Isabelle didn't utter a word but continued to knock hard on the door. Suddenly, the door in front swung open and her hand froze in the air. She lowered her head silently for a whole half a minute, before raising it up. She saw a well-dressed Alexander standing before her. His brows were creased, and his eyes carried a hint of astonishment, like he wondered how she had followed him to here.
Isabelle stood motionlessly on the spot, staring into his eyes for a while. Then her eyes fell to his shoulders and into the room, where she discovered two glasses of red wine on the table, a pack of cigarettes, and Alexander's jacket randomly chucked on the sofa.
Her pitch-black pupils quivered, before looking up again at Alexander's deep, beautiful eyes.
Neither one spoke. Instead, they quietly stared at one another.
Isabelle didn't know how much time had passed when the sound of high heels came from behind Alexander and a familiar voice, was heard. "Alex, who is it?"
When the last syllable fell, Isabelle saw the blonde woman in the long red dress walk over from inside the room. She recognized her from first glance. It was clearly the woman Alexander had taken to dinner in America!
Could it be that she had never given up on him even after learning that she was pregnant with Alexander's baby? Had she chased him all the way?
The instant Lucy spoke, Alexander snapped back to reality.
Wasn't Isabelle asleep? How had she follow him to the Four Seasons Hotel? That wasn't the point... It was the middle of the night, and he was in a room with someone of the other sex...
Suddenly, a hint of panic emerged beneath Alexander's eyes. He nervously cried out, "Izzy..."
Before he could finish, Isabelle, who stood in front of him like a statue looked like she was provoked by something. Her body started to tremble lightly. Then, the next second, she abruptly grabbed onto his hand, as though she was afraid that what he said next would shatter her. She beat him to it and said, "Alexander, why did you leave by yourself? I didn't dare sleep on my own."
In a situation like this, normally speaking, shouldn't the woman hysterically hit or curse?
Why was Isabelle's reaction so strange?
Alexander had clearly not done anything to let her down, but in that moment, he'd completely lost her trust. "Izzy, listen to me. Lucy and I..."
Lucy looked at the scene before her in confusion, then at Alexander and asked, "Alex?"
As though Lucy's voice had set Isabelle off, she suddenly screamed the words, "Alexander, I want to go home!"
As her voice dropped, she jumped into Alexander's arms. She hugged his neck like a little girl, whining in a low and pitiful voice, "Home... home... Alexander, let's go home. Please?"
"Alright, alright," he responded, afraid that she would lose it again. He didn't even grab his jacket, as he hurriedly left Lucy with a "Sorry" behind him. He immediately stretched his arms out and carried Isabelle with big strides towards the elevators.
On the way down, Isabelle looked like she was afraid of something, for her body trembled in his arms. As she hugged his neck, she wouldn't stop gripping harder onto him as the time went on. When they reached the final floor, Alexander's breathing was a little irregular, yet he didn't dare say something to remind her.
Just as he carried her out of the hotel's lobby, Isabelle suddenly spoke. "Alexander, start up the car. I'm going to the toilets."
"I'll carry you." When he said this, he turned around, about to rush over to the lobby's restrooms.
"I don't want you to. I want to go on my own!" said Isabelle in a muffled voice. She struggled out of his arms, then didn't wait for him to react as she ran over to the restroom.
Alexander didn't actually start up the car, but followed behind her.
He stood at the entrance of the restroom for twenty minutes, but didn't see Isabelle come out.
Alexander waited impatiently, then got up and paced a few steps at the entrance of the restrooms. In the end, he stopped at the women restroom door. He hesitated for a moment, then pushed open the door and walked right in, as though he couldn't care about this now.
Luckily, it was the middle of the night, so there was no one in the women's public restroom in the lobby. However, as this was the first time Alexander had ever entered the women restroom, he still had a mental barrier, and his posture while walking exposed his unease. He quickly sped past, opening every cubicle and carelessly sweeping his eyes across them.
When he shut the final door, his brows furrowed tightly.
Isabelle wasn't in the restroom at all!
