I'm so sorry," I said, bowing my head slightly.
"It's alright," Alexander replied, his deep voice calm and steady.
Before I could say anything else, a small voice interrupted us.
"Daddy, where have you been?"
I froze.
Liam stood there, his big, innocent eyes shimmering with unshed tears. My heart clenched painfully.
I had no idea how to answer him. I couldn't bear to tell him that this man—this powerful stranger—wasn't his father.
Alexander's gaze shifted to me, unreadable, before settling on Liam.
"How come Liliana knows our father and I don't?" Liam asked, looking at me with confusion.
"Honey, it's not like that," I tried to explain, my voice shaky.
But Liliana suddenly spoke up.
"I didn't know either," she said, frowning. "But Mommy told me that our father has a dragon on his clothes."
I inhaled sharply, my stomach twisting into knots.
Liliana's eyes were fixed on the intricate dragon brooch on Alexander's suit.
My heart pounded.
I remembered—when Liliana was three, she constantly asked about her father. Unable to bear her sad, questioning eyes, I had blurted out a random detail, saying that her father always had a dragon on his clothes.
I regretted it instantly.
And now, years later, fate had played a cruel trick on me.
Alexander Blackwood—this mysterious man—was standing before us, wearing a dragon brooch.
I swallowed hard.
"Okay," Liam said with a small smile. "If Mommy says so."
Relief flooded my chest. He was too young to question things deeply.
Alexander, watching silently, suddenly said, "Let me drop you off."
I shook my head quickly. "No, it's fine. I have a car."
There was a brief pause before he nodded. "Okay."
And with that, he turned and walked away, his men following closely behind.
I exhaled shakily.
This day had been overwhelming.
---
Internet Chaos
By the time we got home, it was already late. I quickly took the kids to bed, my mind still racing. After a quick shower, I collapsed into bed, feeling utterly drained.
Just as I settled in, my phone buzzed with a message. It was from my friend May.
"Amy, quickly check the internet!" she texted, her message full of urgency. "Why didn't you tell me your husband is a powerful CEO?"
I blinked at the message, confused. I quickly opened my phone and typed in my name, only to be bombarded with endless articles, comments, and forums discussing the shocking scene at the mall.
#AlexanderBlackwoodWife
#CEOSecretMarriage
#FairyTaleRomanceOrScandal
One of the articles caught my eye:
> Breaking News: Alexander Blackwood, the elusive and powerful CEO of Blackwood Enterprises, has just revealed his secret wife in a shocking public display at Grandview Mall. Netizens are in an uproar after he defended his alleged wife from accusations and even sealed the claim with a passionate kiss!
I froze, my fingers trembling as I scrolled. My heart pounded in my chest as the words sank in.
They made it sound like we were some kind of fairy tale romance—or scandal!
I quickly dialed May's number.
"May, what's going on?" I asked as soon as she picked up.
"What's going on?!" May practically screamed. "I had to take a break from streaming to check the news and I saw you—with him! Alexander Blackwood! Your husband!"
I could hardly process her words. "No, no. It's not like that. I don't even know what's going on. I—"
"Listen, everyone's talking about it," May interrupted, "You've got to see the comments. People are going crazy! They think you're hiding a huge secret. This is big."
I gulped. "What do you mean, big?"
She sighed dramatically. "Amy, you don't understand. He's huge—like bigger than I thought. The whole country is freaking out about that kiss."
I opened the comments section on my phone and gasped.
---
Netizens' Comments:
@RichInSecrets:
"So wait, she's married to THE Alexander Blackwood? The CEO of Blackwood Enterprises? I thought she was just some random woman! This is a scandal! 🔥"
@CEOfan97:
"Is it just me, or does anyone else think this is all a publicity stunt? But I would love to know what the truth is behind this 'wife' drama. Looks fake to me. 👀"
@RealTalk:
"I can't stop laughing. A kiss like that in public? They definitely knew what they were doing. Who is this woman? Is she some hidden socialite?"
@InTheKnow:
"I have it on good authority that she's not just any wife. I think we're all about to find out something huge about her. Is she secretly his business partner or an arranged marriage? I'm calling it—this is the beginning of a wild story."
@LoversUnite:
"I mean, Alexander Blackwood as a husband? She's one lucky woman. But also, who is she really? Why does she look so familiar?"
---
I stared at my phone, the comments swirling in my mind.
May was right. This was way bigger than I had imagined.
I had no idea what to do next.
This wasn't just a mistake—it was a disaster waiting to unfold.