Chapter 4- Have you heard?

Alexander slightly moved left and right, his thoughts stormed with confusion and fear. With his unblinking eyes, he asked.

“You’re trying to blackmail me? How much do you want?” His voice was filled with rage, and the disdain in his tone was unmistakable. He couldn’t believe Becky would stoop so low, but he was willing to pay to stop the audio from going public or get to his brothers. His parents wouldn’t think twice about demoting him, despite all his efforts in the company, while his lazy half elder brothers would reap the rewards without lifting a finger.

“What I want, you already gave me, but since the accident took it away, there’s nothing more you can offer.” She kept her suspicions to herself, as someone else was quietly looking into the matter for her. Alexander suddenly let out a mocking laugh.

“Your father’s company isn’t as powerful as you seem to think. Why go back to the place you left?”

He thought this must be why Becky was pushing for the divorce. The bitterness inside her rose, but she held it back. It hurt to think that he believed so little of her, but she maintained her composure.

“No. You’re the one who wanted the divorce. Were you planning to leave me with nothing?” Her question struck him, and she reminded him of the prenuptial agreement.

“Did you forget that I signed a prenup before we got married? Just a little reminder, so you can sign without worry.” Alexander’s memory flashed back to the day Becky had insisted on the prenup, a gesture she made willingly to show she wasn’t after his wealth. Now, uneasiness gnawed at him. This was not the scenario he had expected when he walked into this room. Besides, he was hungry and not thinking straight. What if Becky was being helped by one or both of his half brothers?

“You may have dismissed the idea, but it won’t be long before you admit you’ve left with nothing.” Becky fought to maintain her calm, realizing that Alexander’s delay in finalizing their divorce wasn’t due to any lingering feelings of guilt, it was about protecting his reputation in front of the media and his family. She forced a bitter smile.

“Don’t worry, nothing about our divorce will reach the press or your brothers,” Becky said confidently.

“I don’t believe you,” Alexander said coolly. She had worked closely with him for years, and even though she hadn’t been in the office for many months, she was still privy to sensitive information. Alexander had never seen her as a threat because of her obsession with him, but now he feared she might ruin him.

“As soon as the papers are signed, you’ll never hear from me again or even see me again. You’ll be free to live happily with the woman you love,” Becky said, her voice steady. Alexander was already thinking of the benefits of her disappearance. It seemed she wanted to start fresh somewhere far from him.

“Alright then. I’m not heartless. I’ll still give you 200 million dollars,” he said as he was about signing the document. Then he noticed that Becky had already signed and stamped her side of the documents. Just as he finished, his phone rang. It was Helen. He answered quickly and started going to his room to avoid Becky hearing what they were about to say. Although Helen has broken the rules again—she wasn’t supposed to call him while at home.

Becky overheard his conversation.

“Were you the one who recorded our conversation at my private mansion?” she asked, but Helen’s response was too faint to hear.

“He even has a private mansion for themselves. Something I came to know on my last moment at his house,” she sneered. Becky, however, was certain to her that it was the handiwork of Helen. As her final night at Alexander’s house, she decided to spend the night in the sitting room, rather than on their matrimony bed. She couldn’t bear the thought of sharing a room with Alexander after what had just transpired. Sleep eluded her, and she woke before dawn, restless and drained.

She had packed her things days before. Dressed and ready, she walked over to Alexander, who was still asleep. “Alexander, it’s time to finalize our divorce in court,” she said softly. He stirred, glancing at her with a heavy heart. Her eyes were red despite the makeup, and her mood was sombre.

“Just a few more minutes,” he muttered with a sigh.

Three hours later, they arrived at the divorce court. Becky had already arranged everything, and the process was swift. In no time, they both held their divorce certificates in hand. Without a second thought, they signed where they needed to.

“Keep your promise and leave the city for good, or you won’t like what I’ll do,” Alexander warned her with a cold finality. Becky merely smiled, a faint and distant expression on her face.

“I’ve left something so beautiful at your bed at home,” she said casually.

Alexander frowned. What kind of gift would Becky leave him after their divorce? She had always been generous, buying him things she knew he liked, though he never accepted or used them. They left the court together, but Becky insisted on taking a cab parked in front of the court, refusing his offer to drive her to the airport. She repeated that he would never see her again. Alexander felt torn but reminded himself of his promise to Helen.

He had planned to go straight to the office for an important meeting, but his curiosity got the better of him. Rescheduling his plans, he drove home to see what Becky had left behind.

As he entered his room at his house, his eyes fell on a letter lying on his bed as Becky has said and it was addressed to him. He hadn’t noticed it earlier that morning. A sense of dread began to rise inside him as he picked up the envelope and opened it. Becky’s familiar handwriting greeted him, and his heart pounded harder with each word he read.

Fear, panic, and regret surged through his veins, causing the letter to slip from his trembling fingers. His vision blurred, and in the empty house, his voice rang out in a desperate, anguished cry,

“What has she done to herself? Suicide? No… you can’t do this to yourself, Becky,” he shouted as he made a fist. But the silence that followed only deepened his terror. There was deep loneliness in his heart and it was at this very moment, a call came from his personal assistant.

“Good morning Sir, have you heard that……?”