"Where are you?"

Anne did not respond, and the cool breeze poured in through the slightly open car door.

Even such a small sound was caught by Connor. His voice, laced with certainty, asked, "Did you go home?"

He immediately added, "Don't come in, wait outside for me."

Just through the phone, Anne could even tell that Connor was putting on his coat. His footsteps were hurried, but it seemed he was trying to stop her from entering, afraid that Anne would frighten Felicia.

Connor left the villa, and only when he reached the corner did he spot Anne's car.

Hearing the footsteps, Anne looked over at him. Her gaze was filled with disappointment, but more than that, it was calm.

Connor's temples throbbed painfully twice. That look in her eyes was exactly the same as the one she had given him the night he forcefully kissed her after her coming-of-age ceremony.

"I'll take her away tomorrow," said Connor, pulling open the car door. In a tone that suggested negotiation, he asked, "Can you stay somewhere else tonight?"

Anne gripped her phone tightly. "When are you going to tell her that you're already married?"

Connor instinctively wanted to avoid answering, but he bent down and single-handedly moved Anne into the passenger seat, then took the driver's seat himself.

"I'll stay somewhere else with you."

The car drove all the way to the hotel.

Anne stared out the window, silent.

However, just before getting out of the car, she suddenly turned her head and spoke each word clearly, "Connor, if you won't say it, we'll divorce."

At the sound of the word 'divorce', Connor froze for a moment.

"Are you serious?"

Anne did not answer. Connor's vague attitude hurt her, and she feared that if she spoke, her tears would spill uncontrollably.

She got out of the car and ignored Connor behind her, only thinking of getting as far away from him as possible.

However, Connor quickly caught up and grabbed her hand. "Anne, in a while, when Felicia... When Felicia's condition stabilizes, I'll tell her."

Anne looked at the man in the elevator mirror. In his rush, he had not fastened the buttons on his shirt, leaving four or five undone and exposing a small patch of his body.

After three years of marriage, Connor had always kept his shirt buttons fully fastened in front of her. It was Anne who always initiated their once-a-week moment of intimacy.

She clenched her palm tightly. When the elevator doors opened, she jerked her hand out of Connor's grasp. "In a while, huh? If your girlfriend wants to kiss you and sleep with you, you wouldn't refuse, would you?"

Connor silently followed Anne.

The phone kept ringing incessantly, making the quiet room feel tense.

Connor listened to the sound of water running from the bathroom, took a long drag from his cigarette, and eventually answered the call.

"Connor, aren't you coming back tonight?"

"I'll bring you breakfast tomorrow morning," he replied.

The indirect rejection made Felicia feel a bit wronged, and she cautiously said, "But I'm scared alone."

The sound of water in the bathroom stopped.

Connor tightened his grip on the phone, hesitated for a moment, and then reassured Felicia, "Be good. If you're scared, go to sleep early."

He then hung up the phone and threw it onto the bed. He knew that if he hesitated for another second, he would not be able to stop himself from walking away.

When Anne came out, Connor proactively went to help her dry her hair.

As he gazed at her face, he felt a bit dazed. It seemed like it had been a long time since they had been intimate.

He slowly bent down, but Anne dodged him. The kiss landed on the corner of her lips instead.

Connor froze, not expecting Anne to reject him. After all, it had always been her who initiated before.

Anne pushed Connor away, not even giving him a glance. She climbed into bed, turning her back to him.

She could feel the intense gaze on her from behind. She knew that Connor was just avoiding the question she had asked earlier.

Felicia had just returned, and Connor had brought her home.

Anne did not want to think about what they would do in the coming days. She was not that generous, watching her husband with the woman he could not forget, entwined together.

"Anne." Connor got into bed and hugged her from behind.

A wave of heat spread between them as Connor kissed her neck, his actions expressing his desire.

Anne pressed his hand down, her voice cold. "Don't touch me, Connor."

"Why?" Connor bit her ear, not believing that Anne did not understand that this was his way of making peace.

"I think you're disgusting." Anne sneered sarcastically as she was pressed under him.

