“Miss Quay,your husband is worth hundreds of millions.Are you really willing to leave everything behind?”

Lenora Quay looked at the divorce papers in her hand and nodded.“Of course!”

The lawyer opened his mouth,trying to persuade her.“Miss Quay,your husband is handsome and rich.Except for his little problem with getting lost,he is almost the perfect husband.Are you really not reconsidering?”

Lenora gave a light,bitter smile.Everyone thought that getting lost easily was a small problem.But no one knew how much pain this“small problem”had caused her.

When they got married,he got lost and missed the lucky wedding time,leaving her standing alone at the ceremony.

At her parents’funeral,he went to the wrong hall,embarrassing her in front of everyone.

Last week,when she was in a car accident and in the hospital,she thought she might die on the operating table,but Dale was still wandering around the hospital,lost.

She had told herself countless times that Dale didn’t do it on purpose.He really just couldn’t find his way.

Until the day before yesterday,she ran into him because of a call from an intern.He picked the shortest route perfectly and arrived at the company on time.

At that moment,she suddenly understood something.

Dale had found his perfect solution.

Her thoughts settled.Lenora took the printed divorce papers and replied calmly,“Thank you.I have thought this through.”

After a marriage,it was best to part peacefully.Tonight,New Year’s Eve,she would make one last farewell meal for him.

***

On New Year’s Eve,Lenora threw all the dishes she had spent the whole afternoon preparing into the trash.She knew her directionally challenged husband would not come back.

Ten minutes ago,she had seen a post on the intern’s social media.

[Urgent question:What to do if someone is harassing you?]

Almost at the same time,Dale’s car location was moving in the opposite direction of home.

As the New Year bell rang,Lenora received a New Year greeting from Dale Steele,along with a perfunctory promise.

[Happy New Year.I’ll get back as soon as I can.]

“Miss…”The butler stood nearby,his voice a little nervous.“Should we prepare the car to pick up Mr.Steele?”

Lenora gave a faint,calm smile and stood up to go upstairs.“No need.Everyone,go rest.”

The butler froze.

The servants looked at each other,whispering among themselves.

“Did she really say to let us rest?”

“Mr.Steele is extremely particular about cleanliness and always gets lost when driving.Haven’t we spent countless times searching the city for him before?”

“And tonight is New Year’s Eve,yet she is letting him be outside alone,not worrying that he might not find his way home.”

“She must be completely heartbroken.”

“Actually,it makes sense.A few days ago,she was in a car accident and hospitalized.The hospital is just across the street from the company,yet Mr.Steele still managed to get lost.But when it comes to Miss Megan,it’s like he has a GPS and always arrives ahead of time.”

Lenora pressed her chest where it ached faintly,feeling as if her heart was being squeezed,struggling to breathe.

The servants were right.Dale really was special to Megan.

Lenora had been married to Dale for three years.But at every important moment in Lenora’s life,Dale would get lost and fail to show up.

At their wedding,he missed the lucky hour and left her waiting alone at the ceremony.

At her parents’funeral,he went to the wrong mourning hall and made her lose face in front of everyone.

Last week,when she was hospitalized after a car accident,she thought she might die on the operating table,but Dale was still wandering around the hospital,unable to find the way.

Countless times,she had persuaded herself that Dale did not do it on purpose.He truly had no sense of direction.

Until the day before yesterday,when she saw him because of a phone call from an intern,he chose the shortest route without any mistake and arrived at the company.

Coming back to her thoughts,Lenora looked at the prepared divorce agreement,a self-mocking smile on her lips.Now,she no longer had any reason to deceive herself.

The front door opened,and Megan walked in,supporting Dale.

The man held his injured forehead,and the strong smell of alcohol surrounded him.

“Miss Quay,you’re still awake!”

Seeing Lenora standing at the top of the stairs,Dale looked slightly surprised.“You didn’t have to wait for me.”

In the past,she would have felt sorry seeing him hurt.She would pull Dale over and carefully treat his wound.