As Alexander took big strides out of the women restroom. He pulled out his phone, ready to call her, when he suddenly saw the emergency route in the restroom. At that moment, he turned around and walked towards the elevator as though he'd confirmed a guess of his. He desperately pressed the open button by the elevator, walked in, and headed straight for the top floor.
The corridor of the top floor was silent. Alexander followed the way down it and turned at the corner. Before he could walk on, Isabelle's calm voice traveled from the very end of the corridor in front of him.
"I came here to see you, because I have something to tell you. Whatever you want to tell me, I don't actually want to hear it.
"Alexander is my husband. My legal husband. I have a marriage certificate here. I believe you wouldn't understand it.
"I don't care about what happened between you and him in America, but what I want to tell you now, is the you and him must end it here.
"Because the one who will grow old with him, the one who will give birth to his beautiful children, and the one who will take care of them as they grow up is - ME, not YOU. So I hope that you will stop pestering him. His future will never have you in it. Nor will I allow you to be in his future.
"I've said everything I wanted to say. Thank you for your cooperation. Goodbye."
Isabelle's voice wasn't loud, but the clarity in her every word traveled through the silent corridors and into Alexander's ears. As he listened, his heart skipped a beat.
It was not until he heard the sound of her high heels draw closer and closer to him that he abruptly snapped back to reality. Seeing as she hadn't noticed him, he took the opportunity to quickly turn around and walk back to the elevator.
-
After Isabelle entered the elevator, the rims of her eyes couldn't help but redden.
The Alexander who loved her so much and who did so much for her... How could he mess around with other women?
She knew that when a wife normally discovered her husband doing such things, they'd hit the mistress, curse out the husband, or even harsher yet, they'd file straight for divorce. Some would even go as far as to ruin their husband's reputation altogether.
When she had knocked on room 1002, in her mind, she had asked herself that if she saw Alexander, what would she do? Would she give him a cool slap on the face, then grit her teeth and cry divorce?
Yet when she opened the door and really saw him, she realized that she couldn't bring herself to divorce him. Even if she understood that this would remain as a thorn in her heart, which she could never pluck. She would mind. She would mind until she reached the end of her life, but she would rather mind, because she couldn't divorce him.
So, in reality, she chose the most cowardly method. She didn't cry or throw a tantrum. She pretended to not understand a thing, as if nothing had happened between them.
She stepped out of the elevator on the second floor, and followed the emergency stairway down to the first floor.
When she came back down, she didn't head to the main hall directly. Instead, she turned towards the restroom to wash her face and calm down.
The moment she entered the main hall, she saw Alexander's back. Amid the cold winter season, all he had on was a thin shirt, but even then he appeared elegant, as though unaffected by the cold.
Isabelle clenched onto her shirt and took a deep breath. "Alexander."
He turned his head instantly, his face clear off any anxiety, as though nothing had happened. There was a glimmer of joy in his eyes while his temples remained soft. Gently, he asked, "What took you so long?"
He was a man that was caught in a woman's room, how could he act so nonchalantly? Or was it that he didn't mind being caught?
Alexander's bright spirits seemed to increase her uneasiness.
Only when he held her hand did she finally snap out of her thoughts. She turned to gaze at him, at his usual impassive face that seemed to have a hint of joy.
Isabelle couldn't figure out what he was thinking, and her heart grew increasingly more uneasy.
The entire journey back to York Garden, they didn't talk much. Isabelle sneaked several peeks at Alexander, trying to study his expression.
Even though he could sense her gaze, he remained oblivious, staring straight ahead, thinking about the scene in Four Seasons Hotel. His lips couldn't help curling into a smile when he glanced at her through the rear mirror.
The moment Isabelle saw his smile, her face darkened visibly, and she hugged her bag, looking uneasy and upset. The sight further brightened Alexander's spirits.
It wasn't that he didn't want to explain himself, it's just that he wanted to see her uneasiness first.
How should he put it... Her uneasiness warmed his heart, it made him feel loved.
The car steadily steered into the yard of York Garden. After unbuckling his seat belt, Alexander alighted, preparing to open the door for Isabelle, but before he could walk over, she had already pushed the door open and hurriedly entered the house.
