Too late for love: mr ceo

I sat quietly in front of the doctor as she explained my condition for what felt like the third time.

My fingers tightened around the edge of my dress while I listened.

She told me my uterine lining was naturally thin and that the baby was still unstable. Her voice was calm, but every word landed heavily in my chest.

I had to be careful. Very careful.

No stress. No heavy movement. No mistakes.

She added that women with my condition sometimes lost their babies, and some of them found it difficult to get pregnant again.

My heartbeat quickened, fear creeping into every corner of my mind.

But I forced myself to stay calm.

I nodded again and again as she wrote my prescription, afraid that if I showed even a little panic, everything would fall apart.

When she handed me the paper, I took it with both hands.

"Get the medicine immediately," she reminded me.

"I will," I said softly.

For three years of marriage, I had been waiting for this moment.

A child.

Something that truly belonged to me and Alexander.

As I walked out of the hospital, I moved slowly, carefully, as if even the air around me could harm the life growing inside me.

After collecting my medicine, I got into the car.

"Madam," James Carter, our driver, greeted politely as he started the engine.

He glanced at me through the rearview mirror. "Sir's flight lands at three. Should we head to the airport now?"

My lips curved into a small smile.

"Yes."

I did not hesitate.

Alexander had been away on business for almost a month. I missed him more than I wanted to admit.

On the way, I took out the pregnancy report again.

I read every word slowly, my hand instinctively resting on my stomach.

Inside me was our child.

Mine and Alexander's baby.

In eight months, I would give birth to him.

The thought filled my chest with warmth, and for a moment, all my fear disappeared.

I could not wait to tell him.

We arrived at the airport early.

James parked the car and turned to me. "Would you like to call him, Madam?"

I nodded and dialed Alexander's number.

The call did not go through.

A cold automated voice told me the line was unavailable.

I frowned slightly but forced myself to stay calm.

"Maybe the flight is delayed," I said quietly.

So we waited.

Minutes turned into an hour.

Then another.

I kept looking toward the exit, expecting to see him walking toward me, tall and composed like always.

But he never appeared.

I called again.

And again.

Still nothing.

Two hours later, I tried once more.

This time, the call connected.

"Hello?"

His voice.

My heart instantly lifted.

"Alexander, where are you? I am at the airport waiting for you-"

"Hello?" a woman's voice suddenly interrupted.

I froze.

"Alexander is in the restroom," she said casually. "He will call you later."

Before I could say anything, the call ended.

I stared at my phone, my mind blank.

A woman?

Alexander never brought female assistants on business trips.

I told myself not to overthink it.

Still, something did not feel right.

Fifteen minutes later, I called again.

This time, he answered.

His voice was calm. Distant.

"I'm still at the airport," I said softly. "Where are you?"

There was a brief pause.

"I already left," he replied.

My smile faded.

"Oh... I see."

I tightened my grip on the phone.

"I have something important to tell you," I added, trying to sound cheerful. "Should I wait for you at home?"

"I also have something to tell you," he said.

My heart lifted again.

"I will ask the nanny to prepare your favorite meal-"

"No need," he cut in.

"I have other plans. I will be back late."

The warmth in my chest slowly faded.

"...Alright."

Just before the call ended, I heard that same woman's voice again, apologizing to him softly.

My heart sank.

But before I could ask anything, the line went dead.

That night, I sat alone at the dining table.

I forced myself to eat for the sake of the baby, even though every bite felt tasteless.

After dinner, I curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow as I waited.

Ten o'clock passed.

Then eleven.

At some point, I fell asleep.

I felt someone lifting me.

A familiar scent surrounded me, mixed with alcohol.

"Alexander..." I murmured.

"It's me," he replied.

His voice was low, tired.

I heard the sound of running water before he returned to bed.

His hand slid around my waist.

My body tensed immediately.

"The baby..." I whispered softly.

He paused.

Then he withdrew his hand.

"Sleep," he said.

And just like that, the moment ended.

The next morning, I woke up alone.

