The Wife He Lost Too Late

Chapter 4

The next day, after collecting the divorce settlement agreement, property waiver, and waiver of service prepared by my lawyer, I headed straight for Grant Group headquarters.

I happened to catch Alexander in the middle of a board meeting. Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows of the conference room, where Alexander was the sole focus. Straight-backed, pale wrists showing at his cuffs, long fingers tapping the table lightly. The quiet self-assurance of a man in power.

It was the charm and earnestness that once made my heart race.

I swallowed my bitterness and handed the documents to his executive assistant, Mark.

When Mark set them before him, Alexander was listening intently to an executive's report. Without a second thought, he signed the waiver of service and settlement pages that required his personal signature.

Everything went surprisingly smoothly.

I took those few light pages, stood frozen staring at them for a long moment, then put them in my bag.

Just as I was about to leave, a clear voice called out, "Ms. Carter, wait a moment."

Selena said apologetically, "I just learned the baby's name, and I wanted to say I'm sorry... Alexander simply loves me too much. In the past, he often hurt innocent people because of me.

"He cherishes every moment we spend together. He often turns his phone off or keeps it on silent. If business partners have an emergency, they have to track us down at home.

"He also gives me tremendous security. Mark updates me on his work schedule every two hours, which causes Mark quite a bit of trouble."

The Alexander Selena described was utterly unfamiliar to me.

I only knew that for five years of marriage, we had mostly slept in separate rooms.

I only knew that when I eagerly shared something interesting with him, he would often look down at his phone halfway through, saying he had work to do.

I only knew that when I occasionally asked Mark where he was, the answer was always, "I'm not at liberty to disclose his private schedule."

Love and its absence, in Alexander's case, turned out to be worlds apart.

My fingers tightened inch by inch, yet I smiled.

"Are you telling me this because you plan to rekindle your past romance with him, knowing fully well he's married?"

Selena's expression flickered.

"You really think he chose to marry you because he actually wanted you? What he hates most is a woman like you, flashy, willful, and irresponsible. He'd rather choose you than hurt a well-behaved, proper girl. After all, you never cared what others thought."

My breath caught.

Growing up, everyone told me that a daughter of the Carter family should be graceful, obedient, and learn to compromise for the sake of the family's interests.

Only Alexander had once looked at my earrings and ripped jeans and said, "Be yourself."

I thought that meant he understood me. I fell in love with him because he told me to "be myself."

It turns out, it was only because I seemed unconcerned enough that he could use me without feeling guilty.

The conference room door opened at that moment.

Alexander walked out. The first thing he saw was Selena's red-rimmed eyes.

"What's wrong?"

Selena didn't say a word.

I didn't feel like explaining either. I turned to leave.

But Alexander frowned and called out to me, "Ivy."

I turned back.

He glanced at Selena, then looked at me. "She just got divorced and isn't doing well. Don't deliberately provoke her."

At that moment, I was too tired to even get angry.

I asked flatly, "Do you think I was bullying her?"

Alexander was silent for two seconds.

Those two seconds answered enough.

I smiled faintly. "Don't worry. It won't happen again."

Because from now on, I would no longer have anything to do with him.

As I walked out of the building, I felt a sudden dull pain in my abdomen.

I looked down and saw a spot of blood on my skirt.

The obstetrician had previously warned me that I was showing signs of threatened miscarriage and needed to rest as much as possible and avoid emotional stress.

I stood on the sidewalk. The first thing that flashed through my mind was still Alexander's name.

A habit formed over five years was harder to break than love.

I dialed his number.

No one answered the first time.

The second time, he finally picked up.

"Ivy?"

I heard someone crying on the other end. It was Selena.

I gripped my phone. "Alexander, I'm bleeding."

The line went quiet for a moment.

His voice finally tightened. "Where are you?"

I'd just told him where I was when I heard Selena calling his name frantically.

Then came Mark's voice. "Mr. Grant, Miss Walker is hyperventilating from emotional distress. The doctor recommends taking her to the ER immediately."

Alexander's breath caught.

I didn't rush him.

Yet I was actually still waiting, waiting for him to choose me, just this once.

A few seconds later, he said, "Ivy, I'll have the driver go pick you up first."

My fingertips went ice-cold.

"What about you?"

"Selena's condition is very bad right now."

"I'm bleeding too."

He sounded somewhat irritated. "You've always had your own obstetrician. The driver can get there in ten minutes. She doesn't have anyone else with her right now."

"Got it."

After hanging up, I didn't wait for his driver. I hailed a car and went to the hospital myself.

The pain grew worse along the way.

I pressed my hand against my lower abdomen and suddenly remembered that a few weeks ago, I had secretly bought a tiny pair of white socks.

Alexander didn't know.

I had originally planned to give them to him after my next prenatal visit.

I even imagined that someone as distant as him would finally smile a bit more when he actually held the baby.

The emergency room lights were blindingly white.

I had to sign forms, get my blood drawn, and run a few tests.

I lay alone on the examination table, listening to the impersonal hum of the machines.

After a while, the doctor took my hand.

"I'm sorry, Ms. Carter. We couldn't save the baby."

I stared at the ceiling and didn't cry.

It felt like the last bit of my strength was drained out of me right along with those words.

The nurse asked if I wanted to contact any family.

I stayed silent for a long time before shaking my head.

"No, thank you. I have no family."

It was already light outside the window.

When Laura arrived at the hospital, I handed her the documents signed by Alexander.

"Finish it."

She studied my pale face, hesitating. "Ivy, you just..."

"I lost the baby."

I looked down at my empty palm, my voice barely a whisper. "There's no need to keep this marriage going either."