The words completely killed Connor's interest.

He rolled over to the side. In the silence, the only sound was his heavy breathing, mixed with anger.

After a long wait, Anne turned her back to him again without saying another word.

"I didn't touch her."

Connor moved closer again, burying his head into her shoulder and rubbing against it.

"You never know," said Anne.

Connor's patience wore thin.

Outside, it started to rain lightly. Thinking about how Felicia was afraid of thunder, he got up and put on his clothes.

When he left, he slammed the door loudly.

The loud 'bang' made Anne flinch. She opened her eyes, and tears slid down the corners of her eyes to the pillow.

The pillow had already been soaked.

Connor had forgotten that Anne, too, was afraid of thunder.

When their families were neighbors, every time there was thunder, Connor would quietly climb over the wall and run to her room, making a makeshift bed beside her.

He would smell her fragrance, and even when desire rose, he would only kiss the back of her hand with restraint.

The girl he once held in his hands was left alone in a hotel.

The rain grew heavier, and a flash of lightning split the darkness, illuminating Anne's pale face.

She seemed to lose all her strength. She picked up her phone and sent a message to Walter Lindor.

It was just a few words, but it took her half an hour.

"Help me draft a divorce agreement."

"Have you thought it through?"

Walter sat across from Anne and carefully handed her a set of cutleries after he had finished preparing them.

"Anne, even though you signed a prenuptial agreement, if you can't provide evidence of Connor's wrongdoing, the lawsuit to make him leave empty-handed might not be successful."

Although Anne had agreed to the marriage for the sake of a family alliance, she was not naive enough to give up everything.

They had signed a prenuptial agreement stating that if Connor made any serious mistakes during their marriage, he would have to leave with nothing in the event of a divorce.

Anne took a sip of water and replied calmly, "I’ll get the evidence."

Felicia still thought they were just a couple, and that the things that should happen between a normal couple would eventually happen. Connor would not reject her.

Walter could see what Anne was thinking from her expression.

A surge of anger rose within him, and he almost wanted to rush over and punch Connor.

Connor and Anne's marriage, to put it nicely, was an alliance. To put it bluntly, it was the Maddison family lifting the Biddle family out of a deep pit.

Over the years, Anne had stayed by Connor's side, helping him manage the company efficiently.

Connor? He did not even bother to show up at Anne’s birthday party, always finding excuses to be away on business.

The Connor who used to pamper Anne like a precious treasure had long since disappeared.

Walter looked at Anne sympathetically. Even with makeup, it could not hide the puffiness around her eyes.

The carefree girl from back then had become quieter over the years.

Walter reached out, intending to pat Anne on the head.

Just then, Connor stopped him. "What are you two doing?"

Hearing his voice, Anne lifted her head and saw Felicia standing behind him, holding onto his shirt, staring at her with wide, unblinking eyes.

Felicia was the complete opposite of Anne. Her smooth black hair cascaded over her shoulders, her delicate features highlighted by her white dress, giving her a pure and clean appearance.

This was the first time Anne had seen Felicia.

Of course, perhaps that was not entirely accurate, since the day after Connor made their relationship official, Felicia added Anne on social media.

Seeing the intimate photos Felicia posted on her feed, Anne spent countless sleepless nights and even secretly scrolled through Felicia's social media, torturing herself by repeatedly looking at the daily life of Connor and Felicia as a couple.

At some point, Felicia posted a caption that seemed to be directly aimed at Anne.

"To some of you, can you stop spying on our lives?"

Anne had never felt so humiliated. She turned off her phone and never tried to keep track of their updates again.

"You didn’t come to work today just to have a meal with Walter?"

Connor’s question snapped Anne out of her thoughts.

She pulled her gaze away from Felicia and looked at Connor. "You can bring her to the company, and I can't even go out to have a meal?"

"Why do you have to eat with him? Of all people, why Walter?" asked Connor.

"What's wrong with Walter?"

Anne’s tone remained calm, but Connor was so angry his voice changed pitch.

"Don’t you know what Walter thinks of you?"