"Vivienne, what are you doing here?" Alder questioned, but she ignored him and faced Lyra.
"Since you want him so much, I will give him to you," Vivienne cut in, her tone sharp.
Lyra's eyes widened, surprised by her outburst and didn't expect her to be so blurt.
She wanted to make her see the reality of things and force her to divorce Alder but it seemed she is already given up.
"Vivienne, what on earth are you talking about? Are you drunk?" Lyra responded, looking at Alder to support her.
"Why?" Vivienne snapped, her voice trembling.
"Don't you want him for yourself?"
Lyra turned her eager eyes to a silent Alder once more, pretending to be hurt and embarrassed by Vivienne's words.
Alder stepped forward clamly.
"Vivienne, come with me," he said firmly, reaching for her hand but she pulled back, glaring at him.
"Let's get divorced," she spat.
Alder's jaw clenched harder, his eyes flashing with something between fury and disbelief.
"What?" he muttered, stunned, as whispers spread through the crowd.
Tears glistened in Vivienne's eyes.
"I wish you both bad luck."
She turned sharply, ignoring Alder's outstretched hand, and walked away.
His lips parted as if to call after her but he didn't and instead turned aside quietly.
As Vivienne made her way out of the hall, she thought about her love for Alder and realized it wasn't worth it after all.
What enraged Vivienne most was that Alder never denied or confirmed the rumors about Lyra.
Even if he wasn't the father, it was clear he doesn't care about her or regard her as his wife. There was no point forcing herself to continue the marriage when she is basically alone in it.
As soon as she got into her car, tears streamed down Vivienne's face and as she gripped her wheel, she regretted the day she fell in love with Alder.
Maybe it was because she got to know he recruited her personally, or the fact that he pats her hair inside the elevator when they met the second time, or was it the fact that he helped her home when she was drunk and took care of her.
Vivienne wasn't sure, but one of those little moments touched her heart and made her fall hopelessly in love with him.
She texted her lawyer, asking him to send the divorce papers to Alder first thing the next morning then pressed on the accelerator, heading to the house to pick up her stuff before Alder returned back.
The road stretched endlessly and her tears blurring the lights despite her many attempt to wipe them off.
Fifteen minutes in, the steering wheel stiffened suddenly, refusing to budge.
Vivienne's heart pounded and she pressed the brakes to pull over first but it refused to work as well.
"What's wrong with this?"
She tried again and again but still nothing and panic clawed at her chest but she tried to stay calm and call someone.
The only person she knew in this city was Alder.
She hesitates for a few seconds before dialing his number but the phone rang thrice with no answer.
Vivienne tried to find someone else she could call but the car suddenly swerved violently off the road.
"No, no, no…" she mumbled, fumbling for her phone, but it slipped from her trembling fingers to the floor.
The guardrail tore like paper. Metal screamed as the car burst through.
For a heartbeat, time froze. Vivienne felt herself suspended above the black waves, headlights slicing across the water.
Terror gripped her and an odd memory stirred in her head.
She saw herself as a little girl, lost at a beach.
The cold water dragged her under before she could recall it clearly and she heard a voice screaming a name that felt oddly familiar.
"Alex!"
And then, the plunge.
When Vivienne opened her eyes again, she saw nothing but the faint shimmer of light dancing above her, distorted through water.
Her lungs burned as she kicked upward, fighting the weight of her soaked dress and the freezing pull of the sea.
Her hand brushed something rough like a fabric and then strong arms wrapped around her waist, dragging her towards the surface.
She gasped, choking on air and salty water.
"Breathe Alex," her savior's voice commanded, low and steady against her ear.
"You are safe now, I've got you."
Vivienne's lashed flustered, water dripping down her cheeks like tears as she looked up at him.
For a second, she thought she was hallucinating.
Water dripped down on her body from the man's chestnut brown wavy hair, and eyes exactly like her own.
Hazel and a bit familiar.
Having someone who has similar features as her seemed weird.
Not wanting to appear rude, Vivienne thanked him first and he smiled sweetly at her.
He seemed more relieved that she is alive.
"Who are you?" she said after, trembling from the cold.
Before he could answer her, a few men ran up to them and one of them handed the man a long coat.
"Here, put this on." he said, wrapping it around her and Vivienne put it on gratefully.
The men stepped back a bit after and bowed their heads as they waited.
Vivienne stared at the man in front of her, wondering who on earth he is to have so many bodyguards around him.
"I can't believe I almost lost you again Alexandra." he mouthed, placing his hands on her shoulders.
Vivienne shook her head weakly, believing he must have mistook her for someone else.
"I'm not Alexandra, I'm Vivienne." she corrected him, trying to get up but felt an extreme pain in her back and moved her hand backwards slowly.
Pulling her hand back, she is shocked to find some blood.
Vivienne shook her head weakly, her vision blurred again as her body gave out and she felt herself being lifted, carried through the rain and into what smelled like pinewood and smoke.