"Don't cry, sweetheart. It breaks my heart to see you like this. I was wrong, okay? It's my fault."

Then came two voices, overlapping. Madeline was glad they were on a plane. Otherwise, she might have fainted from the awkwardness.

Seeing that it was about time, Madeline put away her phone and left the place. She returned to her seat and pretended to be asleep.

One thing about Elias was that he was a businessman who valued every second. His time management was impeccable. As he returned to his seat, she opened her bleary eyes.

"Madie, we're almost there. Freshen up; we'll be landing soon."

"Got it."

The moment she got off the plane, her phone was bombarded with messages. Glancing at them, she saw they were all from Whitney. Madeline ignored them because they were the same old taunting remarks.

At first, it used to bother her, but now it seemed to be fading. She believed she would genuinely be able to let go.

Madeline stood by the window, gazing at the scenery outside. It was beautiful, but she no longer felt the same way about it.

Elias watched Madeline, feeling like she was drifting further and further away. Lately, she had been especially cold towards him. A little anxious, he pulled her into an embrace.

Madeline looked at him, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Elias stared at Madeline for a long moment before finally speaking. "Madie, have I been neglecting you? Are you upset with me? You've been so cold lately." He was most afraid of Madeline ignoring him, so he held her tightly as if afraid she might disappear.

She couldn't help but laugh softly. "No, I know you've been busy with work. I'm not upset. Haven't we always managed this way?"

However, her tone didn't sit well with him. "Madie, I've told you before. Nothing and no one are more important than you in my heart."

He spoke as if he was telling Madeline that her place in his heart could never be shaken. However, someone had already shaken it, right?

Madeline didn't voice this thought, only letting it echo silently in her mind. "Mmm, I know."

Elias reached to kiss Madeline, but she turned away. That brief rejection made his eyes flush with anger. "Madie, are you avoiding me? Do you find me disgusting?"

Madeline could feel Elias' hands trembling. This man might genuinely love her, but he also couldn't give up his clandestine affairs.

She sniffled, trying to hide the slight sting in her nose from Elias. "Just teasing you. I wanted to see your reaction. Didn't we say we were going to a banquet tonight?" Madeline quickly changed the subject.

Hearing this, Elias finally relaxed a little.

Madeline watched as Elias personally dressed her, did her hair, put on her jewelry and even knelt to slip on her heels—the princess shoes he'd picked just for her. "Elias?"

He looked up, waiting for her to continue. Yet, she just stared at him, lost in thought. "Madie, what's wrong? Is there something you want to say?"

Madeline gazed at Elias' tender expression, her hand gently caressing his face. "Elias, do you love me?" she asked softly.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of annoyance crossed Elias' face. "Madeline, who doesn't know that you're the only woman I've ever loved?"

"You don't believe me? Do I have to dig out my heart for you to trust me?" As soon as he finished speaking, Elias grabbed a fruit knife from the table and aimed it at his chest.

Before he could go any further, Madeline stopped him. "Elias, I believe you. I really do. I was just testing you a little because, well, women like to be dramatic sometimes."

Elias put down the knife and pulled her into his arms. "You can doubt anything, but you can never doubt my love for you."

His love for Madeline was undeniable, yet his infidelity was also an indisputable fact.

While watching Whitney's dress at the banquet, Madeline couldn't shake the feeling that Whitney was doing it on purpose. Throughout the entire event, Elias escorted both Madeline and Whitney, drawing envious glances from all the men present.

Some of his former business partners couldn't resist teasing him in French. "Mr. Fisher, you're really living the dream—one on each arm! We're jealous, so jealous."

Others joined in the jokes. "Exactly! You've mastered the art of time management, keeping both your wife and your secretary in perfect harmony. Your secretary sure knows her place."

Whitney didn't seem embarrassed by the remarks. Instead, she smiled coyly. Elias even chimed in, "Isn't that the point? I like her because she listens—and because she's irresistible."

Although Madeline had married Elias, she didn't fit in with his social circle at all. She was too conservative and lacked a sense of fun. "Exactly. When it comes to the bed, men prefer someone like Miss Young. After all, no man likes a woman who's like a dead fish in bed, haha!"

Elias raised his glass and smiled but said nothing, tacitly agreeing with the comment. The men kept praising Whitney while putting down Madeline. They all assumed she couldn't understand, but she absorbed every word.

To them, she had no redeeming qualities. As she watched Elias chat easily with them, she realized this was blatant infidelity. Not only that, but he even agreed with their insults about her.

