engulfed him.
As the car steered from the second to third lane, the clear weather suddenly changed and it started pouring.
To calm his own nerves, the assistant spoke again.
"It's raining," he said.
As the words fell, the rain intensified, rain droplets smashing furiously onto the car, producing a loud rhythmic sound.
Alexander continued to remain silent.
Upon the second rejection, the assistant gave up, shutting his mouth.
The rain continued to strengthen, blurring the vision ahead, and the car slowed. Just as the car was about to turn towards the airport, Alexander suddenly said, "Stop the car."
His voice was not loud but it was enough for his assistant to hear. He immediately slammed the brakes, stopping the car.
The assistant turned back towards Alex. "Mr. Smith, is something wrong?"
Again, Alexander stayed silent, both eyes staring out the car window at two students in uniforms. Both the girl and boy were running hurriedly through the rain. They ended up hiding under a building. After about two minutes, they left in a cab but Alexander's gaze remained glued to the spot under the building they had hid under.
The assistant was bewildered. Impatient, the assistant asked again, "Mr. Smith?"
Still, Alexander remained silent. However, he seemed to be in a trance, his thoughts straying to a memory from many years ago. It was also raining heavily that day, and he and Isabelle had both ran to the same old building for shelter. That was the first time they met. Both not saying a word, they looked at each other only to realize they were from the same school from their uniforms.
"Mr. Smith?"
After a seemingly long time, the assistant's voice sounded once again. Alexander's brows twitched slightly. He turned his head slightly, his deep gaze calm, emotionless.
"Mr. Smith, the plane will depart in two hours, we need to check in..."
Before the assistant could finish his sentence, Alex cut him off, "You can leave at the nearest taxi stand."
"Huh?" the assistant asked in shock. He was just about to continue, but Alexander added, "I'm not going to Rome today, change it to tomorrow morning."
Once his assistant left, Alexander moved to the drivers seat. Grabbing the steering wheel, he started tapping it lightly. Finally, seemingly having given up, he turned the keys irritably, driving decisively towards the city center.
~*~
After 'To the End of Time' celebratory dinner, Camila drove Isabelle back to York Garden.
It was a prestigious district surrounded by mountains. Every inch of land was highly valued and costly. This was where Smith and Davis's marital house resided.
Camila stopped her car steadily in front of the villa. The rain had stopped after washing off the dirt from the sidewalks. As the warm yellow street light hit the puddles, rays of light reflected in all directions.
After saying goodbye, Isabelle waited for Camila to leave her sight before reaching into her bag for the key to the main door.
After the rain earlier, the flowers that were blooming in the front yard had all fallen, emitting a mixture of flower aroma and the smell of rain.
Even though the villa was not far from the main gate, Isabelle deliberately strolled towards it slowly.
Alexander was back from Rome, would he be back tonight? Or was he already in the villa?
After the incident three months ago, Isabelle was not able to face him. The very thought of meeting him would cause her to shudder in fear and anxiety.
Isabelle stood at the door of the villa, eyes closed. She took several deep breathes before retrieving her keys to open the door.
Other than two part-time cleaners, there were no other long term helpers in the villa, causing it to seem extremely quiet.
She stood at the entrance, scanning the living room. Confirming that there was no one, she slipped into her house slippers and slowly started upstairs. Only after making sure that the upstairs were also empty did she sigh inwardly, finally relaxing.
He was not in the villa... but would he come back tonight?
These past three months aside, after they got married, Alexander would occasionally drop by York Garden with no particular schedule but never later than 1 am.
It was 12 am night right now, so if he was not back in another hour, it was highly likely that he would not be coming back tonight.
Time gradually crawled past Isabelle's uneasy heart. When the clock hit 1 am, she finally relaxed her tensed body. She had been stressed the entire day, and now that she was able to relax, she collapsed onto the sofa in exhaustion.
It was 1 am, he definitely wouldn't be coming back tonight.