Alexander chuckled, following after her. Just when she was about to head upstairs, he called out her name as he removed his shoes, "Izzy."
Isabelle froze.
Why was he calling her? Was it going to be a confrontation? He was caught having an affair... Did that mean he didn't care about their marriage? Was he going to tell her that he didn't love her anymore and was now in love with the women from Four Seasons Hotel?
The more her thoughts ran, the more worried she got, and without waiting for Alexander to continue, she suddenly turned to look at him. "Alexander, I want a cup of water."
Alexander nodded, heading to pour her a glass. "Izzy."
"Wait, let me finish this."
Tilting her head upwards, she downed the entire glass.
Passing the glass to Alexander, she seemed to have forgotten what she'd said. She turned to him and said hurriedly, "I'll sleep now, I'm tired. We can talk tomorrow."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran up the stairs.
Alexander held onto the glass, his lips curled upwards as he gazed at the tiny figure running up.
He knew... She was afraid that he was going to say something she didn't want to hear, and running away was her solution.
So... Izzy, does that mean that you actually care about me?
Alexander fiddled with the glass, leaning against the staircase, staring up at the ceiling lamp. At that moment, he could feel a heaviness that clouded his heart start to fade bit by bit.
After about two minutes, he averted his gaze, turning to the kitchen. After less than two steps, he felt something below his slippers. He looked down and saw a tiny red booklet with the words "Marriage certificate" written on the cover.
Alexander frowned, bending to pick it up. His certificate was locked in the cabinet in the study room, so this one must be Isabelle's?
Just a while ago, she had used it to brag, but now she had dropped it... Such a klutz.
Alexander shook his head with a indulgent smile on his face. He placed the glass in the kitchen before heading to the bedroom.
Isabelle had already changed into her pajamas and was lying on the bed with her eyes shut, seemingly asleep.
Alexander walked towards the bed. When he saw her fluttering lashes, he knew that she was listening to his movements. Reaching out his with hand, he lightly pinched her tender face. "Izzy, where's your marriage certificate?"
Marriage certificate... Why was he asking about that? Did he want a divorce?
Isabelle clenched onto the bed sheets, shutting her lids tightly.
She was asleep, she couldn't hear anything.
In order to appear realistic, she deliberately deepened her breathing, producing a slight snoring sound.
Alexander stood by the bed, patiently staring down at Isabelle for a while before using the red booklet he picked up to lightly tap her face.
Isabelle's temples moved. What did he use to tap her face? It seemed like a small booklet?
She lifted her lids slightly, and just then, she saw the red booklet in his hands. In order to see what it was, she lifted her lids a bit more. That was when the words "Marriage Certificate" came into sight.
Alexander was holding his marriage certificate... Why would he ask for her marriage certificate? He must want a divorce...
Isabelle covered her entire head with the blanket.
She couldn't see anything, she couldn't hear anything, she didn't know anything.
She was asleep.
Helplessly, Alexander laughed. Pausing slightly, he pondered how long it had been since he last laughed.
The next instance, he ripped the blanket, pulling Isabelle out. Waving the red booklet in front of her, he said, "It's yours..."
"Alexander, you thief!" Isabelle jumped, her whole universe erupting. She glared at Alexander, interrupting his words.
He was too much!
He actually stole her marriage certificate to divorce her!
Isabelle's eyes rotated one round, then she snatched the red booklet violently.
Alexander had wanted to ask "You want it?" but froze, clearly startled by her accusation. When he finally got back his senses, the marriage certificate was already gone. She clenched onto it, looking around anxiously as though searching for a place to hide it.
Alexander broke into laughter once more, amused by her actions.
But before he could laugh out loud, he saw her blinking, as though finally settling on something before ripping the booklet into two. She didn't seem satisfied, ripping the book continuously into tiny pieces.
When she finally stopped and was about to toss the pieces, she froze once more. She seemed to be worried that he would stick the pieces together, so she grabbed the whole bunch and stuffed it into her mouth.