Chapter 264

Alexander felt his entire body tense as Daniela's icy words-"l find it revolting"-pierced him like shards of glass.

The ache in his chest spread like a wildfire, bitter and unrelenting.

For a moment, he just stood there, frozen in place.

Daniela, watching him, assumed he would leave. She knew the kind of man Alexander was; his pride wouldn't allow him to endure such humiliation.

But to her surprise, he stayed.

Her brows furrowed slightly, If he wasn't going to leave, she would. She had no intention of prolonging the encounter. After all, if Joyce caught wind of this, she would twist the narrative to make it seem as though Alexander's divorce was her fault. Joyce was the kind of person who always needed a scapegoat, someone to bear the weight of her insecurities.

She wasn't afraid of Joyce. She simply found it a waste of time to get tangled in someone else's drama.

Without hesitation, she turned on her heel and began walking away.

Alexander's voice broke the silence. "Are you still blaming me?"

She didn't even glance back, refusing to dignify the question with an answer. Her pace remained steady,her back straight.

But Alexander wasn't ready to let it go. He followed her, his tone pressing, desperate?

"Daniela, is this still about the fire? Are you angry because I saved Joyce instead of you?"

The question struck a nerve, but not in the way he might have expected.

Once,it had felt like the ultimate betrayal-a moment she could never forgive. Now, as he mentloned it, thé memory seemed distaht, faded. It was like a photograph left too long in the sum, its colors dim and muted.

Time had dufled the sharp edges of her pain.

She could still recall the bitter disappointment she had felt that day, the way her heart had twisted with dlsbelief.

But that version of her was long gone. Her heart had learned to let go, to move forward without carrying the weight of the past.

"I can explain," Alexander said, stepping in front of her to block her path. "Daniela, please, lef me explain.Back then, in the fire, the smoke was so thick I couldn't see anything clearly. All I could remember was that you were wearing red that day-red, like a winter rose. When I rushed inside, the first thing I saw was a flash of red. I thought it was you. I swear, I didn't know it was Joyce. I was trying to save you."

Daniela stood silently, her gaze steady asshe watched him struggle to explain himself.

The memory, once searing and unbearable, no longer held power over her.

She nodded faintly, her voice flat as she replied, "Noted."

Alexander's anxiety spiked at her indifference. His hands clenched at his sides as he pressed on. "I know you misunderstood me back then. But | didn't explain myself because I thought it wouldn't change anything.What happened had already happened."

Daniela tilted her head slightly, her eyes narrowing as she glanced at him. "Then why are you bringing it up now?"

"Because I think you misunderstood me,"Alexander blurted out, his words spilling over each other. "And misunderstandings should be cleared up, don't you think? Daniela, you'll forgive me, won't you?"

His voice was laced with desperation, his eyes searching hers for any sign of forgiveness. "It wasn't supposed to be like this. We were supposed to get married and live a good life together. You were supposed to be my wife. Andd we were already married. Everything was perfect, but because of that one mistake,everything went off course. Now, I just want to fix it. I want everything to go back to the way it should have Alexander's gaze burned into Daniela, his words tumbling out in a rapíd, almost breathless cadence, as if he feared she would walk away before he finished.

He believed that if he could just explain himself, if he could just clear up the misunderstanding,everything could be salvaged. There was still hope. There had to be.

"I'm divorcing Joyce. We weren't right for each other. Daniela, you're the one who's truly right for me.Daniela, please, give me another chance."

By this point, Alexander's tone was almost pleading.

Daniela looked at him-the man she had loved for so many years.

The sight should have stirred something within her. Once upon a time, she might have dreamed of this moment, of Alexander lowering his proud head to speak such words.

But now, there was no joy, no sense of triumph in her heart.

Was it pity?

Not in the slightest.

She had something better now, something far greater than the fleeting emotions she had once felt for him.She was not someone who dwelled on the past.

Every step she took was deliberate, every choice well-considered. Regret was a luxury she had never allowed herself to entertain.

Meanwhile, Joyce had finished knitting a scarf for Alexander. It was a gift she had worked on tirelessly,picturing the moment she would hand it to him.

She stepped outside, the scarf clutched tightly in her hands, her heart light with anticipation. But she heard Alexander's words.

She stood there, unmoving, as the truth hit her like a gust of cold wind. She even wanted to laugh.

So this was it. This was the truth.

No matter what challenges they faced, she had always kept a place for Alexander in her heart.

Back then, when the flames raged around her, Alexander had burst into the building and pulled her to safety.He had risked his life for her, not Daniela.

That memory had been her anchor, the reason she had convinced herself to hold onto him.

And now, she realized the favor she had cherished for so long was nothing more than an illusion.

Joyce recalled the moment Alexander had told her he couldn't take it anymore, his voice cold and distant as he declared he wanted a divorce.

She had lashed out, her words sharp and cutting, but deep inside, she had already started to let go.

She had always known herself too well.

She wasn't the kind of woman who could suppress her temper or swallow her pride for the sake of appearances.

She lacked the poise and grace expected of a CEO's wife. The endless rules, the polite facades, the intricate games of high society-it had never been her world.

Their marriage had been short, but it felt longer, weighted down by all the ways she didn't belong. More than once, she had thought about letting go.

In fact, she had already told herself that if Alexander ever insisted on a divorce, she would agree.

She had resolved to set him free, and in doing so, she would free herself as well.

But now, he was saying that he had saved the wrong person.