Wren Wynter’s delicate brows furrowed, her voice a little hoarse. "You shouldn’t be calling me. Where’s his assistant?"

"He didn’t bring anyone with him."

"Then you should have called Seraphina Sutton, not me," Wren said coldly.

’Grandma’s gone. I don’t want to put on an act anymore.’

’If Kaden Xavier is well enough to go drinking his sorrows away, it means he’s doing fine.’

"But— Hey, Kaden Xavier, give me back my phone!"

"Darling! Wren! Why haven’t you come to get me yet? Darling, I miss you. Please come pick me up."

"Kaden Xavier, do you have any idea what you’re saying?"

"Of course I do. Darling, come pick me up. I want to go home..."

Wren found it hard to believe.

She and Kaden Xavier had been married for three years, and he had never once called her ’darling’. And now he was, while drunk.

’If he found out what he’d done when he sobered up, wouldn’t he be absolutely mortified?’

Hugh Hale snatched the phone back, his voice full of helpless resignation. "Miss Wynter, you heard him. Kaden is dead drunk and won’t stop shouting for you to come get him. Please, just come. I’m at my wit’s end."

Wren was silent for a long moment before she answered, "Send me the address."

’Just this one last time.’

Fifteen minutes later, Wren arrived at the entrance to the bar.

Hugh Hale was propping Kaden Xavier up at the entrance. The moment he saw Wren, he immediately handed Kaden over to her.

"Miss Wynter, I’ll leave Kaden to you."

Wren nodded, and with Hugh Hale’s help, she managed to stuff him into the back seat of her car.

She walked around to face Hugh Hale, taking in his haggard appearance, and hesitated, a question on the tip of her tongue.

It had been a while, and Hugh Hale seemed to have lost even more weight. His face was gaunt, his features knife-sharp, and his chin was covered in stubble. It was a disheveled look, a far cry from his usual polished appearance.

Hugh Hale knew what she wanted to say. He just gave her a wan smile, waved, and turned to disappear into the night.

Wren drove Kaden Xavier back to View Gardens.

’The Xavier family residence is probably in chaos right now, too. They won’t have time to look after him.’

"Miss, Sir is..."

Butler Chandler looked surprised to see Kaden Xavier in such a drunken state and hurried forward to help.

The two of them supported Kaden Xavier to a guest room, where Wren asked Butler Chandler to bring some water.

"Miss, why don’t you let me handle it?"

"Alright."

’It would be awkward for me.’

Wren was about to leave when Kaden Xavier, lying on the bed, reached out and grabbed her wrist, his eyes hazy as they gazed at her.

"Darling, you’re back."

Wren frowned and sighed in resignation. "It’s alright, Uncle Chandler. You can go get some rest."

"But..." Butler Chandler was worried.

The last time he saw Kaden Xavier hurt Wren, it had angered him so much that he couldn’t even give Kaden a pleasant look for days.

Now Wren was about to be alone with Kaden Xavier. How could he possibly leave them be?

"Go on, it’s fine."

Only after Wren’s repeated assurances did Butler Chandler finally leave, though still anxious.

Kaden Xavier sat up in bed, surprisingly obedient and still.

Wren wrung out a washcloth and began to wipe Kaden Xavier’s face.

Just then, Kaden Xavier suddenly wrapped his arms tightly around Wren’s slender waist, burying his face in her stomach.

"Darling."

"Kaden Xavier, let go!"

"I won’t! I won’t let go!"

This Kaden Xavier was completely different from his usual self; he was more like a stubborn, childish little boy.

Wren was completely helpless against him. She could only finish cleaning his face as if coaxing a child, gently persuading him to lie back down.

"Darling, let’s sleep together."

Kaden Xavier held onto Wren’s hand, refusing to let her leave. His eyes, usually deep and calm, were now filled with a look of wronged innocence.

Wren had a reasonable suspicion that Kaden Xavier was just pretending to be drunk.

’He was never like this when he was drunk before, was he?’

"Kaden Xavier, let go! If you don’t, I’ll... I’ll call for help!"

"Darling, don’t go. Please don’t leave me, okay?"

Kaden Xavier sat up and lunged into Wren’s arms, holding her tight, his voice filled with unconcealable panic.

For a fleeting moment, Wren’s heart softened.

She had never seen this side of Kaden Xavier before.

Childish, stubborn, willful, and...

Vulnerable.

Wren stared at his handsome face, his fair skin flushed with an unnatural redness.

In the end, she couldn’t bring herself to be harsh. Wren softened her voice and coaxed him to lie down.

"Okay, I won’t go. You should get some sleep."

"Really?"

"Really."

"You’re not lying?"

"I’m not lying."

Hearing Wren’s promise, Kaden Xavier finally agreed to lie down and closed his eyes.

After a while, Wren tried to get up and return to her room, only to find her hand held in his tight grip. She couldn’t pull it away at all.

Her brow twitched, but she eventually gave up struggling.

She ended up slumping over the edge of the bed, warily watching Kaden Xavier, and gradually, without realizing it, she fell asleep.

The next morning, Kaden Xavier woke to a splitting headache.

He shook his head and was startled to see Wren slumped over the side of the bed.

Sunlight streamed through the window, falling on Wren’s face. Her delicate features, deep red lips, and high-bridged nose—every detail was like a masterpiece sculpted to perfection.

Kaden Xavier’s gaze softened as he watched her profile. Her long lashes fluttered, signaling that the sleeping beauty was about to awaken. He was so mesmerized that he didn’t even notice when she had already woken up.

"You’re awake," Wren said, breaking the silence and pulling Kaden Xavier back from his thoughts.

Kaden Xavier cleared his throat. "Yeah. How did I end up at View Gardens?"

"You got drunk last night and pestered Hugh Hale into calling me to come pick you up."

Kaden Xavier’s lips twitched unnaturally. "Sorry to have troubled you."

"As long as you know it was a hassle. Next time you get drunk, don’t call me."

Wren yawned and tried to push herself up with one hand. But because she had slept slumped over, her limbs were still numb, and she stumbled, falling right toward Kaden Xavier.

Kaden Xavier quickly caught her by the waist with both hands, asking with tense concern.

"Wren, are you okay?"

Wren was mortified. She quickly pushed Kaden Xavier away, scrambled to her feet, and fled the guest room as if escaping.

Watching Wren’s retreating back, a smile—the first in a long time—tugged at Kaden Xavier’s lips.

Wren returned to her room and leaned back against the door, clenching her jaw. Her eyes were bloodshot.

’If only this were the past, how wonderful it would be.’

’But now... I don’t need it anymore.’

’Kaden Xavier, it’s too late for everything.’