Chapter 119: Scheme Revealed
"Yeah," Michael continued quickly. "She asked me to find you. She was afraid you wouldn’t come, so she told me to... exaggerate the situation a bit."
Silence.
Then I asked slowly,
"After she was injured... did you see her?"
"No. She called me," Michael admitted. "She said your phone wasn’t working. Bro, this isn’t on me. She was crying, saying she was scared you wouldn’t care anymore. What was I supposed to do?"
"Do you know what day yesterday was?"
Of course, it had been Lilian’s birthday.
But Michael knew that wasn’t the answer I wanted.
Silence stretched over the line.
After a moment, his uneasy voice came through.
"Your... anniversary?" Michael guessed weakly.
"Yes."
He let out an awkward laugh.
"Well... what a coincidence. Everything just happened to fall on the same day..."
My voice remained calm.
"You didn’t know this time, so I’ll let it pass."
A pause.
"But apologize to Alicia when you see her."
"And don’t let something like this happen again."
"I understand, bro," Michael replied immediately.
Not long after, Jane sent over the footage from the set.
Along with it came a message:
CEO Blackwood, the set’s surveillance system conveniently malfunctioned, but this clip was accidentally captured by the behind-the-scenes photographer.
My gaze darkened slightly.
The surveillance system broke down...
Was it truly a coincidence?
Or something arranged?
I opened the video.
After watching it once, I already had my answer.
Without hesitation, I headed straight for Lilian’s attending physician’s office.
The doctor was on break.
When he saw me enter, he immediately looked flustered.
"CEO Blackwood... what brings you here at this hour?"
"Doctor, I have a question."
He forced a smile.
"It’s about Miss Lilian’s injuries, right? Please ask. I’ll tell you everything honestly."
I looked at him steadily.
"I want to know the true extent of Miss Lilian’s burns."
His expression stiffened for a brief second, though he quickly tried to recover.
"CEO Blackwood, I’m not sure what you mean. Her medical report clearly states the affected area."
I remained composed.
A faint smile touched my lips, but there was no warmth in it.
"Doctor."
My voice was quiet.
"Choose carefully."
"Offend Lilian..."
"Or offend me."
The color drained from his face.
"I—I’ll tell you."
He swallowed hard.
"Miss Lilian’s actual burn area is less than one percent. There were only two minor blisters on her leg."
His voice trembled.
"She and her talent agent asked me to exaggerate the report. The file wasn’t signed or stamped, so it holds no legal validity."
My eyes narrowed slightly.
"So she was never unconscious?"
"N-No," the doctor admitted quickly.
"When she arrived yesterday, she was fully conscious the entire time."
Silence filled the room.
After a moment, I stood.
"I understand."
I adjusted my cuffs.
"Thank you, Doctor."
Then I turned and walked out of the office.
I remembered that by the time I arrived at the hospital last night, it had already been past nine—close to ten.
Yet Lilian had only "woken up" this morning.
That meant she had an entire night to arrange everything.
I stood outside her room in the corridor, staring at the distant sky.
If I hadn’t asked directly...
I would never have believed it.
Lilian and Kendra had lied to me together.
But why?
Deep down, I already knew the answer.
Still, I wanted to hear it from Lilian herself.
I pushed open the door and walked in.
Lilian’s face brightened immediately.
"Alexander, you’re back."
She smiled softly.
"You didn’t have to stay out so long. The crew left ages ago."
My expression remained faint.
"Just took a walk."
I looked at her calmly.
"How are you feeling now? Does it still hurt?"
She pouted weakly.
"It hurts... very badly."
Her gaze softened.
"That’s why I need you here. If you stay with me, the pain goes away."
If I hadn’t known the truth...
I might have stayed and comforted her.
But now, seeing it from the outside—
it all felt hollow.
Even her performance lacked conviction.
I remained composed.
"Where does it hurt?"
Lilian answered without thinking.
"My back, waist, thighs, and calves."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Your back?"
My tone stayed mild.
"Did you burn your back too? I thought Kendra said it was your abdomen."
Lilian’s smile stiffened.
For a second, panic flashed across her face.
Then she hurriedly corrected herself.
"I... my abdomen too. It hurts there as well."
"Really?"
I looked at her steadily.
My gaze was sharp enough to pierce through pretense.
"Yes," she said quickly.
But she no longer dared meet my eyes.
I spoke again, lightly.
"Strange."
A pause.
"Maybe I remembered wrong."
I tilted my head slightly.
"Kendra said it was your arm. Does your arm hurt too?"
Lilian froze.
This time, she understood.
I knew.
Her eyes reddened instantly.
"Alexander..."
Tears welled up and spilled over.
"I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you."
She bit her lip, shoulders trembling.
"I was scared. I was afraid you were falling in love with Alicia... afraid you’d leave me."
Her voice cracked.
"Last night, you only sent a message. I thought you wouldn’t come."
She sobbed harder.
"I missed you so much. I love you, Alexander. I can’t live without you."
I stood there expressionless, watching her cry.
By now, I no longer knew whether her tears were real—
or just another scene.
The last time we spoke about the status update, she had used nearly the same words.
Fear.
Love.
Mistakes made because she cared too much.
When the same excuse is repeated enough times—
it loses all power.
Seeing no reaction from me, panic flooded her eyes.
She threw off the blanket and rushed into my arms, crying helplessly.
"I’m sorry, Alexander. Please forgive me."
She clutched my shirt tightly.
"I’ll listen to you from now on. I’ll do whatever you say."
I supported her with one hand.
With the other, I took a small box from my pocket and placed it on the table.
"Actually," I said quietly, "I already prepared a gift for you."
Her crying faltered.
"Even if none of this had happened..."
I looked at her calmly.
"I still would have come to see you last night."
Lilian’s face turned pale.
Regret deepened in her eyes.
"I was wrong," she said hoarsely. "I was too insecure. I shouldn’t have lied to you."
She reached for me desperately.
"Alexander, please forgive me."
I glanced down at her.
"Lilian."
My voice was calm, almost gentle.
"You shouldn’t think like this."
"You don’t need to listen to me."
"You are your own person."
I paused.
"You lived perfectly well these past few years abroad."
My gaze settled on her frightened face.
"No one is indispensable."
The blood drained from Lilian’s face.
Her voice trembled.
"Alexander..."
She grabbed my sleeve tightly.
"What do you mean by that?"
Her breathing turned uneven.
"Do you not want to divorce Alicia anymore?"
Her eyes widened in panic.
"...Do you not want me?"
Third-Person POV
"I don’t think this country is the right place for you," Alexander said evenly. "You’ve only just returned, yet you keep having episodes. Perhaps the environment abroad suits you better."
Lilian’s face turned pale.
"I don’t..." Her voice trembled as tears gathered in her eyes. "I came back for you, Alexander. Please... don’t say that."
Alexander’s expression remained unreadable.
"Let’s not discuss this right now."
His tone was calm, leaving no room for argument.
"Since your injuries aren’t serious, I’ll be leaving now."
Lilian still clung to his sleeve, unwilling to let go.
But when she lifted her eyes and met his gaze, her fingers trembled.
Something in his eyes made her chest tighten.
Slowly, unconsciously, she loosened her grip.
Alexander said nothing more.
He turned and walked out of the hospital room without looking back.