But now,after noticing the hint of provocation in Megan’s eyes,she asked calmly,“You promised you would spend New Year’s with me.”

Dale frowned,and a trace of impatience appeared in his voice.“I ran into some trouble.Besides,you know my situation…”

Before he could finish speaking,Megan interrupted with a guilty tone.“I’m sorry,Miss Quay.Mr.Steele was injured because he tried to save me.Please don’t blame him.”

“Did I ask you?Miss Jaslin,at this hour,shouldn’t you be spending time with your family?”

Lenora’s sharp words made Megan feel uneasy.She bit her lower lip,her eyes filling with tears.“I’m sorry.I’ll leave right now.”

After Megan left,Dale threw his coat aside,his face full of irritation.“Are you satisfied now?She is my employee.If she was in danger and I went to help her,what’s wrong with that?Can you stop being so suspicious?It’s really tiring.”

But it was clearly him who kept breaking his own rules for Megan.

Megan was the eldest daughter of the Jaslin Family.She fell in love with Dale at first sight at a banquet and insisted on joining the Steele Group.

At that time,because of the cooperation between the two families,Dale had no choice but to make an exception and hire her.

He was the one who always said that the company did not keep useless people.He was known for being strict and for hating incompetence.Yet when Megan made mistakes again and again and even ruined contracts,he only smiled and let it pass.Whenever Megan needed help,he would always arrive in time to clean up the mess.

Was Lenora really being suspicious?

A bitter feeling rose in Lenora’s throat.After a long moment,she took out the prepared divorce agreement and handed it to him.

“Dale,let’s get divorced.”

“Lenora,we’ll talk about it later.Megan sprained her ankle.I need to go check on her.”

He had just received a message,and his face changed immediately.He had not even heard what Lenora said.

He turned to leave at once.

Lenora’s heart turned completely cold.She grabbed his arm and pushed the agreement and a pen into his hand.

“This is important.Sign it before you go.”

Dale looked anxious.Without even glancing at the document,he quickly scribbled his name on it.

“Alright.Don’t wait for me.Go to sleep first.”

Watching Dale walk farther and farther away,Lenora suddenly tightened her grip on the divorce papers.

After a long moment,she picked up her phone and dialed a mysterious number.

“I agree to return home,but I have one condition.Help me get the divorce paper.”

The man on the other end claimed to be her biological father.A month ago,he came to her with a paternity test.

He said she was only the adopted daughter of the Quay Family.When she was just two years old,she had been taken away and abandoned by their enemies,which was how she eventually ended up with the Quay Family.

When he asked her to move to Hycro City and live with him,she refused because of Dale.

But now,she had figured it out.Holding on to a broken marriage was too painful.Since Dale had found his true love,she chose to let him go.

“Lenora,did something happen to you?With your father here,no one can bully you.”

Hearing the slightly nervous,deep voice from the phone,Lenora closed her eyes for a moment.When she opened them again,her gaze had turned cold.

“I’m fine.Please arrange it as soon as possible.”

After hanging up the phone,Lenora contacted a real estate agent and listed the only old,small apartment under her name for sale.

She took the key and went there to tidy up the place.Looking at the familiar furniture in the room,she was momentarily lost in thought.

Suddenly,she remembered a winter many years ago,when she and Dale huddled together under the blanket to keep warm.

“Lenora,even if I leave my family,I will still make sure you live like a rich lady.”

Back then,he had no money,but his eyes were full of her.Now,he had immense wealth,yet his heart no longer had space for her.

How ironic.

“Ding.”A message notification sound pulled Lenora back to reality.

She opened it and saw that there was a buyer.

The buyer said they were willing to transfer the payment immediately and hoped she could come over right away to sign the agreement.

Lenora agreed.

When she arrived at the agreed place,she immediately saw a familiar figure.

Megan was standing there,surrounded and praised by two female coworkers wearing Steele Group uniforms.A bright smile was on their face.

“Megan,you’re amazing!You just acted a little cute and Mr.Steele gave us time off.”

“Mr.Steele really treats you differently.Look at that treatment—even his wife can’t compare.”