If he despised her so much, why couldn't he say it to her face? Madeline could tolerate strangers' mockery, but Elias' silent approval? That was the real betrayal.

Madeline had expected to cry. After all, no one could hear those words and remain completely unmoved. Her initial reaction was a bone-chilling cold as if she'd been plunged into a freezing lake. Every movement felt like shards of ice piercing her heart.

So, when she raised a hand to touch her cheek, she was surprised to find she hadn't shed a single tear. It was the only thing preventing her from completely falling apart.

Her rational mind kicked in, whispering, "You can endure this. Once you make it through, you can let go of everything."

From a distance, she watched Elias and Whitney chat happily with the other guests. Whitney would occasionally glance at her with a smug expression. She then told Elias she wanted to sit alone for a bit.

"Sure. Just don't wander too far. I'll come find you once I'm done."

No sooner had Madeline stepped away than she noticed Elias and Whitney entering an elevator together. Moments later, her phone buzzed with a text message from Whitney. "Parking lot."

Madeline's grip on her phone tightened, but she still got up and followed them. She took the elevator to the location Whitney had texted her. As soon as the doors opened, she saw the two of them already locked in a passionate kiss.

Once they closed the car door, they became even more impatient.

Madeline didn't approach. She crouched behind another car, watching through the window. Inside, Elias seemed utterly at ease, his face full of enjoyment as Whitney straddled his lap.

Not long after, the car started moving. This time, Madeline seemed very composed. She took out her phone and started recording the entire process.

At first, her vision was blurred by tears, making it hard to see clearly. But as time went on, her emotions slowly shifted—from heart-wrenching pain to an eerie calmness. By the time they were done, she felt utterly indifferent.

Madeline had almost forgotten what she had just experienced. She turned off the recording and hid in the back of the car. Only after the two people left did she come out.

When the elevator doors closed with a soft ding, she felt as though her heart shattered into pieces. At that moment, Madeline finally let go completely. Without waiting for them, she walked back to the hotel alone.

Madeline had no idea that Elias had been frantically searching for her during that time. The moment she returned to the hotel, Elias rushed out desperately.

"Madie! Madie! You scared me to death! I'm sorry—it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been so focused on work and neglected you. Please, hit me if it'll make you feel better!"

Elias kept apologizing; his eyes red as though he was about to cry. Sadly, Madeline's eyes no longer had that familiar spark, perhaps because she had already moved on. "Sorry. I was just bored, so I wandered off. I ended up walking back to the hotel."

Madeline had never apologized to Elias before. Throughout their four years of dating and marriage, it was always Elias who bowed his head first. This one apology made Elias' chest tighten. He could tell something about Madeline had changed.

She kept smiling—calm and serene. There was no trace of anger or emotion. Yet, Elias realized there was no longer any reflection of himself in her eyes.

This realization sent a wave of panic through him, making him increasingly restless and uneasy. "Madie, don't leave me. Please, don't leave me." He hugged her tightly as if trying to embed her into his very bones, but Madeline didn't give him an answer.

"Madie, say something! You're not going to leave me, right?" He repeated the question over and over, almost like he couldn't stop until he heard the answer.

"Hmm. The old Elias was so wonderful. How could I bear to leave him?"

Elias was caught up in his anxious state, so he completely missed the word "old." Only after receiving a definite answer did Elias begin to calm down.

After this incident, Elias spent even more time with Madeline, which led to Whitney's dissatisfaction.

During the few days Elias was busy, Madeline quickly handled all her affairs. She transferred her assets, including the money she secretly made from selling her properties.

"Elias, you haven't contacted me since returning to the country. I even bought so many outfits I thought you'd like."

Elias brushed off Whitney's restless hand. "Stop it. I've already spent enough time with you. Right now, I need to focus on Madie. Be good."

Although Whitney felt unhappy, she didn't dare go against him. Elias liked obedient women and she knew better than to confront him directly.

"One more thing—when Madie is around, don't get too close to me. I don't want her to find out. Remember this: if you behave, I'll take care of you. But if you don't, you know the consequences."

For Elias, Madeline was his bottom line. No matter how much Whitney acted out in front of him, she was absolutely forbidden to cross Madeline.

By the time Elias got home, Madeline had almost finished packing everything. He walked in just as she was putting her belongings into boxes.

"Madie, what are you doing?" Elias' face darkened and he angrily knocked over the boxes. He instinctively thought Madeline was preparing to leave him.