The space beside me was already cold.

Only the slightly wrinkled sheets proved that he had returned at all.

I felt a small pang of regret, but quickly pushed it away.

Today would be different.

It had to be.

After getting ready, I carefully chose his clothes.

A white suit.

A red striped tie.

Something bright. Something happy.

Just like the news I was about to share.

When I went downstairs, he was already there.

Sitting on the sofa, reading documents as if nothing had changed.

As if I had not waited for him all night.

We ate breakfast in silence.

My heart beat faster with every passing second.

"I need to talk to you," I finally said.

"I have something to say as well," he replied calmly.

I forced a smile.

"You go first."

Something inside me felt uneasy, but I ignored it.

Alexander stood up and walked toward me.

Then he handed me a document.

"Let's get a divorce."

The words echoed in my mind.

For a moment, I thought I had heard him wrong.

"Divorce?"

My voice sounded distant, even to myself.

"Our marriage was forced from the beginning," he said calmly. "It was never made public. Ending it now will be simple."

Simple.

To him, it was simple.

But to me...

It was everything.

I had loved him for three years.

Since I entered the Hawthorne family at sixteen.

I gave him my youth.

My dreams.

My entire heart.

And yet, to him, it was nothing more than a mistake.

"Are you sure?" I asked quietly.

"Yes."

No hesitation.

No emotion.

I swallowed hard.

"What about your grandparents?"

"I will explain it to them."

I nodded slowly.

There was only one question left.

"...Is there someone else?"

Before I could finish, he spoke.

"Isabella is back."

Everything shattered.

His first love had returned.

And just like that...

I became someone he could abandon without a second thought.

I lowered my gaze and took the divorce agreement with trembling hands.

"I will read it," I said softly.

Even though inside...

My world was already falling apart.

For the past three years, our marriage had looked almost normal.

Even though it was never made public, we lived together like any other husband and wife.

We talked about simple things. Work. Daily plans. Small worries that did not really matter.

Every morning, I helped Alexander choose his clothes.

I would stand in front of him, carefully picking his suit, straightening his collar, and tying his tie while he watched me with calm, unreadable eyes.

It became a habit.

A quiet kind of closeness that I treasured.

After that, we left the house together and went to the company.

In the evenings, if he had dinners or meetings, he always informed me in advance.

And at night...

He would ask me to stay.

We shared the same bed, the same silence, the same warmth that made me believe we were truly husband and wife.

Sometimes, we even relaxed together in a private hot spring bath.

Every night ended the same way.

A soft goodnight kiss.

It never changed.

On birthdays, anniversaries, and special days, he prepared gifts for me without fail.

Whenever I mentioned something I liked, he remembered.

He made ordinary days feel... meaningful.

Warm.

Because of all this, I believed our life would continue like that forever.

Until Isabella returned.

After hearing his words about divorce, everything started to replay in my mind.

The woman's voice on the phone.

The way he said he had already left the airport.

The cold distance in his tone.

Slowly, the truth formed.

That woman...

It must have been Isabella Blackwood.

A sharp pain spread through my chest.

Had she already come back into his life long ago?

Had they been in contact behind my back?

Did they meet overseas?

Did he spend last night with her instead of coming home to me?

Each thought felt like a blade, cutting deeper than the last.

"Even if we divorce," Alexander said calmly, "you will still be part of the Hawthorne family."

I looked at him.

"I will treat you like a sister."

Sister.

The word hit me harder than anything else.

For three years, I had been his wife.

I had shared his life. His bed. His name.

And now...

He wanted to reduce everything to that single word.

I forced a small smile, even though my chest felt like it was being crushed.

"We can talk later," I said softly.

Because I knew if I stayed any longer, I would lose control.

"What did you want to tell me earlier?" he asked.

I lowered my gaze to the document in my hands.

For a moment, I almost told him.

About the baby.

About the life growing inside me.

About the happiness I had been holding onto since yesterday.

But in the end...

I swallowed those words.

"It's just about the new collection launch," I said quietly. "I already handled it."

