“The door's right there."

Beneath the glow of the crystal chandelier, Leonel appeared pallid as he fixed his gaze on Alexis.

After a substantial pause, he inquired, voicing the question that had been weighing on his mind, "Has Calvin replaced me?"

Alexis met Leonel's eyes in silence.

Leonel's eyes were bloodshot, a sight Alexis had never witnessed before. He then said in a strained voice, “If I could turn back time, I wouldn't choose to walk away, Alexis. Life is a long journey, and I yearn for another chance."

His self-awareness had crystallized.

Only Leonel comprehended the cost of his pursuit of freedom.

During the years he spent abroad, his relationship with Alexis had disintegrated. He returned to the Fowler family's household.

Waylen continued to regard him as a son, and Elva treated him like a brother. Leonel resumed his place in the Fowler family as if he had never left, but he was acutely aware of the disparity.

When Alexis got married one day, Leonel would feel Like an interloper in that household.

And if Leonel were to have a wife of his own, he would no longer belong there.

In truth, he was an outsider.

He was filled with remorse and bitterness. He wished to remain in that household, to be part of that family forever.

Eight years had elapsed, during which he had amassed a fortune of hundreds of billions of dollars.

He had indulged in a life of luxury, attaining the pinnacle of success and reveling in the envy of others. But in the process, he did not only lose his most cherished family, but also Alexis.

Alexis and Leonel stared at each other under the light.

Neither of them was willing to yield, both resolute in their convictions. Their gaze remained locked for so long that Alexis began to feel a slight soreness in her eyes.

In a hushed and raspy tone, she uttered, "This is pointless.

Leonel, we've moved on with our lives. Eight years have gone by, and I'm not the same person from before. In fact, I realize that I don't know you all that much either. We've only had sex on two occasions because we were tensed. What else exists between us beyond that? If you insist on talking about feelings, it was all gone a long time ago."

Alexis made a casual gesture with her hand.