Alexander's dark eyes flickered with unreadable emotions.

The tension between Amy, him, and Liam was their private family matter. But now, it had spiraled out of control—Margaret and Amy were at war.

That morning, his mother had called. Her ultimatum was clear: if he didn’t divorce Amy, he shouldn’t bother contacting her again.

Yesterday, Amy had struck him in front of Margaret, leaving no room for reconciliation.

"Amy, what happened to you? You weren’t like this before."

Amy’s voice was ice. "You think I’ve changed because you’re no longer getting what you want."

"And what about me? In this marriage, what have I gained? An unfaithful husband, a son who despises me, and your mother’s endless insults."

Alexander hesitated before speaking. "Regardless, she’s still your elder. You shouldn’t have—"

Amy cut him off with a bitter laugh.

"Did you enjoy those slaps last night? Should I give you a few more to savor the experience?"

His expression darkened instantly.

"Amy!"

She leaned back, unfazed. "What, does it hurt when it’s your face? Where were you when your mother was hitting me? Why didn’t you defend me?"

"And do you know why she thinks she can treat me however she pleases?"

Her gaze locked onto his, each word deliberate.

"Because she knows, no matter what she does, you’ll never stand up for me."

Alexander was silent.

Amy didn’t wait for his reply. "I’ve sent you the divorce papers. Sign them before Victoria Langley passes. There’s still a cooling-off period."

As she turned to leave, his voice stopped her.

"Amy, do you know why I married you?"

Her expression remained cold. "Because I was pregnant."

"Exactly," he said, his tone detached. "Because I wanted our child to have a complete family."

The Blackwood family appeared simple—Margaret had only Alexander and Charlotte.

But beneath the surface, it was anything but.

Alexander was six years older than Charlotte, yet they were half-siblings, sharing the same mother but different fathers.

Over the years, Amy had learned the truth about the Blackwoods.

Margaret had Alexander out of wedlock, his father unknown. In those days, society wasn’t as forgiving. Raising a child without a known father invited scorn and judgment.

Even with her respectable background, Margaret and Alexander endured relentless gossip.

Her parents, unable to bear the shame, passed away young, leaving Margaret alone with her son and a struggling Blackwood Enterprises.

In her prime, Margaret was formidable. When her parents died, she seized control of the company—not as a caretaker, but as its undisputed ruler. The old guard tried everything to undermine her.

As her only son, Margaret’s expectations for Alexander were ruthless. If he complained about being bullied, she didn’t comfort him—she scolded him for weakness and punished him harshly.

Despite her strength, Margaret was slowly losing ground to the cunning executives at Blackwood Enterprises, her power eroding day by day.