Chapter 62
When Scarlett got Tyler's call, she was lying awake, unable to sleep.
Her mind was stuck on the image of Alexander's red eyes from their recent encounter in the fitting room.
She had hurt Alexander again.
Even though she didn't mean to.
Scarlett felt a dull, lingering pain in her heart, like a slow, blunt knife cutting through her.
The sudden ring of her phone broke the silence.
Tracy was sleeping soundly beside her.
Scarlett quickly silenced the ringtone and, seeing the caller ID, frowned.
Why was Tyler calling?
At this hour?
Her heart skipped a beat, and she hurried out of the room to answer the call.
To her surprise, there was no voice on the other end, just the sound of a man's breathing.
Scarlett instantly realized it was Alexander.
Alexander stayed silent.
Scarlett didn't know what he wanted, but she couldn't bring herself to hang up.
So, they stayed on the line, breathing and silent together.
To be honest, Scarlett's state of mind was far from good at that moment.
She was doing everything she could to push Alexander away, but Alexander? This once-proud man seemed to have lost all his boundaries with her, compromising again and again.
He didn't ask for love, nor did he hold on to his dignity.
Even though she had blocked Alexander's contact, even though they had just had a heated argument that night, Alexander still found a way to call her using someone else's phone.
Like a little puppy begging for attention.
The thought of it made Scarlett's heart ache.
If she could, she would rather Alexander give up on her, forget her, and move on to a better life.
Because what Alexander wanted, she simply couldn't give.
After what felt like an eternity, a voice finally came through the phone.
Alexander's voice was hoarse, as if he had been drinking heavily, his emotions laid bare. He pleaded, "Scarlett, please... don't love Sebastian anymore, okay?"
There was a slight tremble in his voice, almost as if he was choking back tears.
He must have been so hurt to beg like this after drinking.
Scarlett's eyes welled up with tears in an instant.
The person who had caused Alexander so much pain was none other than herself.
Taking a deep breath, Scarlett forced herself to stay calm, suppressing the lump in her throat.
At this point, she couldn't afford to falter.
He continued to complain, "You promised me, you said you'd be with me forever."
They had made that promise countless times when they were together.
They loved each other so much that they repeated that promise more than any other couple.
She said it, and Alexander said it too.
When they were in love, it felt like the whole world was blessing their relationship.
So much so that they never imagined they would ever part ways.
"Alexander," Scarlett called his name softly, "the past is the past. I know I failed you, but Alexander, you can't keep living in the past. You need to look forward."
"You need to cherish the people around you now."
As she finished speaking, tears streamed down her face.
On the other end of the line, Alexander stood alone on the balcony outside the private room.
The night wind was so cold that it blew away even the slightest hint of drunkenness.
He gripped his phone tightly, looking down at the neon lights below, but the bustling world seemed to have nothing to do with him anymore.
Scarlett wanted him to look forward.
But hadn't she already left him behind in the past?
How was he supposed to move forward with his life?
Alexander refused to speak.
The night wind howled in his ears, mingling with the static of the phone, drowning out the sound of Scarlett's breathing.
Eventually, Scarlett pressed the end call button on the other end.
Scarlett didn't have time to dwell on her sadness.
Even though she had barely rested the entire weekend, when she arrived at the office, she was still the hands-on workaholic everyone knew.
The aftermath of her sleepless nights was brutal. She could barely keep her eyes open while reading documents and had to run to make coffee.
Tammy was taking a break in the break room and was startled by Scarlett's dark circles. "Scarlett, what happened to you? You look exhausted."
She replied irritably, "Insomnia."
For three whole nights, she hadn't been able to rest well and was already considering resorting to medication.
While waiting for the coffee, Scarlett didn't forget to assign tasks.
"The launch ceremony for 'Prosperous Age' is this Thursday. Make sure Aria's celebration party is scheduled before Wednesday. See which day works best."
"And if there are any work invitations for Aria in the next couple of days, make sure to sync them with me. I'll decide."
Scarlett rubbed her forehead. "Since she's already walked Evan's big show, let's keep aiming high."
Tammy nodded in agreement.
When the coffee was ready, Scarlett stood up to leave, but suddenly felt dizzy. Half of the coffee spilled, and she almost lost her balance.
Tammy was alarmed.
She quickly supported Scarlett. "Scarlett, are you okay?"
Tammy touched her forehead and found her temperature normal, but Scarlett's face was as pale as a sheet.
Terrified, Tammy immediately called Moira to come to the break room.
Scarlett was a stubborn person, and in the entire company, only Moira could manage her.
Together, they took Scarlett to the hospital.
When Scarlett regained consciousness, she was already hooked up to an IV in a hospital bed.
With a mountain of work waiting for her, Scarlett refused to stay in the hospital and insisted on returning to the office.
Moira, with tears in her eyes, scolded her, "What are you trying to do, Scarlett? You almost passed out at the office, and now you want to go back to work?"
"The doctor said you're overworked, have low blood sugar, and are anemic. Your body can't take it anymore, and you still want to go back to the office? Do you want to scare me and Tracy to death?"
Moira cried as she spoke.
Scarlett felt a wave of dizziness.
Overthinking was harmful.
She kept telling herself that staying away from Alexander was for his own good, and she always believed it wasn't a big deal for her.
It was a decision she made based on extreme rationality.
But it turned out she could fool her mind, but not her body.
Scarlett couldn't help but feel a deep sadness.
She blinked back her tears. Ever since reuniting with Alexander, she had become more prone to tears, her emotions seemingly more fragile.
Scarlett found her own thoughts amusing. She grabbed Moira's hand. "Alright, I'll listen to you, but no more than three days. I have to be at the 'Prosperous Age' launch ceremony on Thursday."
Moira knew how much effort Scarlett had put into this project. "If you cooperate with the doctor's treatment these two days, you'll be able to leave the hospital in time."
Their conversation was overheard by Tyler, who was passing by.
He was doing his usual rounds when he heard a familiar female voice and couldn't help but take a closer look.
To his surprise, the woman his good friend Alexander was so concerned about was sitting on a hospital bed, looking pale and miserable.
After a moment of thought, Tyler decided to inform Alexander.
This was a great opportunity. Illness made a woman most vulnerable, and if Alexander seized this chance, it might create new possibilities for them.
Tyler sent a message as he walked.
[Urgent update! Scarlett is in the hospital!]