My CEO Ex: Let Me Go.-Chapter 148

John Smith and Dexter, two board members, stepped out from either side of the back seat.

I didn’t turn them away. Instead, I invited both of them into my study.

After some casual conversation, John Smith brought up the resolution from the shareholders’ meeting.

I listened, but it didn’t surprise me. I calmly explained that I had no intention of returning to Vanguard GE for the time being.

There were two reasons for that. First, the loss of Grandpa and Vivienne’s miscarriage had taken a toll on me. I needed time to recover, and I simply didn’t have the mental energy to focus on company matters.

The second reason, which I’d mentioned before, was my disagreement with the board’s direction. With Sebastian now in the CEO position, I didn’t want to create a rift between us as brothers.

John Smith and Dexter exchanged a helpless look. After a couple more sips of coffee and some light conversation, they left.

However, with the Chairman position still vacant, unrest among the shareholders continued to grow each day.

Later, Dexter came by twice more, but my response remained unchanged.

Vivienne’s POV

I had been in the hospital for five days. On the fifth day, Sophie came to visit.

She tried to comfort me. “Don’t think that because the baby’s gone, there’s no hope left. A child is just a part of our lives, not the whole of it. The same goes for family members. They can influence us, but they don’t control our lives. We live for ourselves, not for anyone else. As long as we’re happy, that’s enough to make the journey worthwhile.”

Her parents had raised her with this philosophy.

Sophie was grateful for growing up in a supportive, open-minded family.

But she knew, of course, that her upbringing was very different from mine. Our personalities weren’t the same either.

My experiences had made me value the small family I had left. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

She wasn’t expecting me to fully understand everything right away.

“By the way, have you set a date for your divorce from that scumbag, Alexander?” she asked.

I replied, “Once I’m fully recovered, after I return from St. Damaris Cathedral.”

“And after the divorce? Have you thought about what you’ll do next?”

I shook my head, staring out the window, lost in thought.

It was only now that I realized—without the company, without the child, and after the divorce, I truly had no idea how to move forward with my life.

Sophie suggested, “After the divorce, that scumbag Alexander should give you a substantial settlement, right? You won’t have to work anymore. You could do whatever you want—raise cats, binge-watch shows, travel... or do you have any hobbies? Honestly, so many people would envy you!”

“Hobbies?”

I tried to think, but nothing truly passionate came to mind.

In the past, my studies had taken up most of my time.

I had loved someone—a very impressive person—and I wanted to keep up with him, even if I was always chasing after his back.

At the time, my father had just passed away, and I was desperate for some emotional stability. Driven by a youthful, stubborn love, I enrolled at the top university he attended, becoming his junior.

But that wasn’t enough.

To have more in common with him, I chose a related major in his department.

I studied hard, not just to excel, but to eventually join Vanguard GE, earn his approval, and work alongside him, watching him succeed.

Work consumed most of my life after that.

I did everything to stand out, hoping to catch his attention.

One compliment from him could make my whole day, and I’d go to bed with a smile on my face.

Eventually, I married him. I was overjoyed, but knowing he didn’t love me, I did my best to accommodate him, to keep our marriage intact.

For ten years, Alexander occupied most of my life, becoming the sole focus of all my attention.

He will never know how much I once loved him.

Now, suddenly removing him from my life, I feel lost and uncertain.

"By the way, do you have any hobbies? You should pick one up. Like me— I love makeup. There’s something so satisfying about transforming faces into different styles. What about you? What do you enjoy?"

I shook my head. "I’m not sure."

"That’s okay, no rush. Take your time. After your divorce, we could go on a trip to clear our heads!"

"We?"

"Mm." Sophie nodded seriously. "Yes, we. You, me, and I’ll check with Ariana to see if she’s free."

I paused for a moment. I had no idea what to do with myself either, so I agreed. "Alright."

"Great! I’ll start looking up places to visit for a winter getaway."

Starting on the sixth day, I began resting at home and stayed in bed for a full month after the miscarriage.

Gabriella took excellent care of me, attending to my every need.

Alexander still stayed at the villa, but every time we saw each other, there was nothing but silence.

Once inseparable, we had become strangers, with nothing left to say.

Alexander started appearing less and less.

I often found myself sitting alone on the master bedroom balcony, soaking up the winter sun, staying there all day.

The winter sun was warm and gentle— not harsh, but incredibly soothing.

One evening, Alexander returned home and found me sitting on the balcony, staring blankly into the distance.

Ever since I lost the baby, I had become utterly silent.

The next morning, I was awakened by a faint, babyish cry from outside the door.

It was a soft sound, almost impossible to tell whether it came from a kitten or a puppy.

I couldn’t resist crawling out of bed to see what it was. Opening the door, I found a golden-white kitten, its round eyes wide with hunger, mewing pitifully.

For a brief moment, my heart softened, and I thought of taking it downstairs to find some food. But as soon as I took a few steps, the kitten just stood there, staring at me with its head tilted.

I sighed, then walked back, carefully scooping up the kitten and carrying it downstairs just as Gabriella emerged from the kitchen.

"Gabriella, do we have any cat food?"

I had a feeling Alexander must have brought the kitten here but forgotten to bring food.

"Miss Vivienne, how are you out of bed?"

"I’m fine. The kitten’s just a little hungry."

"Ah? Where did this little thing come from? So cute!"

"...Do we have any cat food?"

Gabriella shook her head, scanning the room. "No, we don’t."

"...No cat food?"

Had Alexander brought the kitten back and forgotten the food?

Gabriella added, "I could go buy some, but there doesn’t seem to be a store nearby that sells cat food."

"No cat food? That’s alright. Is there anything in the fridge that the kitten can eat?"

"How about chicken breast?"

"Perfect."

"Miss Vivienne, could you cook it for the kitten? I’ll go out and buy fresh ingredients."

Gabriella grabbed the basket and left.

I placed the kitten on the floor and pulled out the chicken breast from the fridge, preparing to cook for the little one.

While waiting for the water to boil, I couldn’t help but gently stroke the kitten’s head, murmuring, "Be patient, little one. Food will be ready soon."

Alexander stood just outside the kitchen, watching me care for the kitten, and a flicker of relief passed through his eyes.

He quietly turned and walked away, disappearing without a sound.

People can’t stay idle; the more idle they are, the more problems they create.

A little kitten would at least give Vivienne something to do— something to focus on during the solitude, a little companion, even if just for comfort.

After I fed the kitten, it became very attached to me. Wherever I went, it followed, almost getting stepped on a few times.

Reluctantly, I found myself taking care of the kitten’s every need.

From that moment on, I had a little roommate.

I named him Ziggy.

His fluffy, long fur made him look like a tiny ball of yarn.

When Sophie came to visit again, she noticed that my complexion had improved significantly since the first time she saw me.

She guessed that Alexander had brought the kitten, thinking to herself that, despite everything, the scoundrel still had some conscience left.

Soon, the day we had planned arrived. I took a long, relaxing bath, gently stroking Ziggy as I opened Alexander’s WhatsApp. "How about we go to St. Damaris Cathedral tomorrow?"

The screen immediately showed "Typing..."

After a long pause, Alexander replied with just a single word: "Okay."