Some things no longer needed to be said.

He gave a short nod.

"You did well."

His tone was flat.

Professional.

Distant.

As if I was nothing more than an employee.

"I will go to work first," I said, turning away quickly.

Before the tears in my eyes could fall.

"I will go with you," he replied.

He walked upstairs to change.

My chest tightened.

He could calmly talk about work... after asking me for a divorce.

Just like that.

As if nothing had happened.

As if I meant nothing at all.

"It's better if we don't go together," I said when he came back down.

"We are getting divorced soon."

Before he could respond, I walked out.

Inside the car, I did not start the engine.

My hands trembled as I opened social media.

I did not know what I was looking for.

Until I found it.

A post from Victor Sinclair.

A table filled with expensive wine.

Crystal glasses reflecting soft golden light.

And beneath it...

A caption.

Welcome back, Isabella.

Celebrating Alexander's upcoming wedding.

My vision blurred instantly.

Tears dropped onto my phone screen.

So it was true.

The moment he landed...

He went straight to her.

While I waited at the airport like a fool.

For three years, our marriage had been hidden.

His friends did not know I was his wife.

To them...

I was nothing more than an adopted sister.

A knock on my window startled me.

"Madam?" James called out.

I quickly wiped my tears.

"I'm fine," I said, starting the engine.

At the office, I buried myself in work.

I sent him project files.

He replied shortly.

Approved.

No extra words.

No warmth.

That evening, he sent a message.

"I have plans. Go home first."

I stared at the screen for a long time before replying.

"Okay."

Later, another message came.

"I brought you a gift. It's in my suitcase."

I did not ask what it was.

I only replied with a short "Thank you."

As I left the office, I heard whispers.

"A beautiful woman came to see the CEO today..."

"They say it's Isabella Blackwood..."

"She looks perfect with him..."

My steps slowed.

But I did not stop.

I was afraid.

Afraid of seeing something I could not bear.

More whispers followed.

"Miss Hawthorne is so capable..."

"She really deserves better..."

"But isn't she just his sister?"

I kept walking.

As if I heard nothing.

When I reached the underground parking lot, I finally looked up.

And then...

I saw them.

Alexander stood not far away.

Wearing the white suit I had chosen for him that morning.

The red tie I had carefully picked.

Beside him was a woman.

A mask and cap covered her face, but I did not need to see clearly.

Her arm was wrapped around his.

She leaned close to him, speaking softly.

Playfully.

Intimately.

And Alexander...

Listened.

With a faint smile on his lips.

A kind of expression I had never seen before.

In that moment, I understood everything.

The red tie felt like a silent mockery.

I had chosen it to celebrate our child.

Our future.

But now...

He wore it while standing beside another woman.

The distance between us had never felt so wide.

I stood there, watching them.

My heart slowly turning empty.

***Vivienne's POV***

A bitter heaviness spread through my chest as I sat inside the car, watching Alexander and Isabella together.

My vision blurred as tears filled my eyes.

For three years... I had never seen him like that.

That soft expression. That quiet patience. That warmth.

With me, he had always been calm. Distant. Controlled.

I had told myself countless times that it was just the way he was.

That he simply did not know how to love.

But now I understood.

He did know how.

He just never chose me.

They walked past my car without even glancing in my direction.

Of course they wouldn't notice.

Why would they?

To him, I was already someone he had decided to let go.

I stayed there long after they disappeared from sight.

Then I drove home.

Slowly.

Numbly.

"Madam, what would you like for dinner?" Maggie asked gently the moment I stepped inside.

She paused when she saw my face.

I did not answer.

I walked straight to the bedroom and closed the door behind me.

The moment I was alone, everything collapsed.

My back pressed against the door as my legs weakened.

Tears fell uncontrollably, one after another, until I could no longer hold myself together.

My chest hurt so much it felt like I could not breathe.

Fragments of my childhood flashed through my mind.

A broken home.

Endless arguments.

The cold silence after my parents' divorce.

The loneliness that followed me for years.

