Chapter 11

Vivienne's POV Cont

I stood there, unmoving, my gaze fixed on the phone lying on the floor as if it no longer belonged to me. The hallway was quiet, yet my thoughts felt loud and overwhelming, crashing into each other without direction.

Time passed slowly. Seconds stretched into minutes before I finally bent down and picked it up.

My fingers felt cold, almost numb, as though all the strength in my body had quietly drained away. The dark screen reflected my face, pale and unfamiliar, and I found myself staring at it longer than I should have.

Stop this.

I told myself firmly that I needed to stop embarrassing myself.

From the very beginning, Alexander’s heart had never been mine. It had always belonged to Isabella. That truth had not changed in the past, and it would not change now.

If he truly cared about the truth behind yesterday’s situation, he could have looked into it himself. He had the power and the resources to find out everything within minutes.

But he did not.

He chose to believe her without hesitation.

A quiet thought slipped into my mind, one I had tried to avoid for years. Perhaps a man’s first love was something that could never truly be replaced.

My assistant’s voice pulled me back to reality. She reminded me that Sophie and Ariana were waiting in the lounge.

I took a slow breath and straightened my back, forcing my expression into something calm and composed before walking toward them.

The moment I stepped into the lounge, Sophie stood up and walked toward me with impatience written all over her face. Ariana followed her with a quieter but equally curious expression.

“What did he say?” Sophie asked immediately.

I shook my head without offering an explanation.

Ariana sighed softly, as if she already understood more than I had said. Sophie let out a dry laugh and muttered something about Alexander not being the perfect man she once imagined.

They both looked at me, waiting for direction.

I steadied my voice and told them that we would adjust the styling and make the concept work regardless of the changes. I explained to Ariana that post production would require more attention than usual and that she needed to prepare for heavy editing.

She nodded seriously.

Without wasting more time, I returned to the makeup room and continued negotiating with Isabella’s team.

Every word I spoke felt heavier than it should have, yet I kept my tone steady and professional. No matter how exhausted or frustrated I felt, I could not allow the project to fail.

This was not only about my reputation.

If the endorsement collapsed, the impact on the company would be far greater.

I remembered the chaos that followed when Lena Ashford was replaced and how quickly public opinion had turned. If this campaign failed as well, the backlash would be even worse, especially with Isabella’s return already under scrutiny.

After a long and tense discussion, Isabella finally agreed to compromise on certain aspects of the styling. It was not perfect, but it was enough to move forward.

Filming began shortly after.

The hours that followed felt endless. Every detail required attention, every scene demanded adjustment, and every mistake had to be corrected immediately.

By the time everything wrapped up, the sky outside had already turned dark.

My body felt completely drained.

I picked up my car keys and walked toward the outdoor parking lot, eager to leave everything behind for a few hours.

“Vivienne.”

I turned at the sound of my name and froze for a brief moment before recognition softened my expression.

“Julian.”

A genuine smile appeared on my face, the first real one I had felt all day.

He walked closer, his presence warm and familiar, and asked why I was still working so late. I gave a simple explanation about recent workload, but he did not seem convinced.

“Then come eat with me,” he said easily. “You look like you need a break.”

I hesitated at first, thinking about the work I still had to finish, but the exhaustion in my body made the decision for me.

I agreed and suggested inviting Ariana along since they already knew each other.

As we talked, Julian reached out and gently brushed a dry leaf from my hair. The gesture was so natural that it caught me off guard for a second.

It felt like the past.

Like those quiet, simple days when life had not been so complicated.

We talked about our childhood, about climbing trees near the river and running through fields without a care in the world. Back then, everything had felt easy.

Now, everything felt heavy.

When he asked about my family, I remembered how he had visited my grandparents’ graves after hearing about their passing. The memory tightened my chest, yet there was warmth in it too.

For a moment, I felt like I could breathe again.

Alexander's POV

I sat inside the black Porsche parked across from the studio, my gaze drifting toward the entrance without any clear intention.

Then I saw her.

Vivienne stood under the soft glow of the streetlights, her figure calm and elegant, her laughter light in a way I had not heard in a long time.

She was smiling.

Not the polite, restrained smile she wore at work, but something genuine and unguarded.

My chest tightened before I could understand why.

James followed my line of sight and asked who the man beside her was. The man wore a cap and a mask, making it difficult to recognize him, but there was something familiar about his presence.

I did not respond.

A faint irritation rose within me, quiet but persistent.

James informed me that Isabella had come out. I gave a short reply and told him to drive toward the entrance.

As the car moved forward, my eyes remained on Vivienne for a moment longer than necessary.

Something about the scene unsettled me.

I stepped out of the car when we arrived. Isabella greeted me with a bright smile, her voice soft as she spoke.

I opened the door for her and raised my hand slightly to shield her head as she entered the car.

It was a simple gesture. Automatic.

Yet my thoughts were no longer focused on her.

Vivienne's POV

Julian followed my gaze toward the entrance and pointed out the black Porsche.

“That’s Alexander’s car, right?”

I looked in that direction and saw Isabella standing beside it.

Alexander stood close to her, his movements calm and attentive as he opened the door and guided her inside with care.

The scene was quiet, almost intimate.

My chest tightened, a dull ache spreading slowly as I watched.

Julian continued speaking, mentioning Isabella’s upcoming drama and how it was being funded by Alexander’s company. He talked about directors and production teams, about how much support she was receiving.

Each word landed heavier than the last.

My hands curled slightly inside my sleeves, my nails pressing into my palms until the faint pain grounded me.

Ariana soon joined us, and we left together for dinner.

Inside the restaurant, we settled into a private room. Julian encouraged us to order freely, his tone easy and familiar.

Without asking, he added my favorite dessert to the order.

Ariana immediately noticed and began teasing us, her expression full of curiosity.

I denied any romantic connection, but she remained unconvinced. She asked why I had never mentioned having a boyfriend if I truly had one.

To avoid further questions, I told her I did.

It was a simple lie, one I had used before when I wanted to keep distance from others.

She narrowed her eyes, clearly suspicious, and asked when we would finally meet him.

I lowered my gaze slightly and said I would introduce him someday.

Even as I said it, I knew that day would never come.

After a while, Julian excused himself to the restroom. Ariana leaned closer immediately, her voice dropping as she questioned me again.

I denied everything once more, but she did not seem convinced.

When Julian returned, I excused myself and left the room as well.

The hallway outside was quiet.

“Vivienne.”

I turned and saw Victor Sinclair approaching with a smile.

He greeted me warmly and mentioned that Alexander was dining in a nearby room. Before I could respond, he invited me to join him and say hello.

I hesitated.

The image from earlier lingered in my mind, but refusing would only create unnecessary suspicion.

So I followed him.

The moment the door opened, the lively atmosphere inside washed over me.

My eyes moved instinctively, searching, until they found him.

Alexander sat at the center of the table.

Isabella was beside him, close enough that their shoulders nearly touched. She leaned toward him, whispering something softly, and a faint smile appeared on his lips.

Then, without hesitation, she held his arm and kissed his cheek.

Alexander stiffened slightly.

Victor’s voice rang out, announcing my presence.

The room fell quiet as every gaze turned toward me.

And in that moment, I stood there, exposed, as if I had just stepped into a world where I no longer belonged.