Chapter 2: The Businesslike Husband

Harper was in complete shock.

Right then, her heart shattered when she heard the news.

Even with the AC blasting in the ward, Harper felt a chill run through her.

Staring into Alex's cold eyes, she asked, her voice trembling, "Why? Is it because of that woman you picked up from the airport?"

It took everything she had to get those words out.

She knew she was setting herself up for more pain.

In five years of marriage, when had she ever seen Alex treat another woman so gently?

The only tender moments they had were having sex.

Alex looked down at her, his sky-blue eyes dark and brooding. "You know where the divorce papers are. Sign them and bring them to me."

Harper's hand, hidden under the blanket, was already clenched into a fist.

From the day they got married, the divorce papers had been in the bedside drawer.

Alex had already signed his name; only hers was missing.

Harper stubbornly believed that if she persisted, she could eventually melt his hard heart.

She offered her sincere heart to Alex, feeling utterly insignificant.

Alex not only didn't cherish it but shattered her heart without hesitation.

Harper took a deep breath and asked, still somewhat unwilling, "Is there really no chance for reconciliation?"

Alex's brow furrowed slightly, a sign of his impatience.

"She's back, so you need to make way."

Another merciless statement.

At this moment, Harper couldn't even force a smile.

She didn't have the courage to ask who that woman was.

She had long known that Alex had someone he deeply loved in his heart.

Now that the person was back, she had to leave.

"I can accept the divorce, but I absolutely won't resign. I earned the position of Chief Assistant at the Lavien Group through my own efforts."

Suppressing the pain, Harper tried to keep her tone calm.

Alex responded indifferently, "Fine."

He glanced at his watch and said in a business-like tone, "You're sick today, so take a day off from your leave this month."

She forced the words out through clenched teeth, "Okay."

After getting her response, Alex turned and left without hesitation.

From beginning to end, he never showed any concern for Harper.

Harper closed her eyes tightly, suddenly feeling that the past five years had been utterly ridiculous.

She thought she had been a good wife.

Alex was picky about food and had stomach problems, so she learned to cook to take care of his health, carefully planning every meal.

When Alex first took over the company, internal strife was severe.

As his uncles and brothers were desperately trying to pull him down from the CEO position, she worked hard to secure orders and negotiate deals for the company.

The most extreme time was when a client placed a bottle of high-proof wine in front of her.

As long as she drank it, the order would be theirs.

Harper drank the entire bottle without hesitation.

After securing the contract, she was sent to the hospital for a stomach pump and was in a coma for three days.

Her chest hurt even more.

Harper struggled to get out of bed and looked at the pale and tired woman in the mirror, feeling a moment of confusion.

Was this still her?

Harper was very beautiful, especially her eyes, with green pupils as captivating as the depths of the ocean.

Her small face had sharp features, a high nose bridge, and full, light pink lips.

But now, her eyes were filled with sorrow and fatigue.

Harper spent the whole day hooked up to an IV in the hospital, and Alex still didn't come back that night.

The next day, she dragged her exhausted body to the office.

As Alex's Chief Assistant and personal secretary, she had a ton to handle—not just arranging every meeting, following up on various projects, but also constantly adjusting Alex's schedule and looking out for his health.

Because she had only missed one day, the files on Harper's desk were piled sky-high.

She quickly got herself together, picked out a few urgent files, and knocked on the CEO's office door.

"Mr. Lavien."

She had taken this job to be closer to him in the first place.

Her desk was just a door away from Alex's office.

"Come in!"

Alex's voice was cold.

Harper pushed the door open and saw a heart-wrenching scene, almost dropping the files in her hand.

Alex was sitting in his office chair, with a woman on his lap.

The woman had her back to Harper, so she couldn't see her face.

But the woman was wearing a short skirt with long curly hair, and just by her outfit, it was clear she was attractive.

"Alex, you're so cold when you're at the company. I think you look better when you smile."

The sweet voice instantly reminded Harper of the phone call from the night before.

The video taken at the airport wasn't clear, so she couldn't see the woman's face.

But now, facing her in person, Harper suddenly felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Alex looked at her with helpless yet gentle eyes, "I'm working."

"But your stern look is really scary."

The woman pouted and reached for Alex's tie.

"Your tie looks terrible today. I forgot to tell you, I've learned how to tie a tie, so I can do it for you from now on."

What she said casually, Harper took to heart.

Harper had tied Alex's ties for five years.

It was a small, happy task between a couple.

But the way this woman said it, it was like declaring her territory.

It was more like a subtle but clear notification to Harper that she was out.

Harper silently clenched the files in her hand, her eyes fixed on Alex.

He had a faint smile on his lips, looking indulgently at the woman messing around.

The tenderness and patience in his eyes were something Harper had never received.

"You can't get up early every day, so who will I find to tie my tie?"

The woman pouted and said coquettishly, "Then I'll tie it for you every night before bed, so you can go straight to work the next day."

He nodded in agreement, his smile deepening, "Okay."

Their flirting was like invisible needles piercing Harper's eyes.

Alex had always been businesslike with people and matters.

He hated messing around in the office the most, but now...

Harper swallowed the bitterness in her throat, "Mr. Lavien, these are the files that need to be handled."

She mustered the courage to take a step forward, but when the woman turned around, Harper's files suddenly fell to the ground.

She stared in disbelief at the familiar face.

It was none other than her father's illegitimate daughter, her half-sister.

Emily Orsini.