Nathan wanted to hear more, but Alexander suddenly turned his head and spotted him lurking nearby.

Alexander's brows knitted together. "Nathan, what brings you here?"

Nathan had the uncanny ability to crash any gathering without an ounce of embarrassment. He flashed a grin. "Heard about Liam's return. Victoria and I dropped by the hospital to see him."

With Nathan's presence announced, Amy decided to wrap things up. "I'm leaving," she said coolly, not even sparing Nathan a glance. "Don't forget our agreement. Ten sharp tomorrow. Don't keep me waiting."

She strode away without another word, leaving Nathan to scoff before turning his attention back to Alexander.

"So, Alex, what's this big plan for tomorrow? You and Amy plotting something?"

The word 'date' hovered between them, unspoken but palpable. Alexander paused, his dark eyes as inscrutable as a starless night. Divorce wasn't something Amy would ever agree to—not if she'd gone to such lengths to involve Liam.

Was Nathan right? Was this all just an elaborate ruse to get his attention?

Nathan, mistaking Alexander's silence for confirmation, smirked. "Told you. She's not serious about divorcing you. It's just another one of her games."

He leaned in, voice dripping with sarcasm. "First, it's fake illnesses, then staged kidnappings. Honestly, you'd think she'd get bored of these theatrics by now. Alex, don't fall for it."

Alexander remained silent, his expression unreadable. In the past, he might have dismissed Nathan's words outright, rolling his eyes at Amy's antics. But lately, he'd found himself intrigued by this new version of her. His wife wasn't the dull, predictable woman he'd once thought—and that realization left him oddly unsettled.

A date tomorrow? Fine. He'd play along. He wanted to see how far she'd take this charade, how she'd try to worm her way back into his life.

Since Amy had moved out, he'd gotten a crash course in single parenthood. The chaos of raising Liam alone had given him a newfound appreciation for everything she'd quietly shouldered before. If she truly regretted her actions—if this was her way of making amends—maybe, just maybe, he'd consider giving her another chance. For Liam's sake.

Nathan, sensing the shift in Alexander's demeanor, felt a chill of unease. Alexander wasn't objecting—which meant he was actually considering meeting Amy.

No. He couldn't let that happen.

Nathan opened his mouth to spew more venom about Amy, but Alexander cut him off with a sharp look. They reached Liam's hospital room, and Alexander finally broke his silence.

"Nathan, whatever happens, Amy is still Liam's mother. Watch your tongue around him."

Nathan froze, stunned, as Alexander pushed open the door and stepped inside.

...

The moment he left the hospital, Nathan pulled out his phone and dialed Victoria, twisting the story for maximum drama. "Victoria, you won't believe what Amy's pulling now. She's shamelessly trying to reel Alex back in. If I hadn't shown up, they'd probably be making out in the hallway!"

Victoria's eyes narrowed. "Liam mentioned something about them discussing divorce. So they're not going through with it?"

"Exactly," Nathan hissed. "I overheard Amy calling it off, and Alex isn't fighting it. After today's stunt with Liam, even if he wanted out, he's having second thoughts."