“What his wife?I think she’ll step down soon.Didn’t you see?Mr.Steele’s mom already gave Megan the family heirloom necklace.She’ll soon be the new president’s wife.”

Lenora’s fingers tightened,digging deeply into her palm.

She did not expect that her sharp and difficult mother-in-law would also approve of Megan.

Under the lights,Megan wore a custom-made white dress.Her fair,delicate face looked soft and youthful.

As for Lenora,even with careful makeup,the fine lines at the corner of her eyes could not be hidden.

Their eyes met.Megan raised her eyebrows in provocation and took out the sales agreement.“Don’t misunderstand.I don’t want to interfere in someone else’s marriage.Mrs.Steele said she would give you an explanation.”

An explanation?Did that mean making Dale divorce and marry her instead?

Lenora let out a cold laugh.She quickly walked up to Megan,tore off the necklace from her neck,and threw it onto the ground.

“Acting like a prostitute while pretending to be pure—who are you trying to fool?”

She did not give Megan any chance to speak and slapped her again.

“As long as I don’t divorce him,you will always be a mistress who can’t show her face.”

“Miss Quay,you misunderstood.”Megan’s eyes quickly filled with tears,and her beautiful face looked full of grievance.“I didn’t know you were the one selling the house.The company plans to buy this place as a benefit for employees.”

As if the timing had been planned,Dale’s tall figure walked over.

He stared at Lenora with sharp eyes,his tone cold and commanding.

“Lenora,when did you become so arrogant?Apologize to Megan right now.”

“You want me to apologize?”Out of the corner of her eye,Lenora noticed the smug expressions on the three people’s faces.In an instant,she understood.It was a trap set for her.

She let out a cold laugh and pointed at the sapphire necklace on the ground.

“Dale,shouldn’t you explain why the Steele Family heirloom is on this woman?”

“It’s just a necklace.So what if my mom gave it to her?”Dale frowned,picked it up,and placed it back in Megan’s hand.

“Lenora,my mother rarely likes a girl this much.Don’t be childish and upset her again.I’m really caught in the middle between you two.It’s very difficult for me.”

His words deeply hurt Lenora’s heart.Because their family backgrounds were unequal,Dale’s mother had strongly opposed their relationship at the beginning.

Even later,when she finally agreed to let Lenora marry into the Steele Family so she would not lose her son,she still never treated Lenora kindly.

At first,Dale still protected her a little.But later,he learned to pretend not to see or hear anything and avoided letting the two women meet.

“Apologize to Megan.”

Seeing the impatience in his eyes,Lenora bit her lip and asked back,“And what if I refuse?”

Dale’s eyes turned cold,and there was a hint of threat in his voice.

“Lenora,your parents’graves haven’t been settled yet.”

“You’re threatening me with their graves?”

Last month,Dale was kidnapped.Her adoptive parents happened to see it and tried desperately to stop the kidnappers.In revenge,the kidnappers stabbed them dozens of times.But because of that,Dale got the chance to escape.

By the time Lenora rushed to the hospital,her adoptive parents had already died.She was so overwhelmed with grief that she miscarried on the spot.It had been a baby boy she had waited three years for—already fully formed.

At the moment when she was the most heartbroken and helpless,Dale was comforting Megan,who had rushed over,worried about him.

Later,the cemetery where her adoptive parents were buried had to be relocated because of property issues.Dale had promised again and again that he would find them a good burial place with a proper location.

But now…

Back in the present,her heart felt as if it were being tightly squeezed,the pain tearing her apart.

Tears streamed down Lenora’s face.

“Dale,do you even have a heart?”

Her question was like a knife stabbing into Dale’s chest.He realized he had spoken impulsively and was about to explain something.But Lenora had already bent down,her voice hoarse and broken.

“I’m sorry.”With red eyes,she looked at Megan beside him.“Is that enough now?”

All her dignity and pride were shattered under his pressure.

She could still seem to hear the promises he once made with such certainty.

“Nora,I will make you the happiest woman in the world.”

