Chapter 1 HE NEVER CAME

​"Happy fifth anniversary, Mrs. Swan."

​Javier Lea smiled as she read the message on her phone, which had arrived at exactly eight o'clock that morning. 

Alex: I'll be home before seven, I have a surprise for you. She chuckled softly, thinking to herself, "So do I." Her fingers brushed against the white envelope tucked safely inside her handbag. 

Inside was a hospital report that read: Congratulations,You're eight weeks pregnant. Her heart skipped every time she thought about it. For five years, she and Alex had dreamed of hearing those words, and tonight, she would finally tell him.

​She looked around the dining room one last time. The long table was beautifully decorated with white roses, candles, and their favorite dishes. At the center sat a small gift box wrapped in silver ribbon, containing a tiny pair of baby shoes. Javier smiled through happy tears, whispering, "I can't wait to see your face."

​Just then, the grandfather clock chimed seven o'clock—right on time. She stood up and walked toward the front door, but when she looked outside, there was no car. She laughed it off, assuming it was just traffic, and sat back down. 

However, ten minutes passed, and then twenty. She picked up her phone, but there were no messages. She called Alex, and though the call rang, there was no answer. "He must be driving," she thought, refusing to worry just yet.

​Meanwhile, across the city, music thundered through the Crystal Crown Hotel as camera flashes lit up the ballroom. Reporters crowded around a glamorous woman dressed in an elegant champagne-colored gown.

​"Miss Camille Mia! Over here! Welcome home! How does it feel to be back after six years in Europe?"

​Camille smiled politely and replied, "It's wonderful to be home."

​Suddenly, another reporter shouted, "We heard someone special came to welcome you."

​The crowd parted as a tall man in a navy suit walked into the ballroom, causing the cameras to explode with flashes. "Mr. Alex Swan! The CEO of Swan Group! Are you here for Miss Camille?"

​Alex smiled politely and answered, "I came to welcome an old friend home."

​The reporters immediately surrounded them, throwing out rapid questions. "So the rumors were true? Were you two once a couple?"

​Camille laughed awkwardly and said, "That was a long time ago." Someone handed Alex a champagne glass as photographers begged for just one picture. Camille looked at him and murmured, "You don't have to," but Alex stood beside her and replied, "It's alright." Flash after flash went off, and within seconds, their photographs flooded social media.

​Back at the Swan Mansion, the candles had burned halfway down. Javier checked the clock to see it was already eight-thirty, and the food was getting cold. She called Alex again, but there was still no answer.

​A maid approached her carefully and asked, "Madam... should I reheat dinner?"

​Javier forced a smile. "Not yet. He'll be here. He always keeps his promises." Even as she said the words, something felt deeply wrong.

​At the Crystal Crown Hotel, the party had grown even louder. An old college friend wrapped an arm around Alex's shoulder and joked, "You disappeared after graduation. You owe us six years of stories."

​Alex laughed, replying, "I don't think one night is enough."

​Someone raised a glass to propose a toast: "To Camille's return!" As everyone cheered, Alex lifted his glass and said, "Welcome home," earning a grateful smile from Camille.

​Right then, his phone vibrated inside his pocket, displaying Javier Calling... He looked at the screen, and Camille noticed. "You should answer," she suggested. Alex glanced around at the dozens of people waiting for the toast and decided, "I'll call her back," before pressing Decline.

​At the mansion, the call abruptly ended. Javier stared at her phone in disbelief. "He declined..." Her smile faded for the first time, though she quickly tried to rationalize it. "No. He must have touched it by mistake."

​Just then, her phone vibrated again. Relief washed over her face as she picked it up, expecting him. "Alex?"

​But it wasn't him. It was a news notification that read: Breaking News: Swan Group CEO Alex Swan Makes Public Appearance with Renowned Journalist Camille Mia on Her Return to the Country.

​Javier frowned and tapped the notification, opening a livestream that made her heart stop. Alex was standing on a brightly lit stage beside Camille. People clapped as the host handed Camille a microphone and asked, "Miss Mia, after six years abroad, who was the first person you wanted to see?"

​Camille smiled, turned toward Alex, and answered, "Him."

​The ballroom erupted with cheers. The host laughed and asked, "So the first love never dies?"

​The crowd began chanting for a speech, prompting Alex to raise his hands and clarify, "It's not like that." The audience laughed anyway, and someone shouted, "Then dance together!" Another voice joined in, demanding, "One dance! One dance!"

​Camille looked up at Alex and whispered, "You can say no." Alex hesitated for only a moment before he smiled and said, "It's just one dance."

​As the music started and Alex offered his hand, which Camille accepted, Javier's grip tightened around her phone back at the mansion. The tiny gift box slipped from her lap and hit the floor, its lid popping open. The tiny baby shoes rolled across the cold marble. A tear slid silently down her cheek as she whispered, "So... this is more important than us."

​On the livestream, Alex and Camille smiled at each other as millions of people watched them dance. One of the cameras zoomed in, and the headline changed to: CEO Alex Swan Reunites with His First Love.

​Javier slowly bent down and picked up the tiny shoes, holding them tightly against her chest. Her voice trembled in the empty room. "Our baby... I don't think tonight is the right night to tell Daddy about you anymore."

​At that exact moment, the front door opened. Javier looked up with a sudden surge of hope. "Alex..."

​But it wasn't him. It was his father, Mr. Kendall Swan. The moment the older man saw the untouched anniversary dinner, the tears in Javier's eyes, and the baby shoes clutched in her trembling hands, his expression changed completely. He looked at the television screen, then back at Javier.

​In a low, heavy voice, he asked, "...What has my son done?"