Why had all of this happened tonight?
There had to be an explanation.
There simply had to be.
Unable to stop myself, I slowly turned my head toward him.
The passing streetlights briefly illuminated his profile before darkness swallowed it again.
His sharply defined jaw remained tense.
His pointed nose, pale complexion, and piercing blue eyes made him look as distant as ever.
Yet tonight…
I wasn’t looking at him because of how handsome he was.
I was searching for something.
Anything that might tell me what he was thinking.
But his face revealed nothing.
It was as unreadable as always.
I became so absorbed in my thoughts that I didn’t even realize we had reached the Livingston estate.
The car came to an abrupt stop in front of the villa.
Almost immediately, Alexander switched off the engine, pushed open the door, and got out.
Without waiting for me…
Without saying a single word…
He strode straight into the villa, leaving me sitting alone in the car, even more confused than when the night had begun…
After a much-needed moment, I finally gathered my gown and climbed out of the car.
My heels clicked softly against the polished marble as I walked toward the entrance.
The massive mahogany doors, carved with intricate patterns and trimmed in gold, stood open before me.
No matter how many years I’d lived here, the Livingston villa never failed to leave me in awe.
The moment I stepped inside, the familiar grandeur welcomed me once again.
The vast marble foyer glowed beneath an enormous crystal chandelier, while the sweeping twin staircase curved elegantly toward the second floor.
Priceless paintings, sculptures, and luxurious furnishings filled every corner, each piece quietly reminding visitors of the Livingston family’s wealth and influence.
It was magnificent.
Extravagant.
And for the past five years…
It had been my home.
Yet standing there now, everything felt strangely unfamiliar.
I climbed the stairs after slipping off my heels, carrying them in one hand and no longer caring what happened to the hem of my gown as it dragged behind me.
All I wanted was to reach my room.
The moment I reached the second floor, I hurried down the hallway, almost running despite the heavy dress wrapped around my legs.
When I finally reached my door, I pushed it open, stepped inside, and quietly closed it behind me.
The instant the door clicked shut, I leaned back against it and slowly slid down until I was sitting on the floor.
My eyes drifted closed.
The silence of my room immediately wrapped around me like a comforting embrace.
After hours of crowded halls, flashing cameras, unfamiliar faces, and endless applause, all I wanted was to hide beneath my blankets and let the quiet calm the storm raging inside my mind.
Unfortunately…
I was still trapped inside my gown.
Letting out a tired sigh, I forced myself back onto my feet and walked into the walk-in closet.
I reached behind my back, struggling with the zipper before finally managing to pull it down.
Even after that, getting out of the elaborate dress proved far more difficult than I expected.
The layers of fabric seemed determined to keep me prisoner.
After several failed attempts and far more struggling than I cared to admit, I finally slipped out of it.
I carefully hung the gown inside the closet before making my way to the bathroom.
The warm shower helped wash away some of the exhaustion clinging to my body, but it did nothing to quiet my restless thoughts.
Instead I felt even weaker afterwards.
After changing into my robe, I returned to my bedroom and climbed onto the bed.
Curling up beneath the duvet, I stared blankly at the ceiling.
Everything that had happened tonight still felt unreal.
Almost unconsciously, my gaze drifted to the diamond ring resting on my finger.
The moment I looked at it, flashes of the evening replayed vividly in my mind.
Alexander standing before me.
His calm, unreadable face.
The coldness in his eyes.
The ring slowly sliding onto my finger.
The deafening applause.
Isabella’s tear-filled eyes.
Everything blended together until I could no longer separate one memory from another.
I gently closed my fingers around the ring.
Tomorrow…
Surely someone would finally explain everything to me.
Holding onto that single hope…
And a faint throb in my head…..
I drifted into a restless sleep without even realizing when my eyes had finally closed….
Morning came far too quickly.
When I tried to open my eyes, it felt almost impossible.
My eyelids were unbearably heavy, my head throbbed painfully, and every part of my body ached as though I’d been running a fever all night.
Somewhere nearby, I could hear faint voices.
I tried opening my eyes again.
This time, they slowly parted, but the sunlight streaming through the curtains was so bright that I immediately winced and closed the eyes again.
“Ouch…” “Slowly, sweetheart.
Don’t force it.” Aunt Rose’s worried voice reached my ears.
“Doctor, are you sure we don’t need to take her to the hospital?” she asked anxiously.
The familiar voice of our family doctor answered calmly.
“Don’t worry, Mrs.
Livingston.
It’s only a fever.” He paused before continuing.
“I believe the emotional stress from yesterday may have triggered it.
Considering her condition, it’s understandable.” “We’ve only just started seeing improvements.” “It would be best to avoid putting her under this kind of emotional stress again.” There was a brief silence.
“…Yes.” Aunt Rose sighed softly.
“Something did happen yesterday.” “Then please be more careful.” The doctor sounded unusually serious.
“We don’t want her relapsing after all the progress she’s made.” “We understand.” This time it was Uncle shedrak’s voice.
“We’ll be more careful from now on.” I felt someone gently squeeze my hand.
“I’ll leave some medication.” “Make sure she takes it regularly, and call me again if anything changes after she wakes up.” “Thank you, Doctor.” A moment later, I heard footsteps leaving the room.
“Alice?” Aunt Rose called softly.
“Can you hear me?” I nodded weakly, giving up on trying to open my eyes all at once.
“Try again….”