“Your parents are my parents.I will take good care of them.”

“If you have our child,I will treat you like a queen.That child will be the proof of our love.”

Those sweet words had now turned into sharp knives stabbing into Lenora’s chest,making it hard for her to breathe.

Seeing her swaying as if she might collapse,Dale felt a wave of concern.

He reached out,wanting to hold her,but Lenora avoided him.

In Lenora’s eyes,he looked frighteningly hypocritical.Layers of disgust appeared in her gaze,which made Dale feel annoyed.

“Lenora,do you despise me?You know I only spoke in anger.I still love you!”

His perfunctory words made Lenora feel sick.

The next moment,she rushed into the bathroom and started retching.

“Why did you secretly sell the house behind Dale’s back?”Megan’s cold,mocking voice sounded behind her.“Don’t tell me you’re planning to leave quietly?”

Seeing that Lenora stayed silent,Megan looked surprised,her eyes full of arrogance.

“You really are like those Cinderella characters in rich family dramas.Are you planning to play some chasing game with Dale—running away so he will chase you?”

She gently touched her slightly swollen belly and let out a mocking laugh.“I won’t give you that chance.”

Lenora’s gaze fell on her slightly protruding stomach,and her breathing suddenly stopped.

“You’re pregnant?”

Megan raised her eyebrows proudly.“Since you know that,you should be sensible and get the divorce.Otherwise,you might end up being thrown out of the house.That wouldn’t look very good.”

As she spoke,she took out a small golden lock and played with it in her hand.

When Lenora saw the name engraved on it,her pupils shook in shock.

Maxwell Steele.

That was the name Dale had chosen for their baby when she was pregnant.

“This is our first child.In the Steele Family’s generation name system,it should start with‘M.’So I’ll name him Maxwell.He will be the most rightful heir of the Steele Family.”

Now,Dale had given that same name to Megan’s child.It seemed he really cared a lot about this baby.

A self-mocking smile appeared on Lenora’s lips as she walked past Megan,preparing to leave.

Seeing that all her effort had failed to get the reaction she wanted,Megan became angry and secretly stretched out her foot.

Caught off guard,Lenora stumbled forward and instinctively grabbed Megan.

“Ah!”

“Megan!”

Dale rushed past Lenora and caught Megan in his arms.Then he frowned and glared angrily at Lenora,who was on the ground.“Have you made enough trouble?She just likes me.Is it necessary for you to target her like this?You’re so narrow-minded.No wonder you couldn’t keep your child!”

As expected of her husband,one sentence struck straight at her deepest wound,almost killing her.

He carried Megan away in big strides,as if even looking at Lenora would dirty his eyes.At the same time,two bodyguards lifted Lenora up and locked her in the basement.

“Mr.Steele said you should stay here and reflect on yourself.”

The doors and windows were locked,and everything around her was completely dark.

Lenora knocked on the door in fear.“Dale,let me out!”

He clearly knew that she suffered from claustrophobia.

Why…?

Darkness.Silence.Faint squeaking sounds in her ears.

The closed space filled Lenora with endless fear.

Her breathing became rapid,and cold sweat covered her forehead.She could only curl up,trying to find a little sense of safety.

It felt as if she were the only person left in the world,with fear surrounding her completely.

Just when she felt she was about to lose her mind,the bodyguards finally opened the door.But instead of letting her out,they threw her into the Steele Family’s main house.

Dale’s mother beat and scolded her as she lay weakly on the ground.

“You useless woman who can’t even bear a child!You almost killed my precious grandson!If I had known you were this vicious,I would have stopped you from entering this family even if it killed me!”

“You evil woman!Are you only happy if the Steele Family line ends with you?”

As she spoke,she grabbed a whip and lashed it at Lenora,using all her strength with every strike.

In the Steele Family’s main house,Dale’s mother was the only authority.No one dared to stop her.

Lenora was beaten until she was covered in blood,with nowhere to hide.She could only grit her teeth and endure it.

But her body was already too weak.Soon,she lost consciousness and fainted.