I clenched my fists tightly.

I did not want my child to go through that.

I wanted my baby to grow up in a warm home.

With love.

With security.

But now...

I did not even know if I could give that anymore.

A soft knock came from the door.

"Madam, dinner is ready," Maggie said carefully.

"I'll come," I replied, my voice barely steady.

After washing my face, I suddenly remembered something.

The gift Alexander mentioned.

I walked to the closet and opened his suitcase.

Inside, I found a signed album.

From my favorite singer.

Avery Rose.

My fingers trembled slightly as I picked it up.

It was not expensive.

But it meant something.

To me.

I held it close to my chest.

For a brief moment, warmth spread through the emptiness inside me.

At least... he remembered.

At least, somewhere in his mind, I still existed.

That night, I fell asleep with that small, fragile thought.

The next morning, I woke up alone again.

The empty space beside me felt colder than usual.

I sat there quietly, staring ahead.

He probably spent the night with her.

The thought hurt more than I expected.

Suddenly, the door opened.

Alexander walked in.

For a moment, I froze.

A strange sense of relief rose in my chest before I could stop it.

"You don't look well," he said, frowning slightly.

He walked closer and sat beside me.

"Are you sick?"

I stood up immediately and stepped away.

"I'm fine."

He looked at me, not convinced.

"What's wrong? Talk to me."

My heart trembled.

There were so many things I wanted to say.

I did not want the divorce.

I loved him.

I was pregnant with his child.

And that gift...

Did it mean something?

Did he still care, even a little?

I opened my mouth.

But before I could speak

"Even after the divorce," he said calmly, "you will still be my sister."

"You can rely on me like family."

My throat tightened instantly.

All the words I had been holding back disappeared.

"I'm fine," I said softly, forcing a weak smile.

"I'll come downstairs after washing up."

He studied me for a moment.

"Are you planning to stay distant from me even before the divorce is finalized?"

I shook my head slightly.

But I said nothing.

A faint trace of displeasure crossed his face.

"I won't force you," he said.

Then he turned and left.

The door closed.

And the silence returned.

My smile disappeared immediately.

Why did he look annoyed?

Was it because Isabella was back?

Because he wanted to end everything faster?

I tried to smile again.

But it felt heavy.

Painful.

At Vanguard Global Enterprises, my assistant rushed into my office.

"Director Vivienne, Lena Ashford's agent is on the line."

I frowned slightly.

Lena was our brand ambassador.

Everything had already been finalized.

I picked up the call.

The moment I spoke, the agent's angry voice exploded through the phone.

"You replaced Lena without informing us? Do you know how disrespectful this is?"

I remained calm.

"There must be a misunderstanding. Lena is still our ambassador."

"That's not what we were told," the agent snapped.

"Someone from your company already confirmed her replacement."

The call ended abruptly.

My expression darkened.

I already knew who this was.

Olivia Reynolds.

I walked straight to the Corporate Communications department and pushed the door open.

"What did you do to Lena Ashford's contract?" I demanded.

Olivia looked up lazily, a mocking smile on her lips.

"So you finally found out."

"That project was approved by Alexander," I said coldly. "You had no right to interfere."

She laughed softly.

"Oh please. Do you really think you got that position because of your ability?"

My hands clenched.

"Watch your words."

"Or what?" she sneered.

"Everyone knows how you climbed your way up. Using your face. Using your body."

I stayed still.

Barely holding myself together.

But then she spoke again.

And this time

She mentioned my father.

Something inside me snapped.

Before I realized it, my hand moved.

Slap.

The sound echoed sharply across the office.

Everyone froze.

Olivia's head turned to the side.

She slowly touched her cheek, eyes wide with disbelief.

"You!" she shouted, her voice trembling with rage.

Then she laughed coldly.

"Just like your father. No class at all."

That was it.

I raised my hand again.

But before it could fall-

Someone grabbed my wrist.

The grip was firm.

Unyielding.

My body stiffened.

I turned around.

And met Alexander's eyes.

The entire office fell into silence.