My CEO HUSBAND sign the divorce novel Chapter 270

Chapter 270: History

I stared at the wooden box for a long time, feeling the tears threaten to return once more.

After carefully putting everything back inside, I closed the lid and returned it to the wardrobe.

Only then did I return to bed.

Perhaps because I had finally let out the emotions I had buried for so long...

Sleep came much easier that night.

The next morning, I woke up as usual.

After getting ready and having breakfast with everyone, I left for the company.

Surprisingly, no one brought up what had happened the previous night.

No one asked me any more questions.

No one treated me differently.

It was as though the conversation had never taken place.

And somehow...

I appreciated that.

I understood that they weren’t pretending it hadn’t happened.

They were simply giving me the time and space I needed.

For that, I was truly grateful.

Third person POV

After much deliberation, Alexander decided that he would speak to Alicia that day.

The partnership agreement was scheduled to be signed before noon, and once everything was finalized, he would have no reason to remain in Rosewood Town. He would be expected to return to Velaridge City soon.

He had originally planned to speak with Alicia after the signing ceremony.

However, shortly after arriving at Whitemore Industries, Herbert requested a private meeting in his office.

A strange sense of unease settled over Alexander, but he dismissed it.

Perhaps Herbert wanted to discuss one of the clauses in the agreement.

Without giving it much thought, he followed him upstairs.

After both men settled into their seats, Alexander spoke first.

"Is there something wrong with the agreement, CEO Herbert?"

Herbert slowly shook his head.

"No."

He rose from his chair and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling window, clasping his hands behind his back as he stared at the bustling city below.

"It’s not about the agreement, Chairman Blackwood."

Alexander frowned slightly.

"Then... what is this about?"

Herbert remained silent for a few moments before finally speaking.

"You know..."

"I used to have two younger sisters."

Alexander said nothing, waiting for him to continue.

"A few decades ago, an investigative journalist came to Rosewood Town to write a feature about our annual cotton harvest."

"My younger sister happened to be working at Whitemore Industries at the time."

"A few months later..."

"They fell in love."

A faint smile appeared on Herbert’s face as though he were remembering happier days.

"When it was time for him to leave, they decided to get married."

"Our parents opposed the marriage at first."

"They didn’t want their daughter leaving Rosewood Town."

"But she insisted."

"So eventually..."

"They gave their blessing."

Alexander listened quietly, although he couldn’t understand why Herbert was telling him all of this.

"After the wedding, my sister left Rosewood Town with her husband."

"They lived happily for several years."

"Eventually, his work transferred him to another region."

"By then..."

"...my sister was already pregnant."

Herbert’s voice gradually became quieter.

"We remained in contact throughout her pregnancy."

"And then she gave birth to a beautiful little girl."

A bittersweet smile crossed his face.

"A niece..."

"...none of us ever had the chance to meet."

Alexander’s brows knitted together.

Something about this story felt strangely familiar.

Before he could sort through the thoughts racing through his mind, Herbert continued.

"A few years later..."

"My sister passed away."

"We continued searching for her husband and daughter, but by the time we reached the city where they had been living..."

"...they had already moved away because of another job transfer."

"We searched for years."

"We followed every lead we could find."

"But every trail eventually went cold."

He let out a weary sigh.

"The last piece of information we ever received..."

The warmth with which every member of the Whitemore family treated both Alicia and Aimy.

Finally everything began to make sense.

Herbert didn’t notice the subtle change in Alexander’s expression and continued.

"When she arrived, she was in terrible condition."

His voice softened.

"She was physically exhausted... but more importantly, emotionally drained."

"Everything she told us matched the information we had been searching for all those years."

"We did everything we could to help her recover."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Especially after we learned she was pregnant."

Alexander lowered his gaze.

Although he had already realized Herbert was talking about Alicia, hearing it confirmed still sent a dull ache through his chest.

She had arrived here...

Broken.

And he hadn’t even known.

Herbert continued.

"It wasn’t easy at first."

"There were days when she barely spoke."

"There were nights she woke up crying."

"She blamed herself for far too many things."

"But little by little..."

"With everyone’s support..."

"She began smiling again."

A gentle smile spread across Herbert’s face.

"Then, a few months later..."

"Aimy was born."

"That little girl brought laughter back into this house."

"She gave this family happiness we thought we had lost forever."

Only then did Herbert turn away from the window and return to his seat.

For the first time since they had met...

He noticed the emotion hidden within Alexander’s usually calm eyes.

Regret.

Pain.

It disappeared almost as quickly as it appeared.

But Herbert had seen it.